Golden Pacific University

Never heard of it?

Neither had the rest of the world until this article came out.
http://trinicenter.com/more/cuffie.htm

Cheers,

George

 

I trust Mr. Brunton will take note that this is, in fact, Golden Pacific University of
Keauhou, HI 96739, telephone (808) 326-7728.

 

According to the blurb on this page, Golden Pacific is one of three 'schools' of which Dr. Edward Michaelson is president, the other two being Friends International Christian Universityand Inter-Continental University. The FICU domain is registered to Michaelson at the same Merced, CA address given for the school.

FICU claims ACI accreditation. Their modest web site contains a one hundred page, downloadable .pdf catalog which implies that the school is registered in California, Louisiana (possibly through an affiliate), and Hawaii. The faculty list is extensive, with credentials described from many schools. FICU and Golden Pacific U. are also heavily represented in the list. One of the business faculty members is shown as having only an associate's degree.

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Bill Gossett

 

FICU's admission requirements start out:

1. Agree with the tenants of faith ...
(but not the homeowners or transients?)

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Kristin Evenson Hirst
DistanceLearn.About.com

 

Here's FICU's CA-approval page:

http://app1.dca.ca.gov/bppve/school-search/view-school.asp?schlcode=2400291

The FICU website states that FICU has a CA religious exemption. I was unaware that the CA Reform Act provides for religious exemptions and will have to research that. (The text of the act is linked to the BPPVE main page.)

 

Under the old "three tier" law (section 94310), there was a fourth category for religious schools. According to BPPVE's decision tree at http://www.bppve.ca.gov/regulated_community/decision_tree/dtree798.pdf religous schools are required to file annual exemption requests under section 94739(b)(6).

Rich Douglas

 

Thanks, Rich. I just took a look at the California Education Code and 94739(b)(6) is still there, big as life. For some reason I thought that it had been replaced, but I was apparently wrong.

This section does exempt all religious institutions that teach the doctrines of some church from all but token state regulation.

I've been examining the CA-approved sector over the last few weeks. There seem to be 116 doctorate granting institutions without any other recognized accreditation. It caught my attention that a disproportionate number of them offer D.Min.s and Th.D.s. Some of these schools also struck me as being seriously flaky. Now I guess that I know the reason why.

Interestingly 94739(b)(6) forbids these exempt schools from using secular degree titles, including the ever-popular "Ph.D.". They are restricted to degrees with a religious title.

Well, FICU had caught my eye some time ago exactly because it offers a Ph.D. in Religious Studies (my field). I rejected FICU from further consideration because of its ACI "accreditation" and its offering "life experience" credit.

I think that while a "Doctor of Religious Studies" would be cool under 94739(b)(6), a "Ph.D. in Religious Studies" would appear to be a violation of the code section. But apparently the CA BPPVE is letting that one slide, since I see a number of other schools on my list offering 'Ph.D.s' in assorted religious subjects.

http://www.bppve.ca.gov/reformacts/reform/index.html