Robert H. Atwell
November 1, 1990
The Honorable Lauro F. Cavazos
Secretary
United States Department of Education
Federal Office Building 6
400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.
Room 4181
Washington, D.C. 20202
Dear Mr. Secretary:
On behalf of the American Council on Education, I am writing with respect to the petition of the Straight Chiropractic Academic Standards Association to be re-approved as a national accrediting agency for chiropractic educational institutions.
The higher education community is deeply committed to a sound accreditation process as a means of achieving reasonable standards for eligibility to receive federal funds. We especially support the government's own advisory commission on accreditation and the deference that ought to be accorded their determination. One of the primary means of enhancing the accreditation process is by avoiding the certification of two competing accrediting bodies within the same professional field.
Since 1974, the Council for Chiropractic Education (CCE) has been recognized as the only organization authorized by the federal government to oversee postsecondary chiropractic education. The CCE continues to serve the chiropractic community and the general public by establishing high academic standards in the field of chiropractic education.
Two years ago the U.S. Department of Education approved the Straight Chiropractic Academic Standard Association (SCASA) to operate for two years as an accrediting agency for schools of chiropractic. SCASA was, to our understanding, organized to accredit those schools of chiropractic that could not meet the standards established by CCE. It has become an "accreditor of last resort" for chiropractic schools that are either unable or unwilling to meet the professional requirements of the CCE. Expansion of dual accreditation will ultimately undermine the credibility of the profession, and lead to confusion in the minds of the public.
We urge you to support one standard for evaluation of chiropractic education. To that end, we recommend that the CCE be the designated agency to pass on which chiropractic schools should be accredited.
We would appreciate your making this letter part of the hearing record on SCASA's petition for re-approval.
Sincerely,
Robert H. Atwell
President
