Case Studies in Ethics

Abstract

In March of 1999, the North Central Association's (NCA) Commission on Institutions of Higher Learning, one of the six regional accrediting commis-sions, accredited the first completely virtual online university, Jones International University (JIU). The accreditation was widely publicized as part of the school's marketing strategy. Within weeks of the accreditation and the surrounding media buzz, the American Association of University Professors questioned the NCA's decision to accredit the university. Other organizations representing faculty also expressed disappointment in the decision, even questioning the legitimacy of the NCA's accreditation process. The NCA argued that the accreditation of JIU broke relatively little new ground; rather the decision served as a flashpoint for faculty at traditional universities to express concern about the increase use of " virtual " tools, including online distance learning and computer-based course management systems. The Institutions in Crisis case studies provide students of ethics, organizational stud-ies, crisis management, and institutional analysis with opportunities to explore the dynamics of organizations experiencing change, ethical crisis, and evolution. For more information on the set of case studies, please visit the following website: