Los Angeles Area Woodbury University President, Dr. Luis Calingo, Challenges President Obama's Proposed College Rating Plan That Could Limit Education Instead of Opening Access To Deserving Students

LOS ANGELES, CA, March 11, 2014 (Press-News.org) Dr. Luis Calingo, President of Woodbury University, the second oldest university in the Los Angeles, California area, raises concerns about President Obama's proposed new university and college rating system, the Postsecondary Institution Ratings System (PIRS). This Plan would determine which colleges and universities offer "best value," measured by educational access, affordability, and outcomes. The plan also includes having Congress pass legislation tying federal student aid to the "best value" ratings.

Dr. Calingo and the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) questioned , "whether the PIRS will lead institutions to deny access to students who could eventually benefit from college but may take longer to complete their degrees. This is particularly true for students whose socioeconomic backgrounds would require them to have jobs to support their college education."

He shares other concerns in his blog "President Obamas's College Ratings Plan: Limit or Open Access to Education?" He observes that "The system will definitely reward institutions with multiple business, engineering, and technical programs, and punish those that produce large numbers of teachers and public service workers."

Woodbury University is a liberal arts college specializing in Architecture, Business and has an extensive Media, Culture & Design Department that includes fashion and costuming since the school sits in Burbank with neighbors Disney, Universal Studios, NBC, Nickelodeon, and DreamWorks entertainment companies. It has the highest percentage of multi-ethnic and international students for it size in the Western Region of the United States and is often sited as a university that reflects trends for the future of higher education.

Dr. Calingo offers perspectives on how the study of history and culture imparts students with the ability to approach global issues as a citizen of the world and philosophy teaches critical thinking. These are essential skills for any career in business, government, or public service.

More details on possible PIRS outcomes and an opportunity to comment are available at drluiscalingo.com.

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