American Central University

American Central University (ACU) is an unaccredited distance learning private, for-profit [ [https://wyobiz.wy.gov/Ecommerce/Common/FilingDetail.aspx?FilingNum=2003-000459197 Profit Corporation - Domestic] , ACU filing at Secretary of State's Office, Wyoming. Retrieved 16 January 2008] university licensed by the state of Wyoming in 2004. [ [http://www.k12.wy.us/F/psl/degree.html Private School Registration] Wyoming Department of Education. Retrieved 16 January 2008]

Controversy

According to the Associated Press, "For not having even one qualified instructor in Wyoming, the agency prepared last fall [2004] to pull the school's license -- only to have the process bog down while state attorneys deliberate how to do that." [http://www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2005/03/12/news/wyoming/171b31f3699b832087256fc1003d8d3b.txt Tie to illegal degrees doesn't block Wyo. school licensing] , by Mead Gruver, "Casper Star Tribune", March 12, 2005.]

The Associated Press noted, "Wyoming licensed a Laramie-based online school last year even as its owner helped direct a Hawaii online school that was offering illegal medical degrees and was later shut down by a judge." The article further explained, "The owner of American Central University, Adalat Khan, was the Malaysian regional director for American University of Hawaii, a fact that Wyoming education officials concede they overlooked in the documents Khan provided on his background."In July 2006 Wyoming passed a law requiring all schools to either have accreditation or be a candidate for it. [ [http://www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2006/07/03/news/wyoming/5014d280dc15eefd8725719d007df400.txt Schools seek accreditation] , by Mead Gruver, "Casper Star Tribune", July 03, 2006] ACU applied for accreditation one day prior to the deadline in which the law gives schools five years to get the accreditation.

Affiliations

American Central University is affiliated with the Mina Resource/Mina Management Institute in Malaysia. [http://www.minainstitute.com.my/?q=node/12 Mina Institute Approvals page] ] Dr. Adalat Khan is the director/president of Mina Management Institute.It has been reported that, "Khan runs a school in Perak, Malaysia, called the Mina Management Institute. For a time, American Central and American University of Hawaii were listed next to each other on the Mina Management Institute Web site as "distinguished partners" of the institute." [ [http://web.archive.org/web/20031011131627/www.minainstitute.com.my/company.html About Us] , Archive of MINA Management Institute web page,] Adalat Khan's doctorate was bestowed in 1999 by the now defunct American University of Hawaii.

Accreditation status

ACU is not accredited by any organization recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or the United States Department of Education. The use of unaccredited degree titles may be legally restricted or illegal in some jurisdictions. [ [http://www.ed.gov/students/prep/college/diplomamills/accreditation.html Diploma Mills and Accreditation] , "U.S. Department of Education"] Jurisdictions that have restricted or made illegal the use of credentials from unaccredited schools include Oregon, [http://www.osac.state.or.us/oda/unaccredited.aspx Unaccredited Colleges] , "Oregon Office of Degree Authorization"] [http://www.billingsgazette.com/newdex.php?display=rednews/2005/01/30/build/wyoming/40-online-learning.inc State mulls online learning] by the Associated Press, "Billings Gazette", January 30, 2005] Michigan, [ [http://www.michigan.gov/documents/Non-accreditedSchools_78090_7.pdf Colleges and Universities not accredited by CHEA] , "Michigan Education and Children's Services"] Maine, [ [http://www.maine.gov/education/highered/Non-Accredited/non-accredited.htm Accredited and Non-Accredited Colleges and Universities] , "Maine’s List of Non-Accredited Post-Secondary Schools"] North Dakota, New Jersey, [ [http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-11/1220502921246120.xml&coll=1 Disputed degrees spur state changes] , The New Jersey Star-Ledger, September 4 2008] Washington, [ [http://www.hecb.wa.gov/autheval/daa/ConsumerInformation.asp Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board] , "Washington Consumer Information"] Nevada, [http://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-394.html#NRS394Sec700 Use of False or Misleading Degrees] Nevada statute NRS 394.700] Illinois, Indiana, Texas [ [http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/AAR/PrivateInstitutions/NoTX.cfm Institutions Whose Degrees are Illegal to Use in Texas] , "Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board"] [ [http://www.herald-coaster.com/articles/2007/09/28/news/top_story/topstory.txt Two less doctors in the house - Hebert, Wilson back away from Ph.D.'s issued by ‘diploma mills'] ,by Stephen Palkot, "Fort Bend Herald", September 28, 2007] and Korea. [ [http://www.koreapot.com/bbs.php?inc=view&num=10&ctg=6&page=1&keyfield=&key=&andor= Guide to teaching English in Korea] Koreapot.com] Many other states are also considering restrictions on the use of degrees from unaccredited institutions. [ [http://www.osac.state.or.us/oda/faq.html Is Oregon the only state that disallows use of unaccredited degrees?] "Oregon Office of Degree Authorization"]

References

See also

* List of unaccredited institutions of higher learning
* Educational accreditation

External links

* [http://www.acusa.net/ American Central University] website