02-22-2008, 03:33 AM
Here is the latest from Dr. James R. Johnston on the AHSU situation, from an email sent to students today:
AHSU is now using this as their contact info:
The Institute of American Health and Science
585 Birch St
Oak Harbor, WA 98277-9444
Phone: (360) 240-0521
This appears to be a residential address.
Dr. Johnston seems to be trying to put a positive spin on this, but it can't be good for holders of the CN designation for the granting institution to be going from nationally accredited to unaccredited.
This is particularly true given the wellspring of institutional competitors noted in the previous post, plus the proliferation of rival designations (e.g., HNCB, CBNS).
But his commentary on the financial aspects of accreditation is interesting. ("There is just no way that smaller organizations can maintain the same standards as large organizations especially when large organizations pretty much set the standards.") It's another instance of the "Golden Rule" in action, meaning that the guys with the gold make the rules. He didn't specifically say "wealthy, entrenched education cartel" like we see written here so often, but clearly that's who he's talking about.
It also will be interesting to see what, if any, accreditation they wind up with in the future ("We are seeking accreditation that more clearly meets our needs and that we can afford.") Affordable accreditation for small or startup operations has long been an oxymoron, one of the many obvious flaws in the current accreditation system.
Quote:An Update about the New AmericanHealthScienceUniversity and the CN Certified Nutritionist CommunityFebruary 20, 2008
Greetings.
First off and officially we have received hundreds of requests for information about further licensing and continuing education since our move from Denver and the misinformation about AHSU closing its doors. We have not close our doors in fact opened them wider especially for the CN Certified Nutritionist community.
AHSU will continue to administer the CN Certified Nutritionist Private License Comprehensive Examination as we have since 1985, the necessary Externship for those sitting for that examination, the annual CN Certified Private Licensing program and the annual professional continuing education program required.
The CN Certified Nutritionist federal trade mark established in 1983 is still valid and can legally be used only by those who maintain their CN Certified Nutritionist annual licensing and continuing education requirements. The licensing examination is separate from the courses and has always been independent of state licensing and national accreditation.
My choosing to terminate AHSU's membership from the national accrediting agency resulted in the state closing our Colorado offices "because we were not nationally accredited." The irony is that when we sought national accreditation in the 1980s we were told that we couldn't get accredited unless we were licensed in Colorado! Catch 22?
We were also forced to transfer our student body to Huntington College of Health Sciences so they could complete their courses from an accredited institution as they had contracted to do. For the most part the students transfer was done smoothly. Students we now enroll will do so with the understanding that we are not presently accredited as part of the enrollment contract. We are seeking accreditation that more clearly meets our needs and that we can afford.
I plan to continue our excellent academic tradition. In our 28 some years of involvement in teaching distance education courses nationally and internationally our academic record has been unblemished never having a serious complaint filed against us at the national or state level. There are few schools that could touch that record and I am proud of that.
Our decision to resign from the DETC (Distance Education and Training Council) had more to do with questioning the requirement that all schools of every size from the giants to the very small schools maintain the same standards was the cause of our resignation.
There is just no way that smaller organizations can maintain the same standards as large organizations especially when large organizations pretty much set the standards.
Our academic programs continue to include: the 6 course, CN Certified Nutritionist Program federally trademarked since 1983; the 12 course masters level program with its focus on Nutrition Science (one of the most rigorous masters program around we are told); 3 new masters level courses and 3 new intermediate NIS (Nutritional Information Specialist) courses developed in 2007 and our CBET (Coding, Billing and Electronic Transfer) course being updated.
AHSU is now using this as their contact info:
The Institute of American Health and Science
585 Birch St
Oak Harbor, WA 98277-9444
Phone: (360) 240-0521
This appears to be a residential address.
Dr. Johnston seems to be trying to put a positive spin on this, but it can't be good for holders of the CN designation for the granting institution to be going from nationally accredited to unaccredited.
This is particularly true given the wellspring of institutional competitors noted in the previous post, plus the proliferation of rival designations (e.g., HNCB, CBNS).
But his commentary on the financial aspects of accreditation is interesting. ("There is just no way that smaller organizations can maintain the same standards as large organizations especially when large organizations pretty much set the standards.") It's another instance of the "Golden Rule" in action, meaning that the guys with the gold make the rules. He didn't specifically say "wealthy, entrenched education cartel" like we see written here so often, but clearly that's who he's talking about.
It also will be interesting to see what, if any, accreditation they wind up with in the future ("We are seeking accreditation that more clearly meets our needs and that we can afford.") Affordable accreditation for small or startup operations has long been an oxymoron, one of the many obvious flaws in the current accreditation system.