Bob Jones University Finally Admits that National Accreditation Failed
In Vol. 25 Num. 13 Published Friday January 27, 2012 you can read the following admission from Bob Jones University.
So what is the difference between the University’s current accreditation and regional accreditation?
“Regional accreditation brings wider recognition compared to other types of accreditation,” Dr. Weier said. “The current institutional accreditation [BJU] maintains has opened up certain doors for graduates, but not as many as regional accreditation would open.”
Dr. Weier said regional accreditation would benefit the University from a quality assurance standpoint and would also allow graduates more opportunities for graduate school, employment and various certifications related to their major.
Wait, what? Did I just read that? Let me break this down.
Regional accreditation brings wider recognition compared to other types of accreditation,”
That sounds an awful lot like what I've been saying for over a year. It sounds an awful lot like an admission that national accreditation is not equal to regional accreditation. But what is funny is that I have, over and over again, had to point this out for Bob Jones University. When this website began BJU had the following on the accreditation page.
Accreditation under TRACS will enable graduates to realize the benefits of accreditation
Only it doesn't, it never has and never did. That was flat out false. And BJU knew that, yet they kept that statement on their website for years. They kept that on their website even after Weier had personally talked to me admitting to the fact that TRACS didn't do everything they wanted it to. They kept it on their website even after I told Weier, personally, that they should remove it from their website because it was misleading. And BJU has continued to be misleading over various issues regarding accreditation. As late as September of last year I wrote an article about how they were still being misleading about transfer credits. Which is it, do your students rarely have issues or is it now that we admit to wanting regional accreditation there have been issues all along?
Dr. Weier said regional accreditation would benefit the University from a quality assurance standpoint and would also allow graduates more opportunities for graduate school, employment and various certifications related to their major.
In other words right now BJU is having issues with how other people perceive their degrees. Apparently they aren't as well received as they would have you believe. Apparently there are issues with the validity of their education. Regional accreditation would make your education look better to graduate schools, employers and for certifications. All the things that I've been outlining on this website. He is admitting straight up that TRACS is a total and utter disaster, a complete waist of time and money, and he has validated every story and article that I've written on this site.
The article continues on with the whole "change" argument. We've covered that here quite a bit. The changes that were made were cosmetic, and for the most part didn't change anything that the accrediting agency wasn't already doing. Most of the changes were actually put in place long ago, and even the "recent" change they cite was enacted in law almost 10 years ago (before they received TRACS accreditation). I'd also argue that many other Christian schools had regional accreditation long before these magic changes were put in place and none of those schools had any issues. BJU can keep using the "change" as an excuse, but as I've pointed out the only one who changed was BJU themselves. What I don't understand is why they can't just admit that? I know some people have asked me to move on from that point, but I don't think I can. BJU convinced my family that getting an education from a regionally accredited institution was not only dangerous, but was wrong from a biblical standpoint, and I have paid a very dear price for that erroneous logic. They made a doctrine out of no accreditation, but especially out of no regional accreditation. They used scripture, you know the kind of scripture that *does not change.* And now you just expect me to forget all of that and chalk it up to some mythical changes on SACS side of things? Even if SACS made major changes to their accreditation processes the point still remains that BJU had to, and did, change in a radical way.
Unfortunately, new accreditation would not be retroactive, meaning it would not apply to previous graduates’ degrees. Still, Dr. Weier said he believes alumni could benefit from the change. “It all depends on how the decision-maker (employer, graduate school, etc.) views the situation,” he said.
This is key, and he is right. This change will do nothing for most graduates. However, I generally see it as a positive thing for graduates in general. I believe most schools and employers will look at the current status of the school and judge you accordingly. *Technically* it will be of no guaranteed benefit, but I think practically it will be of major significance to even alumni. However, I'm very thankful for Weier's candor on this topic.
If students do run into trouble with their current accreditation being recognized, Dr. Weier encourages them to contact BJU’s registrar. “We’ve had success working on many appeals,” he said.
Small consolation prize, but it is a good place to start. It is just sad that this needs to even be said. It is sad that BJU has to fight for their students to get into grad schools. It is sad this is even an issue. It didn't have to be, you know. All of this could have been taken care of decades ago if BJU hadn't been so arrogant about accreditation in the first place. If they had taken their current approach back when the school was founded none of this would even be a blip on the radar of our educational lives. Yet as it stands now every current student is going to face issues with accreditation, and that is sad. By the way, it isn't just current students, future students may still have accreditation. High school juniors and seniors could very well receive degrees still under TRACS accreditation (which we now know is inadequate). BJU has not even come close to receiving regional accreditation. Weier estimates that the processes will take 4-5 years, that is the bare minimum. The processes could take longer, and he isn't even certain that they will attain regional accreditation, which means they really haven't even begun the process at all. While nothing is assured, if you've done your homework and started the processes there should be little reason that full accreditation can't be achieved. What his statement tells me is they haven't even filed the beginning paperpwork.
Dr. Weier said he believes the accreditation would make the University more effective in its mission as well as help BJU serve its students better.
Yes sir, but it actually would have been so even back when the school was founded, or how about in the 1950's when the school "investigated" or maybe, just maybe in 2000 instead of wasting your time with TRACS.
Comments
5 comments postedThis news is encouraging only in the abstract. The university's behavior about all of this should be an outrage. I have personal knowledge of lies told to prospective students about accreditation, and have sent my story by email to this website. Bob Jones University is guilty of intentionally defrauding students and parents, and continues to do that even as they make these announcements about new plans to pursue accreditation. Dr. Weier leads students to believe regional accreditation is so fluid and inconsequential that it could possibly ever be 'retroactive'. What kind of real accreditation could be retroactive? That is an insult to anyone who has ever learned what is involved in accreditation, and reveals an almost infantile understanding of it by the university. It is doubtful Bob Jones will ever gain regional accreditation, at least not in anything like its present form.
I was an unwilling student at BJU from '64-'68...due to John Birch parents and a legalistic, "We're the ONLY Christian church in Columbus, Ohio" fundamentalist home church. What I suffered at both places has nothing to do with Christianity! We were told when I was at BJU, that their accredidation was top notch and that the reason it wasn't more diverse was, of course, their being marytred for their pristine stance on everything, and they didn't want any further endorsements! That's lying in the extreme! But as all former BJUers know, you don't dare question or enlighten anyone about the facts! Due to a former BJU "friend" who I visited my fourth year at BJU in that following summer and witnessed her "uncheckable" behavior with her preacher boy, boyfriend, she decided to ruin my ability to return for a 5th year to complete two degrees by telling the "Big Brother" (Dean of students) that I had GRIPPED against BJU and had tried to stop parents from sending their kids to that miserable place. This false testimony was ONLY done to stop any tidbits about her fling with her boyfriend and possibly cause them both to be shipped! I had gripped no more than she had, and hadn't even spoken to anyone outside of her family, but her lies brought the wrath of the Devil on me! I was called and "Evil influence" and would not be allowed to set my foot on their precious grounds! When I called Dean Edwards to protest this act, I asked him WHAT had I saId about BJU?? I'll never forget his cold response...I had talked "plentry" when I asked what I had said that wasn't true, that was same remark and refusal to address anything but validate a person who next year got "Christian Leadership"!!! How appropo! She did me the greatest favor because I transfered to OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY, loosing many credits due to the disrepute the university is held in. I was almost barred from the School of Education because of the reputation (Well deserved) of BJU. I had to go to the Dean of Education at OSU to try to gain admittance. I'll never forge HIS kindness and understanding! He told me why BJU wasn't accredited had nothing to do with their perceived sainhood, but the Orwellian rules that they had, their inadequate library, and the way they treated their students and faculty! Without his understanding and helping me to gain admittance to the department of education, i would never have completed my degree! I have been in therapy for the spiritual damage done to by this destructive place. My doctor has counseled three other former BJU students who he told me had "Gone off the deep end" due to what they endured at that university(?). I know of several other people whose lives were incredibly hurt by this school that I feel exemplifies the Pharisees of old! I'd do anything to help end this school's fake propaganda about their accredidation and everything elese they so totally lie about. Thank God for your website that I am sure is a healing place for BJU victims!
I know how strong BJU is in their stance on things but are we all really that weak that we are victims? People all over the world go through horrible circumstances everyday in their lives but they get up and keep going without seeing therapists. I believe the victim mentality in America is so over-played and we all need to move on...look to the Lord not people.
Our lives are great, I'm not going to lie. In America our lives are so good that when you compare it to all the bad things in this world we have nothing to complain about. But that does not excuse all the wrong that does happen in America. That does not excuse anything that BJU did and that does not preclude us from being a victim. There is always someone worse off than you are. That is just a fact of life. What that does for us is to help us realize that we can move on, we can overcome this difficulty. But what that doesn't do is excuse the person who is victimizing us. The perpetrator is not exonerated because there are people in other countries worse off than we are. What the Bible teaches me is that wrong is wrong and cannot be overlooked.
So sad. My family has paid an enormous price for the arrogance and deceit. If only the Joneses had been willing to treat their faculty and employees fairly and with respect and dignity at the inception of the school, none of this would be happening now. Shame on them. There is no way to give back what they stole from the long-time faculty members and their children and everyone else who has suffered through the years.