Bill could transfer college credits

Many nonprofit universities, including UNC, do not accept academic credit transfers from for-profit universities such as Kaplan Inc. and the University of Phoenix.

Most also do not accept credits from certain two-year and community colleges.

But the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce is considering a bill that would require nonprofit universities to consider accepting academic credit from such institutions.

"All the section of the bill says is that credit for transfer cannot be denied based solely on the accreditor," said Alexa Marrero, a spokeswoman for the House committee.

"The bill is characterized as being about nonprofit and for-profit colleges because, generally speaking, most nonprofit universities are regionally accredited and most for-profit universities are nationally accredited."

For a university to be accredited, it must meet certain criteria of educational quality.

The type of accreditation typically depends on the type of university, though both national and regional accreditors are recognized by the U.S. secretary of education.

Regardless, the American Council on Education sees a distinction between the two types.

In a letter written in May to several representatives, David Ward, president of the council, suggested several improvements to the bill.

"This bill comes close to making accrediting agencies administrative arms of the Department of Education and to federalizing the transfer of credit," Ward stated in the letter.

"At a minimum, such steps will move decision-making and authority on academic matters from campus officials to federal bureaucrats. At worst, it will significantly alter the relationship between the government and higher education."

The provision also would require schools to publicize their transfer policies so students could have a reference.

The council views this as one of the most contestable provisions of the bill.

"It is often impossible to articulate the basis for making academic credit decisions in advance," Ward stated in the letter.

The policy mostly would affect students at for-profit universities such as Kaplan.

"It is important to us because it's the students that are impacted because their credits aren't accepted, which creates additional costs for them," said Bruce Leftwich, vice president for government relations and chief lobbyist of the Career College Association. "We think that's unfair to the students."

Kaplan has joined other for-profit colleges and the CCA in support of the provision, said spokeswoman Paige Hunting.

"We've been supportive of the provision and view it as a student equity issue," she said. "Since nontraditional students often take courses at more than one institution, it's important that credits are evaluated on case-by-case basis."

Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.