Happy Birthday Dr. Bear!!

Discussion in 'Off-Topic Discussions' started by Bruce, Mar 15, 2003.

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  1. Bruce

    Bruce Moderator

    I didn't notice until it was too late here in Eastern Standard Time, but March 14th is John's B-Day.

    Happy Birthday, John, wherever you may be (Peru?).


    Bruce
     
  2. John Bear

    John Bear Senior Member

    Thank you Bruce (and others who sent direct messages). Celebrating birthdays beneath the full moon at Macchu Picchu is highly recommended!
     
  3. Guest

    Guest Guest

    John,

    While on your Peruvian safari did you encounter any degree mills? They are popping up everywhere you know. ;)
     
  4. Tom Head

    Tom Head New Member

    Happy birthday, and welcome back!


    Cheers,
     
  5. Dennis Ruhl

    Dennis Ruhl member

    Like the Pizzaro School of Advanced Thermodynamics and Pizza Delivery.
     
  6. John Bear

    John Bear Senior Member

    Russell: While on your Peruvian safari did you encounter any degree mills?

    John: Well the most outrageous bit of chicanery was encountered in the Dallas airport, which I've entered as a separate thread. But, as a matter of fact, I did make a short pilgrimage in Lima to have a look at Villarreal University, which was a factor in a major fake degree scheme in the 1980s. Advertisements appeared in the US offering a non-resident doctoral program from this well-established school, with only the requirement of 2 days of exams in Lima (and those were, soon after, offered in Miami as well). Something like 1,000 Americans signed up, for a $10,000 tuition. My "due diligence" at the time consisted of communicating by letter and once by phone with the Rector (president) of the university, who assured me that the program had the full support of the university.

    A year or so later, a US student was away from his office and needed to phone the university. He didn't have the number with him, so he got it from directory assistance. When he called and asked for the office of the International Doctoral Program, he was told there was no such program.

    It seems the Rector himself had set up a private office, unknown to the university, and was running the program on his own. The address and phone in the literature were that of the private office.

    The "International Doctoral Program" disappeared soon after, but the real university, with more than 50,000 residential students, seems to thrive. I never could learn what happened to the Rector or the $10 million in tuition.
     
  7. Guest

    Guest Guest

    Another chapter in the genre of millology!
     

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