TEXAS FINES DISTANCE LEARNING INSTITUTION

TEXAS FINES DISTANCE LEARNING INSTITUTION
The Center of University Graduate Studies Graduate College,
also known as Degree.com, has been fined $213,000 by the Texas
Commissioner of Higher Education for designating itself a
university and for offering master's and doctoral degrees without
state authority. Prior to levying the fine, commissioner Don W.
Brown requested that Degree.com make several policy changes,
including no longer calling itself a university; the cessation
of granting students degrees and credits toward degrees; the
notification of students, graduates, and applicants that the
institution has no authority to grant degrees; and the
rescinding of degrees already awarded to students and the
refund of their tuition. However, Degree.com's legal
representative Enrique G. Serna did not comply with Brown's
request, said David Linkletter of the Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board. Degree.com President Armando A. Arias Jr.,
dean of social and behavioral sciences at California State
University-Monterey Bay, on Friday said he had not heard
about the fine.
(Chronicle of Higher Education Online, 5 November 2001)

 

Sorry pressed send to early. Here is the link for the entire story:
http://chronicle.merit.edu/free/2001/11/2001110501u.htm

The full story includes highlights about MIGS, The Danzigs, Steve and of course Enrique. As it is reported Steve got the whole thing roling and now the whole group has been busted with further action pending in Nevada and Florida.

 

There is no "further action pending" in either state. Nevada has given no indication that it will act. Florida returned MIGS's licence application as "insufficient." They expected MIGS to stop using their Florida address and refrain from using the phrase "fully accredited," as it doesn't accurately describe a Mexican university's approval.

I am disappointed that Dr. Arias has the title of President, but does not run the school. The Chronicle didn't even mention the real "man behind the curtain," Bruce Forman. He runs things from Florida while Arias pops up occasionally to discuss MIGS with other academics. That he didn't know the school he is president of was assessed a couple of hundred grand is sad, yet telling.

Rich Douglas

 

It might also be that the person who was notified, Enrique Serna, is no longer affiliated with the operation. I can't find mention of him on the degree.com website anymore, even his "welcome letter" as Chairman has been removed while Arias' and Forman's remain. Just a thought.


Bruce

 

Wasn't that a favorite of Stalin-- removing "non-persons" from the annals of history, even down to razor-blading out encyclopedia entries and photos?

But the principals of MIGS (as opposed to the principles of MIGS, which would probably be more difficult to identitify) still haven't gotten the Stalinesque Purge down right. Enrique's smiling young face remains in a bunch of the publicity photos on the site, at least as of last night.

 

Well, they've managed to screw up just about everything else they've gotten involved in, so why break with tradition now?


Bruce

 

Serna can be seen at http://www.degree.com/trustees.htm

Rich Douglas

 

It would appear from the picture Rich refers two that there are two Enrique Sernas involved with MIGS, the short fat one and the tall skinny one. What can this mean?

 

Creo que son padre y hijo.

Rich Douglas

 

Another excellent puzzler, Dr. Bear, here are my submissions:

“Here’s another fine mess you’ve gotten us into…”
--Laurel and Hardy

“Who’s on first?”
Abbott and Costello

“We've got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark, and we're wearing sunglasses.”
“Hit it.”
Jake and Elwood Blues (The Blues Brothers)



Gus Sainz

 

Actually, there is still action pending in Florida. When advised to cease operations by the State of Florida, and in the wake of the brouhaha concerning MIGS and its relationship to the CEU, Danzig & Co. not only removed all references to MIGS and started calling themselves The Center for University Studies Graduate College, they also reapplied to the State of Florida for permission to operate (as an out-of-state or foreign school). (Well, almost all references; they did miss at least one. I you go here, you can see that Monterrey Institute of Graduates Studies is displayed in the title bar of your browser, and that is what will be saved if you choose to add it to your favorites. You better hurry, however, since we know that the degree.com powers that be lurk here, you can bet this will be changed pronto.)

Due to the restructuring of the education department by Governor Bush, The Center for University Studies Graduate College’s application has been delayed. A committee still has to meet to issue their recommendation, which will then be presented for the full board’s determination. The next meeting of the board is in January of 2002. In the meantime, no matter what they choose to call themselves, they are not permitted to operate in the State of Florida. (And what does that remind you of—a school that is not allowed to recruit students in the state it is located?)

So where is Bruce Forman and Ric Feinberg operating from? What state do they live in? Where do the phone numbers 1-800-459-1738 and 1-888-743-4523 (displayed on the degree.com web site as a means of contacting them) ring? What of the students from Florida that were already pursuing a degree, were they shown the door and their tuition refunded? Although the remedies available to the board for violation of Florida Statutes and Codes are not as onerous as the ones in Texas, legally, there is still quite a bit they can do.


Gus Sainz

 

Ummmm, evidence of someone's final dissertation/research work in cloning that went terribly wrong?

 

It’s getting harder and harder to keep up with the pace of changes now; it’s like a snowball gathering speed downhill. Not only has Dr. Arias’s welcome letter been removed, but also all of his articles and any and all references to him. Doing a search for “arias” on degree.com’s search engine yields the following result:

Error: Could not complete search.

president.htm No such file or directory.


Although I am privy as to the possible reasons why, I am not, at the present, at liberty to discuss them.


Gus Sainz

 

French, Douglas, French, Arias ... the place is falling apart.

 

Perhaps Peter would deign now to share with us why he left MIGS (again)?

Rich Douglas

 

I may never have really enrolled, then maybe I did and never really left, and maybe I am shifting it to Indonesia and doing it differently this time.

And maybe this is all crap ...

Peter

 

Crap has my vote.


Gus Sainz

 

Gus, you win the prize!

I do however have a momento - a student card with my photo numbered AUS0001.

This of course may all be an early April fools day joke, although it was printed in the Australian today, and it is one of Rupert Murdoch's stable, and Rupert above all is an admirable and respected member of the Fourth Estate - so it MUST be true.

Actually Rich didn't follow through with his degree there as they offered him a position as Dean, and between us, he cracked it as he believed that he was at a school that would never let a pleb into a Deans position. So he picked up his bat and ball and stormed out.

Peter French
ExMIGSExCEU but then maybe that is crap.

 

Even when adjusted for sarcasm, this comment should be addressed. No job offered (nor requested), no storming, no academic work. Just doubt, frustration, then departure.

Rich Douglas, who got off before it hit the iceberg.

 

I hold you in high regard for the 'balanced' approach that you have maintained throughout this fiasco - drawn out as it has been. I know how you feel. You can only bang your head on the wall for so long ...

The idea was great and still could work in a jurisdiction with a reliable GAAP-relative system, and a favourable USD exchange rate. A lot of work went into the initial planning and structure, but whether through carelessness, recklessness or ignorance - who really knows? - it took off too early with the wrong management, and maybe a few other wrong things.

To consider it an option in any sense would not be the smartest idea ...

I didn't need the degree, and would never have completed it, but did get some credits which will form a part of my art gallery - dates back to the early 1960's and is interesting.

Next time, when we get offered a 'special' job, we may be more selective? Anyway, it will make an interesting chapter or 2 in my book ...

Peter French
VP MIGS MUGS