Wyoming law; Hamilton suspends degree-granting

galanga · Jul 29, 2004

Sorry if this has appeared elsewhere-- I couldn't find it when I searched.

New law targets diploma mills, Joan Barron, Casper, Wyoming Star-Tribune, July 28, 2004.

CHEYENNE -- The e-mail ad makes it sound so easy.

"Obtain diploma, degree, masters. No tests, study, course work or interviews required. Discrete and affordable. Everyone eligible."

So reads a bona fide e-mail ad from a bona fide diploma mill.

These operations will have a harder time escaping regulation in Wyoming as the result of a new law that went into effect July 1.

It limits the post-secondary degree-granting authority of non-accredited institutions that have a religious exemption from the state Department of Education.

To keep that exemption, the schools must offer only degrees in their religious or theological subject area and can no longer grant secular degrees, like in history or computer science.

The schools also must submit each year to the Department of Education proof they are a nonprofit religious organization for the purpose of federal taxes.

Sen. Hank Coe, R-Cody, who cosponsored the bill in last winter's legislative session, said at the time that it was prompted by questions raised over Hamilton University, headquartered in Evanston and affiliated with the Faith in the Order of Nature Fellowship Church, also in Evanston.

Hamilton has been operating under a religious exemption from the state Department of Education.

The Hamilton University officials have suspended the degree granting operations until they decide how to proceed under the new state law, the school's attorney, Tim Kingston of Cheyenne, said Tuesday.

Last year the General Accounting Office (GAO) investigated the educational credentials of a Hamilton University graduate and senior career employee in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The employee, Paula L. Callahan, who was placed on administrative leave pending the agency probe, received her bachelor's, master's and doctorate degrees in computer information systems from Hamilton...

Hamilton was one of eight schools with religious exemptions on the original list forwarded to Attorney General Pat Crank, who will enforce the new law.

Two of the eight were off the list as of Tuesday, said Deborah Hinckley, director of communications for the state Department of Education.

The Kingdom College of Natural Health moved elsewhere. St. Katharine's Institute is no longer active, she said.

The remaining religious exempt schools on the department's list include Albin Baptist Church; Arizona A&M; Bridgefield University, headquartered in Las Vegas, Nev.; Global Church of God, headquartered in Derby, United Kingdom; Hamilton University in Evanston; and Healing Light Ministries...
Click to expand...

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galanga · Jul 29, 2004

There's a Wyoming-Hoyer connection too.

Oh by the way... the Kingdom College of Natural Health is, according to the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, linked to Richard J. Hoyer.

KCNH informs us "These degrees are granted from our branch in St. Petersburg, Russia. They are fully accredited by the State Committee for Higher Professional Education of Russia."

That's where American Coastline says its own headquarters lives, although email from its president comes from the same Rochester, NY internet service provider as is used by Mr. Hoyer.

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