Hamilton University: another time bomb explodes

In a just-concluded case in Michigan, an employee with a degree from Hamilton U (a fake school that nonetheless operates legally under Wyoming's miserable law) went to arbitration when his employer refused to accept that degree for a job requiring a degree.

The arbitrator ruled, in part:

"The employer's determination that (employee) did not obtain a "college degree" and thus failed to fulfill a term of his hiring
agreement is based on entirely convincing evidence. ...The so called degree he had allegedly earned on or about January 5, 2000 is, simply stated, a hoax"

Further, the arbitrator concluded that Hamilton University had simply fabricated the employees transcript "The conclusion that follows from this record is that Hamilton fabricated a transcript to comport with the "Degree of Bachelor of Science" it awarded to (the employee) and (the employee) was a willing partner. (The employee's) course of conduct in pursuing his so-called degree from Hamilton demostrates an intent to deceive the Employer into accepting a degree he knew to be without merit or validity.

Given the under-handedness of (the employee's) conduct in this regard... I find no basis to modify the termination in order to permit (the employee) added time to obtain
the degree."

I am pleased that Bears' Guide was entered in evidence in the case by the employer.

John Bear www.degree.net

 

Delightful news!

I love it when someone with some legal authority (and, presumably, immunity from being sued) doesn't mince words and gives a wonderful quote that can be used for any future inquiries

 

Here, Here!!

Always good to read and finding that the users of fake degrees get their due.

John

 

Hi,

This is good news if an out-and-out fraudulent operation has been exposed and hopefully shut down.

However, I don't see any mention of Hamilton U. on the Wyoming state licensing FAQs links http://www.k12.wy.us/higher_ed/faq.html or http://www.k12.wy.us/higher_ed/

Also, perhaps John might like to share with us what he finds so miserable about the Wyoming law details contained on http://www.k12.wy.us/higher_ed/criteria.html and related pages .... ???

Cheers,

Neil

 

You might want to check those links a little more closely.
http://www.k12.wy.us/higher_ed/faq.html specifically mentions Hamilton -- see http://www.k12.wy.us/higher_ed/faq.html#exempt

The web page at http://www.k12.wy.us/higher_ed/hamilton.html
states that Hamilton is not licensed "due to a religious exemption claim" and provides links to both Hamilton and to the FION Fellowship Church (which has the same physical address as Hamilton).

The Wyoming laws do mention quite a bit of information which must be provided by those applying for licensure -- but nothing about how (or whether) this information will be evaluated before licensure is granted.

------------------
Kristin Evenson Hirst
DistanceLearn.About.com

 

I believe Hamilton University was formerly known as American State University which operated from Honolulu. American State was affiliated with HERI (Higher Education Research Institute) and FION (Faith in the Order of Nature) and its principal was Rudy G. Marn. Shortly after American State left Hawaii in late 1998 or 1999, Hamilton appeared and its website seemed very similar to American State's.

 

One of Neil Hynd's questions was admirably answered by Kristin. The other:

Also, perhaps John might like to share with us what he finds so miserable about the Wyoming law...???

With pleasure. Some states exempt religious schools from licensing or close scrutiny as long as they give only purly religious degrees (Doctor of Divinity, etc.).

Wyoming is, I think, the only state that not only exempts religious schools, but permits them to give degrees in all subjects. So a Hamilton Ph.D. in nuclear physics or an MBA or a Bachelor's in Psychology (etc.) are not illegal under Wyoming law, because they are deemed to be religious degrees.

The fact that the Wyoming official website finds it necessary to apologize (my interpretation) for Hamilton (the only school mentioned by name) suggests that they get more than a few inquiries.

John Bear

 

I think it should be "Hear, Hear"

Or as Kenneth Horne on the famous "Round The Horne" radio show once said "There, there ... and perhaps there !"

 

Ah,

So Hamilton U. appears against the "religious exemption" in Wyoming so isn't actually "state licensed" at all.

Thanks for finding that, Kristin - it wasn't exactly clear from John's initial posting ...... in fact it wasn't mentioned at all .....

I wonder, John, was there any reference to the religious nature of the origin in the Michigan proceedings ?

Does this case mean that the US constitutional right (as I probably misunderstand it) to be a "university" exempt on religious grounds according to the rules of each state in turn now equates to fake qualifications ?

Sounds to me as though this is more of a US constitutional issue - which maybe Vice President Dick Cheney of Wyoming might be in a good position to do something about ....

The ability of the American states to make their own laws continues to interest me - but then they're capable of doing that, aren't they, as part of a federation - and something to do with the price of democracy ?

Of course, apart from being able to execute people for capital offences (but apparently not according to some people be competent to award educational qualifications), American states can issue their own "Scottish" tartan.

Apparently, Arkansas (home of "Spread Eagle" soon to become Mayor of New York ?) is about to follow in the footsteps of Connecticut, Georgia, Maine and New Hampshire and develop its own tartan brogue in evidence of Scots ancestries.

Which is all rather amusing to me with my Scottish forbears.

Plus I also read that the majority of signers of the US Declaration of Independence were Scots .... who of course have also kept their own ability and authority to award (unquestioned ?) educational qualifications - so you might say it's all rather appropriate !!!!

Regards,

Neil Hynd

 

You know...

I could use this state's laws to my advantage. I also have certain religious beliefs etc. I'd like to do a legitimate Master's level based upon my Master's studies and I'm planning to do it as a certificate course because NJ state law limits you severely.
In NJ, to teach a Masters level course you need a terminal degree, (Doctorate) in the discipline you're teaching. Now I don't need a PHd in Economics to teach it on the level I learned it at BU.
In fact, I had a 3.73 CUM at BU and at Long Island U, as a finance major I had a 3.94 CUM and was taking 6 courses a semester.
Maybe I could put Hamilton out of business with a legit operation. I'm currently taping a course on Mathematical Methods for Business. It comprises a review of algebra, intro to linear math and intro to calculus (enough to learn Managerial Economics and Finance with Calculus for Business and Social Science level calculus.)
I corresponed with Dr. Bear about what I wanted to do before. But I'm not interested in just handing out diplomas. I want educated business people.

 

What I can't understand is...

I can understand that a religious organization is exempt for reporting to the state for religious education, but since when is a church a legitimate body for educating physics majors unless they have a knowledge of the subject matter. Obviously, the state laws need amendment.

 

Re: You know...

It takes more than one dedicated person to make a business school.

No legitimate entity will put the Hamiltons out of business; education is not a cash cow unless you *are* just handing out diplomas.

 

I respectfully disagree with most of the postings in this thread. After browsing the Hamilton University website I saw nothing that was misleading. It explicitly stated that if you were looking for a degree to fulfill some certification/degree requisite that they should be contacted to make sure that HU's degrees fulfill the requirements. Nothing wrong there...it is even being proactive FOR the consumer. Yes they are religous because religion does not necesarilly have anything to do with god. For instance, communism is actually a religion. As for a religious institution granting non-religious degrees, religious institutions were the very first universities (reference Adam Smith's the Wealth of Nations) and means of passing on knowledge. And yes, they were private institutions. As for granting degrees, etc with varying amounts of course work, who is it that decides what is enough? obviously CLEP has changed the original thinking of that to a large extent. For instance, Karl Marx (hero of many but not mine by a long shot) received his PhD simply by submitting his dissertation to to a university without attending. One must also give thought to WHY these "degree mills" exist. Are the degree mills underhanded? No, the people who present degrees from the "degree mills" are underhanded and only underhanded if they try to hide the fact that it is not what is expected as a prerequisite. And if it is not then the responsibility falls upon those employeeing the person with the "degree mill" degree. Inflexible requirements for BAs, MAs, PhDs are what bring about degree mills. For instance, if Adam Smith (the father of modern economics) were to try to try to teach econ at a university requiring him to have a PhD in econ then he would not be able to teach since at that time there was no such degree available until decades after his book (1776). My intent is never to insult or to anger but to give an opposing laissez-faire view.

my $0.02 (gold standard, course..little econ humor)

 

The question is...

The question is, just how good a dissertation do you have to write. Would it hold up at a good schoo.?
The disciplines you mentioned, economics and politics have changed and evolved since Karl Marx and Adam Smith. They'd have to be up on the newest theories and mathematical methods today. The world is a much more complex place now.

 

I too am a student of economics and politics but from a vastly differing view than the one espoused. Politics has not changed one bit in thousands of years. The only difference is in how the same theories are applied and the means in which they are applied. As for economics, mathematical economics is not true economics it is a branch of applied mathematics. This last statement of course will most likely differ with most who have also studied economics unless you are from the Austrian School, or even to limited extent the Chicago School. I would suggest to all interested in politics and economics to read any of the following books on economics Human Action by Ludwig von Mises, Man, State, and Economy by Murray Rothbard, Principles of Economics by Carl Menger, The Constitution of Liberty by F.A. Hayek, Economics in One Lesson by Henry Hazlitt, Capitalism and Freedom by Milton Friedman, or send me a message for an expanded list. Most of these books will answer most questions about the gov't, the economy, and economics from the point of liberty NOT a stasis point of view.