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*[http://www.chea.org Council for Higher Education Accreditation]
*[http://www.chea.org Council for Higher Education Accreditation]


[[Category:Unrecognized accreditation associations]]There have been untrue stories floating around about Accrediting Commission International for years. We have chosen to ignore the accusations in the past. We have experienced continued growth, both in size and in quality, since our inception in 1989.
[[Category:Unrecognized accreditation associations]]
In an effort to increase transparency within our organization, we are addressing several issues that have been in circulation.
There was another accrediting organization that has been out of business for around twenty-three years. While, most of the stories told about the other organization are only half-truths and outright falsehood, we have chosen only to answer the part of the stories as they apply to ACI.

ACI has never had any legal association with the old organization. The stories connect us to them, but it simply is not the truth. The man who was co-founder of the other organization has been deceased for years. People who want to sell books and love war stories have simply not laid the story to rest. ACI has made a serious attempt to clarify any misunderstanding between ACI and our accusers. In several cases we have sent printed documentation to our accusers to sincerely enlighten them to the truth. Many times this has been ignored.

ACI did not invite all the schools from a former organization to join ACI. We did invite some of them to join. Each new school must eventually have an extensive on-site evaluation. Accrediting Commission International accredits approximately 320 learning institutions in thirty-nine United States and eight countries of the world.

Approximately twenty-five schools, who are currently members of ACI, were members of the older organization. All of these institutions had to apply, receive a site visit, and meet other accreditation criteria in order to obtain accreditation from Accrediting Commission International.

No school is given membership in the ACI association that does not have a stringent site visit to determine the quality of school.
ACI reviews all complaints. We require that the complaint be signed by the plaintiff, after which the complaint is investigated by both ACI and the associated institution. After the complaint is comprehensively investigated by ACI, the institution is consulted prior to an official decision regarding the complaint.
ACI has the authority to decline membership to schools that do not meet its rigorous guidelines. Additionally, institutions that haven’t continually met ACI’s regulations have been revoked from the organization.

The cost for accreditation is well adjusted for the amount of service given to the schools. The costs are kept as low as possible.

The reader should be aware that most of the schools accredited by Accrediting Commission International are not state-regulated educational institutions. These facilities, because of the quality they have to offer, have chosen to have us look at them, critique their programs, make recommendations and to assist them in gaining higher standards of education. The student or prospective student of these schools should appreciate this.
Every school which becomes a member of the Accrediting Commission International must certify that they are operating within the confines of the laws in their state or country of residence to become members. They must continue to work within the realm of law to maintain membership in ACI.
Accrediting Commission International is an Accredited Member of the Better Business Bureau. ACI will soon celebrate twenty-one years of service to private and religious schools throughout the world!

Revision as of 15:51, 6 January 2010

Accrediting Commission International (ACI), also known as Accrediting Commission International for Schools, Colleges, and Theological Seminaries, possibly associated with International Accrediting Commission (IAC), also known as International Accrediting Commission for Schools, Colleges and Theological Seminaries is an unrecognized educational accreditation corporation in Beebe, Arkansas, primarily accrediting religious schools, including seminaries and Bible colleges, but also offering accreditation to non-U.S. schools that offer business education programs.[1] John F. Scheel is president.[2] The St. Petersburg Times reported, "said Alan Contreras, who heads Oregon's Office of Degree Authorization, which closely tracks schools with questionable accreditation. 'Anything accredited by ACI in Beebe, Ark., is either fake or substandard, as far as I know.'"[3]

Recognition

ACI is not recognized by either Council for Higher Education Accreditation or United States Department of Education, the two institutions responsible for recognizing educational accreditating institutions in the United States.[4][5] According to its website, ACI had not applied for USDE affiliation as of 2007 because most of its members' views regarding separation of church and state.[1]

The Oregon Office of Degree Authorization put ACI in a list and says of the list, "any so-called “accreditation” by these bodies is meaningless in Oregon and in some other states."[6]

IAC is controversial in part because it was caught by the state of Missouri accrediting an obviously bogus college and charged with fraud.[5] IAC accredited the obviously bogus college created by the Missouri assistant attorney general. IAC was ordered to cease operation in the state of Missouri. ACI then appeared in Beebe, accrediting the same institutions as were previously accredited by IAC.[5][7] Degree.net says that "International Accrediting Commission for Schools, Colleges and Theological Seminaries" (IAC) was an organization directed by Dr. George Reuter, who retired immediately before ACI arose in Arkansas.[4]

Schools accredited by ACI

In 2007 ACI said they had accredited 280 schools;[1] Patriot Bible University, an ACI-accredited school, in 2008 said there were 300;[8] ACI currently counts 310.[2] Other organizations accredited by ACI include Washington International University[9], and Wisconsin International University[10], and Trinity Valley Baptist Seminary and College in Kennedale, Texas.[11]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Other Benefits and Steps Toward ACI Certification". Accrediting Commission International. 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2009-03-23.
  2. ^ a b "Home; About Us". Accrediting Commission International. Retrieved 2009-03-23.
  3. ^ Bousquet, Steve; Matus, Ron (2007-10-27). "Degree inspires little faith". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved 2009-03-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ a b "Accrediting Agencies Not Recognized Under GAAP". Degree.net. 2008. Retrieved 2009-03-23.
  5. ^ a b c Great Moments in Accreditation: The Case of IAC, ACI, and The Three Stooges, by John Bear, Quackwatch
  6. ^ “Accrediting” entities not recognized by the State of Oregon, Oregon Office of Degree Authorization, Oregon state government
  7. ^ Roach, David (2006-10-24). "Pastor's resignation sparks discussion of accreditation". Baptist Press. Retrieved 2009-03-23.
  8. ^ "Who Accredits Patriot Bible University". Patriot Bible University. 2008-10. Retrieved 2009-03-23. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  9. ^ "Welcome to WIU". Washington International University. 1999. Retrieved 2009-03-23.
  10. ^ Lee, Jeff (2006-10-09). "College Linked to 'Worthless' American Degrees". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved 2009-03-23.
  11. ^ ""Trinity Valley Baptist Seminary and College accreditation"". tvsbc.org. Retrieved July 21, 2009.

In an effort to increase transparency within our organization, we are addressing several issues that have been in circulation. There was another accrediting organization that has been out of business for around twenty-three years. While, most of the stories told about the other organization are only half-truths and outright falsehood, we have chosen only to answer the part of the stories as they apply to ACI.

ACI has never had any legal association with the old organization. The stories connect us to them, but it simply is not the truth. The man who was co-founder of the other organization has been deceased for years. People who want to sell books and love war stories have simply not laid the story to rest. ACI has made a serious attempt to clarify any misunderstanding between ACI and our accusers. In several cases we have sent printed documentation to our accusers to sincerely enlighten them to the truth. Many times this has been ignored.

ACI did not invite all the schools from a former organization to join ACI. We did invite some of them to join. Each new school must eventually have an extensive on-site evaluation. Accrediting Commission International accredits approximately 320 learning institutions in thirty-nine United States and eight countries of the world.

Approximately twenty-five schools, who are currently members of ACI, were members of the older organization. All of these institutions had to apply, receive a site visit, and meet other accreditation criteria in order to obtain accreditation from Accrediting Commission International.

No school is given membership in the ACI association that does not have a stringent site visit to determine the quality of school. ACI reviews all complaints. We require that the complaint be signed by the plaintiff, after which the complaint is investigated by both ACI and the associated institution. After the complaint is comprehensively investigated by ACI, the institution is consulted prior to an official decision regarding the complaint. ACI has the authority to decline membership to schools that do not meet its rigorous guidelines. Additionally, institutions that haven’t continually met ACI’s regulations have been revoked from the organization.

The cost for accreditation is well adjusted for the amount of service given to the schools. The costs are kept as low as possible.

The reader should be aware that most of the schools accredited by Accrediting Commission International are not state-regulated educational institutions. These facilities, because of the quality they have to offer, have chosen to have us look at them, critique their programs, make recommendations and to assist them in gaining higher standards of education. The student or prospective student of these schools should appreciate this. Every school which becomes a member of the Accrediting Commission International must certify that they are operating within the confines of the laws in their state or country of residence to become members. They must continue to work within the realm of law to maintain membership in ACI. Accrediting Commission International is an Accredited Member of the Better Business Bureau. ACI will soon celebrate twenty-one years of service to private and religious schools throughout the world!

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