UAS Accreditation Coming Under Review
Every 10 years, a university must go under review for the renewal of their accreditation, and this can be tremendously important for the students and staff.
By: Whalesong Staff
Every 10 years, a university must go under review for the renewal of their accreditation, and this can be tremendously important for the students and staff.
“There is a group of professionals in the northwest area who serve as the accreditation visiting team. They will come and look at what we do, primarily they are going to come and make sure that we're doing what we say we're doing.” Bruce Gifford, Vice Chancellor at UAS, said.
The difference between an accredited university, and an unaccredited school mostly involves the transfer of credits. If a school is not accredited, there are no standards for the quality of the education offered at the school.
UAS is part of a network of accreditation, one which includes most public schools in the northwest. This ensures that the classes are taught to a similar standard.
When asked about what a school could do to loose its accreditation, Gifford stated: “Now if they were to come, and they find something seriously wrong. Say that we do not have enough money; they could potentially put us on probation. Or if they found something that they did not like, they might say we're going to be back in 5 instead of 10 years. You would have to seriously be in trouble, like you're going under financially or something to loose your accreditation.”
The team comes in October 2009 for three days, and then in December the final decision will be made public.
“I am not loosing any sleep over it,” Gifford remarked.
