Capella's Ad Claims Grads Working at More than 1000 Universities

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by BlackBird, Dec 8, 2006.

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  1. BlackBird

    BlackBird Member

  2. TEKMAN

    TEKMAN Semper Fi!

  3. Dave Wagner

    Dave Wagner Active Member

    Re: Re: Capella's Ad Claims Grads Working at More than 1000 Universities

    Could some also be employed by McDonald's University, which has thousands of campuses... :) JKLOL, as my daughter says...

    Or in the words of the great philosopher Kanye West:

    "He got that ambition baby look in his eyes
    This week he moppin floors next week it's the fries"

    Dave
     
  4. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    One sweeps the floors at Howard, one takes out the trash at Ball State, one is in the mailroom at BYU...

    ...oh, just kidding. I'm sure the fate of Capella grads run the gamut just as those do of alumni from anywhere else. For example, I noticed that Dakota State University's IT department has four faculty members with Capella degrees either complete or in process.

    In fact, I'd be interested to know how many schools have tenured or tenure-track faculty with PhDs from Capella. Does anyone have access to that kind of information?

    -=Steve=-
     
  5. PsychPhD

    PsychPhD New Member

    Not impressed

    As others have pointed out (sarcasm notwithstanding) this really doesn't mean anything.

    Frankly, as a psychology graduate, I am finding that Capella's advertising campaign is doing more harm than good.

    Many people point to the blanketing mass market approach to be evidence of Capella's profit before quality mindset.

    Actually, I had not been swayed by that argument because Capella ususally focused its advertising in "higher-end" venues and isn't a pop-up window on every Google search.

    But this ad, with its required "For more information ... " form seems to support those crticizing the approach as being all about filling the seats and that hurts mental health clinicians, in particular, striving for professional legitimacy with Capella degrees.

    Now, of course, Capella (any unversity for that matter) is a business and businesses need to make money to remain viable. But there does seem to be a certain urgency in the format of Capella's current advertising.

    Still, is it really necessary to blatantly recruit students in EVERY ad? Or worse, as has been done in some others, suggest the online delivery is a short cut to a graduate degree (which it most certainly is NOT!)

    Capella wants a national marketing campaign? Fine. Frankly, it would seem much more beneficial for their reputation and bottom line if they focused a bit more on just getting the "quality education" word out. When that is successful, trust me, they will have prospects finding the "entrance" ... it isn't necessary that every ad hold that door open for them.
     
  6. Dave Wagner

    Dave Wagner Active Member

    Re: Not impressed

    Good points. The campaign needs some refinement, as the "1,000 universities" message may be perfectly true and valid. However, the creative execution is problematic. Whenever one makes what seems to be outlandish claims, especially on the web, the claim needs immediately visible support with copy or some sort of social reality suggested by a celebrity endorser. For example, if the WSJ (or any recognizable publication) was quoted as saying something similar, bingo. Instead, as is, snap. The web button format doesn't permit the sort of creative execution to support the message.

    Dave
     
  7. RFValve

    RFValve Well-Known Member


    Good point, many doctoral students at Capella are already faculty members and the doctorate is to secure a tenure track or for a pay bump in their salary.

    I have seen many of the lecturers at schools where at work using development funds for online doctorates.

    However, I don't know if the Capella doctorate would be a good option for someone with no experience and looking for a PhD for a full time teaching career. I would think that you would be able to find employment at the community college or some private schools like Devry or AIU but don't know about the research Universities.

    Research Universities are looking for people that can bring money to the University with research grants and Capella and most of the online schools do not encourage publications.

    You also don't get to earn face to face teaching experience that is normally gained by full time PhD students at brick and mortar schools.
     
  8. GME

    GME New Member

    Re: Not impressed

    I had a different reaction. For me the ad -is- a quality claim. I wouln't mind at all if Capella became known as the place to go if you're at a university and wanting to get a doctorate while remaining at your current school (which is my situation, btw).

    Regards,
    GME
     
  9. foobar

    foobar Member

    Capella's been around how long, 15 years?

    Are they really talking about PhDs or Master's alums here?


    It would definately bother me if in less than 15 years from its inception, a school has graduated PhDs in numbers that would result in 1000 PhDs employed in a university setting.
     
  10. PsychPhD

    PsychPhD New Member

    Getting off track ...

    The ad being referenced was very spartan ... all it said was that there were 1,000 graduates employed by universities.

    It made no suggestion, inference, or insinuation about the nature of that employment.

    Personally, I hold adjunct appointments to two different universities -- does that mean I was counted twice? Does an adjunct appointment equal "employment."

    I realize others were being sarcastic with the insinuations that "one sweeps the floor at Howard, one takes out the trash at Ball State" but that is a valid point based upon the face value of the advertisement.

    As I had mentioned in my earlier posting, as a Capella grad, I am bothered by this ad because it doesn't really say anything. In fact, clicking on the link from the bare-bones teaser ad does not provide any more information about the "1,000 universities" claim.

    While the University was founded in 1993, it is important to remember that it offers both Master's and doctoral degrees, so there is no claim that there are 1,000 Capella PhDs employed in university settings.

    From personal experience, I know of many alumni/students who hold adjunct appointments, but I am not aware of many tenure-track Capella grads. As others have mentioned, the lack of a ongoing faculty-led research program at Capella would essentially disqualify all but the most motivated students who were undertaking their own research programs.

    Of course, industry press is reporting increased advocacy for higher education to drop the "publish or perish" mantra for tenure and adapt to the 21st century and a new paradigm for what can constitute scholarly success.

    We'll see ...
     
  11. jimnagrom

    jimnagrom New Member

    Re: Not impressed

    I agree.

    Harvard University's rep would suffer with ads like that.
     
  12. jimnagrom

    jimnagrom New Member

    Quite true, and NSU and NCU for the same reason.

    The personal touch really trumps everything. Getting in the door with a UoP, Capella, or UI degree is iffy...but once you are on board and known among your peers...it's OK.
     
  13. GME

    GME New Member

    It started out as 'Graduate School of America' so it's focus has always been on that. Certainly a good number of these folk would be masters level and are working at 2 year schools.

    But Capella is certainly generating a large number of doctorates.

    Regards,
    GME
     
  14. RFValve

    RFValve Well-Known Member

    This is one negative aspect about online schools. Traditional schools graduate very few PhDs per year. My department has all the PhDs graduated in the last 20 years in one page, no more than 100 in 20 years for a University of 20000 student population.

    As a potential employer, I would be very worry if I see 10 resumes graduated from the same University. This is degree factory effect that brings down DL.
     
  15. BlackBird

    BlackBird Member

    With all due respect and despite that my doctorate is from Capella, I see absolutely nothing wrong with advertising any school. The reaction seems like the old paradigm that Lawyers and doctors are not to use any advertisement other than a boring, clinical mention of their name and credentials. Of course, that has long since been ignored though some early renegades got a lot of persecution.

    Notice that Capella is advertising only in certain "educational" venues such that the mentioned ad came from a publication TARGETED to higher education professionals (that's advertising and market segmentation in of itself... hence, the publication quality/integrity is "inferior).

    Another underlying paradigm I notice going on here (correct me if I am wrong) is that if you advertise you have an inferior educational product automatically. I don't believe that holds true across the board. It is a presupposition that can be questioned. I would say, at what point does advertising become "bad" or "evil" and, therefore, the school is "infererior?"

    I find it amusing much like I find Socialism amusing and a form of reducing all to conform to a de-individualized paradigm.

    Just my two cents, guys.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 9, 2006
  16. Dave Wagner

    Dave Wagner Active Member

    This is a very good point. The saving grace of the DL doctorate granting schools will be the quality of the research produced by the Ph.D.s who do graduate and their subsequent publishing record. If a school produces thousands of Ph.D.s with weak quantitative skills and fluffy dissertations, then the reputation you're describing will be well-deserved. However, if schools like Capella, Touro, Walden, Union Institute, and NoCentral, etc. can resist the urge to crank out Ph.Ds, then it is possible for such institutions to be research powerhouses based on the quality and quantity of their students. As with most things, time will tell.

    Dave
     
  17. Mundo

    Mundo New Member


    This topic would make for an interesting study project. I believe that qualifying an online school as a degree factory when compared with a traditional school may be difficult. Let us keep in mind that traditional schools have very diverse student populations with respect to age. Most non-traditional schools are attractive alternatives to the older learner, one who is pursuing higher degrees while working or changing careers. There lies the difference.

    Pepe
     
  18. sentinel

    sentinel New Member

    Dave, since you cannot bring yourself to call NorthCentral University by its correct name why even reference it as NoCentral at all? Just asking a valid question...
     
  19. PsychPhD

    PsychPhD New Member

    Not the message so much as the form

    As I stated in my original post, the "higher level" venues is one reason I felt the blanket criticisms of Capella's advertising weren't compelling.

    However, even though this ad appeared on a higher education news site, the ad itself is, at best, ineffective, at worst, blatantly misleading.

    It very well may be true and a good selling point that "1,000 Capella grads are employed at universities." But the ad doesn't do much more than make the claim and then ask for new students.

    It becomes questionable when, as I said, they seem to be shilling for students no matter the message of the ad.

    I think you would agree that even with the solid programs and generally high caliber education, Capella -- rightly or wrongly -- continues to have an image problem.

    In my opinion, the university only adds to those apprehensions with this campaign. They lead you in with an ad insinuating how the education at Capella has opened doors for 1,000 graduates for careers in academia. But "for more information" provides no support for this claim -- no stories from happy, gainfully employed graduates, no list of employing institutions, no testimonials from impressed deans. What you get is "Here, let us sell YOU the program too."

    Look, I've been on the inside ... I know from direct experience that my Capella doctorate is a legitimate -- and hard earned -- credential. But if you look at the ads for "Earn a doctorate overnight" diploma mills, they are eerily similar to the style of this ad.

    I've never said Capella shouldn't advertise, only that they should take care to insure that the campaign furthers the unversity's reputation, not muddy it.
     
  20. RFValve

    RFValve Well-Known Member


    I agree, but regardless of the quality of graduates, the high supply of graduates would depreciate their value in the market. For the very same reason, many schools only graduate a few PhDs per year because they want to keep their value high in the market.

    However, Capella and most of the online schools rely on Phd students so it would be very hard for them to keep the numbers low as this is their primary line of business (PhD students).

    Again, if one is looking for Harvard, online schools are not the answer.
     

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