January 11, 2008

Colleges and Their Accreditors Escape Tougher Scrutiny, for Now

By PAUL BASKEN

One year ago, American colleges were on the defensive, as the Education Department prepared to write tougher rules on the way federally recognized accrediting agencies should assess how well the institutions teach their students.

Now, as they enter a new year, college leaders may be able to relax a bit, given the way events unfolded last month at a meeting of the federal agency that oversees the accreditors.

At that meeting, Education Secretary Margaret Spellings softened her

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