World Online Education Accrediting Commission

The World Online Education Accrediting Commission (WOEAC) is an entity with no identified geographic location [The [http://www.woeac.org/query/ccform.aspx WOEAC website] lists an e-mail address and toll-free telephone numbers, but no mailing address or geographic location.] that represents itself as an accrediting organization for online degree providers. It is not recognized as an higher education accreditor by either the United States Department of Education (USDE) [cite web
url=http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/
title=U.S. Department of Education Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs
format=html
publisher=USDE
date=2007
accessdate=2007-12-17] or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). [cite web
url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-30172722_ITM
title=Dubious degrees while you wait: Many life-experience diplomas from the Web devalue real college work, educators say.
format=reprint
publisher=Kansas City Star
date=2007-01-29
accessdate=2007-12-17 Originally available from the Kansas City Star, 2007-01-29, Page A1]

WOEAC's website lists Ashwood University [ [http://www.woeac.org/inner/ashwood_university.htm Ashwood University Accreditation] , World Online Education Accrediting Commission (accessed 2008-02-10)] as an institution accredited by WOEAC. Ashwood has been identified as a diploma mill.cite web | title = Spotting Online Degree Mills and Diploma Mills| work = | url = http://www.onlinelearning101.com/online-degree-programs/accredited-degrees/spotting-mills.aspx | accessdate = 2007-05-24]

In the United States, there are no laws regulating or maintaining the status of independent accreditation agencies,Fact|date=December 2007 and some dispute the validity of approved accreditation agencies; [cite web
url=http://chronicle.com/weekly/v53/i37/37b02001.htm
title=Government Should Stay Out of Accreditation
format=html
publisher= The Chronicle of Higher Education
date=2007
accessdate=2007-12-17] cite web
url=http://www.countercurrents.org/jermano071007.htm
title=The Fraud Of American University Accreditation
format=html
publisher= [http://www.countercurrents.org CounterCurrents]
date=2007
accessdate=2007-12-17] however, the CHEA has warned that quote
“Accreditation” from an accreditation mill can mislead students and the public about the quality of an institution. In the presence of diploma mills and accreditation mills, students may spend a good deal of money and receive neither an education nor a useable credential.
CHEA
[cite web
url=http://www.chea.org/pdf/fact_sheet_6_diploma_mills.pdf
title=Important Questions about "Diploma Mills" and "Accreditation Mills"
date=May 2003
format=PDF
publisher=Council for Higher Education Accreditation
accessdate=2007-12-17]

See also

* Educational accreditation
* List of recognized accreditation associations of higher learning
* List of unrecognized accreditation associations of higher learning
* List of unaccredited institutions of higher learning
* Distance education

References

External links

* [http://www.woeac.org/ World Online Education Accrediting Commission website]