Fall 2007

In this issue:In this issue:In this issue:In this issue:In this issue:Executive SpotlightExecutive SpotlightExecutive SpotlightExecutive SpotlightExecutive SpotlightRegister Now - Online! - for DETC Fall WorkshopRegister Now - Online! - for DETC Fall WorkshopRegister Now - Online! - for DETC Fall WorkshopRegister Now - Online! - for DETC Fall WorkshopRegister Now - Online! - for DETC Fall WorkshopInstitutions Offer More Than DegreesInstitutions Offer More Than DegreesInstitutions Offer More Than DegreesInstitutions Offer More Than DegreesInstitutions Offer More Than DegreesReport From the Accrediting CommissionReport From the Accrediting CommissionReport From the Accrediting CommissionReport From the Accrediting CommissionReport From the Accrediting Commission

DETC NEWSAmerica Goes Back to School

DETC’s Regional Meeting at GIA is a great success!

1D E T C N E W S • S P R I N G 2 0 0 5

Contents

Message from the Executive Director .............................................................Important Dates ................................................................................................Letter from the Editor .......................................................................................Executive Spotlight: Visions of the Future for Distance Education ..................DETC Hires New Accreditation Coordinator ..................................................Save the Date: 2008 Annual Conference Set for Boston .................................An Active-Duty Marine Goes Back to School .................................................Registration Deadline Looming for Title IV Workshop ....................................Register Now for DETCs Fall Workshop ........................................................Corporate Spotlight: Eagen, McAllister Associates, Inc. .................................Outstanding Graduate Participants Announced ................................................Institutions Offer More Than Degrees .............................................................Report From the Accrediting Commission .......................................................Corporate Marketing Task Force to Present at Fall Workshop .......................DETC Regional Meeting at GIA ......................................................................

On front cover: DETC’s Regional Meeting at GIA was a great success. See article onpage 24.

DETC NEWS - FALL 2007

DETC NEWS—Published by the DistanceEducation and Training Council, 1601 18thStreet, NW, Suite 2, Washington, D.C. 20009(202-234-5100).

The Distance Education and Training Coun-cil (DETC) a nonprofit, voluntary associationof accredited distance study institutions, wasfounded in 1926 to promote sound educationalstandards and ethical business practices withinthe distance study field. The independent DETCAccrediting Commission is listed by the UnitedStates Department of Education as a “nation-ally recognized accrediting agency.” The Ac-crediting Commission is also a charter memberof the Council for Higher Education Accredita-tion (CHEA).

DETC Staff:Executive Director:Michael P. LambertAssociate Director:

Sally R. WelchDirector of Accreditation:

Nan M. BaysterDirector of Meetings and Publications:

Robert S. ChalifouxAccrediting Coordinator:

Lissette HubbardInformation Specialist and Bookkeeper:

Rachel A. ScheerLegal Counsellor:Joseph C. Luman

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Message from the Executive Director

(continued)

The Self-EvaluationReport: The Heart of theAccrediting Process

byMichael P. LambertExecutive Director

One the most important benefits ofvoluntary accreditation, one often over-looked and under appreciated, is the pro-cess of undergoing an intensive self-evalu-ation preparatory to receiving a visitingteam of peer evaluators.

And the very heart of the self-evalua-tion process is the institution’s prepara-tion of an analytical, comprehensive Self-Evaluation Report, the SER in shorthand.

In accreditation, the process can bemore important than the final outcome.When the DETC Accrediting Commis-sion meets and passes judgment on aninstitution, it is the culminating momentof a two or plus year process. TheCommission’s decision is much-antici-pated by an applicant institution, andbrings to the institution leaders elation,relief, joy, disappointment, anger, resig-nation or a combination of these and otheremotions.

As one institution CEO said to me,“Preparing our self-study report consumedhundreds of hours of time, and often wasthe source of considerable unhappinessfor my staff. The amount of work in-volved in gathering and analyzing dataand pulling together documentation droveus a little crazy. But when it was all over,we learned that what we had was the mostimportant document we have ever had inour institutional history. It is worth every-thing to us now, and we are true believersin the DETC process.”

The long, challenging journey leadingto the moment of decision is what mattersmost.

The SER: Touchstone Document

The SER is a tangible, permanent workproduct that offers institutions one of thesingle most critical documents in its cor-

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(Message from the Executive Direc-tor, continued)

porate files. It does two major things foran institution:• Provides a framework and rationale for

intensive, formal self-analysis; it is apractical, a step-by-step blueprint forinternal assessment and institution self-improvement.

• Provides a single-source document forthe information and data a visiting ex-amining committee needs to conductevaluate whether or not the institutionmeets the standards for accreditation.

Beyond this, the SER also serves otheruseful purposes for an institution. It is a:

• Training tool for new executives andstaff hires;

• Institutional history and a corporatememory depository;

• Critical tool for budgeting, strategicplanning and institutional enhancement;

• Useful document for external financ-ing, loan procurement, sale of the insti-tution, public stock offerings, and me-dia relations;

• Tool in fostering “bottom up” strategicthinking in the organization;

• Stimulus for house cleaning files,streamlining procedures and reducingredundant systems; and

• Way for top management to learn whatis going on in the organization by get-

ting intensive, global looks at the work-ings of all departments.

Finally, the SER can be a focal pointfor institutional self-renewal. It is an ex-cellent means to see of all operations ofthe institution are in sync with the corpo-rate mission and vision. It pinpoints weakspots in services, identifies under-per-forming curricula products, and shines aharsh light on profit leaks. It solicits theviews of students in forcing outcomesassessment surveys, and gives staff a ra-tionale to think about what they do andhow best it can be done.

An Instrument of Self-Renewal

The SER preparation should be ap-proached as a continuous, year in and yearout, process. A quality-focused institu-tion knows instinctively that continuousand candid self- analysis is the key togrowth and success.

Those CEOs who wait for the notifica-tion letter from DETC that they are to bescheduled for a five year re-evaluation in12 months are generally going to be at adisadvantage, since it is difficult to get thelongitudinal and trend line data gatheredand analyzed in time for a meaningfulpresentation in the SER.

It is human nature to not take on chal-lenging, complicated tasks until you areabsolutely forced to do so, but this all toohuman trait can be troublesome when itcomes to accreditation. Accredited insti-tutions are fully expected to be engaged ina formal ongoing planning and enhance-ment program on a continuing basis.

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(Message from the Executive Direc-tor, continued)

(continued)

Each year, DETC institutions mustreport outcomes data, and this helps insti-tutions by requiring annual data gather-ing.

If self-evaluation is given a priority bythe CEO and the Board of Directors, there-accreditation notification letter fromDETC will not cause panic to ensue.

Preparing the SER should be stimulat-ing, creative and revealing. It should leadto new discoveries, fresh ideas on improv-ing marketing and student services, andbetter and more efficient ways of han-dling the masses of paperwork and datakeeping that plagues every distance insti-tution.

Moreover, a well managed SER pro-cess will likely lead to new product devel-opment and ultimately increased revenues.And the efficiencies in how to manage thebusiness that comes out of the intensiveself-analysis will likely result in greaterprofitability for the organization.

Finally, a good SER is an excellentvehicle for driving the strategic planningprocess that every quality institution does.

What Makes for a Weak SER?

I have had the privilege of readingmore than 400 different SERs in my ca-reer, and from this I can offer these pointson what are common weaknesses in anSER:• Long on words, short on insight: SERs

should be written in a succinct, crispstyle that provides not just facts, butcandid insights;

• Glossing over the institution’s prob-lems and challenges;

• Failure to confront the reality of whatthey are doing, and failure to acknowl-edge that improvement is needed;

• Failure to write an analytical document,to present problems and then solutionsto the problems;

• Failure of the SER writers to recognizepatterns and themes and trends in theirinstitution that are suggested by the datathey have gathered;

• Failure to respond fully or candidly tothe questions being asked in the SERGuide. Answer the question, do notoffer philosophy of how things shouldbe; tell how they really are;

• Lack of a central viewpoint or perspec-tive in the overall SER. A good SER iscoherent and tells a story in consistentand engaging style. The reader shouldcome away from the SER with a deepunderstanding of the institution and what“makes it tick.” Dozens of tables of datawill not provide this understanding; and

• Failure to get all of the key personnel inthe organization involved in preparingthe SER. This task is too big for oneindividual to handle in an institution ofany size. It takes a team.

Tips for Preparing a Good SER

Here are some tips for preparing a goodSER:

1. Before beginning to write an SER, atleast one person must complete the DETCCourse on Preparing for Accreditation.That person will be referred to as the

D E T C N E W S • F A L L 2 0 0 74

Compliance Officer, and he/she overseasthe writing and editing of the SER.2. Careful planning, coordination and re-alistic time scheduling are essential. Theinstitution should take as much time as itneeds to prepare a good report. Long-range planning is advised.3. The writing and preparation of thereport should involve as many staff mem-bers as possible. Every member of theinstitution’s supervisory staff should re-view the report before the time of the visit.Institution staff should be as well pre-pared as the visiting Examining Commit-tee on visitation day.4. Senior executives should review finaldrafts of the report before certification bythe institution’s chief executive officer.When the chief executive officer signs thereport, he or she is stating that he/sheknows, understands and concurs with theentire report and certifies its accuracy.5. The final, post-readiness visit SERshould be submitted to the AccreditingCommission only when all questions listedin the “Guide to Self-Evaluation” havebeen answered. Exhibits and other sup-porting documents should be identifiedwith appropriate questions and put intoappendices.6. If, between the time the report is sub-mitted to the Commission and before theCommission acts on the institution’s ap-plication changes have been undertakenat the institution, the Commission must benotified.7. Self-evaluation should be an on-goingprocess. Institutions should use the datagathered for the report in daily manage-ment, and should continue to gather andanalyze this and other essential data on a

(Message from the Executive Direc-tor, continued)

Important DatesMark your calendars now for the fol-lowing DETC activities for 2007-2009:

DETC Fall WorkshopOctober 15-16, 2007Rancho Bernardo InnSan Diego, CA

DETC Title IV WorkshopOctober 17, 2007Rancho Bernardo InnSan Diego, CA

Accrediting Commission MeetingJanuary 11-12, 2008

DETC 82nd Annual ConferenceApril 13-15, 2008Fairmont Copley PlazaBoston, MA

Accrediting Commission MeetingJune 5-6, 2008

DETC Distance Education WorkshopOctober 12-13, 2008Center for Continuing

EducationThe University of Notre Dame

Accrediting Commission MeetingJanuary 16-17, 2009

DETC 83rd Annual ConferenceApril 5-7, 2009Hotel Del CoronadoCoronado, CA

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Letter from the Editor

Making the DETC Newsthe Best it Can Be -----Together

by Robert S. Chalfioux,Director of Meetings and Publications

Greetings, and welcome to the Fall2007 DETC News. As you read throughthis issue, you’ll notice a common themein many of the stories, America Goes Backto School. Every fall, students across thecountry finish their summer vacations andreturn to their studies. I decided this fallwas a good time for me to learn somethingnew as well: How to make the DETCNews even better. What can we do to makethe News more appealing, engaging anduseful to you, its readers?

To that end, you’ll notice some changesstarting with this issue. The use of anoverarching theme helps tie the storiestogether. Most of the stories you’ll read inthis fall’s issue are related to “going backto school.” Having a theme guides uswhen we’re selecting content, and it givesthe News a sense of cohesion.

Also, this issue features more originalcontent. The features in this DETC Newsare original stories, not items you’ve al-ready read in the Washington Memo or aDETC Bulletin. And even articles on thingsthat you’ve read about before (e.g. Regis-ter Now for the Fall Workshop, page 15)contain new material, so be sure to checkthem out as well. (And be sure to registerfor the Fall Workshop by the October 3rddeadline!)

The majority of information in theDETC News is focused on DETC institu-tions and their students. Learning fromeach other is one of the easiest ways forinstitutions to improve. Reading a storyabout how another institution has im-proved their service can helps everyonegenerate new ideas. And without students,

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D E T C N E W S • F A L L 2 0 0 76

There are even morechanges in store, butwe can't do it with-out your help. Nowis your chance toimprove the DETCNews and turn it

into what you wantit to be!

there would be no DETC institutions.Finding out the concerns of the studentsand what issues they face will help insti-tutions address the needs of their mostimportant assets. The interview with ac-tive-duty marineQuinnion Duke on page12, for example, is agreat illustration ofwhat active-duty mili-tary personnel do tocontinue their educa-tion.

The DETC Newsalso offers a platformto spread the word aboutnew initiatives amonginstitutions and newson the distance educa-tion front.

For example, besure to read our story on Eagen, McAllisterAssociates, Inc. on page 17, the first in thenew “Corporate Spotlight” series high-lighting companies with “pro distance-ed” stances and offer tuition reimburse-ment for classes taken at DETC institu-tions.

And this is just the beginning. Thereare even more changes in store, but wecan’t do it without your help. Now is yourchance to improve the DETC News andturn it into what you want it to be.

We’re working to improve the design,both inside and out. What do you likeabout the current layout? What would youchange? Do you find the News easy to

(Letter from the Editor, continued) navigate? Is the font easy to read, or wouldyou like the font size to increase?

Content-wise, what do you enjoy read-ing about? What don’t you want to see inthe News? Are there features you like inother publications that aren’t appearinghere? Would you like to see more photos,or are there enough?

Think about thequestions, andsend your ideas tome atr o b @ d e t c . o r g .Don’t be afraid tosend criticism aswell. The end re-sult will be a betterDETC News, sofire away. And ifyou don’t sendyour ideas now,you’ll have no ba-sis to complainlater if you don’t

like the changes.So as another “school year” starts,

enjoy the Fall DETC News and learninghow DETC institutions help people aroundthe world go back to school. But don’tforget to help me learn, too. Start sendingyour suggestions for a better DETC News.And remember to be on the lookout nextspring for the new DETC News, when youcan see rest of the planned changes takeeffect!

Until next spring,

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(continued)

Executive Spotlight

Visions of the Future for Distance Education

(Editor’s Note: The new ExecutiveSpotlight series serves to illuminate themen and women behind our esteemedinstitutions, and what they see as the fu-ture of both their institution and distanceeducation in general. In this issue, Infor-mation Specialist and Bookkeeper RachelScheer spoke with Stuart Udell, who joinedPenn Foster in April of 2007.We plan todo more interviews in the future. Let usknow what you think about this inter-view.)

DETC: Stuart, how did your pastexperiences get you where you are to-day?

Stuart: I had the good fortune of grow-ing up in a family business that was run bymy father, so I was exposed early to themultiplicity of issues that arise in generalmanagement. At the same time, my motherheld a variety of positions running dis-trict-wide school programs. Consequently,I’ve always been attracted to opportuni-ties to combine long-held family passions

Stuart Udell, CEO, Penn Foster

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(Executive Spotlight, continued)

(continued)

for both business and education. It’s re-warding to be able to simultaneously makea living and make a difference in the worldby impacting students’ lives.

DETC: Before coming to Penn Fos-ter, what jobs and/or education mostprepared you for the role of CEO at adistance education institution?

Stuart: I have spent the last 16 years insenior management positions in the edu-cation industry, most recently as Presi-dent of Kaplan K-12 Learning Servicesand prior as President of the School Re-naissance Institute. In both organizationswe worked every day to provide educa-tional experiences in distributed learningenvironments. What I have found in thepast is that if you religiously focus oneducational outcomes down to the studentlevel, business results will follow.

DETC: Penn Foster has a wonder-ful legacy and tradition going back 117years. How do you plan to use thatlegacy and leverage it as you enter avery noisy, very competitive marketplace?

Stuart: From a branding perspective,we enjoy both the freshness of the newPenn Foster brand which, while just morethan a year old, is already the 18th mostvisited educational institution on the web,along with the rich history and legacy ofan organization that pioneered distanceeducation at the turn of the 20th century. Ina crowded marketplace, our infrastruc-ture allows us to offer students flexibilityand value beyond most other providers.

DETC: What is your overall visionfor Penn Foster as CEO?

Stuart: Our overall vision is quitesimple: 1) To operate more efficient andeffective core programs; 2) To expand thestudent niche that we serve to the Bach-elors and Masters level via acquisition ofanother quality educational institution; 3)To launch our online high school to betterserve alternative educational options inK-12 schools.

DETC: What is the biggest chal-lenge facing the traditional print-baseddistance institutions today? How can itsurvive in a web-based world?

Stuart: The biggest challenge for print-based distance learning institutions is the“speed” now demanded by the market-place. Even for Penn Foster, arguably thegrandfather of correspondence schools(or, more aptly, the grandson of ICS), somuch of our content is available online.Students who enroll today can begin theirstudies within minutes. We still deliverprinted textbooks and study guides, but somuch material is available online thatstudents can progress without having towait for textbooks. That being said, it isalso clear to us that inclusion of textbooksand study materials are still important to astudent’s academic experience. To meetthis demand for expedited learning, wehave begun testing express shipment ofmaterials to our students and the earlyresults show students are happy to pay forthe service.

DETC: The cost of getting a collegedegree today has soared to incompre-hensibly high levels—it can cost $30-

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(

50,000 for one year at a private school.How does Penn Foster see itself in acompetitive online learningmarket where collegiate edu-cation ispricing itself so dearly?

Stuart: Several years ago, the fearamong traditional campus-based institu-tions was that distance providers weregoing to steal students out of their class-rooms. This clearly has not happened.What Penn Foster and other distance learn-ing providers offer is an education chan-nel for large portions of the populationwho never could have accommodated thescheduling or the price of a traditionalschool. Penn Foster does view itself as anational community college. We are muchless expensive than private and publicfour-year colleges and closer in cost to thelocal community college; the differencebeing our distance learning model, asyn-chronous study, and affordable tuition.

DETC: Adult learners who are look-ing for convenience in their learningoptions have sought out distance edu-cation schools for decades. Withthe advent of federal student aid andthe inflexibility in many online learn-ing management software programs,do you see convenience and flexi-bility being eroded and time restraintsrequired? Will this hurt learners whowant total flexibility? How can wecounter arbitrary time constraints be-ing place on the way we teach?

Stuart: Let’s start with making it clearthat this is not an A or B model. Timerestraints in completing an online coursecan mean anything from weekly cohorts

to bimonthly assignment deadlines tomonthly or quarterly examination dates. Isuspect that traditional time-based learn-ing and the asynchronous will merge intoa hybrid. Even today you can find onlinecourses that start every month, clearlydifferent from the traditional fall/springsemester model. You can also find flex-ible study plans that need to be completedwithin a range of weeks or months. Webelieve that the academic community andthe marketplace will find a middle groundthat will meet both needs. For us, it is allabout being flexible in providing the edu-cation a student needs but disciplinedenough to recognize a poor education is inno one’s best interest.

DETC: In the regulatory landscape,what keeps you up at night? What as-pect of regulatory activity can mostthreaten distance learning institutionsin the next five years?

Stuart: At Penn Foster, we used to bevery concerned about the influence oftraditional institutions in keeping distanceeducation providers out of the nationalmainstream. This is no longer the case.Nonetheless, we believe there will con-tinue to be regulatory roadblocks—eithermaintained or created—by some states asthey attempt to protect what they believeis their regional interest. We also believethat there will be increasing demands frombusiness or regulatory bodies requiringspecific vocational training be supportedby hands-on practicum or lab work. Theanswer to this situation is the continuedestablishment of partnerships with ground-based institutions and our industry’s ag-gressive pursuit of new instructional tech-nologies.

(Executive Spotlight, continued)

D E T C N E W S • F A L L 2 0 0 710

DETC Hires New Accreditation Coordinator

Lissette Hubbard, DETC’s AccreditationCoordinator

In May, the Distance Education andTraining Council hired Lissette Hubbardas its new Accrediting Coordinator for theWashington, D.C. office. Lissette hailsfrom Bronx, New York and attendedBaruch College (CUNY), located in lowerManhattan on Lexington Avenue, whereshe majored in Marketing and minored inEnglish. Lissette moved to Maryland inlate October 2006 after getting married,and she is still getting use to the changes.

“It took a bit of adjusting,” she says ofthe move. “It’s very different from NewYork, but I have managed to get accli-mated to the area. Finding employment atDETC has helped me to do so; the staffhas been helpful by sharing interestingfacts about the area and I have been able tosee more of downtown D.C.”

Before coming to DETC, Lissetteworked at Informa Research Services, acompany that provides market researchfor financial institutions. She grew curi-ous about DETC because she wanted tolearn more about accreditation and ex-plore different areas of education.

“After the initial interview here I knewthat I wanted to be a part of the team,” saysLissette. “Everyone was very warm andfriendly toward me, and I was put at easethe moment I walked through the door.”

During the past few months Lissettehas taken a crash course in accreditation,learning all of the ins and outs of theaccreditation process and its benefits.Lissette has also learned a lot about dis-tance education as a whole, which she

feels is an important knowledge base tohave in the field of education as distancelearning becomes more and more popularwith students.

“Moving to this area has been an expe-rience and DETC has helped make it agood experience,” says Lissette. “I lookforward to learning more and gaining ex-pertise in this field.”

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Mark your calendars for the DETC82nd Annual Conference, April 13-15,2008, at the Fairmont Copley Plaza inBoston, MA.

Located in historic Back Bay, TheFairmont Copley Plaza Boston stands asan architectural landmark of CopleySquare.

Constructed on the original site of TheMuseum of Fine Arts, The FairmontCopley Plaza Boston was designed byHenry Janeway Hardenbergh, who alsodesigned The Plaza in New York and TheWillard Hotel in Washington, D.C. Withthe completions of an extensive renova-tion and restoration of each of the hotel’s

383 guestrooms and suites, The FairmontCopley Plaza shines more brightly thanever before.

The Fairmont Copley Plaza strives tobecome home away from home for itsguests, even providing the services of resi-dent Canine Ambassador, Catie Copley.

Steps away from historic Beacon Hill,the Freedom Trail, Copley Place, the bou-tiques of Newbury Street and the HynesConvention Center, The Fairmont CopleyPlaza is fully appointed for meetings,events and award-winning dining in itsentire Renaissance splendor.

More information about the Confer-ence will be available starting in January2008.

Save the Date:

2008 Annual Conference Set for Boston

The Fairmont Copley Plaza

D E T C N E W S • F A L L 2 0 0 712

An Interview:

An Active-Duty Marine Goes Back toSchool

(continued)

(Editor’s Note: For some people, go-ing back to school in the traditional senseis not an option. Full-time workers, peoplerunning a family and active-duty militarypersonal can’t attend traditional institu-tions. But DETC institutions make it pos-sible for these “non-traditional” studentsto continue their educations without sac-rificing their way of life.

Recently back from Camp Fallujah inIraq, Active-Duty Marine Quinnion Dukecorresponded from the road with DETC’sRachel Scheer to talk about taking classesvia distance while serving his nation inthe military.)

DETC: Where do you serve on Ac-tive Duty and in what capacity?

Quinnon: I am currently an ActiveDuty Marine working at a Manpower In-

byRachel ScheerDETC’s Information Specialist

Quinnion Duke

formation System Support Office in Kan-sas City, MO.

DETC: What school are you attend-ing?

Quinnon: I am currently attendingGrantham University. I am working for aBachelor of Science degree in ElectronicsEngineering Technology (BS EET). I havetaken multiple classes from the school.

DETC: Give us a little backgroundabout daily life on active-duty. What isthe routine like?

Quinnon: Work starts at 7:30 a.m. Wesupport the administrators at every Re-serve Unit in the Marine Corps. We alsotest, release and troubleshoot MarineCorps admin software. We take multiple

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(continued)

calls on a daily basis; we are basically acall center for Marine Administratorswhen they have a problem. We answer alladministrative questions. The day ends at4:30 p.m. We also do site visits, and I amgone at least one week of every month,sometimes 2 weeks in a month. We teach[other site] administrators how to use thesoftware and how to be an administratorin general.

DETC: How does taking classes,studying, and homework fit into thisroutine?

Quinnon: Taking the classes does notfit into my schedule. But I force myself tostop and take the time to do classes. Usu-ally on the weekends I accomplish themost. My job drains me mentally everyday and it is hard to concentrate on coursework during the week.

DETC: Is it difficult to juggle dis-tance education courses and course-

work with your military duties? Whatis the most difficult part of doing bothat once?

Quinnon: I think the most difficulttime that I have had would be during mydeployment to Iraq. It was difficult to getcoursework, books, etc. I was fortunateenough to have access to a computer on aregular basis, but you must be very pa-tient. The Internet connection [in Iraq] isprobably the slowest you will ever expe-rience. Dial up is faster!

DETC: Can you expand on yourdeployment to Iraq? What was it likecontinuing your education over there?

Quinnon: I was stationed at CampFallujah and traveled to various locationsthroughout the country of Iraq, mainly inthe Anbar province. I can say that I trainedmilitary personnel from all branches touse software and I also traveled to trouble-shoot software. Completing coursework

Active-DutyMarine QuinnionDuke stands inCamp Fallujah,Iraq. Duke tookclasses fromGrantham Univer-sity while on active-duty.

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(An Active Duty Marine Goes Back toSchool, continued)

was extremely difficult. The missioncomes first and homework comes downthe road, if you get a chance. There is a lotof down time, but catching up on sleep isa priority. You must have your head in thegame. Receiving books was a difficulttask; most packages took about a month toreach you. I have suggested that Granthamhave an option for e-books. Carrying booksis not always an option; a combat loadpack on the light side is 70 pounds.

DETC: What is the best part of be-ing a student and on active-duty at thesame time? What do you gain from thisexperience?

Quinnon: I have been able to applysome of the skills from course work to myjob. You gain the confidence in your lead-ership and it makes me more likely to beput in a leadership position.

DETC: Will you continue to takeclasses at this school or another schoolwhile on Active Duty?

Quinnon: I will not stop taking coursesfrom Grantham University until I havecompleted my BS EET. My eventual goalis a Master’s Degree. But, one step at atime is the best solution for now!

Registration Deadline Looming for Title IV Workshop

DETC will be conducting its secondWorkshop on Title IV Federal Student AidWednesday, October 17, 2007 at theRancho Bernardo Inn in San Diego, CA.

The Workshop will take place from9:00 a.m.—3:00 p.m. and features a pre-sentation by Dr. Sharon Bob, Special Con-sultant to DETC. Dr. Bob will cover re-quirements with which institutions mustcomply when they become eligible to par-ticipate in the Title IV programs, andfeature a discussion on what is involvedwhen determining a student’s eligibilityfor federal financial aid. In addition, Dr.Bob will discuss the process of applyingfor eligibility for purposes of student de-

ferments and tax credits and applying foreligibility to participate in the Title IVprograms. The Workshop is intended forDETC institutions now participating infederal aid programs, as well as thosecontemplating applying to the program.

Registration fees are $850 per personfor non-members, $550 for the first per-son from a member institution, and $450for each additional person. Registrationcan be done online via the Fall Workshopregistration link, found in the “CurrentNews section of DETC’s home page, http://www.detc.org. All registrations must bereceived by October 3rd, so don’t delay!

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Register Now for DETC's Fall Work-shop

The DETC Fall Workshop is less thana month away! Don’t miss the chance tonetwork with colleagues in the spectacu-lar southern California setting while tak-ing your institution from ordinary to ex-traordinary.

The Rancho Bernardo Inn in San Di-ego, CA, will host the DETC Fall Work-shop October 14-16, 2007. The Work-shop starts Sunday, October 14th with aWelcome Reception and Dinner, and endsTuesday, October 16th with a closingBanquet, which will take place at theGemological Institute of America’s stun-ning seaside campus in Carlsbad. Mon-

day, October 15th will be a free eveningfor attendees to relax at the RanchoBernardo Inn, enjoy nearby restaurants,or take the 25-minute drive into San Diegoto experience the city’s night life.

Making the Ordinary Extraordinary

The theme for this year’s Fall Work-shop is “Making the Ordinary Extraordi-nary.” There are a wide variety of sched-uled sessions that will help you go fromordinary to extraordinary. The Workshopwill include feature a presentation from

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The Rancho Bernardo Inn in San Diego, CA, features recently renovated guest rooms, afully renovated spa, a championship golf course and award-winning dining.

D E T C N E W S • F A L L 2 0 0 716

Andrew Gansler, President ofeLearners.com, on effectively marketingonline degrees. Throughout his career ateLearners.com, Mr. Gansler has providedguidance to postsecondary higher educa-tion institutions in the areas of onlinemarketing and recruiting strategies. Hehas been a featured speaker at a variety ofeducation conferences focusing on adultand distance education.

Tuesday afternoon will feature con-current sessions with the theme of GettingYour Message Out. Learn about the mili-tary market from Tim Scoggins of AutoDP,Inc., or hear from Dr. Farhad (Fred) Saba,Professor of Educational Technology atSan Diego State University, about cuttingedge technology that can enhance yourmessage. The Q and A session with theyoung media professionals puts attendeesface-to-face with representatives oftoday’s media, who can answer your ques-tions about what they look for and the bestway to present your message.

The Workshop also includes sessionson security issues facing distance educa-tion institutions, online test creation andproctoring, improving retention andcompletion rates and a presentation fromthe DETC Corporate Marketing TaskForce.

Registration Now Online

The Distance Education and TrainingCouncil is pleased to announce registra-tion for the Fall Workshop is now avail-able online! Visit the DETC Web site athttp://www.detc.org and click on “Click

here to register online for the DETC FallWorkshop.” When using the online regis-tration, payments can be accepted viacheck OR credit card. When registeringmore than one person, please use the promocode “DETCFALL07” to receive the dis-counted price.

The Workshop registration deadline isWednesday, October 3rd. All Registra-tions MUST be received in the DETCoffice by that date. DETC reserves theright to refuse attendance for registrationsreceived after October 3rd. The HotelRegistration Form should be sent directlyto the Rancho Bernardo Inn. Please feelfree to contact Rob Chalifoux, Director ofMeetings and Publications, at (202) 234-5100, ext. 104 if you have any questionsor would like help completing the onlineregistration process.

Enjoy the Recently RenovatedRancho Bernardo Inn

Both the Fall Workshop and Title IVWorkshop are taking place at the RanchoBernardo Inn, which recently completed arenovation of all 287 guest rooms. Theynow feature new custom furniture, plasma-screen televisions, warm and inviting col-ors, and luxurious amenities. The Inn alsoboasts a fully renovated spa, a champion-ship golf course and award-winning din-ing. For more information on the RanchoBernardo Inn, please visit their Web siteat http://www.ranchobernardoinn.com.

If you have any questions about theseor other upcoming DETC meetings, pleasecontact Rob Chalifoux, Director of Meet-ings and Publication, at (202) 234-5100,ext. 104, or send him an e-mail atrob@detc.org.

(Register Now for DETC's Fall Work-shop, continued)

17D E T C N E W S • F A L L 2 0 0 7

(continued)

Corporate Spotlight:

Eagen, McAllister Associates, Inc.

Corporate recognition of DETC al-lows employees to achieve higher educa-tion and essential training without quit-ting their job or reducing hours to jugglework, family life and classes. DETC insti-tutions provide corporate employees withdistance education that works for them,rather than against them and their alreadyhectic schedules. Many companies acceptDETC accredited institutions for tuitionassistance, allowing employees to attainworkplace advancement with DETC ac-credited job skills and training while theemployer pays the bill. We are featuring aDETC-friendly company in the fall DETCNews to demonstrate the success of apartnership between corporations andDETC accredited institutions.

Eagan, McAllister Associates, Inc.(EMA) is a recognized leader in technol-ogy, engineering, management and logis-tics support for government and industryclients worldwide. The 23-year-old com-pany originated in Lexington Park, Mary-land with one contract and two employ-ees. EMA now boasts over 1,541 employ-ees nationwide, annual revenues of $167million and an average annual growth rateof over 28%. The company is continuallyranked among top contractors by bothgovernment and industry publications.

EMA actively supports the Aviationand Command, Control, Communications,Computers and Intelligence communities.The company’s specialized capabilitiesinclude information assurance, technol-ogy-based systems, information technol-ogy solutions, systems engineering, pro-gram management and geographicinformation systems. With such a variedand technical group of specialties andcontracts, EMA is constantly looking foremployees from diverse backgrounds com-mitted to teamwork, customer satisfac-tion and continuous improvement.

One key to continuous improvementand customer satisfaction is to keep EMAemployees on the cutting edge with up-to-date job training and education. EMAfirst worked with a DETC-accredited in-stitution, American Sentinel University,in 1999 when an employee was living andworking in an area where no other collegewas available. Distance education was theideal option for EMA and its employee.When deciding whether or not to usetuition reimbursement for a DETC insti-tution EMA took into account accredita-tion and cost in line with other institutionsoffering the same degree.

“Distance learning institutions offerour full-time working employees the op-portunity to seek their degrees on theirown time,” says Thea Noll, an EMAspokesperson. “The degree programs areoften accelerated, and employees have

D E T C N E W S • F A L L 2 0 0 718

(Corporate Spotlight, continued)

large fields of institutions from which tochoose since they are not restricted by aninstitution’s location.”

EMA’s Education Assistance Programis highly regarded by employees. EricWilcox, an EMA employee and currentMaster’s student has been enrolled in dis-tance education classes since he came towork for EMA in 1996 with only a fewcollege credits under his belt.

“What’s not to like about a reimburse-ment program?” asks Wilcox. “I get aneducation and EMA pays for it. I’ve al-ready got a second Master’s program inmind so if EMA will keep paying for it Iwill keep registering.”

Employees/students find EMA is sup-portive of their pursuit of higher educa-tion and work hard to meet both employerand instructor deadlines.

“My job comes first. Without it, thereis no school,” says Wilcox. “However, itis difficult to juggle school work, a joband some kind of home life. [Compresseddistance education classes] can be twicethe work and half the time as compared toa normal 16-week semester. To meet dead-lines on big [school] projects, I don’t usu-ally have a problem using a day of annualleave.”

EMA pays for employees to studythrough DETC institutions under the ex-pectation that employees will grow intheir work fields. Another added benefitof pursuing education while employed atEMA is the company’s library of aca-demic books. EMA reimburses employ-ees for books after a student has com-pleted a class so that other employees mayuse them. According to Noll the companywill increasingly work with DETC ac-credited institutions in the future.

Outstanding Graduate Participants AnnouncedThe following institutions are participating

in the 2008 Outstanding Graduate Program:

Allied Business Schools, Inc.American Graduate UniversityAmerican Public University SystemAndrew Jackson UniversityArt Instruction SchoolsAshworth UniversityAspen UniversityAustralasian College of Health SciencesBrighton CollegeCalifornia National UniversityCardean UniversityCatholic Distance UniversityCleveland Institute of Electronics Columbia Southern UniversityConcord Law School

Geological Institute of AmericaGlobal UniversityGrantham UniversityHadley School for the BlindInstitute of Logistical ManagementJohn Tracy ClinicLansbridge UniversityMarine Corps InstituteNew York Institute of PhotographyPenn Foster SchoolsSessions.eduSheffield School of Interior DesignUniversity of Management and TechnologyUniversity of St. AugustineWestern Governors UniversityWeston Distance LearningWorld College

19D E T C N E W S • F A L L 2 0 0 7

Institutions Offer More Than Degrees(Editor’s Note: Fall is the traditional

time for students to start another year ofclasses and learning. But some studentsgo “back to school” for purely personalreasons. In fact, according to a March2006 DETC Survey, the majority of gradu-ates rated “personal satisfaction” as theirnumber one reason for enrolling. Themajority also rated “personal satisfac-tion” as most important benefit they re-ceived from their studies).

DETC institutions are a great optionfor these nontraditional students. Theycan continue their education on their ownschedule, and can take just the classesthey want. DETC institutions offer manyoptions for nontraditional students, in-cluding these three popular courses:

Wedding Consultant and Event Plan-ner Course, U.S. Career Institute

The Wedding Consultant and EventPlanner Course provides theoretical andpractical instruction enabling the studentto work in the wedding and event profes-sion. Students will be taught how to planweddings and events from start to finish,the etiquette and legal considerations in-volved and how to work with clients andrun a home business. Students will betaught about advising clients and be shownhow to coordinate all details includingbudgeting and organizing vendors andservices. They will also understand howto plan community and fundraising eventsand develop a personal business plan andcreate a recordkeeping system for theirown business.

Gourmet Cooking and Catering,Ashworth University

Learn cooking and catering from soupto nuts. Students will be inspired by thebreadth of this course–plus the hundredsof delicious practice recipes. Find outhow to select and store ingredients, chooserecipes, develop menus, prepare, storeand serve food, provide table service, planbanquets and special events and more.Students also learn how to manage a suc-cessful catering business–from staffing toscheduling to client surveys. The Gour-met Cooking and Catering course is com-prised of 20 comprehensive lessons. Eachbegins with a preview and objectives, anintroductory note from your instructorand a vocabulary builder of new terms.Next comes the reading assignment andpractice exercises to help students re-view. At the end of the lesson is an exam,which may be taken online. The courseincludes scrumptious menus students canpractice with–and enjoy–at home.

Applied Performance Psychology,University of St. Augustine for HealthSciences

Applied Performance Psychologyserves as an introduction to the disciplineof sport psychology. It examines the psy-chological skills that facilitate peak per-formance in athletics, the performing arts,and business. Topics include, but are notlimited to, self-efficacy, motivation, cog-nitive distortions, coping responses, men-tal training guidelines, and performanceprofiling.

D E T C N E W S • F A L L 2 0 0 720

Report From the Accrediting Commis-sionThe DETC Accrediting Commission,the nationally recognized accreditationassociation for distance learning institu-tions, met June 8-9, 2007. The followingis excerpted from the AccreditingCommission's report. A full copy of thereport can be obtained at http://www.detc.org/theaccrediting.html#act, orby sending an e-mail to rachel@detc.org.

One Institution Reaccredited

The following institution was re-accred-ited as of June 9, 2007:

University of Management and Tech-nology, 1901 North Fort Myer Drive,Suite 700, Arlington, VA 22209-1609.Phone: 703-516-0035; Fax: 703-516-0985; E-mail: info@umtweb.edu; WebSite: http://www.umtweb.edu. Founded1998 (2002/2012). Yanping Chen, M.D.Ph. D., President.(yanping.chen@umtweb.edu)

Change of Location

The following institution changed loca-tion:

Lansbridge University moved to 413King Street, Fredericton, New Brunswick,Canada E3B 1E5

Change of Name

The following institutions changed theirnames:

• Ashworth College in Norcross, GA,changed its name to Ashworth Univer-sity (Professional Career DevelopmentInstitute—changed name to AshworthUniversity Career Diploma; James Madi-son High School changed its name toAshworth University High School)

• California University of Protectionand Intelligence Management in SanJose, CA, changed its name to Henley-Putnam University.

• ParalegalTech University in Phoenix,AZ, changed its name to National Para-legal College.

• Sonoran Desert Institute in Scottsdale,AZ, added a separate listing for DavalCollege of Arts and Sciences.

Institutions Receiving Title IVCertification

The following institutions were certifiedby DETC to be authorized to seek partici-pation in Federal Title IV student aidprograms:

• Columbia Southern University, Or-ange Beach, AL

• Concord Law School, Los Angeles, CA

• University of St. Augustine for HealthSciences, St. Augustine, FL

• William Howard Taft University,

(continued)

21D E T C N E W S • F A L L 2 0 0 7

Santa Ana, CAResigned Accreditation

The following institutions are no longeraccredited:

• University of New England in Armidale,Australia, resigned accreditation as of Feb-ruary 6, 2007.

• University of South Africa in Pretoria,South Africa, accreditation expired as ofMarch 31, 2007.

New Courses and ProgramsApproved

The following institutions have had newcourses and programs approved. A com-plete list of subjects can be viewed athttp://www.detc.org:

• Ashworth University Career Diplomas(formerly PCDI)

• American Public University System

• American Sentinel University

• Aspen University

• Australasian College of Health Sciences

• Brighton College

• California Coast University

• Columbia Southern University

• Grantham University

• Independence University

• National Paralegal College (formerlyParalegalTech Institute)

(Report From the Accrediting Com-mission, continued)

• Rescue College/Association of GospelRescue Mission

• Sessions Online School of Design

• Truck Marketing Institute

• U.S. Career Institute

• University of Management and Tech-nology

• Westlawn Institute of Marine Technol-ogy

• World College

Applicants for Accreditation

The following institutions have appliedfor DETC initial accreditation or five yearre-accreditation.

First Time Applicants:

• Accelerated Training Institute, Napa,CA

• Aerobics and Fitness Association ofAmerica, Sherman Oaks, CA

• American Center for ConflictResolution, Euclid, OH

• American Fitness Professionals andAssociates, Manahawkin, NJ

• Anaheim University, Anaheim, CA

• BILD International University, Ames,IA

• Brigham Young UniversityIndependent Study, Provo, UT

• California Miramar University(formerly Pacific WesternUniversity), Cheyenne, WY

(continued)

D E T C N E W S • F A L L 2 0 0 722

(Report From the Accrediting Com-mission, continued)

• Ellis College of New York Institute ofTechnology, Chicago, IL

• Erudio College, Miami, FL

• Florida Virtual University, Weston,FL

• Hawthorn University, Whitethorn, CA

• Hindu University of America,Orlando, FL

• The Institute of Business and Finance,La Jolla, CA

• Institute of Theology by Extension,Des Moines, IA

• International Sports SciencesAssociation, Carpinteria, CA

• Lion Investigation Academy,Bethlehem, PA

• Perelandra College, LaMesa, CA

• Real Estate Prepatory Schools, Inc.,Sacramento, CA

• Rocky Mountain University of HealthProfessions, Provo, UT

• Teacher Education University, WinterPark, FL

• University of Atlanta, Mobile, AL

• University of Philosophical Research,Los Angeles, CA

• Vision International University,Ramona, CA

• Yorktown University, Inc., Denver,CO

(continued)

Applicants for Five-Year Re-Accredita-tion:

• American Career Institute, Las Vegas,NV

• Andrew Jackson University, Birming-ham, AL

• Applied Professional Training, Inc.,Carlsbad, CA

• Army Institute for Professional Devel-opment, Fort Eustis, VA

• Ashworth University (formerly Profes-sional Career Development Institute),Norcross, GA

• California National University for Ad-vanced Studies, Northridge, CA

• Citizens’ High School, Orange Park, FL

• Cleveland Institute of Electronics,Cleveland, OH

• College of the Humanities and SciencesHarrison Middleton University, Tempe,AZ

• Gemological Institute of America,Carlsbad, CA

• Marine Corps Institute, Washington, DC

• National Training, Inc., Orange Park,FL

• Western Governors University, SaltLake City, UT

• World College, Virginia Beach, VA

23D E T C N E W S • F A L L 2 0 0 7

(Report From the Accrediting Com-mission, continued)

Policies and Standards Adoptedand Proposed

The DETC Accrediting Commissiongave final approval to changes to C.9.Policy on Degree Programs (adding defi-nition of quarter hours, removing foot-note for admissions to Master’s degreeprogram without a Bachelor’s degree, andadding TOEFL requirement) and the revi-sion of Accreditation Standards. To viewthe revised documents, go to DETC’s website at www.detc.org and select the “Re-vised Documents” on the home page.

The Commission also approved newlanguage for the 2 year eligibility require-ments for Applicants. The new languageis: At the time of application, the institu-tion must have been enrolling students fortwo consecutive years under the presentownership and with the current programs.This requirement takes effect immedi-ately.

Proposed Changes for PublicComment

The Commission voted to approve thechanges made by the DETC Research andEducational Standards Committee to C.9.Policy on Degree Programs (includingchallenge/test out credits when determin-ing maximum transfer credits). To viewthis document, go to DETC’s web site atwww.detc.org and select “The Accredit-ing Commission” and “Call for PublicComments.”

Next Meeting

The next meeting of the DETC Accredit-ing Commission will be January 11-12,2008. All matters to be considered by theCommission, including comments onchanges to the C.9. Policy should bebrought to the attention of the ExecutiveDirector by no later than December 1,2007.

2007-2008 DETC DirectoriesAvailable

The 2007-2008 DETC Directory of Ac-credited Institutions and the 2007-2008Personnel Directory of Accredited Insti-tutions are available on the DETC website’s home page. To view the PersonnelDirectory, please select “Member Ser-vices” and “Publications”—sign in using“guest” as your user name and password.Corporate Marketing Task Forceto Present at Fall Workshop

Every year, corporations spend bil-lions of dollars on employee training,making it the largest education market inthe nation. DETC’s Corporate MarketingTask Force has been hard at work enhanc-ing acceptance of DETC accreditationamong human resources and tuition assis-tance officers. They will present theirnewly developed material at their sessionduring the Fall Workshop. In addition,their session will cover how best to ap-proach this market and positioning yourinstitution to succeed in this hotly com-petitive space.

Register for DETC's Fall Workshoptoday, and make sure to attend this infor-mation rich session.

D E T C N E W S • F A L L 2 0 0 724

DETC Regional Meeting at GIAMore than 40 people attended the

DETC Regional Meeting in March at theGemological Institute of America's Rob-ert Mouawad campus in Carlsbad, CA.This meeting was a chance for DETCinstitutions to connect and share valuableinsights. A representative from each insti-tution gave an update.

The meeting also featured an updatefrom DETC Executive Director MichaelLambert on the Washington scene and apresentation on podcasting from GIA staff.The meeting was an overwhelming suc-cess. Be on the lookout for informationabout future DETC regional meetings.

1601 18th Street, NW, Suite 2 • Washington, DC 20009202-234-5100 • FAX 202-332-1386

www.detc.org • E-mail: detc@detc.org

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