To the Moderator

Ah, I see we've moved into full-blown degree mill apologist mode.

No, it's not a mistake or bad to be a "proprietor of a Legal unaccredited instutution" unless, for example,

-- you have morals and ethics and don't believe in ripping innocent people off

-- you want to actually help people

-- you want to feel pride and satisfaction with what you do for a living.

And, of course, the majoriity of "legal" unaccredited institutions aren't really legal at all... they're just sliding under the line, or flying under radar until they get caught. Rudy Marn at American State, Les Snell at Monticello, Ron Pellar at Columbia State all claimed their schools were legal... and, at the time, they all were, in that they were registered with State authorities and so forth. But all three were shut down once it was clear what they were doing.

Now, of course, I don't intend to malign the 1 in 75 unaccredited schools that are legitimate, sincere efforts that either are ineligible for, or haven't yet sought recognized accreditation. But the truth is, based on the last edition of Bears' Guide, over 90% of the unaccredited schools listed were ones I would have put in the "unwonderful" category.


So... if you want to throw a bit more of the standard millspeak around in an attempt to defend whatever substandard program you're either shilling or have a degree from, feel free... you won't win, because the apologists never do. But feel free to try if you must.

 

John Bear

Hi John

I hope you clarify your statement apparently linking Heriot-Watt University/ Edinburgh Business School with 'Columbia Pacific', 'Fairfax' and 'Greenwich'. Strangers to education who visit this board might think you class HWU/EBS with these other so-called educational institutions.

Your association with HWU/EBS was with a wholly honourable education institution with a pedagree going back to 1821 and a Royal Charter accreditation, recognised in the 54 countries of the Commonwealth, the European Union, Russia and China and many other countries throughout the world, including by the Dept of Education in the USA.

Our Prime Minister is a regular house guest of the US President, something none of your US degree mill bosses can claim, except perhaps when they are 'guests' in US Jails.

As for the rants of 'excuse my English Police', why take them seriously? But your comments are always taken seriously.

 

Dear Police,

It is false that moderators here remove accounts because people support degree mills. I point at the fact that you still post here as proof that this assertion is false.

This other nonsense that you tell is just the degree mill owners trying to stir up trouble by speaking half truths.

Regards,
Bill

 

Professor Kennedy: "I hope you clarify your statement apparently linking Heriot-Watt University/ Edinburgh Business School with 'Columbia Pacific', 'Fairfax' and 'Greenwich'. Strangers to education who visit this board might think you class HWU/EBS with these other so-called educational institutions. "

John: Of course.

In 1991, My wife and I left Hawaii (and Greenwich) in order to form a new company, International Business Education Inc., which had a contract with Pitman Publishing, a subsidiary of Pearson LLC, to market the distance MBA of Heriot-Watt University. At no time were we a part of the university. We ran ads, sold courses, advised students, helped set up exam sites, provided exam preparation materials, but were never involved with the academic aspects of the program. Our contract had a goal of signing up 50 people a year. We signed up 800 the first year, and things only grew after that.

My apologies for mentioning H-WU in the context I did. The last time I did something like that was when I conceived a brilliant (it seemed to me) ad for my book, in which I listed ten schools, from London to LaSalle, with the headline, "Half of these schools are real and half are fake. My book will help you sort them out."

Two of the five real schools listed (London and what was then Regents) really got their knickers in a twist, claiming that some people would see that ad and assume their schools were the fake ones.

I did not agree, but in the interest of harmony, I didn't run that ad any more.

John Bear