[Happy Cop Here]

Does anyone know which colleges the Boston Herald is talking about? Besides Anna Maria, of course!

Board whittles down Quinn bill schools
By Kevin Rothstein
Friday, December 12, 2003

Only 13 schools can offer police pay-boosting Quinn Bill classes in January, the Board of Higher Education voted yesterday, meaning three-quarters of the old programs did not meet tough new standards.

George DiBlasi, executive director of the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association, said he was glad to see the strict measures put in place.

``The idea was to raise the bar to ensure the quality of education was at the highest level, and it seems that's what they did,'' he said.

Only 36 of the 60 schools that used to teach criminal justice to cops even applied for approval.

The board reformed its Quinn Bill standards after widespread reports of abuse. The state's 12,000 eligible cops boost their pay depending on what kind of education they have: 10 percent for an associate's degree, 20 percent for a bachelor's and 25 percent for a master's or law degree.

The board also deferred approving 11 other schools expected to pass soon. Nine others asked for more time to respond to the state's review of their programs.

Anna Maria College, one of the largest Quinn Bill schools, met the new standards after the Paxton school was reviewed, spokesman Eric Gustafson said.

 

[KML161]

Any word on W.N.E.C.?

 

[Anonymous]

Curry?

 

[Guest]

Curry?

Isnt that a Indian sauce? I hear it goes thru you worst than Chilli.

Beuler Beuler?

 

[PearlOnyx]

How does this effect people who have degrees from out of state institutions? I "go" to the Univeristy of Phoenix Online, which is based out of Phoenix Arizona. It is a fully regionally acredited and completley legitimate university distance learning program. I'm not sure how this cut back will effect out of state degree candidates.

 

[KML161]

To the best of my knowledge U. of Phoenix wasn't approved before. I had looked into them and thats what was told to me.

 

[PearlOnyx]

Hah, I was kind of disapointed when I saw that University of Phoneix wasn't approved. Then, I saw on the other thread on this topic, that Salem State College may not make the cut either. I was there for five years. Pretty sad when a State Funded College doesn't meet state standards for a incentive program. Personally, I think if what I have seen on here is true, that this "whittling down" by the state is heavy handed, and a load of crap. I attended Salem State for five years part-time. As much as I didn't like the school, the program was alot of work and it was definatley no fly by night program. As far as Phoenix goes, I really love it. I've learned more through Phoenix than I did at Salem State. The program is alot of work, thinking and writing. It looks like the state is going to screw alot of people. Now I wonder, if the state is going to grandfather in people who enrolled in a school prior to the date the change takes effect? What do you think about that?

 

[Irishpride]

Pretty sad when a State Funded College doesn't meet state standards for a incentive program.

Pearl,

Seeing as the state isn't too often in the habit of cutting off it's nose to spite it's face I'm pretty sure that by the final deadline you'll see that most (if not all) of the state colleges/universities will be properly "accredited".

 

[PearlOnyx]

Allright now, that is good. So now how do we find out what was previously accredited? I'm interested to see if Phoenix Online was. I know the state accepts it for the incentive plan offered for Department of Public Safety Employees - i.e. Sheriff's Deaprtments. I just had a discussion with our Human Resources Director the other day, where he stated that it was acceptable for the DPS program. What would be interesting, is that if the state decided that Phoenix was ok for DPS, and not for Quinn. Boy would I have a blast with that at Civil Service.

 

[PearlOnyx]

Well I did a little more looking into it, and read the Higher Learning Board's report, which can be found on their website. It says that programs which were accepted by the Higher Learning Board or a member of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges would be eligable for prior to January 1st, 2004 would be accepted. Now Phoenix is a regionally accreddited (similart o NEASC), and a member of the Higher Learning Comission, which is the national accrediting authority. Accredidation is supposed to be reciprocal between member associations of the HLA. So, I think in theroy, that my program should be acceptable. I think I"ll have to write a letter to clarify though.