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Ashford University Receives Extensions from HLC
(Clinton) -- Ashford has more time to address accreditation issues that have developed in recent weeks.
Faced with deadlines for meeting compliance with requirements of the Higher Learning Commission in a series of recent accreditation issues-Ashford University has been granted an extension from the HLC.
The deadlines became an issue after the school was denied accreditation from the Western Associatin of Schools and Colleges. The move the new agency was sought to accommodate the bulk of Ashford’s parent company, Bridgepoint Education, operations in San Diego and their on-line operations. That decision is being appealed.
The school issued a statement about the extensions.
Ashford University received a letter from the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Schools and Colleges (HLC) updating and modifying previously announced deadlines related to the University’s compliance with HLC’s jurisdictional requirements, as well as the requirement for the University to provide a report and host a site visit as part of the special monitoring process.
Concerning the HLC’s jurisdictional requirements, the letter specified that Ashford University will be required to provide HLC with an implementation plan on or before December 1, 2012 that demonstrates how the University will comply with HLC’s policy on substantial presence in the event that a migration to the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) either will not occur or is significantly delayed.
The HLC Board of Trustees will review the implementation plan at its February 2013 meeting to determine whether it is acceptable. If Ashford University is required to exercise the implementation plan, it must accomplish the move of its core operations to the 19-state north central region immediately after the anticipated June 2013 WASC decision.
Separately, in order to ensure that Ashford University has sufficient time to prepare for the HLC Advisory Visit while, simultaneously, providing timely information to the visiting team, the letter states that the University will be permitted to provide its report demonstrating compliance with HLC’s Criteria for Accreditation and Core Components in two phases. Rather than the original August 10, 2012 deadline, at which time the full report would be due, the first phase of the University report will now be due by August 31, 2012, with the second phase due by September 21, 2012. Additionally, the Advisory Visit will be postponed to the week of October 22, 2012, with the caveat that the visit date may need to be adjusted due to the availability of the Advisory Visit team members.
In the statement Ashford University asserted it believes it is in substantial compliance with the HLC accreditation criteria and intends to cooperate fully with HLC in this matter.
The HLC region includes 19 states from Arizona to West Virginia, including Iowa where Ashford University maintains its residential campus in Clinton.
Written 8/1/2012 by Dave Vickers - KROS News
