For
Immediate Release
Contact: Caroline Chetelat at ABYC
(410) 990-4460,
x22
cchetelat@abycinc.org

Westlawn Announces Reaccreditation With
High Marks
DETC Finds Top-Notch Boat-Design Training
at Westlawn

February 5, 2007, Annapolis, MD: The Westlawn
Institute of Marine Technology is pleased to announce that its accrediting
body, the Distance Education and Training
Council (DETC), has reaccredited Westlawn without condition, during
Westlawn’s regular five-year reaccreditation review. Founded in 1930, Westlawn
has been nationally accredited by DETC since 1971 - for over 36 years.
Westlawn’s next reaccreditation is scheduled for five years from now, starting in
2011.
Following the current accreditation review,
DETC had high praise for Westlawn. DETC executive director Michael P. Lambert
stated that, “Westlawn’s implementation of a systematic approach to distance
learning is effective and impressive. The services provided to the students by
the Westlawn staff are exemplary, and the instructors and staff are well
qualified and very experienced.” Lambert continued, “the Institute’s offices
are nothing short of perfect.” He then went on to say that, “the curriculum
offered by Westlawn can only be described as outstanding; it truly meets the
needs of the small-craft design industry.”
Westlawn director, Dave Gerr, noted, “people
outside of the academic world are often unfamiliar with the accreditation
process. It is exhaustive. At DETC, for example, accredited institutions
submit their entire curriculum for review to two independent outside experts in
the field being taught. These experts are selected independently by DETC and,
favorable or not, the school never knows who the reviewing experts are, so
evaluations are completely unbiased and completely independent.”
Evaluation of the curriculum by
professionals in the field is just one part of the process. Accreditation
looks at every aspect of a school’s operation, from enrollment and grading
policies, through student services, to financial and accounting practices, to
long-range planning. No aspect is unexamined.
Gerr continued, “Though it’s a big project
and a big investment for any school, the work involved for accreditation pays
off in systematically ensuring that the school evaluates and improves it’s own
program and operations. Further, the school receives outside evaluations and
recommendations from other education professionals who have taken a long detailed
look at your school. Even more important is the benefit to our students who
can be assured of the very best educational experience, industry recognition of
their training, and the ability to transfer credit to other schools and
educational programs. We’ve found DETC to be an invaluable partner for well
over three decades, and look forward to their continued support,” Gerr
concluded.
The Distance
Education and Training Council (DETC) was founded in 1926 to promote sound
educational standards and ethical business practices within the distance-learning
field. The independent seven-member Accrediting Commission of DETC was
established in 1955. Shortly thereafter, it gained the approval of the U.S. Department of Education as a "nationally
recognized accrediting agency" under terms of Public Law. The Council for Higher Education
Accreditation (CHEA) also recognizes the DETC Accrediting Commission.
Founded in 1930, the Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology is
the only nationally accredited and state-certified distance-learning school of
small-craft design in the United States. As the not-for-profit educational affiliate of the American Boat and Yacht Council, the mission of
the Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology is threefold:
■ To provide our students with the skills and knowledge
required to build a rewarding career in the profession of yacht and small-craft
naval architecture.
■ To support continued growth of the
recreational and small-craft marine community through the development of
well-trained, safety-oriented, boat designers developing better products for
the benefit of the boating public.
■ To provide continuing education to marine-industry
professionals.
To learn more about
Westlawn, please call (860) 572-7900 or visit the Westlawn website at: www.westlawn.edu.