Type | Unrecognized higher education accreditor |
---|---|
President | Maxine Asher |
The World Association of Universities and Colleges (WAUC) is an institutional educational accreditation body not recognized by the United States Department of Education. [1] It is run by Maxine Asher, director of the American World University, an unaccredited school. [2] WAUC's website claims that "laws in the U.S.A. prohibit the recognition of global accreditation associations". [3]
According to Maxine Asher's American World University, World Association of Universities and Colleges was started in 1992. [4]
In March 2001, WAUC was reported to be using an executive suite in Henderson, Nevada as its address. [5]
In 2004, Asher was forced to close down the World University of Iowa, a Hawaii-based institution similar to American World University and accredited by World Association of Universities and Colleges. [6] As part of a summary judgement, she was ordered to cease operations, refund tuition money to all students, and pay $240,000 in damages. [6] The action came as part of a statewide crackdown on unaccredited schools, as many had relocated there after 1999 in an effort to evade regulation in the mainland United States. [6] During court proceedings, Asher refused to provide school documentation such as a list of students. [6]
In June 2007, the organization's website listed an address in Beverly Hills, California and WAUC listed 57 accredited schools and 28 nonaccredited "members only" schools. [7] In 2010, it offered accreditation for limited time offer at $500. [8]
As of September 2011, WAUC's website was offline. [9]
In 2012, the World Association of Universities and Colleges claims "a membership of forty universities, with dozens of other worthy institutions in the process of application.". [4]
As of 2008, WAUC listed the following as accredited members: [10]