By Kathy Cryan, Tapinto Union
UNION, NJ – In a letter dated July 30, Kean University was notified that the institution’s master’s program in public administration would lose its accreditation, beginning in September.
However, according to Craig Donovan, head of Kean’s Public Administration Department, the University is appealing the decision and their accreditation remains in place during the appeal.
The letter to Kean University from the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA) begins, “The Commission on Peer Review and Accreditation (COPRA) has completed its review of your Master of Public Administration degree program and has determined that your program is not in substantial conformance with the NASPAA Standards for Professional Master’s Degree Programs in Public Affairs, Policy, and Administration.”
[…]“Once again it is our students who suffer due to the lack of accountable, responsible leadership at Kean University,” said Dr. James Castiglione, Associate Professor of Physics and President of the Kean Federation of Teachers. “The Master’s Program in Public Administration lost its accreditation due to the same issues that have plagued the institution for years and almost led to loss of the whole university’s accreditation—over-reliance on part-time faculty instead of full-time tenure track faculty, not enough professional staff support to counsel and advise students, and a bloated, inefficient management structure, instead of cultivating shared governance with open communication and problem-solving among all stakeholders at the school.”
“The loss of accreditation from an independent third-party shows that Kean management refuses to be held accountable to reasonable quality standards established by peer institutions,” said AFT New Jersey President Donna M. Chiera. “New Jersey needs accountability and transparency from our institutions of higher education, which is why we call upon the State to conduct a forensic audit of Kean University’s finances. Further, we would like to see the legislature work with the Secretary of Higher Education to hold public hearings to discuss what can be done to save this particular program and make sure our schools dedicate the material and human capital necessary to give our students the best education possible.”
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