Vermont Business Magazine At its meeting on September 21, 2018, the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) voted to place Plainfield-based Goddard College on probation for a period not to exceed two years because the Commission found that Goddard College does not now meet the Commission’s standards on Institutional Resources and Organization and Governance. The Commission will monitor the conditions at Goddard College during the period of probation. The action by NECHE was revealed today and was effective as of October 10.
While on probation, Goddard College remains accredited and maintains eligibility for federal funding, including student financial aid, NECHE said in a statement. As previously reported, the accreditor was considering such a move because of the college's financial situation.
Acting Goddard President Dr Steven James said, “We value NECHE for assuring that member institutions meet standards of institutional effectiveness. For Goddard, this is an opportunity to correct course and secure the financial future of the college . We will also continue to serve our students with transformational, individualized degrees of study.”
The New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), formerly operating as the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education, NEASC, is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a reliable authority as to the quality of education. The Commission accredits 224 degree -granting institutions in the six New England states and ten American -style institutions in other countries.
Goddard was first accredited by the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (now NECHE) in 1959 and is a private, independent college. The College is located in Plainfield and has instructional locations in Port Townsend and Seattle, WA. Goddard offers BA, BFA, MA, and MFA degrees through low-residency programs, an innovation it pioneered in 1963.
On October 2, the Goddard College Board of Trustees named Dr Bernard Bull as college’s next president. He will start November 1.
Goddard's full statement on its website said:
"Goddard College is accredited on probation by the New England Commission of Higher Education, effective October 10, 2018, because the Commission finds that the institution is in danger of losing its accreditation because it is not in compliance with the Standards for Accreditation. Of concern are accreditation standards 3 (organization and governance) and 7 (institutional resources). A statement providing further information about the probationary status is available on the website of the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (https://cihe.neasc.org).
"Accreditation of an institution of higher education by the Commission indicates that it meets or exceeds criteria for the assessment of institutional quality periodically applied though a peer review process. An accredited college or university is one which has available the necessary resources to achieve its stated purposes through appropriate educational programs, is substantially doing so, and gives reasonable evidence that it will continue to do so in the foreseeable future. Institutional integrity is also addressed through accreditation.
"Accreditation by the Commission is not partial but applies to the institution as a whole. As such, it is not a guarantee of every course or program offered, or the competence of individual graduates. Rather, it provides reasonable assurance about the quality of opportunities available to students who attend the institution.
"Inquiries regarding the accreditation status by the Commission should be directed to the administrative staff of the institution. Individuals may also contact:
New England Commission of Higher Education
3 Burlington Woods Drive, Suite 100
Burlington, MA 01803-4514
(781) 425 7785
E-Mail: [email protected]"
Further information may be found at: New England Commission of Higher Education: http://neche.org Goddard College: www.goddard.edu.
Source: New England Commission of Higher Education and Goddard College, Plainfield, VT 10.15.2018