The recently-dismissed UCLA soccer coach with the fake degree has a lawyer named Bruce Gelb. Dimly recalling a "Gelb" connection with degrees before, I delved a bit. Turns out that Ed Gelb (is there a relationship?), the 'celebrity' lie detector expert who was involved in high profile cases such as O.J. Simpson, Jon Benet Ramsey, and Gary Condit, has his Ph.D. from LaSalle University, Louisiana. Truth is, there was a brief period, in which LaSalle awarded Ph.D.s and was not a diploma mill: after their founders pleaded guilty to fraud and went to prison, and before the new owners dropped the doctorates in order to apply (unsuccessfully) for DETC accreditation. I don't know when Dr. Gelb acquired his degree.
LaSalle University, LA Following the arrest and conviction of Founder James Kirk, LaSalle University went on to receive accreditation through what is known Internationally as an Apostille.[1] If you are a graduate of LaSalle University or Orion Education Corporation you may obtain a certified copy of the articles of incorporation as well as Apostille[2] through the Secretary of State of Louisiana. Below is a letter sent to former students of LaSalle University, Mandeville... Please read this letter carefully. You have the opportunity to authenticate the signatures appearing on your LaSalle University diploma and transcript, verified by the Louisiana Secretary of State, through a process called the Apostille. [3] Dear Graduate: Over time, many of you have requested information regarding the validity of your degree and course work. LaSalle University is a 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit corporation licensed through the State of Louisiana. Your degree is valid and is recognized as a degree from a legally operating institution of higher learning. A copy of the Articles of Incorporation of LaSalle Education Corporation (currently Orion Education Corporation) domiciled at Mandeville, Louisiana, was filed and recorded in the Office of Fox McKeithen, Secretary of State, State of Louisiana[4], on June 18, 1997. A copy of this registration has been enclosed. While accreditation was beyond our ability, we have arranged to provide what is called an Apostille [5]. This is a document from the Louisiana Secretary of State's Office that certifies the signatures on your diploma and transcript. The Apostille[6] was primarily designed for international graduates and is in accordance with the Hague Convention of 1981 [7]. It is valid in all 50 states of the US and in most other countries. You may or may not need this certification. It does, however, provide an official stale document attesting to the authenticity of the signatures appearing on the transcript and diploma. The Apostille may be of value if your degree is questioned, it is a requirement for most international graduates, so if you are an international graduate, we strongly urge you to take advantage of this opportunity now. The Apostille has application to US graduates as well. While we leave having not attained our goal of accreditation, we leave with the thought that we have done all that we could. If this offer of the Apostille has value to you, please contact us now! We will honor your request for a processing fee of $87.50 for domestic students and $97.50 US for international students. The order form, which includes payment information, has been enclosed, and it must be returned to us no later than May 31. 2002. Because of the time limit, we suggest that you send the order to us by fax. If you choose this service, you will receive the Apostille within 60 days of our receipt of your order. Although the Orion Education Corporation will cease operations on May 31, 2002, it will remain in an office until all corporate affairs are resolved. Most of you have taken advantage of the opportunity to acquire duplicate diplomas and Transcripts. While we continue to review all options in the placement of official files, we encourage you to request these copies immediately. After May 31, 2002, our ability to provide this service will be severely restrained. Colonel Evans C. Spiceland, Jr., M.Ed-, USA (Ret.) Chief Operating Officer Enclosures: PS. As we have conveyed to you previously, the Orion Education Corporation and its Affiliated schools, LaSalle University and Orion College, will cease operations on May 31, 2002. We have provided and will continue to provide as much assistance as we can to our graduates and former students. Although the Orion Education Corporation will cease (Contact info removed by moderator since posting does not accurately represent the facts)
Interesting, someone with the handle Dyoung11 put the following letter on Wikipedia that is very similar but not exact to what Dyoung11 just posted here. I like the below version better because there's a most delightful reference to an "Apostate" process. I guess that means that you can become a religious skeptic while at the time getting proof that an insignificant person signed a worthless document. http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=James_Kirk_diploma_mills&diff=273421842&oldid=266317932 Please read this letter carefully. You have the opportunity to aufhenticate the signatures appearing on your LaSalle University diploma and transcript, verified by the Louisiana Secretary of State, through a process called the Apostate. Dear Graduate: Over time, many of you have requested information regarding [he validity of your degree and course work. LaSalle University is a 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit corporation licensed through the State of Louisiana. Your degree is valid and is recognized as a degree from a legally operating institution of higher learning. A copy of the Articles of Incorporation of LaSalle Education Corporation (currenlly Orion Education Corporation) domiciled at Mandeville, Louisiana, was filed and recorded in the Office of Fox McKeithen, Secretary of State, State of Louisiana, on June 18, 1997. A copy of this registration has been enclosed. While accreditation was beyond our ability, we have arranged to provide what is called an Apostilie. This is a document from the Louisiana Secretary of State's Office that certifies the signatures on your diploma and transcript. The Apostate was primarily designed for international graduates and is in accoidance with the Hague Convention of 1981. It is valid in all 50 states of the US and in most other countries. You may or may not need this certification. It does, however, provide an official stale document attesting to the authenticity of the signatures appearing on the transcript and diploma. The Apostilie may be of value if your degree is questioned, it is a requirement (or most international graduates, so if you are an international graduate, we strongly urge you to take advantage of this opportunity now. The Apostilie has application to US graduates as well. While we leave having not attained our goal of accreditation, we leave with the thought that we have done all that we coufd. If this offer of the Apostille has value to you, please contact us now! We will honor your request for a processing fee of S87.50 for domestic students and S97.50US for international students. The order form, which includes payment information, has been enclosed, and it must be returned to us no later than May 31. 2D02. Because of the time limit, we sugges\ thai you send the order to us by fax. If you choose this service, you will receive the Apostille within 60 days of our receipt of your order. Although the Orion Education Corporation will cease operations on May 31, 2002, it will remain in an office until all corporate affairs are resolved. Most of you have taken advantage of the opportunity to acquire duplicate diplomas and transcripts. While we continue to review all options in the placement of official files, we encourage you to request these copies immediately. After May 31, 2002, our ability to provide this service will be severely restrained. Colonel Evans C. Spiceland, Jr., M.Ed-, USA (Ret.) Chief Operating Officer Enclosures PS. As we have conveyed to you previously, the Orion Education Corporation and its affiliated schools, LaSalle University and Orion College, will cease operations on May 31, 2002. We have provided and will continue to provide as much assistance as we can to our graduates and former students. Although the Orion Education Corporation will cease.
A sad story of this truth is that John Bear is one of the very few people that are aware of this truth. Another part of the sad story is that there's no way to generally know whether someone claiming a degree from LaSalle really earned their degree during the brief flash of history where LaSalle wasn't a diploma mill. It is flabbergasting to me why anyone would want to try to start up a real school based on a diploma mill. This and Pacific Western Universtiy/California Miramar University are the only two examples of this strange plan that I'm aware of or at least that I can think of right now.
I think Barrington University/University of Atlanta fall in this category, with the exception that they succeeded in obtaining accreditation.
Yes, this is a much better example because California Miramar University is not yet accredited. It doesn't improve my faith in DETC. :-(
LaSalle Education Corporation/Orion Education Corporation Yes Bill that was me and since learned that Wikipedia, like many things you read on the internet do not hold much water. I was one of those students working for the US Gov't that had already earned an A.G.S., B.S., M.S., and M.Ed. from Regionally Accredited Institutions. The fact is OPM, US Dept of Ed, and Regionally Accrediting Bodies (such as SACS) really have no official say on what makes up a diploma mill -- only that it takes money away from their institutions. I stopped using the Ph.D. in my title after learning more of what was involved with the whole mess and Kirk. But I hope some of the few "educated" people out there realize that many of us did earn our degrees. My Doctoral Project was a curriculum in Environmental Management & Technology that is still in use to this day in the State of Ohio.
As John Bear states in Bears' Guide, there was a short period of time that LaSalle was apparently trying to be a real school. It is also true that someone can work hard earning a diploma mill degree and perhaps even produce something in the process that in a different context might have value. However, your apparent belief that an apostille somehow means that a LaSalle degree has validity, sadly, is incorrect. In my opinion, it is wise and good that you no longer use your Ph.D. title. Based on your comment above, I suggest that you still may have some healing to do to really get over your bad experience, i.e., you shouldn't try to blame me, the regional accreditation bodies, Wikipedia, government agencies, or even people that may have thought you to be an academic fraud at some point, no matter how mistaken you believe them to be. I suggest that it would make more sense to blame, James Kirk, a system of laws that allow such a nefarious operation to exist, and perhaps even yourself for being naive or gullible. Take care and I wish you the best.
I received a delightful call today from Steve Windham at the Louisiana Secretary of State's office on this issue. Apparently his office has received a bunch of requests for apostilles, and has had to explain to each person that the document they are seeking won't do any good in legitimizing their bogus degree. Steve seems very sincere and interested in helping to get the word out about this, and also seems concerned about the issues with unwonderful schools in Louisiana. I've posted a more complete description of the Apostille problem and why it does not confer legitimacy or accreditation on a degree here
LaSalle University verification for valid degrees LaSalle Univeristy had a legal Apostille, which is an affirmation by the State of Louisiana certifying good standing of LaSalle University as a entity with legal status. The Apostille confirms that the signatures of the officials on the Degree is a true signature of the person. It also verifies the validity of the Degree. Reference: LaSalleUniversity.info Please note that LASALLE Education Corporation was a legal registered corporation within the State. In July 1997 because of all the bad publicity, Orion Education Corporation took over and it also was a legally registered Corporation within the State. ( Note you can order copies of the State Documents that verify this as a fact at LaSalleUniversity.info )
LaSalleUniversity.info The record indicates that both LASALLE and Orion Education Corporations were operating legally and were in good standing within the State. On May 3, 1999 LASALLE University made application for accreditation with an agency recognized by the United States Department of Education, the US Military and the Council on Higher Education Accreditation. Their Application was accepted. (Per letter to me Source Code: JODOM98) However, because of low student enrollment, caused by the tremendous amount of negative media publicity, which was difficult to overcome, the application was later turned down and Orion Education Corporation had to ceased operations on May 31, 2002, because of financial difficulties, and not because of any illegal activity. The State Attorney's General office and The Secretary of State's office confirmed the school was operating legally, and were they permitted to issue valid Degrees. (source: LaSalleUniversity.info)
Several Alumni have come together to offer this service to former students. This service is not a transcript service. It offers Official copies of Apostille to Alum, in lue of paying $82 - $100 to the state of Louisiana.
You are just plan wrong about what an apostille means. In particular, "It also verifies the validity of the Degree." is complete and total nonsense. Please reference the information that Chip refers to.
