Threat of the week from Ecole Superieure Robert de Sorbon

Well, it's been a while since we've received a nice threatening message from a school, but apparently we've upset the Ecole Superieure Robert de Sorbon.

Here's what they sent me:

Historically speaking, we've found that each time we receive a threat, it has the unintended effect of either directly confirming whatever derogatory information the "school" in question is complaining about, or sufficiently stirs action among DegreeInfo regulars to find further information to confirm said status.

I haven't been following this particular situation, but I see that there are the following threads in the archive on the topic:


http://www.degreeinfo.com/showthread.php?t=18499
http://www.degreeinfo.com/showthread.php?t=21871
http://www.degreeinfo.com/showthread.php?t=19415
http://www.degreeinfo.com/showthread.php?t=6264
http://www.degreeinfo.com/showthread.php?t=13336

 

"It has certainly nothing to do with the fact that we hire top quality VAE juries which ruin definitely the accusation of alleged "Diploma Mill"*"

- One of these "VAE juries" wishes to be removed from the "faculty" list of Ecole Superieure Robert de Sorbon. I copied the listing of all the names on
their list so I will be contacting them one by one.

From Dr. Carson Kievman - "Hi, Thanks for writing. I know I am listed … but have never taught there and have nothing to do with them. I have written but they will not respond. Any ideas? Carson"

From the sorbon website as of 4/14/2009 : "Dr. Carson Kievman
Doctorat de l' Université de Princeton USA. Enseignant "Research Associate" à l' Université de Princeton, "Visiting Professor" Troy University USA, Adjunct professor Kean University (USA). Compositeur d'opéras et de symphonies. Domaines: Musique et Art. "

http://www.sorbon.fr/enseignants.html

 

Mon dieu! Those french guys are so cute, non? I don't know how I'm going to get to sleep tonight worrying about those legions of French lawyers who are, as we speak, descending on my poor self. gasp. shudder. whatever.

As I stated elsewhere, some new posters have their initial postings "moderated." It's a new thing and it's a way to cut down on spammers. Clarence should try to not get his knickers in a twist.

 

No Threats just Truth!

As I said several times in my E-mai;l was not a threat and I hope I will not use this legal droit de réponse. I even say that I appreciate the blog even if it is critical of our 5 years old institution.,

The "moderated" procedure is a special treatment that still does not allow to give our site following a written request of a Mr. Shawn in the thread. Speaking of Spam ? Still not in the thread after more than 24 hours

About the professor that is mentioned. It is true that we have few students in his specialty. However we have a contract signed by him and as far as we know we never received his contractual resignation.
(nor any E-mail).
I am glad that we have now a Dean and Vice Rector of one of the most famous Latin-American university member of our VAE juries.

Thanks for letting "liberté d'expression" flow.

 

I'll ask him to respond to this thread in person.

 

Contract Professor

Please see the contract SIGNED BY THE PROFESSOR at http://www.sorbon.fr/certifpit.jpg004.pdf

We did not published the signed second page to respect the privacy of the professor.

 

How interesting.

I just recently made a real estate deal with the President of France. He's agreed to sell me the Eiffel Tower for $100,000, but out of respect for his privacy, of course I can't post the agreement with his signature on it, so you'll just have to take my word for the fact that it's true.

 

This reminds me of the cute letters piratebay receives by the movie and music industry. http://thepiratebay.org/legal.php

 

This is great

Chip if you and Kizmet aren't careful you'll find yourselves among the Most Wanted in France. Whatever will you do with yourselves?

In fact while we're at it can I be on the list too? I've always wanted to be um... "Wanted". I can even list that on my cover letter to my resume. "Highly desired in French jurisdictions".

Of course being American they would likely expect me to arrest myself which of course I will, but I can't afford a ticket to France so they'll have to come to Texas to pick me up. Which is okay so long as they don't run into an actual Texan

 

Well, Chip and Kizmet, i think you would be soon on the most wanted list.

I think our responsibility is to guide people about the Ecole Superieure Robert de Sorbon and not use any bad words or comments. Criticism is ok, if it is in the proper limits..

For the Ecole Superieure Robert de Sorbon representative, this is a public forum and you just take care of your own work man. Your work is not to represent your university on internet. You rather better try to improve your website. You people even dont respond the emails properly, just want to take application fee and then tuition fee and then GOD knows.

 

What a clown!, this just confirms how serious they are and the credibility of this fine Institution. It is curious to see that they don' have any Faculty member working full time at Sorbon but they have a lawyer and a communications specialist in the staff but none of them seem to be any good judging by their posts and type of communications.

In any case, thanks for the entertainment, this reminds me at Enrique Serna, the lawyer of MIGS that once tried to sue Levicoff. At least they were in States and using a real lawyer with knowledge of US laws. It will be fun to see how this "Avocat", "Maitre Sorbon" can handle to enforce a French law in a US territory (Even if this law exists).

 

About E-mail

Could you nplease tell me to which E-,mail, we did not responded properly. If so I apologize. About our fees Could you please precise that we ask for a €50 (i.e $62.) refundable application fee.

 

Wow. There is no need to apologize. You take application fee and may accept all people, then you take tuition fee and may refuse people easily, and the tuition fee of the university is not refundable. What kind of policy is this ? Actually the application fee should not be refundable. By the way, how you refund the application fee ?

 

I agree with you in principle. However, I think members do not have the responsibility to guide but to follow the terms of service and rules of conduct set form by the administrators of this forum. We volunteer information and you make the decision as to how the information is used as a consumer of information. Limitations of criticism can be subjective and stated in the terms of service and vary from organization to organization.

 

raristud, i agree with you.

 

But this is not even a "blog" like stated in the OP's initial post. There is no responsibility (save a moral one) - this board is simply people talking about online schools. And whether in France or the US, there is a concept called freedom of speech (la Déclaration des droits de l'Homme et du Citoyen, the Bill of Rights of the French Revolution) entitling us to state our opinion about any school anywhere in the world, if the International Council of Diploma Mills likes it or not.

 

Not allowing a student to begin a scheduled course even though tuition as been paid? That's a no no.

 

Don't worry. I don't disagree with you. I actually liked your ideas and it's not my place to decide where and when they are applicable. If people actually heeded them, politics would be a much friendlier industry.

 

Sorbon writes:

If Sorbon wants to respect Degreeinfo's terms of service, then it should remind itself that internet discusson boards are not advertising media and refrain from the use of multiple login personas.

And the United States guarantees its residents something that many Europeans may be unfamiliar with, called Freedom of Speech.

Besides, YOU started the "jury" thread with the intention of advertising your business. So what are you blustering about? You made your post and had your say. If there's any right of response involved here, then wouldn't it belong to those who disagree with you?

Of course it's a threat.

In my opinion it kind of illustrates Sorbon's academic bankruptcy. Real higher-education institutions show many visible and verifiable signs of academic legitimacy. Sorbon displays none. All that can be verified about it are its endless assertions (trust us!!) and its limitless Gallic attitude. (Which is kind of ironic, seeing as how Sorbon is reportedly run from Florida by an American citizen.)

I imagine that "Conseiller Juridique" means attorney of some kind. I wonder about that too. You've been making a whole succession of advertising posts, on several boards. Would the legal representative of a real higher eeducation institution simultaneously be that school's most visible marketing guy? Sorbon must be an awfully small operation. Or else this supposed French attorney is just another fake Sorbon persona to line up alongside all the others.

 

It means "Legal Advisor"