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Update on Accreditation and SEVIS Matters

PSU Pacific States University

3424 Wilshire Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90010

On December 12, 2016 the U. S. Dept. of Education upheld the decision to discontinue recognizing ACICS as an accrediting body. All attempts by ACICS to overturn this decision have failed.

U.S. Dept. of Education decision

The U.S. Dept. of Education has statutory authority to grant institutions PROVISIONAL CERTIFICATION for a maximum of 18 months in the event that an accreditor’s federal recognition is terminated.

U.S. Dept. of Education18-Month Grace Period

Education Department Establishes Enhanced Federal Aid Participation Requirements for ACICS-accredited Colleges

DECEMBER 12, 2016 Contact: Press Office, (202) 401-1576, press@ed.gov

Beginning today, the U.S. Department of Education will inform colleges accredited by the Accrediting Council on Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) of additional operating conditions required for continued participation in the federal student aid programs. These new provisions will apply to ACICS-accredited institutions and follow U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr.'s final decision to withdraw federal recognition of the accrediting agency.

Although ACICS is no longer a federally recognized accrediting agency, the Department may provisionally certify ACICS-accredited institutions for continued participation in the federal student aid programs for up to 18 months from the date of the Secretary's final decision. This 18-month provisional certification period allows institutions to seek accreditation from another federally recognized accrediting agency.& During this period of provisional certification, the Department will require the ACICS-accredited institutions to comply with additional conditions that are designed to protect students and safeguard taxpayer dollars. These conditions include additional monitoring, transparency, oversight and accountability measures. Only ACICS-accredited institutions that agree to these conditions may continue to offer Federal Loans and Pell Grants.

https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/education-department-establishes-enhanced-federal-aid-participation-requirements-acics-accredited-colleges

ACICS schools must become accredited with another accrediting agency

BEFORE JUNE 12, 2018

18-Month Grace Period

Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC)

http://www.accsc.org/

PSU is seeking new accreditation with

ACCSC Timeline for Accreditation

Requirement Timeline StatusPre-Accreditation

Workshop

Fall quarter 2016 >December 19-20,

2016

Accreditation Part I Winter Quarter 2017 > February 24, 2017

Accreditation Part

II

Spring Quarter 2017 June 22, 2017

Team Site Visit Fall Quarter 2017 Any two days

between August

and October

Commission

Action/Accreditatio

n Approval

Winter Quarter 2017 February to March

2018

{ What are the next steps?

ACCSC Accreditation

{ Due by: June 23, 2017

Part II-Self Evaluation Report (SER)

{ 2-day intensive on-site evaluation of PSU to verify compliance with ACCSC Standards.

ACCSC Team Site Visit- August-October

{ Notification February-June

ACCSC Commission Decision Meeting

{Three (3) OPT applications sent after December 12 were accepted. The OPT extension applications are pending.

SEVIS OPT/CPT Update