American City University

American City University (ACU) is a private unaccredited offeror of higher education via distance education operating from Los Angeles and Fresno, California.[1] The same name was formerly used by a similar institution that operated from Cheyenne, Wyoming.

ACU is affiliated with a corporation called International Management Association, headquartered in Hong Kong. Honolulu University is another affiliate of the International Management Association,[2] which also formerly identified an affiliation with the American Central University, which was based in Laramie, Wyoming.[3]

ACU in Los Angeles was incorporated in 2008 in Huntsville, Alabama, and relocated to California in 2009.[4] It is licensed by the State of California but is not accredited by any recognized accreditation body.[5]

History

Formerly, American City University was the name of an institution that operated in Wyoming, where it was one of a dozen unaccredited offerors of higher education by distance learning that operated under a permissive state higher education law and were suspected of being diploma mills.[6][7] In 2005, ACU was reported to be operating out of office space in the Tivoli Building, a Victorian building in downtown Cheyenne, Wyoming.[7][8][9] ACU operated in 14 other locations worldwide, including sites in London; Limerick and Cork, Ireland; Kiev; Macedonia; Dubai; Beirut; Athens; Sri Lanka; Taiwan; the Philippines; and Malaysia.[9] ACU reported in 2005 that 300 students were enrolled worldwide.[10] The school is alleged to have marketed an MBA program in Vietnam that did not deliver the promised value to the students it enrolled.[11][12] After Wyoming enacted a law requiring higher education institutions in the state to be accredited or in the process of obtaining accreditation by July 1, 2006, several unaccredited schools closed down or left the state.[13][14][15] ACU sought accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council.[15] As of June 2009, however, the Wyoming Department of Education listed ACU as "no longer licensed or registered ... to operate as [a] private post-secondary degree granting education institution."[16]

Memberships

ACU became a member of the California Association of Private Postsecondary Schools (CAPPS) in May 2009.[17] CAPPS is a California association representing private postsecondary schools in California. It is a professional organization, rather than an accreditation association.

Academic programs

ACU offers degrees in business administration, including the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), Master of Business Administration (MBA), and Doctor of Business Administration (DBA).[18]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Contact Us, American City University website, accessed April 22, 2010
  2. ↑ "IMA: American City University". Hong Kong: International Management Association. Retrieved 24 March 2010.
  3. ↑ American Central University, International Management Association website, archived March 19, 2007
  4. ↑ ACU History, American City University website, accessed July 5, 2012
  5. ↑ License and Recognition, American City University website, accessed April 22, 2010
  6. ↑ Panel rejects 'diploma mills' bill, Casper Star-Tribune, January 1, 2005
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Mead Gruver, Alleged "diploma mills" flocking to Wyoming, Associated Press story published by The Seattle Times, February 9, 2005.
  8. ↑ U.S. attorney buys historic building, Casper Star-Tribune, February 8, 2006
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Wyoming should be oh so proud! Diploma mill lies can be heard (read) around the world. From Wyoming., Cheyenne Herald, February 27, 2006, page 4.
  10. ↑ Ilene Olson, Officials debate private school bill, Wyoming Tribune Eagle, August 25, 2005
  11. ↑ Wyo-based diploma mills create ill will overseas, Casper Star-Tribune, January 8, 2007
  12. ↑ "Giao duc DH hau WTO Dung la nhung vi khach kem hieu biet" (Vietnamese) Dr. Mark Ashwill, director of the Institute of International Education in Vietnam warns about American City University MBA program. Vietbao, Nov 24, 2006. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  13. ↑ Joan Barron, Online school departs, Casper Star-Tribune, June 16, 2006
  14. ↑ Dave Featherly, Warren National University (formerly Kennedy-Western University) to close, Cheyenne Herald website, February 2, 2009
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Megan Gruver, New law prompts online school changes, Casper Star-Tribune, March 15, 2007
  16. ↑ Private School Registration General Information, Wyoming Department of Education website, List current as of 6/17/09, accessed April 22, 2010
  17. ↑ "Member Directory: American City University". California, USA: California Association of Private Postsecondary Schools. Retrieved 24 March 2010.
  18. ↑ Academic programs, American City University website, accessed April 22, 2010

External links