Kennedy Western University ???

Discussion in 'Accreditation Discussions (RA, DETC, state approva' started by Veteran101, Jun 14, 2003.

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  1. Veteran101

    Veteran101 New Member

    http://www.search4education.com/?affiliateid=358

    The above link is just one of many examples I have found where Kennedy Western is popping up on university listing sites which focus on RA and DETC accreditation.

    I think it is quite interesting and also a concern on how they slide in under the radar.

    Im I missing anything?

    :confused:
     
  2. fnhayes

    fnhayes New Member

    In the eyes of all but a few DegreeInfo members Kennedy Western is a perfectly creditable university.
    Kennedy Western provides a sound mix of 'credit for prior learning' - including previous exams, previous courses taken,
    relevant experience, age, etc - with examinations.
    It is the 'credit for prior learning' that some members have difficulty with, and I would suggest they enrol with K-W and find out what it is all about.
    As I've mentioned in previous posts, 'credit for prior learning' has
    been standard practise with just about all learned societies in the UK for the past hundred years - IMechE. ICivilE, IEEE, Chartered
    Accountants, IED, etc., etc.
    I know that in most instances if I had to choose between a K-W degree holder and a snotty nosed juvenile straight from a traditional university I'd pick the K-W person - regardless of what the totally subjective people in Oregon have to say!:)
     
  3. tcnixon

    tcnixon Active Member


    Why, what a fine idea! I'm going to go to their website right now and sign up.

    Wait a minute! I live in California where they actually operate from and I can't enroll? Surely that is a mistake.:rolleyes:

    As to your suggestion above, I hope that this is not an example of the critical thinking skills required of Kennedy-Western students. Folks think it is a degree mill, so they should sign up and find out for sure (either way)? Uhhh...do you get a commission on these sales?



    Tom Nixon
     
  4. Gary Rients

    Gary Rients New Member

    Do you honestly believe this? If so, I'd really like to know how you reached such a conclusion, and why you are confident enough to post it as a matter of fact. It seems more a statement of presumption and/or desire than one of fact.
     
  5. John Bear

    John Bear Senior Member

    FNHayes: "In the eyes of all but a few DegreeInfo members Kennedy Western is a perfectly creditable university.

    John Bear: A few DegreeInfo members . . . and 99.9% of collegiate registrars and admissions officers in the U.S., based on actual survey.
     
  6. fnhayes

    fnhayes New Member

    Hi Dr Bear,
    Can you possibly provide details on what questions were actually asked in the survey on K-W presented to admin officers, etc., at 'traditional/accredited' institutions?
    And before any more members begin to insult my integrity and knowledge in this DL business they should bear in mind that for 24 years I worked 'on campus' at NZ's largest DL institution, with many of the highest qualified people in the country. But, just like another posting that has just appeared, I found that those with the highest qualifications, whilst having a very specialised knowledge in their field, invariably had a very narrow understanding of many of the important things in life, particularly where their students' were concerned.
    I am still employed in the DL business as an adjunct tutor, which brings my total experience in the field to 36 years!
    I have also successfully completed numerous DL courses, with the
    first being a BIET Mech Eng Diploma course way back in the UK in
    1961/62.
    On top of this I've had a long involvement in senior business management (with some success) and members can therefore assume that my comments about K-W are based on the understanding that K-W is a very successful business offering an increasingly popular method by which many people can earn a degree.
    But to my mind DegreeInfo members really spend far too much
    bickering about unaccredited/accredited/degree mills, instead of putting real effort into - methods of delivering DL education, teaching by DL, teaching via the internet, teaching by correspondence, etc. Remembering that DL by correspondence is still very popular and widely used in many countries.:)
     
  7. John Bear

    John Bear Senior Member

    FNHayes:
    Can you possibly provide details on what questions were actually asked in the survey on K-W presented to admin officers, etc., at 'traditional/accredited' institutions?

    John Bear
    Yes. There was only one question, asked about schools in thirteen categories. I mailed questionnaires (with a cover letter) to a randomly-chosen list of 1,000 members of AACRAO, the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers. 335 completed questionnaires were returned. My report on the detailed findings was accepted for presentation at the national convention of AACRAO in Seattle two years ago. Two long-time professionals in the field of credential evaluation chaired my well-attended session in Seattle: Maxine McCarty of the International Educational Research Foundation, and Jason Vorderstrasse (who posts here occasionally).
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    At my institution, degrees or courses from this category of school would be

    ( ) Always accepted
    ( ) Usually accepted
    ( ) Sometimes accepted
    ( ) Never accepted
    ( ) Don't know; not sure; no policy

    Category 10:
    Unaccredited, but licensed by a state with modest or minimal standards (such as Pacific Western University/Hawaii, Chadwick University/Alabama, Kennedy-Western University/Wyoming, American World University/Iowa)
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    FNHayes: But to my mind DegreeInfo members really spend far too much
    bickering about unaccredited/accredited/degree mills, instead of putting real effort into - methods of delivering DL education, teaching by DL, teaching via the internet, teaching by correspondence, etc.

    John: If you would like to get involved in splendid discussions on these matters, you'd be well advised to go to AEDnet (Adult Education Network), or DEOS, the Distance Education Online Service. I'm sure your insights will be welcome, and the odds are high that no one will make fun of your degree.

    FNHayes: for 24 years I worked 'on campus' at NZ's largest DL institution, with many of the highest qualified people in the country.

    John: Massey, I assume? Did you know my friend David Stenhouse?
     
  8. Veteran101

    Veteran101 New Member

    ??

    In the eyes of all but a few DegreeInfo members Kennedy Western is a perfectly creditable university.


    OK but a question and a scenerio. Maybe someone with more educational experience can help.

    1) KW is advertising on unversity search engines and not accredited.

    2) Is KW listed through the American Council of Education.

    3) Is KW a recognized educational institution by the US Department of Education

    4) Now for my experience. Before I began to research into advancing my education I completed an applicaton to KW.
    At the time I had two college classes under by belt. Both 10+ years ago. I have 18+ years experience in my work field and prior military (thus the Veteran 101) KW reviewed my application. Informed me that I only needed 5 classes @ $5500.00 to complete my BS degree. Wow 5 classes!
    Another individual with an AABA degree from a RA college along with 9 core credits toward a BBA applied and was informed.
    "You only need 5 classes and $5500.00 to complete your BS degree.

    Sorry, but that few a flag for me.

    In closing, thanks to degree.net / the board gang / and most of all Dr. Bear I was able to research more avenues and gain important knowledge on other "valid" institutions. I now have an
    AABA from AIU. 10 classes away from a BBA, then directly into the MBA program. All RA.
    By the time I finish, well, lets say it was more than 5 classes!:eek:
    But my degree is accepted anyplace, anywhere.

    Just some thoughts

    "Support our Troops"
    Veteran Out
     
  9. Jeff Hampton

    Jeff Hampton New Member

    This is complete B.S. There are a few very vocal K-W supporters here, and most of them are K-W "graduates."
     
  10. working1

    working1 New Member

    Dr Bear, When listing PWU, KW, Chadwick & AWU, I hope you are not saying that these schools are equivalent. Isn't AWU accredited by WAUC? Is AWU really licensed by Iowa? However, AWU's website says to applicants to mail their checks to Mississippi.
    Chadwick & PWU seem to require students to complete much more work than AWU requires.
    I know of 2 excellent professors, one who teaches at PWU and the other one is a graduate of PWU with a PhD. The 2nd professor teaches at an RA college.
     
  11. c.novick

    c.novick New Member

    I apologize -- Real quick question - What does AWU stand for?
    Thanks - sorry I am learning as I go...
     
  12. MarkIsrael@aol.com

    [email protected] New Member

    The answer is in Dr Bear's message above: American World University, Iowa.
     
  13. fnhayes

    fnhayes New Member

    Hi John Bear,
    I've never been concerned about what people think about my
    academic qualifications, or about me personally. I've always attempted to be constructive in my comments and I can see that these DegreeInfo discussions would be far more useful without the incessant bickering, which always seems to emanate from those members who were educated at 'traditional' universities, and who have an increasingly negative influence on discussions.
    As I've commented previously, the most important thing about my
    non-traditional degree is that it was the key to my book on the NZ Brown Teal and I'm sure some members may be interested to read some of the comments received to date:
    COMMENTS ON THE BT MANUAL
    Professor Emeritus Milton Weller (USA) - It is most impressive and
    comprehensive and I sincerely hope that it does the job
    Professor Emeritus Janet Kear (UK) - Congratulations on a really first class publication
    Dr Baz Hughes, Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (UK) - The brown teal manual is wonderful
    Dr T.Davis ‘Wildfowl & Wetlands’ Editor (UK) - Looks great
    Dr John Innes (Audit team member NZ) – Your independent comments and actions re Pateke have always been important in highlighting the plight of the species
    Dr Richard Jakob-Hoff (Chief Veterinary Surgeon Auckland Zoo) – Congratulations on putting this valuable information into print
    Uncle Janko (of DegreeInfo fame) - I spent quite some time reading your manual, cover to cover. What an impressive piece of work
    A chappy name John Bear also made constructive comments on the manual.
    My book is already proving itself to be a winner in the 'save the brown teal' programme, and unlike the bulk of university PhD dissertations it is not languishing in a university library gathering dust, never to see the light of day.
    I'm sure that there are many other highly regarded publications that have stemmed from non-traditional university work.:)
     
  14. Bruce

    Bruce Moderator

    That's all well & good, but that has nothing to do with the credibility of Kennedy-Western. Some people who were duped by Columbia State did substantial work, yet they ended up with the same worthless piece of paper as the ones who did a book report and mailed in the check. Earon Kavanaugh (who posts here infrequently) did a whole boatload of work for his degree from Columbia Pacific, yet they still were shut down by California authorities for being sub-standard.

    The issue at hand is the credibility of the institution itself, not the work of the students.


    Bruce
     
  15. fnhayes

    fnhayes New Member

    Okay Bruce,
    But the point I'm trying to get across is that many publications produced via 'non-traditional' methods are often of greater importance/value than material produced via 'traditional' methods. And that the name/ranking of the institution that facilitated the good stuff is mostly irrelevant to most people.
    I do know that many K-W students have produced quality
    work, and as I've said before, K-W provides an excellent avenue for 'mature/experienced' people to obtain a degree. An inspection of the K-W list of companies that recognise a K-W degree also
    confirms the value of K-W, irrespective of what some 'traditional'
    admin officers think of K-W.
    I'm also following the very subjective K-W poll with interest. I'm sure the instigator of this believed that K-W had no support at all.
    Anyhow, brown teal are breeding in our backyard and its another great day in the Deep South.:)
     
  16. me again

    me again Well-Known Member

    Question

    K-W is in California, right?

    I'm trying to ascertain the utility of a K-W degree:
    • Will UCLA's graduate school accept a bachelors degree from K-W? :confused:
     
  17. Chip

    Chip Administrator

    I'm surprised that no one has caught onto the "red herring" here: The notion that DegreeInfo regulars have problems with credit for life experience.

    Nothing could be further from the truth.

    Read our articles... we have several in-depth ones dealing with portfolio crecit, CLEP and DANTES/DTTS exams, and other ways of turning knowledge and experience into credit.

    We have quite a few alumni of Charter Oak, Thomas Edison, and Excelsior, three excellent schools that will grant an entire degree based on prior learning.

    The difference is key: The legitimate, accredited schools require significant documentation of knowledge; the individual either takes an exam, prepares a portfolio, or is otherwise evaluated by a professor with experience and knowledge in the subject area.

    The unaccredited schools generally have little or no actual verification (other than, perhaps, a resume and maybe a paragraph or two about the areas of knowledge) of prior learning.

    And K-W won't reveal what involved in it's criteria or process for granting credit for prior learning, so we can assume that it is not on par with what a legitimate, regionally accredited school would do. If it were, they'd have no reason to be mysterious and obtuse about it.

    One other thing: The reason why K-W is appearing next to a bunch of accredited schools is because it is currently represented by a large Internet marketing firm that also represents said schools. One of the items on my list-o-things-to-do is to notify said company about K-W and the unflattering things that respectable institutions, such as the Chronicle of Higher Education, have had to say... perhaps if they do a little digging, they'll figure out that they shouldn't be representing K-W and will dump them.
     
  18. Jeff Hampton

    Jeff Hampton New Member

    There certainly may be a few quality publications that are produced by students at unacreddited universities. However, I would wager that all of the unacreddited schools in the U.S. (and their eqivalent throughout the world) combined do not come close to producing publications that rival the importance/value of those produced by Harvard...or University of Michigan...or ANY ONE research university in the U.S.

    And while some will try to claim that there is a bias in the system and that people in the academic establishment will not give a fair reading to a publication from an unacreddited school, fnhayes has clearly demonstrated that this is not the case. Of the many quotes he posted about his work, not one was negative. People are willing to give credit for the work, even if they do not respect the school. It's just that there are so few cases in which the work actually merits that.

    Jeff
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 17, 2003
  19. Bruce

    Bruce Moderator

    Very cute, using "traditional" vs. "non-traditional". A much more accurate comparison to this thread would be "accredited" vs. "unaccredited". Using those terms, I think the scales tip impossibly in favor of accredited schools, which Kennedy-Western is not.

    I'm sure that some K-W graduates have done quality work. The point is that I bet they didn't have to. As to K-W being an "excellent avenue", I wholeheartedly disagree. You may end up with a degree (piece of paper), but what is it really worth?

    It confirms nothing other than HR people don't know squat about accreditation or how to check out a school. It would be interesting to contact the listed companies, explain K-W's unaccredited status and history of state-shopping for the most lenient regulations, and then see if they would accept and/or pay for a K-W degree.


    Bruce
     
  20. Mike Albrecht

    Mike Albrecht New Member

    This whole form is about "non-traditional" education. I am currently enroled in a "non-traditional" (i.e. DL) PhD program. Several of the other regulars are very much into "non-Traditional" programs, even more "non-traditional" than they one mine.

    The point is not "traditional" vs. "non-traditional" but rather providing the information to let others truly evaluate the options instead of the "Caveat emptor" policy of some of the "less-wonderfull" schools.

    And yes some excellent work has been done by those who have a degree from an unaccredited program. You can also say that some excellent work has been done by those with out any formal education.

    This still does not make the "caveat emptor" approach good for all.
     

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