Obama regulations threaten colleges

Feds shouldn't be involved in schools' accreditation
By Bill Armstrong
The Washington Times
Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Within weeks, the federal government, through the Department of Education, will have the regulations in place to control potentially what's taught in our nation's private colleges and universities.

The idea is so startling, and so at odds with the concept of academic freedom and the fundamentals of American liberty, that it's tempting to dismiss it as one of those classic "it cannot happen here" scenarios. But the danger is all too real, and one that I and many of my colleagues believe is the greatest threat to academic freedom in our lifetime.

While this obviously strikes personal alarm in those of us who run private universities and colleges, it should profoundly disturb every American. the rest

Religious and faith-based institutions are especially vulnerable because they are inherently ideological and often countercultural. For example, a Christian university could come under scrutiny for offering a survey on the history of traditional man-woman marriage without giving "equal time" to the other side. It could run afoul of the state for offering courses on intelligent design theory, which is critical of the conventional wisdom on evolution.