Disclosures & Consumer Guide
Institutional Disclosures
William Howard Taft University is an online educational division of The Taft University System, Inc. The University is accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC), which is listed by the U.S. Department of Education as a recognized accrediting agency.
The University has over three decades of providing quality independent study programs to mature adults and professionals. The Distance Education Accrediting Commission requires its member institutions to “routinely provide reliable, current and accurate information to the public on their website on their performance, including student achievement, as determined by the institution.” Accordingly, the Administration of the University has determined that the following information be provided on its website and updated periodically. This data below is supplement to information contained in the Consumer Information Guide and catalogs.
Student Demographic Profile:
Students come from all over the world and from a wide variety of backgrounds. Most students are mature, working adults for whom place of residence, travel requirements or finances restrict their opportunity to attend a traditional university.
Name of Institution: William Howard Taft University
Address: 1325 S Colorado Blvd Building B Suite 404, Denver, CO 80222
Administration: President: Amy Kahn, PhD
Year Founded: 1984
First Accredited: Spring 2003
Next Scheduled Accreditation Review: 2024
Accreditation Contact Information: Distance Education Accrediting Commission (www.deac.org; info@deac.org)
State Authorization and Contact Information: State of Colorado Department of Higher Education (http://highered.colorado.gov)
Participation in Military Funding Programs: (G.I. Bill, DANTES)
Catalogs, Supplements & Consumer Guide
Links to our Program Catalog Supplements, which can be found on each program page of this website, open in Adobe® Acrobat® PDF format. All applicants should review our Academic Catalog as well as the applicable program catalog supplement. If the Acrobat® plug-in is not installed on your system, click here to download & install Adobe® Acrobat Reader®.
Applicants interested in any University degree program should carefully review the Academic Catalog, the catalog supplement for that particular program, the Faculty Catalog Supplement, and the Consumer Information Guide for complete information about our programs, program structure, and requirements.
Technology Requirements
The University believes evidence of computer literacy is required to earn a credible graduate degree in any discipline. Technology also plays an important part in a student’s ability to communicate with administration, faculty, and fellow students. Accordingly, all students must have access to a computer with the minimum specifications set forth. Prospective students who do not have access to such a computer can contact the Admissions Office for assistance in purchasing a system.
Minimum Hardware Requirements:
Any modern internet connected desktop or laptop computer capable of meeting the below software requirements will be sufficient. While course materials are accessible to mobile devices, access to a desktop or laptop computer is required for completion of assignments and examinations. Some supplemental materials and activities will require a functioning audio device and speakers.
Reliable and consistent access to the internet is required.
Intel® Celeron® 2.0GHz (or AMD® equivalent) Processor
2 Gigabytes of RAM
Minimum Software Requirements:
Microsoft Windows® Vista/7/8/10/11.
Microsoft Office® or comparable software (Must be able to create .DOC or .DOCX format files)
Microsoft Edge® – Available at no cost when downloaded from the Internet. Any modern browser will be acceptable. Google Chrome is recommended for the best experience.
E-Mail Capability (Available at no cost from various providers)
Adobe Acrobat Reader® (Available at no cost when downloaded from the Internet)
(A Macintosh® environment might not be compatible with the school’s system and will receive minimal support by the school’s technical support)
Students must be able to open PDF and Powerpoint files, they must be able to create and edit documents in the .DOC file format. If this cannot be accomplished through provided software, links to third party software are provided below.
PDF: Adobe Reader
DOC and PPT: Libre Office
Recommended Browser: Google Chrome
*The Taft University System runs in a Microsoft based environment, as such we strongly recommend that students be able to run Microsoft programs such as Microsoft Word. The University is unable to support desktop computers, laptops, or mobile devices running the Mac OS environment from Apple. Our learning platform and websites should function in a Mac OS environment, but in the event of any technical issues the staff and faculty will be unable to provide support.
Statement of Nondiscrimination
Consistent with sound educational policy, the University does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, ancestry, religious creed, national origin, disability, medical condition, age, marital status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, or veteran status.
Student Complaints & Grievances
In addition to the specific policies outlined in this catalog regarding harassment and appeals for reevaluation of grades, the Taft University System, which operates William Howard Taft University provides the following process to file a formal grievance in the unlikely event that a dispute cannot be easily or immediately resolved. Fundamental to the process is the principle that all parties make good-faith efforts to resolve all issues prior to initiating a formal grievance. Grievances may include, but are not limited to, administrative issues, financial issues, technical issues, faculty performance, grading, program content, program effectiveness/expectations, or library services. The Taft University System (TUS) will review all grievances in a timely, fair, and equitable manner.
The following actions are recommended to resolve any issue, complaint, or grievance.
Step I: Informal Resolution
At TUS, all student grievances are taken seriously and encourages the resolution of any issues to maintain a positive relationship with students, faculty and staff. The complainant is encouraged to resolve the issue informally with the faculty or staff member involved.
Step 2: Contacting the Dean
If the student feels that a resolution has not been reached between concerned individuals, students are encouraged to contact the program dean for a review of the situation. The following deans can support your questions:
· EdD and MEd: WHTU School of Education dean: Barry Resnick, Resnick@taftu.edu
· DBA, MBA, MPA, MST, LLM: School of Business dean: Anita Cassard, Cassard@taft.edu
· JDET: WHTU School of Government and Law associate dean Margaret Trester, trester@taftu.edu
Step 3: Contacting the Director of Student Services
If the student feels that a resolution has not been reached between concerned individuals, students are encouraged to contact Student Services for a review of the situation. The goal is to address grievances in a constructive manner. The following student support contacts will help navigate the student through the complaint process:
· William Howard Taft University students: Stephanie Estlow, student_support@taftu.edu
Formal Grievance Filing
If a prompt resolution cannot be achieved through informal discussion, the complainant should document it in writing and submit it to the appropriate contact noted above. It is important that the formal grievance clearly and concisely outline the issue, the desired resolution, and the reasons for the request. Supporting documentation or information should also be provided.
Within 30 working days of receiving the complaint, the student support representative will conduct a review of the grievance and based on the situation, convenes appropriate members of the faculty, administration, and the Dean or Associate Dean to arrive at a resolution. The complainant may request additional information, which should be provided within 15 days. If the requested information is not received within the required timeframe, the complaint may be considered abandoned. At all times, TUS will assure continual communication with the student about the process and decisions.
Appeal Process
If the student’s complaint is not resolved to satisfaction, the complainant may file a written appeal within five working days to be reviewed by the CEO of the Taft University System or assigned designee. In the rare instance where a complaint issued is about the CEO or where the CEO was involved in the decision-making process, the complaint will be reviewed by the President of WHTU or assigned designee.
All previously presented information must be included with the appeal, along with any new information or supporting documentation. The decision will be rendered in writing within 30 days of the written appeal and will notify all concerned parties. The appeal decision shall be final.
In all cases, TLS will take follow-up action as necessary based on the review and the decisions rendered. The complainant will be kept informed of progress throughout the grievance process. Records of all formal grievance filings are kept in the grievance file at the school.
Any complainant that does not believe that his or her grievance has been satisfactorily resolved following the process outlined above, may lodge a complaint with WHTU’s home state regulatory body, the Colorado Department on Higher Education, The National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA), the Distance Education Accrediting Commission, and The State of California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education. Information to contact all these agencies is listed below:
Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC)
1601 18th Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20009
Phone: 202-234-5100
DEAC Policy on Complaints:
http://www.deac.org/Student-Center/Complaint-Process.aspx
Colorado Department of Higher Education
1600 Broadway, Suite 2200, Denver, CO 80202
Phone 303-862-3001
Fax 303-996-1329
Colorado Department of Higher Education Policy on Complaints:
https://highered.colorado.gov/filing-student-complaint
NC SARA
3005 Center Green Drive, Suite 130, Boulder, CO 80301
Phone 720-680-1600
https://www.nc-sara.org/student-complaints
For California Students Only:
Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education
Department of Consumer Affairs PO Box 980818
West Sacramento, CA 95798-0818
https://www.bppe.ca.gov/enforcement/complaint.shtml
Success and Satisfaction Indicators
Course Design and Materials
| Strongly Agree | Agree | No Opinion/Neutral | Disagree | Strongly Disagree | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Textbook(s) used in the course was appropriate and contributed to my understanding of the subject. | 51% | 40% | 4% | 3% | 2% |
| The course appears to have been carefully planned. | 48% | 42% | 6% | 3% | 1% |
| Expected student learning outcomes have been expressed clearly in the syllabus. | 55% | 42% | 3% | 0% | 0% |
| In my case, the stated student learning outcomes have been achieved. | 55% | 41% | 3% | 1% | 0% |
| The assignments are clear and cover material or skills emphasized in the course. | 53% | 39% | 4% | 3% | 1% |
| Many of the materials presented in the readings and the assignments were new to me. | 39% | 39% | 14% | 6% | 2% |
| This course provided me with an effective range of challenges. | 48% | 43% | 6% | 2% | 1% |
| The methods being used for evaluating my work (submitted assignments) are reasonable. | 53% | 39% | 4% | 2% | 2% |
Faculty
| Strongly Agree | Agree | No Opinion/Neutral | Disagree | Strongly Disagree | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| My faculty advisor seems to be knowledgeable of the subject matter and was prepared to answer my questions. | 61% | 32% | 5% | 2% | 0% |
| My faculty advisor responded to my communications and discussion posts within a reasonable period of time. | 67% | 27% | 4% | 1% | 1% |
| My faculty advisor graded my lesson assignments within a reasonable period of time. | 73% | 25% | 1% | 1% | 0% |
| My faculty advisor's comments and feedback on my lesson assignments were clear and appropriate. | 63% | 29% | 5% | 2% | 1% |
| Overall, I would rate this faculty advisor as excellent. | 62% | 29% | 5% | 2% | 2% |
Student Services
| Strongly Agree | Agree | No Opinion/Neutral | Disagree | Strongly Disagree | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I received the course materials in a timely manner. | 68% | 31% | 1% | 0% | 0% |
| Financial transactions (credit card charges, deposit of postdated checks) were handled by the School in a proper manner. | 62% | 34% | 3% | 0% | 1% |
| My contacts with administrative personnel have been positive. | 68% | 29% | 3% | 0% | 0% |
| I found the School’s website communication alternatives to be useful. (E-mail, Live Chat, Discussion Forums.) | 48% | 31% | 17% | 3% | 1% |
| The Student Handbook provides me with a clear understanding of School policies, systems, and procedures. | 53% | 38% | 7% | 1% | 1% |
Personal Efforts
| Strongly Agree | Agree | No Opinion/Neutral | Disagree | Strongly Disagree | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I have put much effort into this course. | 63% | 34% | 2% | 1% | 0% |
| I communicated with other students about some course topics. | 13% | 14% | 37% | 17% | 19% |
| I generally followed the recommended study schedule. | 32% | 44% | 17% | 6% | 1% |
| I am satisfied with my accomplishments in this course. | 58% | 38% | 2% | 1% | 1% |
Overall Impression of the Course
| Strongly Agree | Agree | No Opinion/Neutral | Disagree | Strongly Disagree | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| This course has provided me with an effective range of challenges. | 53% | 42% | 3% | 2% | 0% |
| The course has contributed significantly to my professional growth. | 47% | 42% | 8% | 3% | 0% |
| The distance learning methods utilized by the school are effective for me. | 61% | 36% | 2% | 1% | 0% |
Overall Satisfaction
| Yes | No | |
|---|---|---|
| Did you achieve the goals you had when you started the course? | 97% | 3% |
| Would you recommend these studies to a friend? | 96% | 4% |
| All things considered, were you satisfied with your studies with us? | 99% | 1% |
| Received a job promotion or salary increase: | 60% | 40% |
| Gained salary increase as a result: | 70% | 30% |
| Gained a new job as a result: | 50% | 50% |
| Pass rate in ________ exams: | N/A | N/A |
| Acceptance at other schools/universities: | N/A | N/A |
| Pass rates on exams (GRE, SAT, LSAT, etc): | N/A | N/A |
In addition to the information set forth above, The Taft University System publishes a Consumer Information Guide which contains additional useful information for prospective students of Taft Law School and William Howard Taft University including information on privacy policies, financial aid programs, student rights and responsibilities, satisfactory academic progress policies, cost of attendance, pass rates on licensing examinations and refund policies. Prospective students are strongly encouraged to carefully review this Guide prior to submitting an application for admission to any program.
Campus Security Report
Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act: Access important information on campus safety, crime statistics, and security measures to ensure a secure environment for our community. Stay informed and stay safe!