World Association of Universities and Colleges
The World Association of Universities and Colleges (WAUC) is an institutional educational accreditation body not recognized by the United States Department of Education. It is run by Maxine Asher, director of the American World University, an unaccredited school. WAUC's website claims that "laws in the U.S.A. prohibit the recognition of global accreditation associations". History. According to Maxine Asher's American World University, World Association of Universities and Colleges was started in 1992. In March 2001, WAUC was reported to be using an executive suite in Henderson, Nevada as its address. In 2004, Asher  was forced to close down the World University of Iowa, a Hawaii-based institution similar to American World University and accredited by World Association of Universities and Colleges. As part of a summary judgement, she was ordered to cease operations, refund tuition money to all students, and pay $240,000 in damages. The action came as part of a statewide crackdown on unaccredited schools, as many had relocated there after 1999 in an effort to evade regulation in the mainland United States. During court proceedings, Asher refused to provide school documentation such as a list of students. In June 2007 , the organization's website listed an address in Beverly Hills, California and WAUC listed 57 accredited schools and 28 nonaccredited "members only" schools. In 2010, it offered accreditation for limited time offer at $500. As of September 2011, WAUC's website was offline. In 2012, the World Association of Universities and Colleges claims "a membership of forty universities, with dozens of other worthy institutions in the process of application.". Schools listed as "accredited" by WAUC. As of 2008, WAUC listed the following as accredited members: