THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, November 12, 1994 TAG: 9411110021
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 50 lines
I have been an instructor at Commonwealth College since 1989 and have witnessed the challenges the school has faced over the past five years. I have read each of the numerous articles about the school, mostly negative, in your newspaper. Once again, the article ``Commonwealth College settles Va. suit'' (Nov. 3) is written in a tone far from neutral.
It is true that Commonwealth has agreed to pay $375,000 to the state and has denied the allegations. This cost is less than the cost of a trial. The article neglects to mention, however, that Commonwealth was prepared to go to trial, that several of the original allegations had been dropped and that the settlement was considerably less than what had been offered at an earlier time. Perhaps it was in the state's best interest not to go to trial also.
The article implies that Commonwealth's practices have improved solely because of the litigation and monitoring of the state attorney general's office. This is not correct. In fact, Commonwealth welcomed an investigation from the State Council of Higher Education and requested a visit from the national accrediting body, which found no basis for the allegations. Commonwealth, wrongly referred to as a trade school, is fully accredited as a junior college by the national accrediting body.
The sad thing about this type of press is that it places a stigma on the academic program. Your article fails to mention the more traditional disciplines offered at Commonwealth: accounting, business management or micro-information management. In addition, your paper has never mentioned that Commonwealth's general-education courses are at collegiate level, with instructors meeting the same criteria required by the community-college system.
Something happened in the past. It is now over. Give us a break. And give us balance.
We are not a feeder school for four-year institutions. Rather, we confer a legitimate associate of applied science degree, under guidelines from the State Council of Higher Education, representative of both technical and thinking skills needed for the competitive workplace. Our graduates, who have worked hard in their programs, prove it.
JAY S. HOLLOWELL, division chair
Business administration
Commonwealth College
Virginia Beach, Nov. 3, 1994 by CNB