Allegations of irregularities an an RA school (that will not be named here)

Don't you hate it when a gossip columnist uses anonymous teaser items: "Which big-name blonde movie star is carrying on a torrid affair with three midgets and an Old English sheepdog?" Ah, well. Here goes . . .

At the AACRAO registrars convention this week, on separate occasions, two people came up to me to ask advice on being a whistleblower. Each had resigned a position with a regionally accredited distance learning institution, because of what they explained were major irregularities that they could not live with, including such things as having a secret arrangement with an unaccredited school, in which people would do the work at the unaccredited school, but get their degree from the RA one.

Turned out both were referring to the same school. The one who had resigned first didn't know the other one had later resigned as well.

One of the two reported trying to interest the accreditor, without success.

What should I do about these allegations? All I could think of was to suggest they work in tandem, and make contact with the accreditor in some formal way -- and if they don't feel the response is appropriate, then possibly go to the agency within the Dept. of Ed. that regulates accreditors.

 

Well, since most of us here have or will be obtaining a distance learning degree it would be nice if this didn't become some sort of a news story. Negative press will always hurt distance learners.

I hope it's not UMASS or Excelsior since I'm choosing between the two.

 

IMO, you can't and shouldn't take the lead with what are but allegations so, for the time being, you've done what you can do.

What you might do is solicit experiences of these things occurring in the DL world.

 

I second that. Please tell me its NOT Excelsior!!

 

I think your advice was correct - take it up to the next rung of the ladder. Don't know if US DEd will do anything but it's worth a try.


Some thoughts off the top of my head (so few gray cells left):

1- A single allegation from one whistleblower might not be enough to get the regional interested, but if two whistleblowers complain, that might be different story. I hope they both resigned under honorabl conditions without any disciplinary actions pending against them - it could cloud their allegations.

2- Do either of them have copies of documents that would prove what they allege e.g., anything to show that credits were transferred from the unaccredited school to the accredited one. Names of some of the students could help where they could trace the flow of credits. Something tangible that could corroborate their stories. It will give the regional something to start with in their investigation.

 

Doh!!!

Naw, it's not Excelsior. But I'll bet I know what school it is.

Think about it:

• Who owns and runs a notoriously unaccredited school and a school that was recently given RA status? There is one man who owns two schools -- one is notoriously unaccredited while the other was recently given RA status (it is a 100% virtual university with no B&M element).
• Who else would secretly allow a student to complete coursework at his unaccredited school, while concurrently giving them credit for completing the coursework at the recently accredited school?
• What recently accredited RA school was accused of using the same curriculum as from its unaccredited sibling-school?

Think people!!! Think!!!

 

Re: Doh!!!

Answer = NCU's owner

 

You beat me to it.

Does one start with a "N" and the other with a "S" ??

IS the "N" one in Arizona ???

Sounds simple......take courses at "S". When "S" becomes DETC transfer to "N" and get a RA degree. Many other schools transfer NA credits so why not, or at least that is the justification.



Do I win a prize?

 

Doh!!!

I choose to refrain from using the "N" word.

 

Funny how the same school jumped to mind after reading Dr. Bear's posting. What a reputation the "N" school has. Once considered it for mba work but changed my mind. Enough.

Now about the big-named blonde movie star............

 

DL School

You guys are no fun to play with. Slow thinkers like me have no chance of winning - you're just too fast.

Just curious, is the other school in Southern California ?

I guess I'll just have to get the latest copy of Hush-Hush Magazine to find out about the Blonde, her little men and the big hairy dog.

 

After reading Dr. Bear's post I too had NCU come to mind immediately. I guess time will tell as we surely do not want to make any unfounded allegations here.

John

 

Doh!!!

You're much quicker than what you give yourself credit for. Bravo.

BTW, what's wrong with owning a degree mill in southern California?

Ouch!!!

 

Hello friends, sorry about my English.

Maybe is a lie. Maybe these persons want to hurt the credibility of the university.

 

Which university is rapidly forging links with schools around the world to offer R/A degrees locally? Which school had a an overseas degree mill announce an affiliation agreement which was quickly denied by the president of the R/A school and the information quickly disappeared from the degree mill's website? Probably just coincidences.

 

Good point. I clearly remember what you are referring to.

 

Interesting responses. Of course it is not Excelsior. But that's the end of fishing expeditions. It surely will be interesting to see if and how it plays out.

 

He said it's not Excelsior but........

 

We need more information.

Why is this a "major irregularity"? It's certainly not unheard of for accredited universities to accept credit from non-accredited universities that they believe are credible. There are even a few RA schools that offer degree programs that are actually taught for them by affiliated non-accredited schools.

Here's a local Bay Area example: Berkeley's Graduate Theological Union offers a masters degree program taught by the Institute of Buddhist Studies, which is CA-approved. GTU lists courses taught by IBS in its own class schedule. (I believe that the GTU-affiliated Patriarch Athenagoras Orthodox Institute is CA-approved as well.)

Another local example is San Francisco's CIIS, which offers a masters in Korean Studies taught by CA-approved IIC (now a WASC candidate in its own right).

I feel kind of odd giving you advice, but my feeling is that you need to be sure that you understand the alleged abuses before you involve yourself.

 

I have no intention of getting involved, Bill. I gave the two people involved the best advice I could think of at the time, and I shall have no further involvement.

John