Pensacola Christian College has announced today that they will be seeking Accreditation with the Transnational Association of Colleges and Schools

If PCC earns TRACS accreditation, some people may express serious doubts about TRACS’ credibility.

[Ron Bean] If PCC earns TRACS accreditation, some people may express serious doubts about TRACS’ credibility.

Would you? If so, why?

Does anyone know with certainty whether or not this is done to gain the approval of others? Conservative evangelical schools like PCC appear to be acting just like the NE did back in the 50s.

I’ve heard PCC called a lot of things, both good and bad, but never conservative evangelical.

I am not sure why so many people are surprised by this decision at PCC. PCC has always been an agressive competitor of Bob Jones University. They simply cannot continue to aggresively compete if they did not pursue accredidation.

Dynamics have changed over time. An unaccredited degree is basically worthless for someone wanting to use that degree in a professional capacity at this present time.

I wonder why anyone would be seeking accreditation right now in light of the potential educational changes that Bauder described a few days ago?

[Ron Bean] If PCC earns TRACS accreditation, some people may express serious doubts about TRACS’ credibility.

Here I am, reading about my college’s decision to pursue accreditation, and I find this as the first comment. It’s really sad how differences of opinion can lead to such contempt. I hope you attended and are not reciting the opinions of someone with an ax to grind.

[Pastor Joe Roof] I am not sure why so many people are surprised by this decision at PCC. PCC has always been an agressive competitor of Bob Jones University. They simply cannot continue to aggresively compete if they did not pursue accredidation.

Dynamics have changed over time. An unaccredited degree is basically worthless for someone wanting to use that degree in a professional capacity at this present time.

They, like others in fundamentalism, prased the issue as a “sell out”. That there were risks and they wanted to maintain control. My wife remembers accreditation being talked about on the ABeka Home Videos as a bad thing.

I’m happy to seem them change their mind though. A good many fundamentalist schools could use an external audit of their education department. I’m happy for them, even if I’m a bit surprised.

Then again as Joe says, they seem to compete with BJ. I’ve heard that Crown College is possibly pursuing the same thing. Anyone else hear of that?

I am under the impression that Florida Colleges (private ones) had an established form of accreditation “FACTS” or something like that. I know Liberty University, Peidmont Bible, TTU, PCC, and I Thought CCC had a similar form.

TTU was regionally accredited until about 10 years ago or so. They are either nearing or just have completed accreditation with TRACs now.

[PastorTimDelello] I am under the impression that Florida Colleges (private ones) had an established form of accreditation “FACTS” or something like that. I know Liberty University, Peidmont Bible, TTU, PCC, and I Thought CCC had a similar form.

I’m a former president of FACCS. (Florida Association of Christian Colleges and Schools) While we did/do accredit day schools, we have never accredited colleges. During my time as president, Dr. Horton would never have wanted PCC to be accredited anyway. We did perform some minor services and representation in Tallahassee for the colleges.

Piedmont, TTU, Central, International, Southern Evangelical, Boston Baptist and quite a few other schools are accredited by TRACS currently. Bob Jones applied for accreditation last year and now PCC. There are two more prominent schools on their way to doing the same, but I’m not at liberty to disclose those — but, it is accurate to say that a “trend is developing”.

Maranatha, Clearwater, Baptist Bible/Springfield, Davis College are all Christian colleges that are accredited by regional accrediting associations like North Central, Mid-Atlantic, etc…

TTU was accredited regionally, but lost that a few years ago. They are now accredited with TRACS.

Liberty University was once the major TRACS-accredited school, but when they became regionally accredited and after Jerry, Sr’s death, they dropped their affiliation with TRACS.

National accreditation is not considered to be equal to accreditation with one of the big regional associations. However, most Christian colleges find that an organization like TRACS works within their philosophical preferences regarding oversight and independence. Accreditation with TRACS is no shoo-in or simple deal. I just served as a consultant for a school going through recertification of their accreditation and it involved a TON of man-hours. There is also a degree of scrutiny and accountability required, faculty/student imput, effectiveness surveys, etc…. that will be a “new experience” for some who are just now joining. Make no mistake, this is a very positive move for the institutions, the students and recent graduates. It is way past time for this to have occurred and I think ultimately, it will help enrollment at schools due to the fact that savy students and parents now realize that accredited degrees are very important in today’s educational marketplace.

I really don’t know why someone would mock PCC’s desire to be part of this and the comment about PCC being “conservative evangelical” actually made me laugh at loud.

I’m happy for PCC and their students. This is good news.

Dan, my comment about them being CE was supposed to be humorous. Their desire to be recognized by men though is what I was playing off. That was the NE call.

Ah….James. I can be a little……er, no….a LOT slow at times. Actually, that makes it even funnier!

Sadly, this move is so far behind the times it really serves little purpose for the students. My alma mater is TRACS accredited, so I know whereof I speak. Unfortunately, the move for recognition by receiving national accreditation among Christian schools was countered by the educational realm at large by rejecting national accreditation. Those of us with nationally accredited degrees are treated the same as those without accredited degrees. We cannot get admittance into most (if not all) secular graduate programs; they are all now requiring a regionally accredited degree.

Tennessee Temple has NEVER been regionally accredited. I graduated from both the college and seminary. When Dr. Nichols was president, the school began to puruse regional accreditation, but that was scuttled when he left and Bouler took over. When Lovett came they began to pursue it again, but they never had it and lost it. The closest thing they ever had was that the state of TN Dept. of Ed. approved TTU’s education degrees for certification. My wife got her TN certification after graduating from TTU, but that changed when the state legislature passed a law that necessitated regional accreditation for approved teacher training programs in the state.