AALE's reputation is in shambles, even among some of the schools it accredits. According to an August 10, 2004 memo from two Ave Maria College employees who were present at a Senior Staff meeting, Rudy Garcia, AMC Vice President for Planning and Evaluation "indicated that the AALE is not a very prestigious accrediting agency, commenting words to the effect that 'its certification and a cup of coffee are worth the price of a cup of coffee'".

AALE suffers from several of the same ailments that plague AMU, most notable being a disregard for accountability. The basis for the DOE's recent action against AALE is that "AALE has been cited consistently for either not having clear expectations or standards with respect to measuring student outcomes, or not collecting and reviewing data on how institutions it accredits measure student outcomes" (Margaret Spellings, Secretary of the DoE).

Also consider AALE's morbidly outdated website, the primary vehicle through which AALE communicates with the public. Their last available newsletter is Winter 2004. Their latest "Upcoming Event" is February 2006. Their most current entry for "Recent Higher Education Accreditation Reviews and Actions" is June 2006. Has AALE had no "reviews and actions" since June 2006? Their "Upcoming Board Reviews" page says "the next Board meeting is November 29th, 2006". The website claims that "the Academy invites third-party comment"; such comments "must be received in writing sixty (60) days prior to the expected date of formal action by the Academy's Board of Trustees". But how can the public act on such an invitation if AALE does not even list when their upcoming meetings are scheduled?

AMU's only current access to Title IV funding comes through AALE "preaccreditation" that expires November 2007. AMU's upcoming evaluation by AALE should not be a cake walk. Not only is AMU bleeding students and moving to a new town on a new campus with building in-progress, but AMU also hitched its cart to a Nicaraguan campus that is in disarray ("Ave Maria University Latin American Campus" - AMULAC). AveWatch reported [1,2] on AMULAC's shady financial aid problems and subsequent student unrest. In addition, AMULAC is advertising for a Dean of Academics as well as open faculty positions in Business Administration, Mathematics, English, Philosophy, and History.

Increasingly, people are taking note of Monaghan's poor execution of accreditation. The accreditor of Ave Maria School of Law is conducting an investigation of AMSL's administration for serious violations of accreditation standards. Insiders at the Law School tell AveWatch that approximately 50% of the students comprising one AMSL class are looking to transfer. AMU students and parents indicate to AveWatch that the bungling of Florida's accreditation is a primary reason for their transfer out of Ave Maria. One parent told AW concerning his daughter's transfer, "she didn't want to rack up thousands in private education loans for a degree that might preclude her from graduate school".

AMU must clarify how the action taken by the DOE against AALE impacts the school's accreditation and TItle IV access. It is important to distinguish between "accreditation" and "Title IV". Under the DOE restrictions imposed on AALE, AALE can still "accredit" new schools, but access to Title IV for new schools will NOT follow such accreditation. Typically, "accredited" and "Title IV access" are synonymous; that is not the case now with AALE.

Parents should also question how reliable Ave Maria administrators have been to date concerning "anticipated" accreditation. One parent of a former AMU student told AW, "We first went to AMU in the spring of 2004. He [John "Jack" Sites, AMU VP] talked like SACS accreditation was in the bag - after all he'd worked there [at SACS] for years. Being favorably disposed toward AMU at the time, I thought, well this is smart - hire an insider to pave the way for accreditation." In reality, AMU does not even have an application in to SACS. SACS accreditation is not even in sight since "the accreditation process can take between three and four years" according to a recent statement by AMU President Nick Healy (Naples News, April 21, 2007). Yet, according to a memo from Healy to Tom Monaghan dated January 26, 2004 - over 3 years ago - "...those enrolled in AMU can expect to have the benefit of SACS candidacy within a year or two."

AMU President Healy has a history of poor memory concerning accreditation. In a June 2004 statement published in the Catholic newspaper The Wanderer, Ave administrators cited a November 18, 2003, AMC Board decision stating (emphasis added) "The Board resolves that the Administration of Ave Maria College is directed to... maintain NCA candidacy status and seek full NCA accreditation.." (NCA refers to "North Central Accreditation"). But just months prior to that newspaper article, in a memo circulated to Ave Maria top brass, Nick Healy said (emphasis added) "The 'promise' to seek NCA candidacy status was already fulfilled. I am not sure there was any promise to maintain it."

The relationship between AALE and AMU is suspect. In December 2003, Nick Healy phoned the former Chairman of AALE, Deal Hudson, about facilitating Ave Maria accreditation with AALE. Recall that Hudson was recently cited on AveWatch for speculating on the saintliness of Healy and Monaghan.

Excerpts - Dec. 9, 2003 [AW comments in square brackets only]
From: Nick Healy, AMU President
To: AMC administrators; Fr. Fessio

I spoke at length with Deal Hudson this afternoon. It is clear that as far as he is concerned (and I assume his view would carry the AALE Board) AALE should not grant full accreditation to AMC with the planned four year phase out unless AMC were committed to being incorporated into AMU. ...

Deal will tell Jeff Wallin [AALE President] that there is no need for today's conference call.

Problems? First, there is the issue of Nick Healy, President of AMU, a wholly independent entity from AMC Michigan, intervening in matters concerning AMC's accreditation. Second, there is the disturbing issue of AALE declining to grant accreditation to a school (AMC) unless that school agreed to merge with ("committed to being incorporated into") another wholly independent school (AMU). During this period, Healy was attempting to convince the AMC Michigan Board to hand its assets over the his Florida university. This may be a first in the history of college accreditation - an accreditor who makes the future closure of a school a requirement for its present accreditation.

Why did Healy go to Hudson first? The mutual admiration between AALE's Hudson and Monaghan is well known.

Tom Monaghan (far left) receives award from Deal Hudson (far right) in September 2000. At the time, Hudson was Editor of Crisis Magazine.

The stakes are high. AMU has been in operation for five years. Don't think that the Barron Collier Companies have forgotten about their option to acquire Monaghan's share of the University's land given their supposed contractual agreement - "If the University intentionally ceases to be a Catholic university, or intentionally or materially deviates from its stated plan to become a broad-based high quality institution of higher-learning and does not correct these defaults after due warning from Collier... b. Collier shall have the option to acquire the University's 50% interest in undeveloped lands at the original cost to the University, and c. Collier shall have the option to acquire the University's remaining interest in the Partnership at the then current market value." The inability to secure permanent accreditation after 5 years is not the marker of a "high quality institution of higher-learning".

Both AALE and AMU should be watched and scrutinized carefully by Ave Maria parents & students, conservatives in higher education, and also by the institutions that currently rely upon AALE accreditation. The DOE expects AALE to come into full compliance with its standards by July 1, 2007. Let's hope that AALE is spending its time meeting those standards and recovering some sense of credibility - not giving Ave Maria a pass.

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MARCH 2007 LETTER FROM DoE SECRETARY MARGARET SPELLINGS TO AALE:

Dr. Jeffrey D. Wallin
President
American Academy for Liberal Education
1050 17th Street, NW, Suite 400
Washington, DC 20036

Dear Dr. Wallin:

At its December 4-6, 2006, meeting, the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (Committee) recommended that I defer recognition of the American Academy for Liberal Education (AALE) as a nationally recognized accrediting agency and place a limitation on its scope of recognition. This recommendation was made under Sections 114 and 496 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA), as amended, and pursuant to relevant statutory and regulatory provisions.

I concur with the recommendation of the Committee. I am concerned that since 2001 the AALE has been cited consistently for either not having clear expectations or standards with respect to measuring student outcomes, or not collecting and reviewing data on how institutions it accredits measure student outcomes according to these policies. Accordingly, I will defer my decision on the AALE’s continued recognition, and, during the deferral period effective July 10, 2007, restrict the scope of the AALE’s recognition to its currently accredited institutions and programs pending my final decision following an appearance by the AALE at the December 2007 Committee meeting.

I also concur with the recommendation of the Committee that the AALE address the issues cited in a report by July 1, 2007, demonstrating full compliance with the Secretary’s Criteria for Recognition (34 CFR Part 602) listed below. The entire text of the criteria may be found in the enclosed copy of the regulations and also in the Department staff analysis you received prior to the Committee meeting.

§602.15 (a)(2-3), (5) §602.16 (a)(1)(i), (x) §602.19 (b)
§602.23 (a)(5)(i-ii) §602.23 (c)(3) §602.24 (a)(1-3)
§602.26 (e)(1-2) §602.27 (a), (c), (d)(1-2)

Your report is to be submitted using the Department’s electronic submission system. The system can be accessed at: [redacted]

Material that cannot be submitted electronically may be forwarded in hard copy. Please submit four copies of any hard copy material (only one copy is required of any self-study that an institution or program has submitted to you that you, in turn, submit as documentation to us).

I am hopeful that the AALE will be able to come into full compliance with all of the Criteria cited above by the July 1, 2007, deadline. However, I wish to remind you that if the AALE does not, the Department may be compelled to take action to further limit, suspend, or terminate the AALE’s recognition at or before the December 2007 meeting of the Committee. Such action is required because of the provision in the Higher Education Amendments of 1998 that requires the limitation, suspension, or termination of the recognition of an agency found to be either in noncompliance with the criteria for recognition or ineffective in its performance with respect to those Criteria.

Please convey my best wishes to the members of the AALE.

Sincerely,


Margaret Spellings

Enclosure

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AALE's GOVERNANCE (assuming, foolishly, that AALE's web list is up-to-date):


"Board of Trustees"

A. Lee Fritschler (Board Chairman)
Professor
School of Public Policy
George Mason University

Jacques Barzun
Member of the Board and Honorary Chairman
Columbia University

Alfred Balitzer (Treasurer)
Pacific Research and Strategies, Inc.

Olga Block
Founding Principal, BASIS Tucson (6-12)
Founder, BASIS Scottsdale (5-12)

James Deneen
Board member
Princeton Charter School (K-8)

Samuel Hope
Executive Director
National Office for Arts Accreditation

Ralph Rossum, ex officio
Salvatori Professor of Political Philosophy & American Constitutionalism
Claremont McKenna College

Sheldon Rothblatt
Professor Emeritus of History
University of California - Berkeley

Charles Sullivan
President
American Foundation for the Arts

Jeffrey D. Wallin, ex officio
President
American Academy for Liberal Education


"Council of Scholars"

James H. Beall
St. John's College

Margaret Downes
University of North Carolina, Asheville

Ralph A. Rossum (Council Chairman)
Claremont McKenna College

Colleen Sheehan
Villanova University

Keith Verner
Cognitive Learning Centersa

Tags: accreditation, conflict-of-interest