| Revision as of 20:58, 26 September 2006 editVeronica678 (talk | contribs)51 edits →Accreditation← Previous edit | Revision as of 21:02, 26 September 2006 edit undoVeronica678 (talk | contribs)51 edits →Criticism and controversyNext edit → | ||
| Line 17: | Line 17: | ||
| While other universities may only consider classroom time in granting degrees, Almeda looks into all facets of someone’s life and the experiences they have accumulated over their life.<p> | While other universities may only consider classroom time in granting degrees, Almeda looks into all facets of someone’s life and the experiences they have accumulated over their life.<p> | ||
| It is important for a candidate to have a basic understanding of how accreditation works in order to make an informed decision regarding the applicability of an Almeda degree. The first concept that needs to be addressed is the fact that acceptance on the part of an employer is optional, whether or not the degree has been granted by an accredited institution, and in no way mandatory or compulsory. Accreditation is a mechanism meant to assure quality in educational institutions and programs that takes the form of a voluntary process of peer review. It requires an educational institution or program to meet certain defined standards or criteria. There are two types of accreditation: institutional and specialized. Institutional accreditors take the college or university as a whole educational institution. Specialized accreditors, on the other hand, evaluate specific educational programs. Since public sector jobs are funded directly or indirectly by the government, it follows that public sector employers will not accept any institution that is not accredited by the government. The accreditation process costs hundreds of thousands of dollars it constitutes a source of revenue for the public funds. An unfortunate side effect of the public sector’s refusal to recognize privately accredited schools is the elimination of choice by making it prohibitive for smaller schools to compete on an equal footing in the recruitment and education of students. Employers in the public sector do no benefit financially from the revenue of government accreditation and are therefore open to decide whether or not to accept a privately accredited institution on its own merits.<p> | |||
| In 2005, '']'' included '''Almeda University''' in an article about ] and ]<ref></ref> The article noted "Almeda University, which is not accredited by a recognized agency by US Department of Education, grants degrees based on ]." | In 2005, '']'' included '''Almeda University''' in an article about ] and ]<ref></ref> The article noted "Almeda University, which is not accredited by a recognized agency by US Department of Education, grants degrees based on ]." | ||
Revision as of 21:02, 26 September 2006
Almeda University, not accredited and offers "Life Experience Degree, and Certificate Program" online, including doctorate degrees in religion and theology.
Accreditation
Almeda University is accredited by the Council for Distance Education Accreditation, the Association for Online Academic Excellence, and Interfaith Education Ministries. These independent agencies testify to the integrity and utility of an Almeda education. However, none of these entities are a component of the public sector and due to the nature of obtaining a degree, Almeda does not qualify for “regional” accreditation. Thus, Almeda degrees are not recognized in the states of Florida, Illinois, Oregon, New Jersey, North Dakota, Washington, and Idaho. The implications of this distinction are as follows: - Almeda University is unable to participate in the Federal Student Loan/Financial Aid program. - Almeda University is not authorized to accept the GI Bill. - Almeda University is unable to guarantee acceptance of its degree programs in other postsecondary institutions. - Corporations are not required to recognize degrees from Almeda University.
Because of public sector nepotism toward traditional colleges, employers in this realm may not recognize the legitimacy of the Almeda degree. Such a decision is completely arbitrary, and thus may vary depending on your particular state or municipality. Nonetheless, we must caution you against attempting to use an Almeda degree for any employment related to the public sector. Therefore, we strongly recommend you do not rely on your Almeda education to fulfill the requirements of a public sector job in any of the above mentioned states. Because private industry does not benefit from the accreditation fees paid to the government, private employers are more progressive in realizing value and contribution of smaller private schools and private accreditation bodies. However, while degrees from Almeda University are accepted in most private sector companies, employees are further cautioned to check with their current or prospective employers regarding the acceptability of an Almeda University degree.
Almeda University claims to be accredited by Interfaith Education Ministries (IEM) and the Association for Online Academic Excellence (AOAEX), but they are not recognized by the US Department of Education or the Council on Higher Education Accreditation.
The Oregon Office of Degree Authorization shows that Almeda has been "Closed by legal action in Florida but may still be operating there".
Criticism and controversy
While other universities may only consider classroom time in granting degrees, Almeda looks into all facets of someone’s life and the experiences they have accumulated over their life.
It is important for a candidate to have a basic understanding of how accreditation works in order to make an informed decision regarding the applicability of an Almeda degree. The first concept that needs to be addressed is the fact that acceptance on the part of an employer is optional, whether or not the degree has been granted by an accredited institution, and in no way mandatory or compulsory. Accreditation is a mechanism meant to assure quality in educational institutions and programs that takes the form of a voluntary process of peer review. It requires an educational institution or program to meet certain defined standards or criteria. There are two types of accreditation: institutional and specialized. Institutional accreditors take the college or university as a whole educational institution. Specialized accreditors, on the other hand, evaluate specific educational programs. Since public sector jobs are funded directly or indirectly by the government, it follows that public sector employers will not accept any institution that is not accredited by the government. The accreditation process costs hundreds of thousands of dollars it constitutes a source of revenue for the public funds. An unfortunate side effect of the public sector’s refusal to recognize privately accredited schools is the elimination of choice by making it prohibitive for smaller schools to compete on an equal footing in the recruitment and education of students. Employers in the public sector do no benefit financially from the revenue of government accreditation and are therefore open to decide whether or not to accept a privately accredited institution on its own merits.
In 2005, Wired News included Almeda University in an article about school accreditation and diploma mills The article noted "Almeda University, which is not accredited by a recognized agency by US Department of Education, grants degrees based on life experience." In 2006, a Naples, Florida, police officer was required to pay back a salary increase based on a degree from Almeda "after city officials concluded Almeda University was a degree mill." Two Naples, Florida, police officers were fired after investigation showed they bought diplomas from Almeda University. According to BBB records, the address listed for Almeda University, 10400 Overland Rd., # 224, Boise, ID is a private mail box company. Almeda University has declined to provide their actual physical location to the BBB and has stated that it is not in Idaho.
References
See also
- Diploma mill
- List of unaccredited institutions of higher learning
- List of unrecognized accreditation associations of higher learning
- School accreditation
External links
- Database for Accreditation in the United States
- Database for Accreditation in the United Kingdom
- Almeda University forum on how students have been scammed by almeda university
- Database for Accreditation in Australia
- List of unacceptable/illegal schools by State of Michigan
- List of unacceptable/illegal schools by Oregon State Office of Degree Authorization
 | This article on a United States institution of higher education is a stub. You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it. |