Department of Education Seeks to Regulate Higher Education

[Mamasaphire]

Not sure if this is the correct place to post this, but it looks like it might effect testing for credits and thus important...

"A recently proposed regulation would give the federal Department of Education unprecedented authority over all colleges and universities—even private ones.

The proposed regulation, entitled “Program Integrity Issues,” would create new accreditation rules for public and private colleges and universities. It would also allow the federal government to determine what constitutes a “credit hour,” and would require colleges and universities to submit to additional regulation and supervision by state and federal officials....

The final regulation will be issued on November 1, 2010....
We urge you to write or email your U.S. representative and senators and let them know your opinion on this rule."

Department of Education Seeks to Regulate Higher Education

[Andy1979]

I didn't read the entire proposed regulation, but it sounds like the feds are trying to reign in the regional accrediting bodies. This is not to say that these entities are not focused on quality, but there are differences between them and some are more liberal than others.

I don't know how this will affect CLEP/DSST testing, but you can bet that there will be some kind of compliance issues with transfer credit that all schools must meet.

My feeling, is that there needs to be consistency, but the system we have is working. Degrees granted by regionally accredited institutions are respected by the business community. This meddling is just not what we need. I am sick of the feds trying to "help" me.

Andy

[Mamasaphire]

Exactly! We need to get the word out & people calling NOW... Nov 1st will be here before we know it!

[cannoda]

I would suggest that the purpose of the proposed regulations are to define certain terms that are currently undefined for the purpose of federal financial aid.

I suspect that certain educational institutions have used such terms in qualifying their students for federal financial aid in a manner that most institutions would find highly unusual, and abusive of the federal financial aid process.

I have not read the proposed regs closely but they seem to be intended to deal with some of the financial aid abuses associated with the for-profits and recently reported in the media.

The question is . . . WHO is really behind the opposition to these proposed regs.

[sirjake]

The question is . . . WHO is really behind the opposition to these proposed regs.

I received an email from the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) about this issue. To quote them,

HSLDA is very concerned that the U.S. Department of Education will use this regulation to control and regulate all higher education. Federal control over the very existence of colleges and universities has never been attempted before this regulation. Additionally, having a federal definition of “credit hour” could easily lead to future regulations that mandate what is taught in colleges and universities. Michael Farris, HSLDA chairman and founder of Patrick Henry College in Purcellville, Virginia, stated, “The regulation that forces states to create new regulatory bureaucracies is blatantly unconstitutional.” (from Department of Education Seeks to Regulate Higher Education

So that's someone who is behind the opposition. I think that they are probably right to be alarmed. Federal bureaucracies rarely limit their own power. Once created, the likelihood that they will seek further restrictions and regulations is very high.

And I trust HSLDA. They're a good, Christian organization that has been around long enough to know what's going on.

[Mamasaphire]

I received an email from the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) about this issue.....
And I trust HSLDA. They're a good, Christian organization that has been around long enough to know what's going on.

Yes, I completely agree!!!

[cannoda]

I received an email from the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) about this issue. To quote them,


So that's someone who is behind the opposition. I think that they are probably right to be alarmed. Federal bureaucracies rarely limit their own power. Once created, the likelihood that they will seek further restrictions and regulations is very high.

And I trust HSLDA. They're a good, Christian organization that has been around long enough to know what's going on.

I don't get it. Are you saying that the DOE doesn't get to define what they mean by "credit hour" for the purpose of determining whether a college meets the guidelines for participating in the Federal financial aid program that they administer?

And I don't understand why a homeschool association or the founder of a college that doesn't participate in the federal financial aid program or accept federal funding cares about the guidelines the Feds use for administering their program.

How can this proposed reg be construed as "regulation of higher education" or relevent in any way to a homeschool association or Patrick Henry College? As I said, I don't get it.

[Mamasaphire]

How can this proposed reg be construed as "regulation of higher education" or relevent in any way to a homeschool association or Patrick Henry College? As I said, I don't get it.

I don't think it has *anything* to do with homeschooling or not.

But as mentioned above, if the system is working well now, why change it?

Have you read the proposed changes?

[cannoda]

I don't think it has *anything* to do with homeschooling or not.

But as mentioned above, if the system is working well now, why change it?

Have you read the proposed changes?

To be honest, I only skimmed it.

I don't think the federal financial aid system is working well. There are far too many for-profit institutions whose business model is based on capturing all of a student's available federal financial aid, leaving the student with a marginally useful education and debt they have no chance of paying off. Far too many students have been defrauded by some of these institutions.

I do not include Patrick Henry in this category since they make a point of not participating in the federal financial aid program. However, I openly wonder why they take issue with how the federal government chooses to administer the financial aid program they pointedly eschew.