Strayer University of Arlington, VA, (among others) continues to have accreditation problems, and potential students are advised to avoid the school. Strayer lacks accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (www.sacs.edu); additionally, its undergrad and graduate programs in business are not accredited by AACSB (www.aacsb.edu). The MPA programs is not accredited by NASPAA (www.naspaa.org). Accrediting organizations are balking at an online format in which students take unproctored exams and do not participate in group projects.

Well, you're right.  Strayer is not accredited by SACS.  Instead, they are accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, which is a regional accrediting body.

It is also true that Strayer's business programs are not professionally accredited by the AACSB.  So what?  A lot of state universities and colleges don't have AACSB accreditation, either.  AACSB is not a strict requirement for business programs.  There are those who feel such accreditation is the "gold standard", and there are those who have not idea what AACSB is.  

I wonder, what is your ax to grind with Strayer University?

 

Jacobsen I saw you left this comment in the blog postings as well.  At first I thought about deleting your thread since you obviously have a bone to pick with Strayer AND your facts are wrong AND you seem to have no idea what you're talking about... but I won't, Terry has already set the record straight.

 

By the way my MBA, though regionally accredited is not AACSB accredited and neither I, nor my employer could care less.  And trust me, you've heard of my employer.

As for the NASPAA, as someone who has worked in law enforcement with a gaggle of MPA's I don't know of a single instance where NASPAA has ever once come up in a conversation about an applicant, job posting or even in consideration as to the credibility of one's degree.  That's just my .02 though.

According to the Virginia State Corporation Commission, Strayer University, Inc., is located in Arlington, VA. Thus, Strayer comes under the jurisdiction of SACS, not MSCHE. Strayer's WashDC campus is a mere satellite location. Strayer's Online Campus Headquarters is in Newington, VA.

Also, Strayer lacks accreditation by AACSB and NASPAA (not in dispute).

Visit the web sites of NASPAA and AACSB to see which schools are accredited. Strayer (and Univ of Phoenix, for that matter) are not in the same league.  If all you want is a certificate to hang on the wall, why not just buy one from a diploma mill?

As others have said, the initial post here is nonsense from beginning to end, and its author clearly has an axe to grind.  I took a few courses on campus at Strayer about ten years ago, and unless they're a lot different today than they were then, they're responsive to students and concerned about maintaining quality.

-=Steve=-

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B.S., Info Sys, Charter Oak State College
M.A., Educational Tech Leadership, George Washington University
Doctor of Health Education, A.T. Still University, in progress

Jacobsen, I think you need to do some more research in how accreditation works.  The regional accreditation bodies do not just "willy-nilly" hand out their accreditation to any and all who apply and write them a check.  Secondly these agencies are not of the government but instead private non-profits, thus have no "jurisdiction" in the legal sense of the word (just to clarify for those who may read this later).  However if a school has a corporate structure which would allow them to use accreditation from one location elsewhere in the country it is assumed the accrediting body is aware of this and by default approves or in the worst case scenario, at least doesn't mind.

The AACSB is truly a voluntary and redundant accreditation.  Nice to have, but not necessary.  The AACSB also has competition with the ACBSP and even the much less well known (but CHEA recognized) IACBE.

Also as business schools are expected to understand business in the sense of benefit > risk + expense, it would only make sense for a school to do some form of market research to see if the increased expense and hassle of obtaining a redundant business specific accreditation for their "B" school is worthwhile or a sound investment.  

Lastly the AACSB/ACBSP/IACBE are business specific.  They do not accredit the whole school in the sense that the NCA or SACS does.  You're apparently confused as to the scope and purpose of this type of accreditation.   

Not having this program specific accreditation does not equate a regionally accredited school with a diploma mill either.  In fact having no accreditation does not inherently make a school a diploma mill but that’s a different conversation altogether.

Any questions?