Delta State installs new president

I, for one, Jimmy, do not believe you were aware that Delta State offered any courses via distance learning until being apprised of such by Russell’s post. Knowing your propensity for self-promotion and the willingness to post the most miniscule bit of information that you believe will lend you credibility on this forum, had you been aware of the distance learning offerings of your alma mater, you would of posted this information yourself. You did no such thing. For you to now justify your post by characterizing it as information “about a school offering some DL courses” is ludicrous. I am of the belief that if not for Russell’s newfound penchant for playing Devil’s Advocate, you would be oblivious of Delta State’s distance learning course offerings, but if you were aware (as you claim), and you thought it was relevant, why did you post your message in the off-topic forum? Why is that you chose to post irrelevant information concerning your alma mater instead of the information you now believe is relevant, especially in light of the fact that it has never before been discussed on this forum?

The belief that you were not previously aware of your alma mater’s DL course offerings is reinforced by the fact that you simply repeated Russell’s superficial characterization, without bothering to verify the information. The six courses offered via distance are part of Delta State’s Commercial Aviation program, which is a traditional residential degree program. Were you aware that the Web page that Russell linked to was last modified on July 23, 1998? Did you bother to notice that all the courses listed were graduate courses? In your previous attempt at justifying the relevancy of your post, you stated that the courses were available to students who were interested in individual courses via distance education and not necessarily degrees. I guess you weren’t aware of the fact that you had to be enrolled as a graduate student in Delta State’s Commercial Aviation program to take any of these courses. Despite Russell’s attempt to assist you in trying to ascribe some modicum of relevancy to your posts, your own words are at odds with his efforts.

I don’t think we really want to flood DegreeInfo with posts consisting of nothing more than irrelevant information about an institution just because they offer some DL courses. The vast majority of brick and mortar institutions in the United States offer some Internet or distance learning courses. However, in most cases, a student must be enrolled in a residential program at that institution in order to take these courses. As such, the relevancy of these programs, courses, and institutions to the members of this forum is, at best, minimal.

 

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Delta State installs new president

Certainly not, Gus. The motivation for my posts has nothing to do with Jimmy per se, whom I have never met, nor personally know. My original post was merely to point out that Jimmy's thread is no more irrelevant to DL than many other posts I have read in the "Off Topic" forum, e.g., polls, puzzlers and ...........................

 

I thought this was the purpose of DegreeInfo, the free and open collegial discussion of DL. Whether an institution offers one or one million courses, degrees or diplomas, certificates or merely individualized courses, accredited or unaccredited, all are valid topics for discussion.

Gus, you certainly have the right to your opinion and position on a particular topic, however, others have the right to share their opinions and positions. Unless of course our opinion is the only correct one.

Disclaimer: Keep in mind that I am not referring to the promoting of degree mills.

 

Reread my statement you quoted. Pay particular attention to the terms "irrelevant information" and “just because.” Do you really disagree with my statement or are you simply playing Devil’s Advocate again? For the record, do you believe that we should flood DegreeInfo with posts consisting of nothing more than irrelevant information about an institution just because they offer some DL courses?

Russell, practically all U.S. institutions offer some kind of distance learning courses. I don’t think this fact alone makes the institution, program or courses relevant topics of discussion. For example, I could start posting messages, each of which consisted of nothing more than a link to the distance learning course offerings from institutions that required you to be enrolled in a residential program of study, and easily post thousands of messages in a few hours, but what purpose would that serve?

Keep in mind that my first post in this thread did not address the topic of relevancy, as this is the off-topic discussion forum. Once again, my objection was not to a single thread or post, but the cumulative postings that constituted a full third of the recent threads started in the off-topic discussions forum. It is perfectly clear that I don’t believe that every thread started on, or message posted to, the off-topic forum has to be relevant to DL. I have posted many things that I thought were simply humorous or interesting to other forum members. I do not, however, go to great lengths trying to convince others that they are either typical or relevant when they clearly are not.

Although it had nothing to do with my original post, it was you, Russell, who brought up the issue of relevancy by rising in defense of Jimmy and stating that his posts were not atypical and that they were relevant. Jimmy had not made such a claim, but he was quick to adopt your fortuitous characterization of his post. I simply disagreed with you and pointed out why I thought Jimmy’s original post in this thread was neither typical nor relevant.

Russell, for reasons all your own, you are trying to unfairly (and without substantiation) characterize me as advocating some sort of censorship over and above the TOS of this forum (or Chip’s guidelines). Nothing could be further from the truth. I challenge you to point to anything in my posts that advocates hindering or impeding the “free and open collegial discussion of DL.”

Concerning the issue of relevancy, however, I am of the opinion that if an individual who posts a message or starts a thread wants his or her message to be deemed relevant, it is incumbent upon him or her to clearly communicate the relevancy of the substance of the message. Is that wrong?

 

For the record, Gus, I believe that DegreeInfo was designed to discuss matters of DL, therefore, I believe all issues directly and indirectly related to DL should be open to such discussion. If other posters are not interested in a thread, they simply do not respond and the thread lies dormant. As for intentionally flooding the forum with benign issues for the purpose of disruption, no, I am not supportive of such a practice.

I have no "reasons all my own" to unfairly characterize you as advocating anything, Gus. Like you, I have an interest in DL. I merely pointed out the fact that you have your opinion on particular issues, I have mine, others have their own.

Regarding rising to Jimmy's defense, this was not the case. If you had posted the original post in this thread, I would have responded the same. It wasn't about Jimmy per se, it was about his right (or yours) to begin a thread which focused on: 1) an institution of higher learning; 2) one which offers DL courses; and 3) one which was his alma mater. Other posters have begun similar threads stating they have just graduated from a particular school, or highlighting some aspect of their alma mater, etc.

I have no quarrel with you personally, Gus, as you have contributed positively to many DL issues. My position is that there is indeed room for varied opinions on DegreeInfo and we all have the right to share them, within the TOS of course.

 

I would like to see where you think I have ever disagreed with this. You keep repeating your assertion as if to characterize me as being in disagreement with it. Why?

I made an observation; Chip issued guidelines; and Jimmy stated he would exhibit more self-restraint. I don’t understand the point you are trying to make in regards to all of this.

Perhaps I misunderstood you. By quoting my statement and following with a divergent opinion, it sure sounded like you were disagreeing with it. However, what do you mean for the purpose of disruption? Don’t you agree that a plethora of inane posts can be disruptive, even if that is not the intent? Moreover, if the posts are disruptive, they can hardly be considered benign, can they? This has always been the issue. I simply felt that a single individual starting a full third of all the recent threads in the off-topic forum (precisely due to the fact that they had nothing to do with distance learning) was a bit excessive and disruptive.

No, Russell, you did more than that. Moreover, I surely hope you have your reasons, as only a lunatic acts without any. That we all have our opinions is obvious, but repeatedly stressing that others have the right to post their opinions (another obvious observation), and insinuating that I believe my opinion is the only correct opinion, implies much more than that.

There you go with the right to post argument again. You don’t address the specific issues I raise in my posts (and they don’t include the right to post) and you characterize them as something they are not. Show me where I objected to this specific post of Jimmy’s or implied that he did not have the right to post it. All I did was disagree with your assessment that it was typical and relevant. Am I not entitled to that opinion?

Once again, you are stating the obvious with the implication being, of course, that I, in some way, disagree with this. Why?

 

Jimmy - AFAIC you can post as many times as you like, on any topic you like, in any forum you like. However, I believe that you have again jumped the gun when you say that your "D.Th from the Free State" is impending. As a current registered student of UOVS and knowing the admission process, I do not believe that you are currently a registered student at the University of the Free State. Am I wrong? I feel certain you would have informed us if this was the case. Jimmy, I have to tell you, it's OK with me if you're accepted to the program, do your research and earn a nice degree (after all, that's my plan too) but when you tell us that you regret some aspects of your past "education" and wish to reform . . . well, that includes being truthful about your current endeavors. The fact is that you are not currently registered as a grad student at UOVS. To imply otherwise only supports the "reputation" you say you're trying to shed. Describing your D.Th. at Free State as being "impending suggests that you are officially in the program. Let us know when it's "official," and I'll personally give you an "ATTABOY!" BTW, I also understand that you've decided to continue with your M.Div degree program despite the fact that it's lost it's prospect of DETC accreditation. Don't you already have enough unaccredited degrees? Doesn't this also support that "reputation" you're trying to shed?
Jack

 

For Jack Tracey


Hi, Jack,

Good to hear from you. Hope all is going well with you and your studies. After receving my inquiry and dissertation proposal I was told the deadline had ended to apply. However, I was given the opportunity to apply after my dissertation proposal was reviewed. I then received an email from Professor Van Rensburg stating I have been provisionally admitted and he will be my supervisor. The email indicated I am in but it needs to go through the formalities (or somethingl like that). I will continue with GSST because I have already begun and have invested time and money into the program. Plus, some of the courses I have taken and still need to finish are good for updated information in various subjects and also serve as refresher courses for me, e.g., Greek and Hebrew. Thank you for the outstanding manner in which you have expressed yourself and for affording me the opportunity to answer your questions. As soon as I get the official word I will certainly let everyone on here know.

 

Originally posted by Gus:

No your objection is to the person. You do not like this guy, so you are out to get him. It is that simple Gus, and everyone can see it.
Originally posted by Gus:

Tell us Gus, whose unique style of writing was Jimmy trying to emulate?
Jimmy is the one always-seeking attention? You just flatter yourself huh?

Originally posted by Chip:

You see if you do not like what is being posted ignore it, and it will go away. If you go after the poster then you are in violation.

 

"Only two things are infinite, the Universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure of the former."
— Albert Einstein (1879-1955)

 

===

Jimmy

If you get these degrees then IMO that certainly will demonstrate a change in direction in this area to be much admired. You may recall that I was one who criticized you and a "Dr. Trudy" severely in a thread some time back for some of your/her claims. But if what you say now is true, then you certainly are on the better track now. Good for you!

What is the subject of your Dth thesis? That is, only if answering will not break some forum rule.

 

Hi, Bill,

Yes, I remember you. Amidst some tough and penetrating questions you always maintained a dignity reflective of civil, respectful, and moral debate. I always appreciated that quality in you. The proposed title of my dissertation is Pastoral Care and Addictions: An Effective Therapeutic Program for Those Working With the Addicted Populations in the Community of Faith. Below is the email I received from Professor Van Rensburg of the Free State:

Thank you for your kind words, Bill. It is good to see real Christian conduct (giving one the benefit of the doubt/second chance) on here. May He continue to bless you and guide you in your studies. He has blessed me tremendously these past 18 months. I took a dying church and it has really turned around. Twenty-four new people have begun attending, we've taken in 12 new members, nine were baptized in the creek a few weeks' ago, we have installed A/C and new windows and are now looking into installing a new sound system. The local paper ran an article about the renaissance of the church. Take care.

 

You are entitled to any opinion you wish, Gus. We could continue our dialogue ad infinitum, however, more important matters exist. We remain DL colleagues who agree to disagree at times.

Be blessed!

 

I am sorry to hear about the alcoholism in your family. My father died of alchoholism too. He was a terribly abusive man both physically and emotionally. A number of my family members on the paternal side suffered from substance abuse. I have worked in the field for a number of years and really think I have something to contribute. Thank you again for your kind words and the encouragement.

 

Where's Hilpert?

 

Delta State University
1003 W Sunflower
Cleveland, MS 38732