The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Inspector General last week released the results of an audit on the department's recognition processes for accrediting agencies, which serve as the gatekeepers for federal financial aid. The audit found several weaknesses, with concerns that revolved around inadequate supporting documents accreditors present to the department -- a process the inspector general said is subject to "cherry-picking" by the agencies.
"We found that the Office of Postsecondary Education's post-recognition oversight is not adequate to ensure agencies consistently and effectively carry out their responsibilities," the audit report said. "OPE does not have an adequate plan for the post-recognition oversight of agencies and does not regularly perform reviews of high-risk agencies during the recognition period."
Read more at Inside Higher Ed: https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2018/07/02/education-department-watchdog-criticizes-oversight-accreditors