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Thomas H. Beebe, director of SIUC's Office of Military Programs, has been selected to chair a working group to examine the issue of "Expanding Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) Membership to Non-Degree-Granting Institutions."

The membership of the working group consists of members from the American Council on Education (ACE); Distance Education and Training Council (DETC); Marine Corp Lifelong Learning; Navy Education and Training Division; Education Division, U.S. Army Human Resources Command; Servicemembers Opportunity College (SOC); Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs; and a consultant provided by Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).

The working group will provide a written report back to the SOC Advisory Board by no later than April 2008. In the report both the pros and cons of Non-Degree-Granting Institutional membership in SOC will be discussed. Although the working group is going into the discussion with no preconceived notions, each member brings to the table their own unique concerns on the impact of non-degree granting institutions and accreditation issues.