Civility 101: Farewell, but not Goodbye

There has been much speculation in another thread as to why I dropped my web sites and what the status of the MIGS lawsuit is. Here are the answers, straight from the horse's mouth . . .

Lately, as you all know, the a.e.d. newsgroup has gone down the tubes, and I am quite comfortable with the notion of saying that the newsgroup is dead. Moreover, there have been a few personality conflicts bordering on flamefests here on degreeinfo.com, which I find troublesome since I happen to like all of you. Well, most of you. Okay, some of you. Anyway, it's time for a change.

So I've decided to start by declaring declaring me to be a flame-free zone, and I hope that this forum will follow. And the first step I decided to take was to drop both of my web sites.

This included the MIGS site, not because I did not find it funny (I did) or because MIGS applied any pressure. They did not; in fact, I had not heard from MIGS for over two months. I simply had said everything I had to say about MIGS, felt that the site was not contributing anything positive to the field of distance education, and decided to take it down on a unilateral basis. Indeed, I informed MIGS that they should not give themselves credit for its removal, and that the removal was my decision alone, for unrelated reasons. I noted that if they did anything further with the case, the site would go back up and I would pursue the case to the max; they apparently felt comfortable enough with the notion that I would not pursue it absent further action on their part, and they notified me that they will drop the case. As Gus Sainz correctly commented, there was no quid pro quo, nor were there any preliminary discussions leading to either action. And that's where it stands - I'll leave them alone because I choose to do so, and they will drop the case because they choose to do so. No big whoop.

The other thing to go was almost everything on my site. I had already dropped the full text of Name It & Frame It a month or so ago because I felt that the book was sufficiently out of date that it was no longer an accurate resource. I have not updated it since the 4th edition was published in print form (which was in 1995), and I have no interest in updating it now. Moreover, Jason Baker's book has been released, and I find it a valuable resource that has more current information on the good programs that are available today.

I had also previously removed from my personal site the academic documents that were there for a few years, including my C.V., Ph.D. dissertation and M.A. thesis, transcripts, study plans, and other program-related documents. I took these down because, let's face it, there are far more psychos on the Internet today than there were in previous years and I felt that I was exposing myself more than a white-trash slut on the Springer show. (The 'net is the greatest boon to research today, but it has become a bane to privacy, and it's time to balance the First Amendment factor with the privacy factor.) Additionally, I've been plagiarized a few times in the past, and believe that students should do their own work for their own degrees.

There are only three items that will remain on my personal site, and they will not appear on any index page. The first, as Mark Sykes noted, are the pages on how to do a portfolio for Thomas Edison State College. Why? Because they are useful, and they do make a positive contribution to the field.

Second, the NIFI criteria will remain, although they will be edited and updated shortly. The reason I am leaving them there is that they are listed as a resource by the U.S. Department of Education and on other forums, and they provide a good generic reference on how to identify degree mills. Finally, Distance Education: The *Unofficial* FAQ, although currently down, will be updated and reposted to remove specific institutional references (simply because they are way out of date - Monticello, LaSalle, etc.) and any recommendations of a.e.d., which is dead. The "UnFAQ" is also listed on several other sites, so the updated version will continue to be available.

As for me, kiddies, I declare a new era of civility. If I can't say something that will help someone, I won't bother saying anything at all. For better or worse, there will still be jerks and degree mill apologists out there (and you know who you are, dahlings), just as there will continue to be a proliferation of degree mills. While I have been willing to take the hot seat over the years in order to foster integrity in distance education, I don't get anything out of this except for occasional jollies, and at this point, I deserve a vacation. Moreover, when the rubber meets the road, I am cognizant of the fact that when I earned my degrees, I did not have anyone like me to tap into for information. I had to do my own research (and I did), make my own visits to the schools I was considering (and I did that as well), and deal with either the consequences and benefits of my own decisions. It wouldn't hurt for others to do that as well.

As for the flamefest, been there, done that, can't be bothered. I'm reminded of the late apologist Francis Schaeffer, a brilliant guy who did quite well on the hot seat - in his later years, he refused to participate in debates because, quite simply, he felt that it was uncharitable. And while flaming can be fun - and it can be fun - it doesn't accomplish anything positive. Lets face it, flaming some people is almost too easy, but other than giving us a laugh or a few jollies, it doesn't help anyone. At the very least, it has killed a newsgroup that was, at one time, very valuable. Like I said, it's time for a change. It's time for some civility - because in the end run, wisdom is more powerful than balls.

 

This just in. The spinning numbers on the Inernational Entropy Clock in Geneva actually slowed down a bit today.

Thank you, Steve.

John

 

And I also thank you, Steve, and everyone else who is willing to be just a little more civil. Life is far too short to get into fights over the little things.


Tom Nixon

 

Bravo Steve!!!

Your research in distance learning has been a valuable resource for many people seeking degrees via this method. I bought a copy of NIFI in 1993, after seeing it advertised in a religious publication, and this became one of the factors which led to my own interest in DL.

Thank you for your contribution to DL, and for your comments on civility.

Russell

 

Let me second Dr. Morris' statements. You and Dr. Bear are responsible for much of my inital education about DE. Since the religious degree area is one of my main interests, Walston's guide and yours provided much insight (and humor) into religious schools. I especially have appreciated the unique articles about counseling mills. I also enjoyed your humor and at times "in your face" attitude about diploma mills. You would not let people excuse them.

Glad you are sticking around. This is beginning to sound like a eulogy, sniff, sniff.

DE still neeeds good consumer advocates such as yourself that will turn over the rocks on some of the sleazy operators.

I hope to enjoy the new "kinder and gentler" Steve Levicoff. Papa Bush would be proud.

North

 

Thank you for the thoughts and information. Civilty 101 was a very interesting class although I'm glad I took it pass/fail because it was a bit tough for me.

 

Steve, my hat is off to you! Again, if it had not been for your advice and counseling years ago, I would still be up the creek. Instead, I'm sitting here with a RA Ph.D. Thanks and keep fighting the good fight! You are da man!

Barry Foster

 

Steve, I have appreciated your presence on this forum and on AED over the years. I believe that I read every post you made - just to see you prick someone's ego.

I lurked on AED for several years before I selected the Baker College online MBA program. My sincere thanks to you and John Bear (yes, I bought his book) for providing so much information on the good, bad, and ugly in online programs. Because of the excellent posts on AED (before that forum went down the tubes), you and John Bear caused me to research many DL programs before I selected Baker.

Thanks again. I suspect we will see your presence on this forum when the occasion warrants. In the meantime - keep on truckin'

Bill Hurd

 

I turned on CNN this morning and it was all excited theologians. It seems that a space probe sent out by scientists at Bob Jones University has verified that hell has indeed frozen over!

Sorry, Steve. Couldn't resist it...

Seriously, I hope that doesn't mean that you are taking off. I truly enjoy your posts. Not only are they factually enlightening, but they are... colorful. Fun to read. I love'um.

I just hope that the new kinder-and-gentler Steve keeps posting regularly and doesn't lose too much of his rhetorical flourish. Just because you have stopped flaming people doesn't mean you have to go all good on us.