DETC News: Spring 2009

NEWSNEWSDETC

S p r i n g 2 0 0 9

DETC Welcomes New Institutions•

Braille by Mail•

The New Rules• of Enrollment Marketing

DETC Award Recipients• Honored

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HIS

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ContentsMessage from the Executive Director ..............................................................DETC Welcomes New Institutions ...................................................................Save the Date for DETC Workshop ..................................................................Braille by Mail...and e-mail!Hadley School for the Blind's Vision of Distance Learning .............................Report from the Accrediting Commission ........................................................New Economy? New Rules:The News Rules of Enrollment Marketing ........................................................Important Dates ................................................................................................Accrediting Commission Elects NewOffi cers; New Commissioners Appointed . ......................................................DETC Award Recipients Honored During Accrediting Commission Meeting ........................................................

DETC NEWS - Spring 2009

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

Story ideas, feedback, letters to the editor and other reader submissions are encouraged and should be sent via e-mail to [email protected]. Please put "DETC NEWS SUBMISSION" as the subject line of your e-mail.

The Distance Education and Training Coun-cil (DETC) a nonprofi t, voluntary association of accredited distance study institutions, was founded in 1926 to promote sound educational standards and ethical business practices within the distance study fi eld. The independent DETC Accrediting Commission is listed by the United States Department of Education as a “nationally recognized accrediting agency.” The Accrediting Commission is also a charter member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).

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DETC Staff:

Executive Director:Michael P. LambertAssociate Director:

Sally R. Welch

Director of Accreditation:Nan M. Ridgeway

Director of Meetings and Publications:Robert S. Chalifoux

Accrediting Coordinator:Lissette Hubbard

Information Specialist and Bookkeeper:Karen E. Black

Legal Counsellor:Joseph C. Luman

1DETC NEWS • Spring 2009

Message from the Executive Director

(continued)

Springtime forOnline Institutions

by Michael P. LambertExecutive Director

The mainstream media today is fi lled with articles on the anticipated explosive growth of online enrollments around the nation, most notably in the private, for profi t school sector of higher education.

The articles usually cite the 2008 Sloan Survey of Online Learning, released last November, before we knew of the extent of the current economic crisis in which we fi nd ourselves. The Sloan researchers found that while all types of postsecond-ary institutions are expecting enrollment increases due to rising high unemployment, two-year and private for-profi t institutions expect to increase their rolls more than others, since they “tend to offer programs that have traditionally been tailored to serve working adults.”

Sloan researchers found that 70 percent of colleges report that competition for the growing pool of students interested in online learning is increasing. “This

competition may be leading schools to increase their geographic reach and to concentrate on nondegree, nontraditional students,” they wrote.

There seems to be something quite signifi cant happening in the overall online learning movement. Growth in online learning is expected to continue at about 15% per year. The news is almost too good to be true for those of us who live in the online learning world. The trends in data are all pointing to a boom year for online student enrollment in 2009. This prediction is based on past performance in previous economic recessions.

The common wisdom for vocational and trade schools is that the sector is “coun-ter cyclical” to the overall economy, and that in tough economic times, the people in danger of losing their jobs, and those who

DETC NEWS • Spring 20092

(Message from the Executive Director, continued)

(continued)

have lost their jobs, beat a path to a school that can re-skill or up-skill them quickly, so they can stay in or re-enter the workforce with a salable skill. This appears to be a logical assumption. In fact, it is working out to be true once again.

During the 9 prior years with eco-nomic recessions, new enrollments at private postsecondary institutions aver-aged about 17%. Dur-ing the 18 prior “non recession” or good economy years, enroll-ment growth averaged only 8%.

The most dramatic online enrollment ac-tivity is taking place at the large, for profi t, publicly traded compa-nies. Online students at publicly traded schools now comprise more than half of all their student bodies as op-posed to just 12% in 2002.

For the accredited institutions in the DETC, the deteriorating economy and the consequent popularity of online learning is a “good news—bad news” development.

The good news is that millions of fi rst time prospective online students are go-ing to be taking a hard look at enrolling in a online program this year, people who never before thought they would have to do so. There will be more potential students seeking skill-imparting training programs as never before, perhaps since

the Depression ear and the years following World War II.

The best news is that fi nally—and we have been predicting this event for a decade —online learning as a method of learning is offi cially “mainstream.” No longer just an option for learners, and no longer the “crab grass on the lawn of the Academy,” it is now a primary choice for adults. The distance education and training movement has reached a turning point and it won’t be long before there will be more on line

learners than fixed facility learners.

Indeed, the vast majority of tuition assistance funds paid for voluntary educa-tion by the Depart-ment of Defense to members of the active military now goes to online learning insti-tutions, and DETC institutions comprise 30% of the top ten institutions enrolling military students. In

fact, according to a independently judged competition sponsored by the Military Advanced Education magazine, one fourth of the Top 20 Military Friendly universities are DETC accredited.

The bad news for the DETC institutions is that the competition for this exponen-tially expanding pool of prospective stu-dents will be more heated and more sharp-elbowed as never before. More interest in online learning means more competitors will enter the market. And more competi-

Finally—and we have been

predicting this event for a decade—online

learning ... is officially

mainstream.


(Message from the Executive Director, continued)

tors signals that there will be marketing tactics of unscrupulous or dubious taste. One traditional university ran an ad in a magazine in December that offered “free” personal computers to students.

The competitors who will come to the online market will have some perceived key advantages. The largest players have regional accreditation, Federal Aid eligibility, academic credits and degrees that readily transfer, multi-million dollar advertising budgets, an ability to grow by just added more programs and more instructors—since there is no need to build a new campus or expand much else besides computer capability.

The challenge to the institutions in the DETC will be to fi nd ways to compete successfully in this noisy and competitive marketplace. They will need to develop or sharpen marketing tactics that will not bankrupt them while trying to keep up with the mega-schools in a market they once enjoyed exclusively by themselves just 20 years ago.

DETC institutions also have some key weapons in their arsenal.

They have DETC accreditation, which we know consumers trust. They are gener-ally open admissions, offer comprehensive, low cost credit transcript evaluations, per-mit students to start anytime, have much (up to two thirds) lower tuitions, offer more personalized service, have more fl exible study options, offer more fl exible tuition payment plans, have more consumer friendly refund policies and offer niche market degrees months and years before traditional universities do.

The DETC institution’s value propo-sition is that as a long time provider of distance learning, we can give you the best available skill training at a far lower price, and we can do it much faster and far better than most of our competitors!

But the most unheralded advantage that DETC institutions bring to the noisy marketplace is that they have earned the most in-depth, distance learning-focused accreditation for a distance school around. More and more, DETC is offering dual ac-creditation to regionally accredited univer-sities that seek to deepen their commitment to the distance education enterprise, with the belief that DETC brings them added value and added know-how to all of their distance study activity. They see it as one more asset that enhances their ability to be a premier online education provider. Can you have too many nationally recognized endorsements for your services in today’s market?

DETC accreditation is an often under-stated feature on school Web sites, but it is still an incredibly valuable asset. As the public grows more enthusiastic about studying online, DETC institutions will be playing this “ace in the hole card” in their marketing presentations. Students will—over time—to look for the trusted DETC accreditation seal when enrolling.

DETC institutions helped to pioneer the distance education method over 119 years ago. They invented or perfected many of the learning techniques in widespread use in online learning today. Over 140 mil-lion Americans have studied with DETC institutions since 1890.

Springtime has come for online learn-ing—and for the members of the DETC.


(continued)

DETC Welcomes New InstitutionsEditor's Note: At the June meeting of the

DETC Accrediting Commission, four new institutions were accredited (see Report from the Accrediting Commission, page 13). Please join us in welcoming them to the DETC Family.

Anaheim University, founded in 1996, is a unique, innovative and sustain-able institution of higher learning meet-ing the educational needs of a diverse, global student body.

With locations in the US and Japan, the University offers Master’s degrees, Diploma, and Certifi cate programs in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), Business Adminis-tration, and Sustainable Management.

“Our mission is to make higher edu-cation accessible to qualifi ed students worldwide through online and on-campus study,” said Dr. William Hartley, Ana-heim University President. “In every-thing we do, we follow the University’s philosophy of ‘Students First, Always’.”

Anaheim University boasts one of the world’s top TESOL faculties, led by world-renowned linguist Dr. David Nu-nan, Dean of the University’s Graduate School of Education and world’s leading author of textbooks with sales of over 300,000,000 books. Under his leadership, Anaheim was the world’s fi rst university to offer an online Master’s in TESOL in real-time. In 2008, it added an online TESOL Certifi cate through its David Nu-nan Institute of Language Education.

For business students, Anaheim University established the Akio Morita School of Business in honor of Sony Founder Akio Morita. Under its Dean, Dr. Andrew Honeycutt, Harvard DBA, it offers MBA programs both online and as blended learning with on-campus study at the University’s Akio Morita Learning Center in Tokyo, Japan. The University aims to develop global business lead-ers who will contribute to the develop-ment of sound practices in a competitive world.

Anaheim University has responded to worldwide demands for organizations to demonstrate social responsibility and sustainable practices by establishing the Kisho Kurokawa Green Institute, named after the late globally-acclaimed eco-architect. The Institute has launched a range of Sustainable Management pro-grams, including a “Green MBA.”

The University has an Offi ce of Ad-missions in Anaheim, CA; a state-of-the-art Studios in Irvine, CA; and the Learn-ing Center in Tokyo, Japan.

William Hartley


(DETC Welcomes New Institutions, continued)

(continued)

In early 2009, to better refl ect its mission and global vision of deliver-ing CalUniversity programs to students worldwide, the California University of Technology's Board of Directors elected to change the University’s reputable name to California InterContinental University.

The mission of California InterCon-tinental University is to provide quality distance education, effective student ser-vices and accessible innovative programs enabling Learners to become successful Business Professionals, Leaders and En-trepreneurs for the 21st century. Through its distance educational programs, the University equips tomorrow’s business leaders with a sense of responsibility and vision for the future of the global busi-ness enterprise.

In keeping with our founding Phi-losophy: “To Inspire Vision; Create Bril-liance; and Achieve Success”, California InterContinental University, a leading Distance Education University, was founded with one aim in mind—to help

students excel in their career goals and personal achievements.

In 1996, Mr. Senthil B. Kumar estab-lished an Education Network known as EdNET, a network of IT education, train-ing, and certifi cation centers worldwide. In 2001 Mr. Kumar, transformed some EdNET Centers into Qsoft offering spe-cialized Microsoft NET training, and in 2002, Qsoft was renamed iUniversity offering global business programs. iUni-versity later became California Universi-ty of Technology which was incorporated in California in 2003. In 2005, California University of Technology received Cali-fornia State Approval to grant undergrad-uate and graduate degrees and has been fully operational since that time. Mr. Ku-mar and co-founder Dr. Finian Tan are committed to building a truly global Dis-tance Education University.

Under Senthil Kumar’s leadership, California InterContinental Univer-sity has emerged as a premier provider of Distance Education in the fi elds of Healthcare Administration, Business Ad-ministration, International Management and Information Technology. Currently CalUniversity has more than 150 courses delivered in 16 areas of Emphasis. Stu-dents study at CalUniversity under the guidance and mentorship of superlative faculty who are expert professionals and experienced in diverse curricula relevant to their profession and educational back-grounds.

CalUniversity’s unique delivery mod-el promotes student learning and suc-cessful degree completion coupled with greater fl exibility. The greatest benefi ts to

Senthil Kumar



(continued)

students include affordable tuition costs, 24/7 online access to a LearnCenter and the freedom to study at their own time and to productively complete their weekly coursework assignments. CalUniversity not only provides fl exibility and applica-bility with program delivery, but also sets the benchmark in affordable distance ed-ucation. Many students are thankful for having a lesser fi nancial burden to cover their educational costs.

American Pacifi c University (“Am-Pac”), located in Honolulu, Hawaii, was founded December 13, 1994. Being in Hawaii, the philosophy of the school and the interaction with its students, faculty, and staff is built upon the principle of Aloha – stressing the importance of fam-ily, togetherness, and a close-knit com-munity of dedicated individuals.

The mission of the university is dedi-cated to providing adults with distance education that fosters a deeper under-standing of healing and the concept of the “whole person”: mind, body, and spirit in an effort to achieve an integrated experi-ence of the self and connectedness with others. In 2007, a new Master’s Degree Program in Transpersonal Psychology was launched. Transpersonal Psychol-ogy is an up and coming fi eld, a branch of psychology that is concerned with the study of those states and processes in which people experience a deeper or wider sense of who they are or sense of greater connectedness with others or the environment. For those who are already practitioners in the healing arts or those

who are aspiring to be, the program ex-plores the mind-body-spirit-connection. Students study not only in the “tradi-tional” sense of learning, but the pro-gram encourages them to explore and to experience a true transformation of both knowledge and person—leading to growth and development.

Matthew B. James, MA, PhD is the President and Chief Academic Offi cer of American Pacifi c University. “Accredita-tion has been a goal and focus of AmPac since before I was running the Univer-sity. The goal, that we set ten years ago, and which we have achieved, is just the beginning. There is much more to come that will build upon what we have all ac-complished. Thank you to everyone who has helped us along this amazing path,” Matthew B. James, MA, PhD.

The International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) was founded in 1988 and was the fi rst fi tness organization to provide education for personal fi tness trainers.

Matthew James



The ISSA was also the fi rst organiza-tion to offer specializations within the fi eld of fi tness and to offer it’s programs online. Since that time, the ISSA devel-oped 6 specialization courses in the fi eld for health and fi tness professionals.

Our goal is to educate our students about the importance of weight training, cardiovascular conditioning, fl exibility, stress management and sensible nutri-tion. This has enabled our graduates to dramatically improve the quality of their lives and the lives of their friends, fami-lies and clients.

From kids to seniors, from athletes to physically challenged, ISSA personal trainers are responsible for changing the lives of millions. We can say objectively that ISSA graduates fulfi ll our goal to

create a stronger, healthier world. Today, the ISSA is honored to be the

fi rst fi tness organization to have achieved accreditation through the DETC.

Dr. Sal Arria is the CEO and Co-Founder of the ISSA.

Sal Arria

Save the Datefor Fall Workshop!

The Distance Education and Training Council will hold its Fall Workshop Oc-tober 19-20, 2009 at the Naples Grande Beach Resort in Naples, Florida.

The Naples Grande Beach Resort sets the standard for surrounding Naples hotels, treating guests to a level of service and attention that is truly unmatched.

Anyone interested in presenting at the DETC Fall Workshop should send an e-mail with a brief session description to Rob Chalifoux, DETC's Director of Meetings and Publications, at [email protected]. Rob also can be contacted for more information about exhibiting at the Fall Workshop.

DETC also will be hosting a Title IV Financial Aid Workshop and a High School Seminar in conjunction with the Fall Workshop.

The Title IV Workshop will feature a presentation by Dr. Sharon Bob, Special Consultant to DETC. Dr. Bob will cover updsates to requirements with which institutions must comply when they be-come eligible to participate in the Title IV programs—a must attend for any institu-tion working with Title IV Funds!

The High School Workshop is de-signed to give DETC institutions with high school diploma programs a chance to come together and learn from their peers, ensuring their programs adapt and stay up-to-date.

Both of these one-day meetings will take place Wednesday, October 21, at the Naples Grande Beach Resort. More in-formation will be available on the DETC Web site this summer.


Braille by Mail… and e-mail!

(continued)

Deborah Bloom is Director of De-velopment and Communications for The Hadley School for the Blind, and has 15 years of experience working with nonprofi t organizations, specializing in public awareness campaigns, marketing and strategic partnerships. Dawn Turco is Hadley’s Senior Vice President for Educational Operations, and has worked in the blindness fi eld for more than 30 years. To celebrate the 200th birthday of Louis Braille, DETC asked them for the history—and future—of one of DETC's most unique institutions.

Two thousand and nine marks the 200th birthday of Louis Braille, the in-ventor of braille, a system used by blind

The Hadley School for the Blind's Vision for Distance Learning

and visually impaired people around the world for reading and writing. Little did he know his work would inspire a former high school teacher in Winnetka, Illinois, to start a school that would become the largest worldwide provider of distance education for people who are blind or vi-sually impaired.

The outlook for distance education has never been better. According to a 2007 survey conducted by the Distance Education and Training Council, public acceptance of distance education is on the rise, competition is increasing and the audience is continually expanding. For those with a visual impairment, distance learning programs provide a convenient,


(continued)

(Braille by Mail, continued)

affordable alternative to traditional class-room settings and eliminate transporta-tion issues, which often are a concern. Before the term “distance education” became part of our vernacular, howev-er, it was known as “correspondence.” And one institution, The Hadley School for the Blind, took correspondence to a whole new level by teaching its courses in braille. What was even more remark-able was that the year was 1920.

William Hadley, a former teacher who lost his sight in 1915 at age 55 as a result of infl uenza, taught himself braille be-cause literature and learning were two of his passions. His en-thusiasm for teach-ing this critical lit-eracy skill led to the establishment of the school bearing his name. It was braille through the mail, and it was an immediate success.

With the support of a well-respected ophthalmologist, Dr. E.V.L. Brown, who happened to be his friend and neighbor, Hadley co-founded The Hadley School for the Blind in Winnetka, Illinois, about 15 miles north of Chicago. The school’s fi rst student, a Kansas farm wife, wanted to be able to read to her children. “We sometimes refer to her as “the fi rst des-perate housewife,’” says Hadley Senior

Vice President Dawn Turco. “Yes, it raises a chuckle, but the seriousness of literacy and communications skills to people who are blind cannot be overem-phasized.”

The mission of The Hadley School for the Blind is to promote independent living through lifelong, distance educa-tion programs for people who are blind or visually impaired, their families and blindness service providers. The abil-ity to read and write braille has been a priority of The Hadley School since its inception. When William Hadley passed

away in 1941, he had laid the groundwork for the school’s fu-ture, convinced that braille could indeed be taught by corre-spondence. His vision for distance learning has been fulfi lled far more than he ever could have imag-ined: Today, Hadley is the single, largest worldwide educator of braille.

The school’s dis-tinctive approach to

teaching—through distance education and individualized attention from faculty —has been the key to Hadley’s success and the success of its students in becom-ing more independent. Over the years, Hadley has taught braille to tens of thou-sands of people who are blind, and more recently, to sighted professionals and family members. And what is even more

The school's firststudent, a Kansas farm wife, wanted

to be able to read to her

children.


(continued)


unique? It has done so completely free of charge.

Hadley currently offers ten braille courses for those who are blind, teaching reading and writing in both uncontracted and contracted formats. The school also offers three courses for sighted individu-als, including the Nemeth Code for math-ematics.

In addition, Hadley has advanced the use of braille in a number of ways: During the 1950s, the school was one of the fi rst institutions to use the Thermoform Dupli-cator, which copies braille from paper to a Brailon, a sheet of durable plastic. This technology revolutionized the school’s production abilities, allowing it to print course materials in a more cost-effective

manner. During the 1980s, production became even more sophisticated with the introduction of a computer-driven, high-speed braille printer. Hadley was one of the fi rst schools in the country to use this type of equipment.

Today, with the advent of new tech-nology, especially the Internet, there is a misperception that braille is an anti-quated system no longer necessary for those with a visual impairment. “Just as sighted people want and need to be able to read and write in print, people who are blind equally value the importance of literacy skills,” says Chuck Young, Hadley’s president. “In fact, to this day, our braille courses are the most popular courses we offer.” Last year, Hadley had more than 4,300 enrollments in its braille

William Hadley’s vision for teaching braille by correspondence has been realized: The Hadley School for the Blind is the largest, worldwide provider of distance education to individuals who are blind or visually impaired.


(continued)


reading and writing courses alone (com-bined sighted and blind students).

Around the country, there continues to be a shortage of trained professionals who teach braille in public school districts or rehabilitation systems. For those in rural areas, access to instruction is even more challenging. Through distance education, Hadley offers an alternative for individu-als who do not have easy access to quali-fi ed braille instructors. “Hadley students learn braille in the convenience of their own home,” says faculty member Susan Fisher, who attended and now teaches braille to future teachers at Northern Illi-nois University in Dekalb, while also in-structing visually impaired students at a distance for Hadley. “Coursework is self-directed, so our students study at their own pace. Courses were designed this way intentionally to make our students more comfortable and more likely to suc-cessfully complete their assignments.”

Fisher is one of 14 braille instructors employed by Hadley. Faculty members are available via phone and email and are committed to providing individual feedback to each student. “What makes Hadley so different from other distance education organizations is the personal attention we offer to our students,” adds Fisher. “No matter where they live, our students have the opportunity to work one-on-one with an instructor. That way, they don’t feel so isolated or alone.”

Eighty-nine years of feedback from Hadley students confi rms that this ap-proach to distance education works: “My braille teacher gave me personalized in-

struction, particularly in how to use a spe-cial stylus, because I have some impair-ment in my hands,” says David Kook, a student from Illinois enrolled in Hadley’s Adult Continuing Education Program. “Hadley instructors are like that; they not only give you information and resources you can use, but the support and reassur-ance you need.” Kook, who has retinitis pigmentosa (a condition that has resulted in a deterioration of his vision over the last 20 years) has successfully completed three braille courses and is about to begin his fourth. Kook learned braille to help him communicate with his grandchildren. Even more importantly, braille is key to maintaining his sense of independence.

In 2001, Hadley began its current of-fering of braille courses for sighted in-dividuals. For Bernice Newman, great grandmother to a child born with a con-genital condition resulting in blindness, learning braille is a way to connect to her 2-year-old great granddaughter. Liv-ing in Mississippi, Bernice discovered distance education to be her best option, since she could not fi nd any colleges or universities in her area that taught braille. Having completed two Hadley courses, Bernice looks forward to the day she can exchange cards and letters with her great granddaughter.

In addition to addressing the need for trained braille instructors, Hadley also is meeting the challenge of producing high-quality brailled materials. A longtime leader in the fi eld, Hadley’s materials production department readily and effi -ciently produces more than 90,000 braille pages each year, supplementing mass



brailling done offsite. The department also offers a braille transcription service, including the transcribing of professional materials as well as personal items for those with a visual impairment. All tran-scribing is undertaken in accordance with formats prescribed by the Braille Author-ity of North America and is completed by transcribers certifi ed by the National Li-brary Service for the Blind and Physical-ly Handicapped, Li-brary of Congress.

While braille reading and writ-ing courses remain the most popular, they comprise just a fraction of Hadley’s overall course cata-log. The school cur-rently offers more than 100 courses, ranging from “Ele-ments of Poetry” and “Abacus 1” to “Finding Employ-ment” and “Personal Safety.” The cur-riculum is divided into four program ar-eas: Adult Continuing Education, High School, Family Education and Profes-sional Studies. Approximately 80 percent of Hadley’s courses are offered in braille. Courses are also provided in large print, audio and online. In 2002, the school introduced its fi rst “e-Hadley” course. Since that time, the number has grown dramatically. The school now offers 26 courses online as part of e-Hadley, pro-

viding students with even greater access to course material and faster, more effi -cient course delivery.

Never before has there been such de-mand for courses such as Hadley’s, as the number of blind premature infants, newly blinded veterans and senior citi-zens with age-related vision loss con-tinues to increase. Today, Hadley serves more than 10,000 students in all 50 states and more than 100 countries, honoring

the man who had the insight and the vi-sion to utilize distance education to educate people who are blind or visually impaired. True to William Had-ley’s original intent, the school accepts little to no government funding; instead it re-lies on partnerships, including those with other distance educa-tion organizations, and the generosity of indi-viduals, foundations and corporations. To

learn more about Hadley and to discuss potential partnerships, visit www.hadley.edu or call 800-323-4238.

William Hadley once said, “To all who have given to and worked for the Blind, I owe them a debt of gratitude be-cause they made it possible for me to be useful and because countless people all over the world have benefi tted.”

The same could be said about Louis Braille.

To all who have given to and worked for the Blind, I owe them a debt of gratitude

because they made it possible for me to be useful and because countless people all over the world have

benefitted.

-William Hadley


(continued)

Report From the Accrediting Commission

The DETC Accrediting Commission, the nationally recognized accreditation asso-ciation for distance learning institutions, met January 16-17, 2009 and took the following actions:

New Commissioners AppointedNew Commissioners AppointedThe Commission voted to appoint Mr. Patrick O’Malley to his fi rst three-year term as a public member on the Commis-sion. He replaces Mr. Jan Larson, who leaves the Commission after serving his allotted terms. Mr. O’Malley is a retired Partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers. Ac-crediting Commission Chair Dr. Timothy Mott appointed Mr. Robert Mayes, Jr., President of Columbia Southern Uni-versity, to his fi rst three-year term as an institution member on the Commission. He replaces Dr. Adelaide Cherry of the USAF Air University, who retired from active duty.

New Offi cersNew Offi cersChair: The Commission voted to elect Dr. Timothy Mott, who joined the Commis-sion in 2007. He replaces Mr. Jan Larson as the Chair, who retired after serving the maximum allowable terms on the Com-mission.Vice Chair: Dr. David W. Curd, President, College of the Humanities and Sciences Harrison Middleton University in Tempe, AZ, was elected Vice Chair of the Commission. Mr. Brook Ellis, Vice President of Education, remains the Treasurer, and Mr. Michael P. Lambert remains the Secretary and Executive Di-rector.

Four Institutions Gain Accreditation The following institutions were accred-ited as of January 17, 2009 (their next review will be in 2013):

American Pacifi c University; 615 Piikoi Street, Suite 501, Honolulu, HI 96814. Phone (808) 791-5050; Fax: (808) 791-5051. E-mail: [email protected]; Web Site: http://www.ampac.edu. Matthew James, President, Ph.D., Nancy Moreno-Derks, Vice President. Founded 1994.

Anaheim University, 1240 S. State Col-lege Boulevard, Suite 110, Anaheim, CA 92806. Phone: (714) 772-3330; fax: (714) 772-3331. E-mail: [email protected]; Web Site: http:// www.anaheim.edu. William B. Hartley, Ph.D., President and David Nunan, Ph.D., Vice President of Academic Affairs. Founded 1996.

California Intercontinental University (formerly California University of Tech-nology), 1470 Valley Vista Drive, Suite 150, Diamond Bar, CA 91765. Phone: (909) 396-6090; Fax: (909) 804-5151. E-mail: [email protected]; Web site: http://www.caluniversity.com. Sent-hil B. Kumar, CEO, Tuan A. Tran, Ph.D., CAO. Founded 2003.

International Sports Science Associa-tion, 1015 Mark Avenue, Carpinteria, CA 93013. Phone: (805) 745-8111; Fax:


(continued)

(805) 745-8119. E-mail: [email protected]; Web site: http://www.is-saonline.com, Sal Arria, D.C., President/CEO and Patrick Gamboa, Vice President of Education. Founded 1988. 12 Institutions Re-AccreditedThe following institutions were re-ac-credited:

Aspen University, Denver CO • Griggs University, Silver Spring, MD • Holmes Institute, Golden, CO • Hypnosis Motivation Institute, Tar-• zana, CA National Tax Training School, Mah-• wah, NJ Rhodec International U.S., Quincy, • MA Richard Milburn High School, Woo-• dridge, VA Seminary Extension Independent • Study, Nashville, TN Sonoran Desert Institute, Scottsdale, • AZ Southwest University, Kenner, LA • Universidad FLET, Miami, FL • University of St. Augustine for Health • Sciences, St. Augustine, FL

Change of LocationA change of location for the following institutions was approved:

American Sentinel University moved • to 2260 South Xanadu Way, Suite 310, Aurora, CO 80014.Applied Professional Training moved • to 5751 Palmer Way, Suite D, Carls-bad, CA 92010.

(Report from the Accrediting Com-mission, continued)

Aspen University moved to 720 South • Colorado Boulevard, Suite 1150-N, Denver, CO 80246.Holmes Institute moved to 573 Park • Point Drive, Golden, CO 80401.

Change of NameThe following institutions changed their name:

American Center for Confl ict Reso-• lution Institute changed its name to Lakewood CollegeAshworth University changed its • names back to Ashworth College, Ashworth Career Programs, Ashworth High School

Voluntary Resignations of Accredita-tion The following institutions are no longer accredited. The accreditation expires March 31, 2009:

KC Distance Learning (Keystone Na-• tional High School, Keystone Credit Recovery) University of Leicester’s Centre for • Labour Market Studies

New Resident Training LocationThe following institution had a new resi-dent training site approved: University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences, 16870 West Bernardo Drive, Suite 200, San Di-ego, CA 92127

New Courses/ProgramsThe Commission approved new courses/programs at the following institutions:

Allied Business Schools, Inc.•



American Sentinel University • Andrew Jackson University • Ashworth University • Aspen University• California Coast University • City Vision College • Columbia Southern University • Henley-Putnam University • Teacher Education University •

Visit the DETC Web site for a complete list of approved courses/programs.

Institution Participating in Residential Pilot Program The College of Humanities and Sciences received accreditation for the following residential high school programs*:

Humanities and Sciences Academy of the United States, 1105 East Broadway Road, Tempe, AZ 85282. Phone: (800) 762-0010; Fax: (800) 762-1622. Web site: http://www.humsci.org. Founded 1997.

International Commerce Secondary Schools, 5201 North 7th Street, Phoenix, AZ 85014. Phone: (800) 762-0010; Fax: (800) 762-1622. Web site: http://www.humsci.org. Founded 1997.

*This accreditation is not yet included under the DETC’s scope of accrediting activity as recognized by the U.S. De-partment of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

Title IV Certifi cation The following institutions were certifi ed by DETC to seek eligibility from the De-partment of Education to participate in the federal student aid programs:

Aspen University, Denver, CO • City Vision College, Kansas City, • MO

Policies, Procedures and Standards The Commission voted to give fi nal adoption to the following statement to be added to C.9. Policy on Degree Pro-grams: Transcripts not in English must be evaluated by an appropriate third party and translated into English or a trained transcript evaluator fl uent in the language on the transcript. In this case, the evaluator must have expertise in the educational practices of the country of origin and include an English translation of the review.

Proposed ChangesThe Commission also approved for pub-lic comment the following:

Proposed revision to DETC Business • Standards Proposed new Policy on Pilot Pro-• grams

To view these documents, please go to DETC’s web site at www.detc.org and select the link from the home age. Any comments on the above changes should be sent to Sally Welch at DETC ([email protected]) before May 1, 2009. Final adop-tion of these policies will be considered at the Commission’s June 2009 meeting.

(continued)



Applicants for Accreditation and Re-Accreditation in 2009The following institutions have applied for DETC initial accreditation or fi ve year re-accreditation:

First Time Applicants:Abraham Lincoln University School • of Law, Los Angeles, CA Aerobics and Fitness Association of • America, Sherman Oaks, CA American Fitness Professionals and • Associates, Manahawkin, NJ American Graduate School of Educa-• tion, Tempe, AZ BILD International University/Anti-• och School of Church Planning and Leadership Development, Ames, IA California Miramar University, San • Diego, CA (formerly Pacifi c Western University) California Southern University, Santa • Ana, CA ChildCare Education Institute, Du-• luth, GA National Institute of Whole Health, • Wellesley, MAOpen Institute of Law, Vladivostok, • Russia Piccolo International University, • Phoenix, AZRobert Kennedy College, Zurich, • Switzerland Trinity College of the Bible and • Theological Seminary, Newburgh, IN

Applicants for Five-Year Re-Accredita-tion:

American Institute of Applied Sci-• ence, Youngsville, NCAmerican Sentinel University (Bir-• mingham, AL and Denver, CO)Atlantic University, Virginia Beach, • VABlackstone Career Institute, Emmaus, • PACalifornia Coast University, Santa • Ana, CACity Vision, Kansas City, MO • Concord Law School, Los Angeles, • CAHadley School for the Blind, Win-• netka, ILIMPAC University, Punta Gorda, FL• Instituto Postsecundario de Educa-• cion a Distancia, San Juan, Puerto Rico Paralegal Institute, Glendale, AZ • Penn Foster Career School, Penn • Foster College, and Penn Foster High School, Scranton, PAWeston Distance Learning (At-Home • Professions & U.S. Career Institute), Fort Collins, CO

Revision of 2009 DETC Accreditation HandbookThe 2009 DETC Accreditation Handbook was revised. The entire handbook can be viewed in the Publications sections of the DETC’s Web site.

Next MeetingThe next meeting will be June 5-6, 2009. All matters should be brought to the at-tention of the Executive Director by no later than May 1, 2009.


(continued)

First, the reality…Our economy is under great pressure and unemployment is at an all-time high. Prospects and stu-dents are fi nding it more diffi cult than ever to get the fi nancial aid they need to pursue their educational aspirations. Companies across sectors are looking for ways to trim costs, regardless of the long-term impact of these cutbacks. While the education sector is one of the bright spots in a declining marketplace, we are no less impacted by broader economic trends. It’s no wonder that so many programs, maybe even yours, fi nd themselves in fi re-fi ghting mode and forced to make short-term decisions.

Now, the opportunity…Although it may sometimes feel like the “sky is fall-ing”, universities have more compelling opportunities in this new economic en-vironment than ever before. As old jobs disappear and new jobs are created to refl ect our changing economy and eco-nomic stimulus, more people than ever are looking to retool their skill-set and add to their credentials. Students facing a bad job market may also be electing to stay in school and get a graduate degree or additional certifi cations. There is no doubt that more people today are look-ing to education and training for career advancement than ever before. For ev-

New Economy? New Rules: The New Rules of Enrollment Marketing

by Dan SommerCEO, Caridan Marketing Labs

ery challenge university marketers and administrators face, there are also several new opportunities, which we characterize in this article as the “New Rules of En-rollment Marketing”. The key to “win-ning the war” in this economy as mar-keters and administrators is to be highly creative and fl exible enough to take ad-vantage of new enrollment opportunities, while also staying focused on long term success, which leads us to our fi rst new rule…

When re-tooling your marketing and enrollment efforts to fi t within the new economic environment, don’t forget to focus on an appropriate way of measur-ing your success. Whether your current key success metric is cost-per-starts, cost-per-enrollments or cost-per-leads, whether it is fi nding ways to lower pro-gram costs to acquire mores students or squeezing effi ciencies out of your cur-rent operations—something may be missing: A focus on the critical metric of Student Lifetime Value (SLTV). Fo-


(continued)

cusing more on Student Lifetime Value may be the single best way to increase your university’s long term value. SLTV represents marketing mindset shift that frees marketers to think “outside the en-rollment box” about the multiple ways to maximize revenue (ex. promoting mul-tiple degrees and certifi cates), referrals, the cost of marketing programs, market-ing allowable for prospects by source. Numbers and models aside, what is most important about focusing on SLTV, is the mindset shift that this metric creates, a shift that is built on several key areas of opportunity:

Your students and prospects are core • assets whose value goes far beyond tuition—enabling your program to thrive in the long-term. Invest wisely in your greatest assets and use your efforts to showcase what your univer-sity is willing to do to help students. We’ll share some ideas in New Rule #5 below.Maximize the value of every dollar • of marketing spend, by encouraging greater transparency across your ven-dor base. We’ll explore the need for greater transparency and provide a few specifi c examples in New Rule # 4 below.Learn to turn your students into a • powerful prospecting source. Refer-rals are a major driver of value in the SLTV equation. We’ll share creative strategies in New Rule #3 below.Speed and fl exibility matter. Make • sure that you have the processes and

(New Economy? New Rules, contin-ued)

systems in place to be responsive to prospect inquiries. The only way to start building value is to get new pros-pects in the door. We’ll share some specifi c thought-starters in New Rule #2.

By recognizing and addressing these opportunities, you will be well posi-tioned to make better strategic decisions that will ultimately enhance the value of your university and your most critical as-set: your students.

It’s often true that slow and steady wins the race. However, in the current environment, we encourage you to con-sider the qualities of speed and fl exibil-ity. One of the advantages of interactive marketing is that everything is malleable and changes can be made in a matter of days—not weeks or months. Today, uni-versities that fail to take advantage of the full fl exibility of the web will be at a competitive disadvantage.

While being quick and nimble can benefi t many facets of a university’s marketing program, we will focus on two key areas: your Web site and your online marketing program. Online university


(continued)


Web sites are the gateway through which students judge the quality and relevance for their educational needs. Inappropri-ate content and tools will turn away pros-pects, and inexact metrics and analytics will keep you in the dark about what’s working and what’s not. Here are some smart tactics that will keep your univer-sity ahead of the pack:

Set up rapid response now.1. Studies have shown that students are 100% more responsive when they are called within the fi rst fi ve minutes compared to 30 minutes of making an inquiry( How Much Time Do You Have Before Web-Generated Leads Go Cold? re-search study by James Oldroyd, PhD, Sloan School of Mnaagement, MIT October 16th, 2007)! There is no ex-cuse for not striking when the iron is hot. Students are most likely to respond to you within the fi rst few minutes of when they expressed their interest. If you wait, they will have explored other programs and may have already spoken to other universities without giving your program a second thought.

Use deep immersion analytics to 2. learn what students really think about your Web site. One of the key pillars of online marketing success is the correct use of analytics and metrics to get “under the hood” of Web sites and begin fi xing problems. Try analyt-ics tools like CrazyEgg to record visi-tors when they come to your Web site,

in order to understand what’s work-ing and what’s not. By making small tweaks and changes, you can have a tremendous impact on conversion.

If you enhance it, they will come. 3. Think of your university as a product sitting on a shelf in your local grocery store. Students don’t pick the fi rst one that they see—they visit multiple uni-versity Web sites to inspect their core offerings and value proposition, and sometimes even consult friends and review-based Web sites to fi nd out the “real dirt” about your university. The online world has become more complex and sophisticated; having a great website will only get you so far. The agile marketer understands that students trust third-party opinions and reviews more than “marketing speak”. The implication is two-fold. First, you need to invest even more effort in be-coming highly discoverable on the web—and in creating a larger pres-ence. In other words, you’ll want to consider making a signifi cant invest-ment in search engine optimization and pay-per-click marketing. Second, as students become even more web-savvy, you need to invest in social me-dia marketing and reputation manage-ment to control the conversations about your university. Think how damaging it would be to have students search for reviews about your university, only to read negative student postings about your programs. Reputation manage-ment involves monitoring, responding


(continued)

and—more importantly—tactically minimizing negative reviews and ar-ticles about your university. The goal is to combine awareness and discov-erability with a healthy dose of posi-tive reviews—thereby increasing en-rollments.

When cutting budgets in times like these, it’s natural to take a close look at your current students and alumni to fi nd ways to enhance referrals and enroll-ments. How do you encourage students to promote and recruit for your university? Now more than ever, it’s important to take advantage of the greatest untapped source of passive student referrals available to-day: the social web. In January of 2008 alone, one out of every fi ve people in the world who visited the web went to Face-book, a premier social network for people of all ages (Facebook Now Nearly Twice The Size of Myspace Worldwide, article by Michael Arrington, TechCrunch Janu-ary 22, 2009). When you add the dozen or so other major social media properties like Myspace, Bebo, and Orkut, you’ll


realize that the majority of your students are connected in some way to the “social web”. These expanding properties have evolved into infl uential new platforms on which people stay connected and, more importantly, organize most of their rela-tionships. The opportunities for referral marketing are enormous.

Here are few ways to transform your students into your new lead generation network:

Create a secure e-mail account for 1. each student. Branded university e-mail accounts will not only enable stu-dents to send e-mails, these accounts will also allow them to sign up for university-affi liated groups and social networks across the web, including Facebook. By including e-mail sig-natures with a link to your university, and building out communities across premier social networks, you will quickly fi nd yourself increasing click-through rates and referral inquiries.

Give your students a social network 2. badge. Social network profi les en-able students to create virtual identi-


(continued)


ties and post information about their lives and activities. By creating a simple university badge that directly links to your home page or landing page, you will give students an em-blem they can display on their so-cial networks with the same level of pride with which they would wear a university sweatshirt. This tactic is a win-win for both sides: your students can show off their education and ped-igree, while your university receives an invaluable passive endorsement.

Create a university social network 3. identity. Engage with students on their own platforms by building your uni-versity identity. These identities can be used to add your students as “friends,” allowing the university to publish con-tent that can be shared and discovered by your students and alumni network.

Showcase and publish student 4. work on your Web site. Create an area on your Web site to showcase student class work and noteworthy achievements, and give each student personal “canvas space”. Students will want to show friends and family their achievements and works—serv-ing as a powerful viral concept that can further promote your university.

Lead generation networks and per-formance marketing agencies have tra-ditionally taken a “black box” approach regarding information about their lead generation methodology and sources. As a result, universities have a poor grasp of which lead sources are truly effective.

It usually takes game-changing com-petition or technology to change vendor behavior—and today’s economic envi-ronment is that kind of catalyst. Like uni-versities, lead gen vendors have had to adjust to new economic realities, forcing them to be more aggressive in their ap-proach. The good news is that they have started to think about lead generation in the same way you do—by measuring their performance against your cost of enrollments, starts and the lifetime value of students, rather than against Cost-Per-Lead. Here are some ways you can take advantage of this shift:

Ask vendors to be transparent about 1. where your leads are coming from. One of the biggest gaps in how you measure your leads lie in understand-ing which channels lead gen vendors


(continued)

actually use and how effective they are. Partner with vendors to fi gure out which sources produce enrollments for you, and use this information to make your system more effi cient.

Share your key metrics and push to 2. make your vendors more account-able. Transparency is a two-way street. In a recession, vendors realize they have to share the risk with uni-versities. By showing an established vendor how you are thinking about success beyond cost-per-lead, you will encourage them to think more creatively about ways to improve your program. You might consider focusing fi rst on cost-per-start or cost-per-enrollment and the variables that drive price down. From there, move to SLTV and help your vendors to think about how sourcing can improve average lifetime value (Are some sources better than others in terms of generating referrals)? Ask your ven-dors what they can do to stay within the parameters of your target metric.

Ask for advice and consulting help.3. Lead generation vendors work with dozens, if not hundreds, of universi-ties across a vast range of qualifi ca-tions and focus areas. They have a wealth of knowledge that will trans-late into informed advice for your ad-missions team, improve your brand-ing, and even enhance your in-house interactive marketing efforts. In a down economy, push your vendors to

work harder for your business and to become vested in your entire enroll-ment process, rather than just the cost-per-lead metric. Sharing your target metrics with your vendor is a great place to start.

The economic downturn has hit ev-eryone hard, and university students are no exception. Students are losing their jobs and their fi nancial security. They now fi nd themselves suddenly without education grants or the fi nancial aid they expected—forcing them to make hard de-cisions about their expenses. As a result, their educational dreams may have to be put on hold. These are just some of the “uncontrollable” factors that keep uni-versity staff up at night. After spending thousands of dollars to recruit prospects and nurture them through the enrollment process, universities are fi nding it harder than ever to keep students enrolled in their programs.

But don’t write off retention problems as a “sign of the times”. Going the ex-tra mile to keep your students will boost your bottom line and enhance the life-



time value of your students. Students are taking a critical look at your university, their expenses and the value of their edu-cation. Ultimately, the question “What have you done for me lately?” will deter-mine whether they stay or leave. Here are some smart ways to answer that crucial question—providing you with the means to boost student satisfaction and enhance the reputation of your university:

Create a virtual job fair with alum-1. ni. When jobs are scarce, people look to their relationships for help. Host a virtual job fair and invite successful alumni to host virtual chat sessions about their job experience and offer practical advice on job opportuni-ties, resumes and interviews—all of which can help your current students to succeed. Your students will love the access and advice and, more im-portantly, they will realize that the real value of being a part of your uni-versity goes far beyond their degree.

Create a deep tutorial on how to use 2. new media channels to fi nd jobs. It’s not enough just to use monster.com or other job boards to apply for jobs. The market is too competitive, and there aren’t enough jobs. Instead, smart stu-dents need to take advantage of new communication tools and methods to reach decision-makers in a way that demonstrates their willingness to go above and beyond. Create a tutorial that shows students how to use websites like Linkedin or Facebook to network

with employers and display their “go-getter” mentality—giving your stu-dents more tools for their job search.

Build a culture of scholarship seek-3. ers. A bad economy doesn’t necessar-ily mean there are fewer scholarship opportunities. There are still plenty of ways your students can use their talents to earn dollars for their edu-cation—from essay contests to art awards. Create a culture of scholar-ship seekers by setting up a scholar-ship database, and present a featured weekly or monthly scholarship com-petition with an offer to match the scholarship prize within your univer-sity. Students could compete both at the national level and against their own peers at your university. For a few thousand dollars a month, you will be fostering a culture of achiev-ers who will ultimately also win ac-colades and prizes that will provide a “halo” effect for your university.

Give students access to Career and 4. Strength-Finding Tools. Now is an ideal time for students to make an honest and informed assessment of their strengths and weaknesses. Arm your students with the confi dence that comes from understanding their abili-ties and where best to apply them. Tools that assess personality type or career aptitude are a perfect fi t for your retention arsenal and will pro-vide value to students without a major investment in resources; in fact, most tools are free.


(continued)



Obama-fy your university. 5. Learn from the success of President Obama’s campaign strategies and start actively communicating with your students. Write a weekly president’s blog that discusses the “state of the state,” covering both the university and the economy. By offering easy access to leaders at your university, your stu-dents will start thinking about their educational and career goals within the context of the school and the world at large.

Caridan Marketing Labs is an inter-active and social media marketing com-pany headquartered in New York City. We are focused on the development of ac-countable marketing programs that yield measurable results for a range of clients inside and outside of the education sector. Caridan offers: marketing strategy; ser-vices including search engine marketing, search engine optimization, social media marketing, e-mail marketing, and the lead generation programs; and a host of technology solutions, including website, blog, and application development For more information visit us online at www.caridan.com or contact Dan Sommer at [email protected] or 212-699-6401.

Visit the Caridan Marketing Labs Blog for more Enrollment Marketing Tips:http://www.caridan.com/blog

Important Dates!Mark your calendars now for the fol-

lowing DETC activities:

2009 83rd Annual Conference April 5-7, Hotel Del Coronado Coronado, CA

Accrediting Commission Meeting June 5-6

DETC Fall Workshop October 18-20 The Naples Grande Naples, FL

Financial Aid Workshop October 21 The Naples Grande Naples, FL

High School Seminar October 21 The Naples Grande Naples, FL

2010 Accrediting Commission Meeting January 15-16

84th Annual Conference April 11-13 L’Auberge Del Mar Del Mar, CA


Accrediting Commission Elects NewOfficers; New Commissioners Appointed

The DETC Accrediting Commission met on January 16-17, 2009 and elected offi cers for the coming year.

The Commis-sion voted to elect Dr. Timothy Mott as Chair of the DETC Accrediting Com-mission. Dr. Mott joined the Commis-sion in 2007, and replaces Mr. Jan Larson, who retired after serving the maximum allowable terms on the Com-mission.

Dr. Mott’s 27 year educational career has been focused on elementary educa-tion, gifted and talented education, adult higher education, distance learning, ap-plications of instructional technology and teach/learning strategies to promote effective individualized educational op-portunities.

He holds a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Supervision from the University of Pitts-burgh, a M.Ed. degree in Elementary Science Education and a B.S. degree in Elementary Education from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

The Commission also elected Dr. Da-vid Curd as Vice Chair of the Accredit-ing Commission. Dr. Curd was originally elected to the Commission in 2005, and serves as the President and Co-Founder of the College of the Humanities and Sci-ences.

Before co-found-ing the College, Dr. Curd held numerous positions in the edu-cation fi eld, includ-ing Superintendent of Schools, Direc-tor of Research and Program Develop-ment and Teacher. He also served as an Attorney at Law, as well as an assistant Attorney General. Dr. Curd received an Ed.D. from Arizona State University, and a J.D. from Drake University. He also earned a Bachelor of Arts in Education with Distinction from Arizona State Uni-versity.

Dr. Curd has 20 years of experience in developing academic programs including elementary, secondary, postsecondary and required subject areas from foreign languages to vocational education.

The Commission voted to re-elect Mr. Brook Ellis to serve as Treasurer. Ellis, from the Gemological Institute of Amer-ica in Carlsbad, CA., was a member of GIA’s Board of Governors from 1983-95 and is a former President of the Jewellers Vigilance Canada, Inc.

Mr. Michael Lambert also was re-elected the Executive Director. He joined DETC in 1972 and has served as the Ex-ecutive Director of the since 1992. Dur-ing his tenure Mr. Lambert has served on

Dr. Tim Mott

Dr. David Curd

(continued)


(Accrediting Commission, contin-ued)

more than 600 accreditation review com-mittees in eight countries.

A c c r e d i t i n g Commission Chair Dr. Timothy Mott appointed Mr. Rob-ert Mayes, Jr. to re-place Dr. Adelaide Cherry of the USAF Air University, who retired from active service.

Mr. Mayes is the President of Columbia Southern Univer-sity in Orange Beach, AL. He will serve as an Institutional Member on the Ac-crediting Commission and also serve on the DETC Executive Committee.

Mr. Mayes, who has served as Presi-dent of CSU since 2005, has more than 15 years of experience in the distance learning fi eld.

Through his many roles over the years at CSU, Mr. Mayes has led efforts in stu-dent retention, accounting and deferred earnings systems, online course devel-opment, marketing, and most recently in preparing CSU for Federal Student Aid participation.

Mr. Mayes is a member of the DETC Business Standards Committee and the DETC Finance Committee. Mr. Mayes holds an MBA from Capella University.

Dr. Mott also appointed Mr. Patrick O’Malley to his fi rst three-year term as a public member of the Accrediting Com-mission. He will replace Mr. Jan Larson, who retired after serving the maximum allowable terms on the Commission.

Mr. O’Malley has thirty-six years of service with Price-waterhouseCoopers, serving large nation-al and multinational public and privately held companies, primarily engaged in the entertainment and leisure sector, real estate and manufacturing. After re-tiring from PricewaterhouseCoopers in 2006, Mr. O’Malley joined the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board in 2007 as an Associate Director in the PCAOB’s Inspections division.

He has served on the Board of Direc-tors for the University of Central Florida Foundation from 1998 until 2006, where he is currently an ex-offi cio member of the Finance Committee and a member of the Audit Committee. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Junior Achievement of Central Florida from 1984 until 2006.

Mr. O’Malley earned a Bachelors of Science degree in Accounting from the University of Evansville in 1970.

Mr. Robert Mayes

Mr. Pat O'Malley


(continued)

DETC Award Recipients Honored During Accrediting Commission Meeting

During the January 2009 Accrediting Commission meeting, (from left) Mr. Brook El-lis, Mr. Jan Larson, Dr. Adelaide Cherry and Dr. Gary Seevers pose with the DETC Awards they received.

Mr. Jan M. Larson received the Dis-tance Education Award for his outstand-ing contributions and service to distance education.

Mr. Larson is a recently retired Man-aging Partner of PricewaterhouseCoo-pers’ South Florida practice. He has served as a public member of the DETC Accrediting Commission since 2000. He was elected Chair of the Commission in January 2008. Mr. Larson is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Milwau-kee and was a combat infantryman in the

U.S. Army in South Vietnam. He joined PricewaterhouseCoopers in 1974 in Mil-waukee, Wisconsin. He worked as the Managing Partner from 1991 to 2006 in Orlando, Tampa, and Miami. Mr. Larson has extensive experience providing audit and business advisory services to large national and multinational clients. He is a member of the American Institute of Cer-tifi ed Public Accountants and the Florida Institute of Certifi ed Public Accountants.


(Report From the Accrediting Com-mission, continued)

Mr. Brook Ellis, who received the Distinguished Recognition Award to hon-or his outstanding work in the advance-ment of distance education, is the Vice President of Education at Gemological Institute of America in Carlasbad, CA. Mr. Ellis’ distinguished career in the jew-elry industry began in 1959 with Henry Birks & Sons, Ltd., one of Canada’s larg-est fi ne jewelry chain retailers. He worked with Henry Birks & Sons until 1995, and ultimately achieved the position of Vice President of Fine Jewelry.

He served on GIA’s Board of Gover-nors from 1983-1995. Mr. Ellis received a Bachelor of Commerce from the Uni-versity of Toronto, Canada in 1959. He received the American Gem Society’s “Registered Jeweller” designation in 1961 and the “Certifi ed Gemologist” in 1964. He was elected to the DETC Board of Trustees in 2000 and was elected Sec-ond Vice President of DETC in 2001. Mr. Ellis was elected to the DETC Accredit-ing Commission in 2002 and also serves as Treasurer.

This year DETC honored two re-cipients with the Distinguished Service Award, which honors work on special projects advancing distance education.

Dr. Adelaide K. Cherry served as the academic advisor to the commander of the Air Force Institute for Advanced Distributed Learning until she retired in 2008. She was responsible for over-seeing web-based course development, establishing a research and evaluation strategy, and developing a program man-agement service to broker contracts for

Air Force customers. Dr. Cherry previously served as the

chief of academic affairs for the Air Force Distance Learning Offi ce, chief of edu-cational technology for Air University, and education specialist at the Extension Course Institute. Dr. Cherry received a BS in Secondary Education (Political Science) in 1970, an M.A. in Education (History) in 1974, and a Ph.D. in the Ad-ministration of Higher Education in 1977 from the University of Alabama. She has lectured and conducted workshops and training seminars in management, dis-tance learning, test development, educa-tional technology, and other subjects.

Dr. Gary L. Seevers, Jr. also re-ceived the Distinguished Service Award. Dr. Seevers currently serves as the Vice President for Academic Affairs at Global University (formerly ICI University).

He earned a Ph.D. in Educational Re-search and Evaluation, an Ed.D. (ABD) in Higher Education, and a Certifi cate in Advanced Graduate Studies in Higher Education Administration from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universi-ty (Virginia Tech), a M.Ed. in Education Psychology- Social Foundations from the University of Virginia, and a B.S. in Bible and an Evangelistic Teacher Train-ing Association from Valley Forge Chris-tian College.

Dr. Seevers joined ICI University in 1994. He previously served as the Direc-tor of Research and Evaluation, Dean of University Relations, and the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs.


Distance Education and Training Council1601 18th St. NW, Suite 2Washington, DC 20009202-234-5100www.detc.org

Documents

DETC News: Spring 2009