PART III Institutions of Higher Education Accredited and Approved by State Departments of Education, State Accrediting Commissions, and State Universities Previous editions of this publication have reported accreditation of institutions of higher education by State departments of education for (1) general collegiate purposes and (2) teacher education purposes, and by State universities for (1) unconditional admission to graduate school, (2) full transfer credit, and (3) partial transfer credit. Because of some confusion resulting from differing interpretations of such phrases as "general collegiate purposes" and "unconditional admission to graduate school," letters to chief State school officers and State university presidents for information to be included in the current edition avoided language likely to influence reporting of a pattern not conforming to actual practice. All State departments of education and State universities were asked to furnish a statement of the policies followed in performing the accrediting function and a current list of the institutions accredited. In those States in which commissions are responsible for accrediting higher institutions, information was obtained from appropriate officials. The term most frequently reported by State departments to describe their accrediting function is approve. Other designations reported are: Accredit, admit to membership, certify, classify, license, recognize, and register. Practice varies even more widely, different labels referring to practices which are very similar and identical terminology referring to practices lacking in comparability. In view of the variations in terminology and in procedure, State department of education and State accrediting commission officials were requested to report as accreditation, regardless of the word used, that procedure which includes the establishment of criteria, the inspection of institutions by competent authorities, the publication of a list of institutions meeting the criteria, and periodic reviews to determine whether institutions continue to qualify as institutions of higher education. Such functions as approval or recognition of an institution for obtaining a charter, for training veterans, or for admitting foreign students were not to be reported as accreditation. Presidents of State universities were instructed not to report as accreditation the practices they follow in the acceptance of transfer credit for work done at colleges and universities within the State. Half of the State departments of education reported accreditation or approval of institutions for teacher education purposes. More than two-thirds of the State universities reported no responsibility, either by law or by custom, for accrediting collegiate institutions within the State. A summary of the responsibilities reported is given in the accompanying table. Institutions listed in Parts I and II as accredited by nationally recognized accrediting agencies are not included in this section. Most of those institutions are included on State lists where State accrediting is done. It seemed unnecessary to include them here a second time. Lists of institutions accredited or approved by State departments of education for the preparation of teachers or for general purposes are readily available from the respective departments. Responsibility of State Departments of Education, State Accrediting Commissions, and State Universities for Accrediting Institutions of Higher Education: 1956 ALABAMA The State Department of Education in Alabama does not accredit highe institutions. It accepts the accreditation of the Southern Association of Col leges and Secondary Schools as the basis for its approval of institutions o higher education for teacher preparation. The institutions accredited by th Southern Association which wish to train teachers submit their programs t the Department for approval. Some institutions are approved for the train ing of teachers in certain fields while other institutions are approved for th training of teachers in other areas. These institutions make various types o reports about their programs and are visited from time to time by member of the Department staff. ARIZONA There are seven institutions of higher education in Arizona. These in clude two junior colleges, two State colleges, one denominational college, a institution for foreign trade, and the University of Arizona. The denomina tional college, Grand Canyon College, is accredited by the State Board of Edu cation for the preparation of elementary teachers. The University of Arizona, by custom rather than by legal provision has been regarded as an accrediting agency in the State. The University ha accredited the work of the following institutions which are not accredited by nationally recognized accrediting agencies: American Institute for Foreign Trade, gram_only). The, Phoenix (undergraduate pro- Grand Canyon College, Phoenix. ARKANSAS The State Board of Education is legally responsible for the accreditation of institutions of higher education in Arkansas. This function has beer delegated to the Division of Instructional Services under the direction of an Assistant Commissioner of Education. The institutions approved, exclusive of those accredited by nationally recognized accrediting agencies, are: Arkansas Baptist College, Little Rock | John Brown University, Siloam (2-yr.). Springs. Shorter College, North Little Rock Southern Baptist College, Walnut CALIFORNIA The California State Board of Education accredits institutions of higher learning for the education of teachers. The Committee on Accreditation of the State Board works in close cooperation with the Western College Association, and joint procedures and standards for accreditation have been developed. All the institutions accredited for teacher education by the State Board have regional accreditation. Accreditation of public and private junior colleges in California is conducted by the Western College Association. COLORADO The Colorado Department of Education certifies that public junior colleges have qualified according to law for participation under the State Finance Act. As yet no specific standards or criteria have been established, and no well-defined procedure for accreditation purposes has been formulated. These are being developed cooperatively with the colleges themselves, and the program in the years ahead will become somewhat more formalized. CONNECTICUT The State Board of Education is legally authorized to license and to accredit institutions of higher learning in Connecticut. Licensure is the initial step required by law of all new educational institutions seeking the authority to confer collegiate degrees. A license is granted only to an institution that can present sufficient evidence that before the expiration of 2 years the minimal standards of the State Board of Education shall have been met. The State Board of Education will accredit any Connecticut university, college, junior college, or institution of similar character and purpose that is judged to have institutional excellence according to criteria established by the Board. During the first 12 years of an institution's existence it is subject to periodic inspection by the duly authorized agents of the State Board of Education for purposes of accreditation. After the expiration of 12 continuous years of "term accreditation," the institution is usually given "continuing accreditation." Institutions of higher education accredited by the Connecticut State Board of Education, exclusive of those accredited by nationally recognized accrediting agencies, are: Annhurst College, Putnam. Hartford. College of Mary Immaculate, West Hillyer College, Hartford (senior colHartford. Hartford Art School, Inc., Hartford. Hartford College, West Hartford (2-yr.). lege division). Mitchell College, New Haven (2-yr.). St. Basil's College, Stamford. Hartford Diocesan Teachers College, St. Mary's Seminary, Norwalk. DELAWARE The State Department approves institutions of higher learning for teacher education courses. In addition to the State university, which is accredited by nationally recognized accrediting agencies, the following institution is so approved: Delaware State College, Dover. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA The Board of Education of the District of Columbia is authorized by the Congress to license institutions of higher education to confer degrees and to accredit junior colleges operating within the District of Columbia. The institutions so licensed and accredited, exclusive of those accredited by nationally recognized accrediting agencies, are: Benjamin Franklin University, Washington. Marjorie Webster Junior College, Modern School of Music, Washington. National Art School, Washington. Seventh-Day Adventist Theological Seminary, Washington. Southeastern University, Washington. Von Unschuld University of Music, Washington Bible College, Washington Musical Institute, Washington. FLORIDA The State Department of Education is authorized to accredit institutions |