Westwood College: Difference between revisions
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Revision as of 18:25, 3 December 2010
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Motto | A Place Where You Can Succeed |
---|---|
Type | Private, For-profit |
Established | 1953 |
Location | , , |
Website | Westwood College |
Westwood College, owned by Alta Colleges Inc., is a United States for-profit institution of higher learning with 17 campus locations in six states and online learning options. Westwood is accredited by national organizations including the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSC)[1] and the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS). Since its inception in 1986, Westwood has graduated more than 24,000 students.[2]
Westwood offers what it describes as "career-focused" diploma, associate, bachelor's and master's degree programs through its Schools of Business, Design, Justice, Technology, Healthcare, and Industrial Services. In recent years Westwood College has been the subject of controversy related to a series of lawsuits and some students' inability to transfer credits to other colleges and universities.
History
Westwood College was founded in Denver, Colorado, in 1953. For many years, the school was known as Denver Institute of Technology, offering diploma and degree programs in a variety of technical fields. As the school expanded into other industries, the name was changed to Westwood College.
Today, Westwood College is part of Alta Colleges Inc. (Alta), a system of for-profit higher education institutions that also includes Westwood College Online and Redstone College (once known as Colorado Aero Tech in Denver). Currently, there are 17 Westwood College campuses located in six states.
Westwood College Online offers 25 degree programs. Coursework is completed entirely over the Internet via audio/visual technology designed to mimic an actual classroom. The virtual classrooms are supplemented with real textbooks.
Accreditation
Westwood College's campus locations are nationally accredited by either the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC)[1] or the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS).[3][4][5][6][7] In addition, each campus is licensed and approved to operate by the appropriate state regulatory bodies.[8] Westwood College is approved by all branches of the military to offer benefits and tuition assistance opportunities.[9]
Westwood College Online is accredited with the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS).[10]
Westwood College was a candidate for regional accreditation by The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools from October 2007 until it withdrew its candidacy on November 1, 2010.[11]
Locations
In addition to its Westwood College Online program, Westwood College has locations in:
- California: Anaheim,[12] Upland,[13] Los Angeles (Mid-Wilshire),[14] and Los Angeles (South Bay).[15]
- Colorado: Denver North (unincorporated Adams County)[16] and Denver South.[17]
- Georgia: Atlanta (Midtown)[18] and Atlanta (Northlake) (unincorporated DeKalb County).[19]
- Illinois: Chicago Loop,[20] Woodridge (DuPage),[21] Chicago O'Hare Airport,[22] and Calumet City (River Oaks).[23]
- Texas: Dallas,[24] Fort Worth,[25] and Houston (Arena Place).[26]
- Virginia: Annandale (unincorporated Fairfax County)[27] and Arlington (unincorporated Arlington County).[28]
Curriculum
Westwood College operates on a term schedule. Degree programs start five times a year, and courses are offered year-round during the day, evening and online. Depending on the degree program in which they are enrolled, students can earn an associate degree in 20 months or a bachelor’s degree in three years.
Westwood College's degree programs are organized under six schools: School of Business, School of Design, School of Justice, School of Technology, School of Healthcare and School of Industrial Services. Each campus has a different program focus and some programs are not available at certain locations, depending on the regional economic variables and demand.
Students that have graduated from Westwood can return for tuition-free retraining, which allows them to evaluate and review courses that were within their degree program. Westwood alumni can audit a class they took during their tenure, take an updated course after graduation and continue to learn about new equipment and software.
Admissions and financial aid
Westwood has an open admissions policy.[29] Applicants are eligible for both Pell grants and federal student loans. In an August 4, 2010 report from the Government Accountability Office, Westwood College was named as one of four institutions that "encouraged fraudulent practices" when meeting with undercover investigators posing as applicants. Fraudulent practices cited in this report included encouraging applicants to overstate financial need and hide assets.[30] These practices would increase an applicants' eligibility for government loans and grants.
Recognition
In 2009, graphics and creative design students from the college's Anaheim campus received three Student ADDY Awards from the American Advertising Federation's regional competition.[31]
Controversy
In recent years Westwood College has been the subject of controversy related to a series of lawsuits and some students' inability to transfer credits to other colleges and universities. The Consumer Warning Network, a website that is operated by members of James, Hoyer, Newcomer, Smiljanich & Yanchunis[32] and describes itself as "an independent, consumer advocacy group," has reported on Westwood's recruiting tactics, its CEO's record and federal complaints as well. In May 2009, Westwood also settled a federal lawsuit over misrepresentation of its graduation statistics for $7 million.[33]
Westwood faces a class action arbitration filed by the firm, challenging its admissions and financial aid practices.[34] Al Lewis, a business columnist for Dow Jones Newswires, commented on the lawsuit for the Denver Post.[35] ABC World News featured the lawsuit in a report on schools run for profit.[36] The Denver Post has since reported that the Colorado Attorney General's office is investigating the college.[37] The Hoyer firm's use of social media to connect with Westwood students was reported in The Wall Street Journal, which also reported that Westwood filed a suit against James Hoyer, alleging defamation through "new media Internet weapons".[38]
As of September 2010, Westwood College faced further regulatory difficulties in Texas, where the Texas Workforce Commission took steps to revoke the licenses of Westwood's three Texas campuses due to concerns raised in a federal General Accounting Office investigation,[39] and in Wisconsin, where the Wisconsin Educational Approval Board ordered Westwood to stop enrolling students in its online college.[40]
On its website, Westwood has responded to many of the allegations against it.[41] Regarding credit transfer problems, Westwood acknowledges that its credits "are typically not transferable to other colleges or universities," but asserts that the program is focused on giving students "the skills and tools necessary to meet their employer’s needs from day one."[41]
See also
References
- ^ a b "ACCSC Directory". n.d. Retrieved 2010-10-07. Cite error: The named reference "ACCSC Directory" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ http://www.westwood.edu/why-westwood/about-us/
- ^ "ACICS - Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools". October 12, 2010. Retrieved 2010-10-12.
- ^ Jaschik, Scott (October 19, 2005). "Demanding Credit". Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved 2008-12-12.
{{cite web}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=
(help) - ^ Lederman, Doug (February 26, 2007). "Tussling Over Transfer of Credit". Inside Higher ED. Retrieved 2008-12-12.
{{cite web}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=
(help) - ^ "What is the difference between regional and national accreditation?". Yahoo! Help. n.d. Retrieved 2008-10-12.
- ^ "Types of Accreditation". WorldWideLearn. n.d. Retrieved 2010-10-13.
{{cite web}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=
(help) - ^ "Westwood College Accreditation". Westwood College. n.d. Retrieved 2010-11-13.
- ^ "Westwood College Military Advantages". Westwood College. n.d. Retrieved 2008-12-09.
- ^ "ACICS Directory of Accredited Institutions" (PDF). June 1, 2010. Retrieved 2010-06-15.
- ^ "Higher Learning Commission Accreditation". Higher Learning Commission. n.d. Retrieved 2008-12-09.
- ^ "Westwood College - Anaheim Campus". Westwood College. n.d. Retrieved 2008-01-14.
- ^ "Westwood College - Inland Empire Campus info". Westwood College. n.d. Retrieved 2008-01-14.
- ^ "Westwood College - Los Angeles Campus". Westwood College. n.d. Retrieved 2008-01-14.
- ^ "Westwood College - South Bay Campus". Westwood College. n.d. Retrieved 2008-01-14.
- ^ "Westwood College in Colorado - Denver North". Westwood College. n.d. Retrieved 2008-01-14.
- ^ "Westwood College in Colorado - Denver South". Westwood College. n.d. Retrieved 2008-01-14.
- ^ "Westwood College in Georgia - Midtown Campus". Westwood College. n.d. Retrieved 2008-01-14.
- ^ "Westwood College in Georgia - Northlake Campus". Westwood College. n.d. Retrieved 2008-01-14.
- ^ "Westwood College in Chicago - Loop Campus". Westwood College. n.d. Retrieved 2008-01-14.
- ^ "Westwood College in Chicago - DuPage Campus". Westwood College. n.d. Retrieved 2008-01-14.
- ^ "Westwood College in Chicago - O'Hare Airport Campus". Westwood College. n.d. Archived from the original on 2007-12-29. Retrieved 2008-01-14.
- ^ "Westwood College in Chicago - River Oaks Campus". Westwood College. n.d. Retrieved 2008-01-14.
- ^ "Westwood College in Texas - Dallas Campus". Westwood College. n.d. Retrieved 2008-01-14.
- ^ "Westwood College in Texas - Fort Worth Campus". Westwood College. n.d. Retrieved 2008-01-14.
- ^ "Westwood College in Texas - Houston Campus". Westwood College. n.d. Retrieved 2008-01-14.
- ^ "Westwood College in Virginia - Annandale Campus". Westwood College. n.d. Retrieved 2008-01-14.
- ^ "Westwood College in Virginia - Arlington Campus". Westwood College. n.d. Retrieved 2008-01-14.
- ^ National Center for Education Statistics (2008). "College Navigator - Westwood College". Retrieved 2010-08-05.
- ^ Vise, Daniel de (2010-08-05). "GAO: 15 for-profit colleges used deceptive recruiting tactics". The Washington Post. ISSN 0740-5421. Retrieved 2010-08-05.
{{cite news}}
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ignored (|author=
suggested) (help) - ^ "Westwood College Students Win 14 Addy Awards". Westwood College. 2009. Retrieved 2010-10-12.
- ^ "Whois.net domain registration". Retrieved 2009-07-22.
- ^ "Westwood College has lessons to learn". Consumer Warning Network. 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-06.
- ^ "Westwood College". James Hoyer Law Firm. 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-06.
- ^ "Lewis: Qwest's Burnett now running school of hard knocks". The Denver Post. 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-06.
- ^ "ABC News: Students Sue Over Alleged College Scam". ABC News. 2009. Retrieved 2009-08-15.
- ^ "AG reviews 51 complaints against Westwood College". The Denver Post. 2010. Retrieved 2010-04-30.
- ^ Koppel, Nathan (2010-06-15). "Using Social Networking as Legal Tool". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2010-06-16.
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ "Westwood College campuses in Fort Worth, Houston, Dallas may lose licenses, Texas Workforce Commission says". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. 2010-09-10. Retrieved 2010-11-08.
- ^ Garza, Jesse (2010-09-16). "College told to stop enrolling Wisconsin residents". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 2010-11-08.
- ^ a b Just the Facts About Westwood College, Westwood College website, accessed July 20, 2010
External links
- Distance education institutions
- Education in Anaheim, California
- Universities and colleges in Colorado
- Universities and colleges in Denver, Colorado
- Universities and colleges in Georgia (U.S. state)
- Schools in Atlanta, Georgia
- Universities and colleges in Chicago, Illinois
- Universities and colleges in Illinois
- Universities and colleges in Texas
- Universities and colleges in Dallas, Texas
- Universities and colleges in Fort Worth, Texas
- Universities and colleges in Houston, Texas
- Universities and colleges in Virginia
- For-profit universities and colleges
- Educational institutions established in 1953
- Graphic design schools
- North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
- Education in DuPage County, Illinois
- Universities and colleges in Orange County, California
- Universities and colleges in San Bernardino County, California
- Universities and colleges in Los Angeles County, California