Degree mills segment on Good Morning America on Wednesday

It's very surprising, and disappointing, to see you say that, Rich.

 

Then maybe you could point out the parts of the site that lead you to doubt its credibility?

They do not say anything?

Clinton's Draft Avoidance

http://www.1stcavmedic.com/bill-clinton-draft.htm

I could present numerous other websites of a similar nature if you wish?

 

I was referring to the Clintonites that take shots at Bush, yet seem to not have a problem with the draft-dodger-in-chief.

 

How many Republicans use to make an issue out of Clintons "draft-dodging?" I am sure it goes both ways.

 

Not enough.

 

But . . . but . . . I thought this thread was about degree mills on Good Morning America??? Where did I go wrong?

 

It ran. The Pentagon will pull a Tammy Wynette on this one.

Good Morining America Article

 

Rich, thank you for posting the location.

 

From theABC article

"Twice the U.S. Senate approved Abell for his job, but his academic background was not ever mentioned during either of his confirmation hearings. His master's degree, however, was not a job requirement for either post."


Pardon me?

A masters degree wasn't a job requirement and wasn't mentioned when he was hired.

If ABC considers this investigative jounalism, bring on Geraldo.

Fox doesn't have a monopoly on stupidity, after all.

 

Abell's degree was, and is, a matter of public record. Further, he continues (through the Pentagon's spokesperson) to defend his selection. ABC's point is that he is not fit to continue serving now that this has come to light. Rather than finger-point and blame the system, they focused on the fact that someone claiming a degree from a fake school shouldn't be serving in such a position.

Congress might not have looked at his academic credentials, but the White House (his employer) sure should have. His bio is here:

Abell's Bio

ABC could have hit harder, but they basically got it right.

 

But honesty presumably was (and is). I wish GMA had said more pointedly that the issue is not the educational requirement but the intent to mislead with a phony credential.

 

He's an academic FRAUD! I personally feel that academic fraud indicates a significant character flaw. The man apparently has an excellent record otherwise. On the other hand, I have a suspicion that if you scratched the surface and looked deeper, you would find other problems with his record.

 

Abell wields great power over military personnel issues, including education. That he would buy a degree is both relevant and disqualifying.

 

26 years in the military, an accredited undergraduate degree, and numerous metals and he has a flaw in his character because he got an unaccredited degree?

This guy has a purple heart, and all you care about is whether he got a degree from an unaccredited school that was not a requirement for any of his positions. Not everyone is a education expert. Geeesh.

 

Mr. Schickelgruber is a Christian, a vegetarian, a competent artist, a compelling public speaker, he loves and is loved by his nieces and nephews, he writes well, and plays a good game of chess. He served with distinction in World War One where he earned an Iron Cross and the equivalent of the Purple Heart. And all you care about is

 

Clearly, no one said that. It goes way beyond the fact that he bought a master's degree. This is the guy in charge of such things and he gets taken in (which I doubt, but I'm willing to give a miniscule amount of the doubt to him)?

I believe that if someone will lie about this sort of thing, they would lie about other things as well.

So, either he's incompetent or a fraud. I'll let Mr. Abell choose which one he prefers.



Tom Nixon

 

I guess since Dr. Bear was involved with an unaccredited institution then he is either incompetent, or a fraud.

I guess since Rich was involved with an unaccredited institution, and is now involved with an unaccredited institution then he is still incompetent or a fraud.

Would this follow your logic Tom?

After all they are the foremost experts in education accreditation aren't they?

I don't find flaw in their character because of their involvements do you?

 

Abell still claims the phony degree, even though this story was published back in July. I vote for "fraud."

 

PLCScott wrote:

> I guess since Dr. Bear was involved with an unaccredited
> institution then he is either incompetent, or a fraud.

Anyone involved with a school that is obviously a degree mill is either incompetent or a fraud.

But, not all unaccredited schools are mills.

Columbus University has been run by 2 people with criminal records, lists no faculty members and no US street address, and is "accredited" by the dreadful World Association of Universities and Colleges. At the time Dr Bear was involved with the schools you allude to, what comparable black marks did those schools have against them?

> I guess since Rich was involved with an unaccredited
> institution, and is now involved with an unaccredited institution
> then he is still incompetent or a fraud.

Rich was temporarily fooled (as were others) by MIGS, but he never put a MIGS degree on his CV. The unaccredited school he teaches at is not a mill.

> After all they are the foremost experts in education
> accreditation aren't they?

Wouldn't the staff of the Regional Accreditors be the foremost experts on accreditation? Dr Bear's specialty would be more like "nontraditional higher education".

 

It's not because the degree is from an unaccredited school. It is because it comes from a non-existent school, one who had to close shop in Louisiana when it did get on an accreditation track. One offering 61 different doctorates, but with no discernable faculty or curricula. One that, frankly, sells degrees.

"Not everyone is an education expert." Quite true. But this guy is responsible for military educational programs. He should be an expert.

Not brought out in either the TV piece or the article is the fact that Abell was given plenty of opportunities to provide information about the courses he claims he took, as well as his master's thesis. He refused. It might be reasonable for someone who's credentials are in such question to share with inquirers the details. But no.