Attrition in Your Organization?
Liberty University Online Academy Full Accreditation by SACS
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) announced in early February that Liberty University Online Academy (LUOA) has been granted full accreditation. The five-year accreditation is a major milestone for Liberty University’s most recent online educational venture for grades 3-12.
Now in its third year of operation, LUOA is quickly receiving recognition as a quality option for parents seeking Christian online homeschooling education for their children. For the 2009-10 school year, 700 students are enrolled in LUOA, residing in 46 states and 11 foreign countries.
SACS…Scope of recognition: the accreditation and pre-accreditation (”Candidate for Accreditation”) of degree-granting institutions of higher education in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia, including distance education programs offered at those institutions.
Accreditation Status Categories (these may vary slightly across Accrediting Bodies)
1.Grant Candidacy or Initial Accreditation
2.Deny Candidacy or Initial Accreditation
3.Defer Action
4.Continue Accreditation between the Capacity and Preparatory Review and the Educational Effectiveness Review
5.Reaffirm Accreditation
6.Issue a Formal Notice of Concern
7.Issue a Warning
8.Impose Probation
9.Issue an Order to Show Cause
10.Terminate Accreditation
God wants you to be a Loner!
I once heard that there was study conducted with teenagers and the power of peer pressure. The study took 15 teenagers and put them in a room. 14 of the teenagers were in on the study and were told what answer to give. The 15th teenager was not told anything about the study and thought he and the other teenagers were all on the same page. The instructor had two colored cards that he held up for them, one was red and one was blue. The 14 teenagers that were told how to answer the question were told to say both cards were blue when the instructor asked what color. So as the experiment started, the first 14 teenagers said that both cards were blue when asked…when it got to the 15th teenager, 76% of the time the teenager would say both cards were blue, instead of saying one was blue and one was red.
Are U Considering becoming a Spiritual Mentor?
Currently, our church is running a series that is talking a lot about Big Brother and Big Sister type relationships within the church. This concept is where more mature Christians lead or mentor younger Christians and so on. I have been having a bit of a struggle with this as I have not seen this type of relationship lived out, even within the current circles that I participate. I certainly understand that the process can take some time to develop or mature and that in any relationship you open yourself up to vulnerability, but when some of those leading the charge are the ones violating the trust…I take issue with that.
This concept has been very successful within the secular realm of Big Brother’s and Big Sister’s mentorship program. Research shows that children matched with a mentor are more likely to succeed in school and in life. Children matched with Big Brothers or Sisters are:
52% less likely to skip a day of school
46% less likely to start using illegal drugs
64% more confident of their ability to perform their schoolwork
I do believe that the mentorship philosophy can be equally successful in the spiritual context as well. However, just as in the secular version of this concept, if an adult Big Brother or Sister violates that trust with the younger child it could have a huge impact on the outcome of that child’s life. I think the piece missing for me in the spiritual mentorship program is the lack of proper screening, teaching and realization of the HUGE responsibility this is. Not properly handled and it could have REAL lasting impact on spiritual growth for the younger Christian.
Taking on a Big Brother or Big Sister role within the church, in my opinion, is one of the biggest responsibilities you can undertake and it ABSOLUTELY should not be taken lightly or for one’s own gain. Some that I have observed around me do not fully realized the responsibility that this type of role requires.
-
Page Views Since January 2008
-
