OT: Andrew University in Berkeley

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by Jonathan Liu, May 13, 2001.

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  1. Jonathan Liu

    Jonathan Liu Member

    Dr. Bear,

    Do you have any information about this
    Andrew University in Berkeley? http://www.andrewuniversity.edu/

    It is not a DL school. Just curious.

    Thanks.

    ------------------
    Jonathan Liu
    http://www.geocities.com/liu_jonathan/distance.html
     
  2. John Bear

    John Bear Senior Member

    Never heard of it before, Jonathan. The picture is tantalizingly familiar. And the address is very near where we live, so we'll do a drive-by this weekend. The message on the answering machine (I cannot place the accent) offers God's blessings, which may tell us something.
     
  3. John Bear

    John Bear Senior Member

    The penny dropped. It is a Korean Christian Church, just behind the post office. They rent rooms to the public -- a friend does tai chi there -- and so they are presumably renting space to this new state-approved but unaccredited school.
     
  4. Guest

    Guest Guest

    I mean no disrespect to the Korean Christian Church, but it is absolutely unbelievable that a school can achieve state approval (yes, in CA), operating from a rented room (if this is indeed the case).

    Can you imagine telling someone in Berkeley where your alma mater is located? "Yep, its behind the post office, in that church bulding, on the second floor, Room 212."

    Cal Coast & SCUPS do have their own building!
     
  5. samc79

    samc79 New Member

    From their website, it is unclear whether Andrew U is owned and run by this particular Korean church, therefore, the Korean church cannot bear the blame(at least until we know for sure, anyway) for renting out the room to Andrew U.

    ------------------
    Sam C
    www.uci.edu
    UCI 2002
    [email protected]
     
  6. Guest

    Guest Guest

    Sam:

    You are correct, and this is not what I intended to imply. My post was regarding a school simply renting a room and becoming CA state approved.

    Russell
     
  7. tcnixon

    tcnixon Active Member

    I would guess one of the problems with this for the approval folks is what is an acceptable amount of space to rent. I'm guessing that most of us would say that just because a school rents its facilities it cannot get state approval. Particularly in large cities, many public and private entities rent buildings. This includes the State of California.

    So, in other words, if one room is not acceptable (and it's hard for me to imagine that you could run a halfway-decent school from one room), is two? Or should it be by square footage? Or what?


    Tom Nixon
     
  8. Guest

    Guest Guest

    My point exactly, Tom! It is just totally amazing that such an enterprise could gain state approval as a "school." What is the average size of a room? 12' X 12', 15' X 15', etc.?

    One could indeed use Abe Lincoln's paradigm and become self educated via the light from the family fire place. No doubt about it! But to gain state approval to operate as a degree granting institution would seem to imply more than just a one-room (two-room?) operation.

    Could one move to CA, rent a room at Joe's Storage Center (9' X 12'), install a phone/fax/copier, apply for CA state approval, receive a site visit from the BPPVE, and receive approval?

    Russell
     
  9. John Bear

    John Bear Senior Member

    Russell wonders:
    Could one move to CA, rent a room at Joe's Storage Center (9' X 12'), install a phone/fax/copier, apply for CA state approval,

    Well it would be nice to think that the state would look carefully at what went on in the space, however large. Columbia Pacific owned its own 10,000 square foot building, and had 30+ people working there at the time the state denied its reapproval. Comparable with Kensington. And, of course, LaSalle owned four large and elegant buildings when the FBI came calling. Southwestern U in Tucson also owned its own quite large building at the time its owner went off to federal prison.

    Other side of ledger: When Jones got its regional accreditation, I believe the Chronicle article said they had nine employees. I've not been there, but I could imagine nine people in three 10x12 rooms, possibly rented.

    Anyway, I'm now sufficiently curious about Andrew U that I'll stop by the umcampus when I pick up my mail this coming week.
     
  10. John Bear

    John Bear Senior Member

    I noted, driving past it today, Oct. 28, 2004, that there is a new and much larger sign on the church property saying "ANDREW UNIVERSITY."

    I also note, from their website today, that they say, "Andrew University is fully accredited by the State of California." This is, of course, untrue, misleading, and, I believe, illegal to say.
     
  11. lifelonglearner

    lifelonglearner New Member

    Andrew and Pan Pacific University

    I frequently drive by this church and first noticed the "Andrew University" sign at least 4 years ago. Don't know anything about them though. If they are affilitated with a Korean Church one has to wonder why they boast a China connection on their web page. Asian culture and relationships are not monolithic, despite the notions many westerners hold.

    I also remember seeing something about a school called Pan Pacific University whose address is listed variously on the web as:

    Pan-Pacific University
    3500 Mountain Blvd
    Oakland, CA 94619-1627
    (510) 336-1070

    or

    Pan-Pacific University
    (510) 848-1051
    2362 Bancroft Way
    Berkeley, CA 94704
    (Trinity United Methodist Church
    next to the UC Berkeley Campus)

    They cater to Korean theology students (M.Div and D.Min I think). Apparently the recently late Charles S. McCoy, Professor Emeritus of Theological Ethics, at the respected Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, either founded or was instrumental in founding it, although this is not mentioned in his obit http://www.psr.edu/page.cfm?t=17&id=1208
    I heard they had about 200 students at one point.

    lifelonglearner
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 29, 2004
  12. John Bear

    John Bear Senior Member

    I've got three other addresses for Pan-Pacific University, including a sparse press release about their planned opening on the decommissioned Alameda Naval Air Station, which never seems to have happened.
     
  13. BillDayson

    BillDayson New Member

    The BPPVE last updated their listing for Pan Pacific University on 10/12/04, and currently have them at 2362 Bancroft Way, Berkeley, CA 94704, the Methodist campus ministry at UC Berkeley. I seem to recall them using the Oakland address (probably another church basement) previously.

    Pan Pacific is authorized to grant the following degrees:

    BACHELOR OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES
    DOCTOR OF MINISTRY
    MASTER OF DIVINITY
    MASTER OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
    MASTER OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES

    The specifically religious degree titles suggest that Pan Pacific is operating under a religious exemption. So the BPPVE would have no real say in how many rooms it occupies or in anything else that it does, as long as the thing sticks to teaching religion.

    http://app1.dca.ca.gov/bppve/school-search/view-school.asp?schlcode=0106531
     
  14. Anthony Pina

    Anthony Pina Active Member

    Could it be just coincidence that they have given this "university" a name that bears a slight resemblance to the legitimate and accredited Andrews University (in Michigan), which also happens to be church affiliated and offers degrees in religion?

    Tony Pina
    Northeastern Illinois University
     
  15. Jonathan Liu

    Jonathan Liu Member

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