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.. Education, counseling and leadership in support of the United Nations manifesto
for environmentally sound personal growth and social justice
Institute of Global Education
Special NGO consultant to United Nations Economic and Social Council
DEPARTMENT OF INTEGRATED ECOLOGY
.... Project NatureConnect Scholarship Program
in support of degree programs at
Greenwich University
Applied Ecopsychology
Dr. Michael J. Cohen, Director
360-378-6313
ACCREDITATION: The IGE scholarship program and non-accredited degrees
The purpose of a obtaining an accredited or non-accredited University degree is identical. It is to gain the knowledge, credentials and recognition from Society that command its well deserved respect and support. A degree identifies a person with far above average expertise and ability to contribute. Thus it rightfully opens doors to many opportunities and relationships not otherwise available.
The accredited degree sometimes makes available professional opportunities in established institutions that are members of a restrictive, powerful Accrediting Association, one that includes exclusive eligibility for grant and loan opportunities for students from the Federal Government. Association members are not allowed to recognize valid education received outside the auspices of the Association. However, because of the quality and significance of their work, many non-accredited degree holders have been invited to work in accredited institutions.
IGE Status
The quality, content and process of the core courses in the IGE program are fully accredited in the United States and internationally as a part of Project NatureConnect's regionally accredited cooperative university programs that review the courses and offer credit for them.
The Greenwich University degree program is not a USA program and therefore is not subject to accreditation status as accreditation is not practiced outside of the USA.
Since accredited degrees are required in settings under the influence and regulations of accreditation agencies, these degrees have a greater potential and economic value and are marketed accordingly. Thus, when a program attains accreditation it often quadruples its tuition fees even though the education it offers improves little if at all.
In considering the IGE-GU non-accredited degree program, candidates may want to be aware of the following aspects of accreditation.
1. With regards to "Accreditation" it should be noted that outside the US countries do not "accredit" universities, they "recognize" them.2. At its best, accreditation provides a way for educational institutions to police themselves -- for educators to examine institutions and determine whether they have the resources to provide the education that they promise.
3. At its worst, accreditation can be a costly mess of bureaucratic hurdles which consumes an institution's resources without significantly improving the education it offers.
4. Lack of accreditation does not necessarily mean that an institution is worthless. Some institutions, likeare relatively new and have only just begun the accreditation process, which takes a few years.
5. If a degree program offers useful skills and knowledge, and if you have no intention of transferring credit from the course toward another degree program, the non-accredited status of the institution is of little concern. This is equally true with respect to your professional intentions.
6. Visiting accreditation inspection teams tie up valuable staff time by asking hundreds of questions on issues large and small, a process that costs Duke University, for example, $250,000 for each once-a-decade review.
7. Some educational leaders worry that many accrediting agencies wield such power that they threaten to distort institutional priorities.
8. A denial of accreditation by a regional organization can be a death knell for an important new or established university as it prevents or leads to a halt in Federal loans and grants and frightening away students and their parents.
9. Catch 22: on one hand it is challenging to get students to enter non accredited degree programs because of the many limits and stigmas accreditation programs and the govenrment require academia to place on non-accredited degrees. On he other hand, one of the qualifications for accreditation is that a University demonstrate its popularity with the public and have a healthy economy and student body.
10. What was not acceptable for accreditation a decade ago is acceptable now. This impedes sorely needed innovation in education today.
11. Upon receiving accreditation schools significantly raise their tuition fees thereby placing accredited education out of reach of financially challenged students or a large debt that students live under after graduating.
12. Costs of accredited education have skyrocketed so that a student's debt, upon graduation, often makes it necessary to take any job rather than that for which they are trained and dedicated.
13. Some educators suggest that if an industry operated under a self-promoting regulation process that parallels the present regional accreditation program, that industry would be broken up under anti-trust laws. A major factor regarding accreditation is that the Federal Government participates in it through loan and grant programs not made available to students in non-accredited programs. Another major factor is that no matter how excellent or qualified a person's education or degree, if it is from a non-accredited school and is accepted by an accredited school, the accredited school loses its accreditation.
14. The choice for some students is to either have an accredited degree and large debt to pay off, or an unaccredited degree plus $40,000 (and, when appropriate, a lawyer who specializes in unfair practices) to establish the situation they desire. Most IGE students have obtained positions in "accreditation only" situations simply by petitioning for an exemption or hearing.
15. IGE could easily, but expensively, get itself and its program insured, bonded and guaranteed to surpass all the concerns of Regional Accreditation. However, no matter how excellent we might make the program this would not change the program's non-accredited status in the eyes of the government or Regional Accrediting Associations, loans, transfering credit, jobs, etc.
When we have enough students in the non-accredited program we will have the "clout" needed to make accreditation happen. This would make more sense if the outcomes of education did not reinforce the corruption and destructive processes or our society as described in Stairway to Sanity and Who's the Boss of You?
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The best way to learn and teach how to impliment integrityTHE NATURAL SYSTEMS THINKING PROCESS
ORIENTATION COURSE: Psychological Elements of Global Citizenship
The Science of Connecting With the Web of Life
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Institute of Global Education Special NGO consultant United Nations Economic and Social Council PROJECT NATURECONNECT Readily available online tools for the health and peace of
person, planet and spirit
P.O. Box 1605 Friday Harbor, WA 98250 360-378-6313 www.ecopsych.com
APPLIED ECOPSYCHOLOGY IN ACTIONThe Natural Systems Thinking Process
Dr. Michael J. Cohen, Director
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nature@interisland.net
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