With that finding, and according to its own policies and procedures, CULA graduates earning their doctorate degrees were given full recognition as would any regionally accredited school graduates.
The specter of arriving at such recognition, however, did not come without again raising the issue of the constitutionality of discrimination based on 'accreditation status.'
Most countries around the world do not rely on 'accreditation' as an index of graduating students' competency. Yet, these countries produce scholars and Nobel Prize winners even more abundantly than does the United States of America. In fact, it is generally agreed by scholars and observers that "accreditation does not have as its foundation a qualitative norm." It is rather 'a pass key' to the 'room' which contains hundreds of billions of education dollars.
Once useful as an opiate to the public in exchange for the billions in federal funds to education, because of growing sensitivity to exclusion, the practice of accreditation takes on the full force and appearance of "status discrimination," similar to sex, race, height, handicap, age, weight, color, religion, health and other forms of 'artificial exclusions.'
For example, it is not an uncommon practice that a licensing agency will require that one's degree should have been earned from 'an accredited institution' even to sit for a qualifying exam. School districts routinely deny salary increases, not because the teacher or tenured personnel is in any way less equipped or qualilfied, but because "your doctorate degree was not earned from an accredited school."
In almost all such instances, the discriminating individual, agency or institution will cite as its authority, "As recognized by the United States Department of Education." This puts the onus of condoning accreditation discrimination squarely on the federal government, creating a gigantic 'conflict of interest,' contradiction in terms, or worse: the most glaring denial of constitutional guarantees anyone could ever come up with in the present era.
Private industry uses more 'sense' than do school districts or governmental agencies and employees; and it is likely to be such 'institutionalized folly' that eventually brings the entrie system of accreditation to a screeching halt..perhaps, not a day too soon!
In another school district, a master teacher who had already done some work toward a doctorate and who speaks six languages was not only first applauded and granted the normal step increase for earning his doctor of education degree from CULA, but was later not only denied the small annual raise, but was embarrassed before his entire school community and had his title, "Dr.," taken away as well! A constitutional lawyer would have had a field day with this case.
These CULA graduates, like the school from which they graduated, are warriors when they respect higher education and appreciate the differences between pomp and politics and process.
CULA has made a positive difference in higher education in the United States and in the world at large. As alumni, you can be proud of your Alma Mater!
