In Alexandria, Kentucky, the fire chief had his fire science degree from a totally phony school, Southwestern University of Arizona (whose proprietor pleaded guilty and went to federal prison). 20+ years later, the Board discovered this. If the person had been doing a good job, it might have been overlooked, but apparently he wasn't, and they asked for his resignation. He refused, and was fired. A law suit seems imminent.
John: Is this the same SW that is applying for DETC accreditation? What is your opinion of the school? Thanks, RJT
No. You're referring to Southwest University, not Southwestern. Southwestern University was run by Anthony Geruntino, who also ran a "referral service" from an Ohio address. This service offered to find you an optimal school from which to earn your desired degree, basing this on your previous work and educational history. Of course, all customers were referred to....Southwestern University. Big Tony got 5 long in a Fed prison. Southwest University was (is?) owned and operated by Reg Sheldrick. IIRC (I'm in New Jersey and away from my collection of Bears' Guides), Sheldrick is a hypnotist and has his doctorate from Newport University, an unaccredited school in California. Southwest has operated for decades, and was one of the schools participating in my survey of graduates from nontraditional universities I conducted a decade ago. Darn nice of them to participate, and their graduates had some interesting things to say about their degrees. But that study may never see the light of day, for it was the basis for my first dissertation with Union that I never got to submit. (The other schools were William Lyon University, Chadwick University, Norwich University/Vermont College, Nova (now Nova Southeastern) University, and one other whose name escapes me. (Again, I'm away from my files.)
