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Luther Rice Seminary's attempt to gain SACS candidacy

Discussion in 'Baptist Colleges & Seminaries' started by PatsFan, Jun 3, 2006.

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  1. PatsFan

    PatsFan New Member

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    This may be old news, but I haven't read much about it. In December the Southern Association of Colleges & Schools (SACS) denied LRS (now known as LRU), the "authorization of a candidacy committee." SACS cited numerous failures to comply with core requirements including faculty, program length and content, institutuional effectiveness and learning resources and services. I thought LRS had pretty good programs and a fine faculty. Are SACS standards that different than TRACs? I wonder if TRACS accreditation needs to be stricter?

    http://www.sacscoc.org/pdf/05cractdec.pdf
     
    #1 PatsFan, Jun 3, 2006
  2. Nord

    Nord New Member

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    It is hard to say without more information. TRACS has come a long way and been commended a few years back by the US Dept of Ed for their methodology and I think they are also invovled in some other insututional effectiveness organizations that point to a quaility accreditor.

    We do not have the full report so we do not know what the issues were. I have no idea what length of prgram means since for instance their masters degrees if I recall exceeded secular Masters in terms of lenght of program? Their faculty have become far more diverse (fewer LRS DMin's) and more PhD's (whether those are full time slots or not I do not know).

    The other factor is that if LRS had gone with North Central for accreditation, they may have had an easier time of it as NCA has a reputation for being much more open to distance learning programs.

    As a side note, I once contacted LRS a decade ago and was told by someone on the phone that they would never go for Regional Accreditation (only Christian based). My personal bias is that I feel some of these schools choose to sell out when they move to one of the Regional Accreditors. This may not really be fair on my part but I think when there is a Christian alternative that is what we should support (i.e. ther is no Christian ABA, APA, etc).

    Nord
     
    #2 Nord, Jun 4, 2006
    Last edited: Jun 4, 2006
  3. PatsFan

    PatsFan New Member

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    I talked with a professor at LRS about 3 years ago and he hinted, rather subtly that they might be looking at other accreditation. I've been impressed with TRACS when I've read through their accreditation standards and policies. Maybe they need more science or English teachers for their undergrad program or maybe SACS does have a bias against distance learning. It's certainly puzzling.
     
    #3 PatsFan, Jun 4, 2006
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