VCU’s Inclusive ACE-IT in College Earns a First-in-Virginia Accreditation

VCU’s inclusive ACE-IT in College Earns a First-in-Virginia Accreditation – and Just the Third in U.S. (VCU.edu, August 7, 2024) Virginia Commonwealth University’s ACE-IT in College has become the first accredited college program in Virginia for students with intellectual disabilities. The accreditation marks another milestone for the VCU program, which dates back to 2011. The program has a 90% post-graduation employment rate, compared with the national employment average of 36.7% for people with disabilities.

Academic Rigor in Retreat (Inside Higher Ed, August 6, 2024) (Opinion) The University of California System has eliminated the term “academic probation.” One administrator at UC Irvine said, “When students are labeled with probation, it impacts their mental health and well-being, it decreases their confidence academically, it drives them away from university resources, it can actually decrease graduation rates.” Substituting “academic notice” for “academic probation” may seem inconsequential. But how about the decision of a growing number of accreditors and state boards of higher education to approve degree programs with fewer than 120 credit hours?

Colleges Keep Closing. Are Regulators Doing Enough to Warn Students? (USA Today, August 4, 2024) Colleges fold all the time. But metrics show they have been dissolving faster in recent decades. Over the first half of this year, roughly one higher education institution per week announced it would close or merge. The closures at Wells College and UArts didn’t just surprise folks – they also seemed to startle college watchdogs. Middle States Commission on Higher Education pulled both schools’ accreditation statuses around the time of their closures. Under revised U.S. Department of Education rules, schools will be disciplined if warning signs crop up. Those “triggering events” include accreditation problems, worrisome changes to financial aid, or abruptly shutting down programs. 

Central State University: New Leader and New Combined Program (Dayton Daily News, August 4, 2024) Central State University, under the new leadership of Morakinyo A.O. Kuti, Ph.D. “Our goal is to improve the quality of our student experience and their academic outcomes,” Kuti stated, highlighting his commitment to enhancing educational opportunities and fostering a supportive environment for all students. Accreditation plays a pivotal role at CSU, signifying the University’s dedication to upholding the highest standards and ensuring the excellence of its academic programs. Central State maintains accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission through 2033, along with various specialized accreditations across its academic disciplines.