More on Breyer State University's Faculty

Discussion in 'Accreditation Discussions (RA, DETC, state approva' started by Rich Douglas, Jun 8, 2007.

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  1. adireynolds

    adireynolds New Member

    I'm sorry, but I don't follow this. Were they more productive, or less productive? And how, specifically, did you measure/define productivity?
     
  2. back2cali

    back2cali New Member

    I appreciate your reviewing my comments and your inquiry.

    In conclusion of the sample population study, it was found that less productivity was produced within the same gender setting in both the exercise of brainstorming ideas and overall contribution towards the task at hand. These reviews were under controlled sessions that were both monitored and evaluated with the use of a standardized survey and analysis format to ensure consistency within the data collection.
     
  3. adireynolds

    adireynolds New Member

    Okay, but you still have not said how you measured/defined proficiency.

    Also, why are you not publishing your dissertation through ProQuest?
     
  4. John Bear

    John Bear Senior Member

    back2cali: "My dissertation has been submitted and should be available from Cambria Press."


    At last something specific to pursue. Was not listed either among published or forthcoming works on the Cambria site.

    back2cali: "...those whom held..."

    George Ade: "'Whom are you,' he said, for he had been to night school."
     
  5. Shawn Ambrose

    Shawn Ambrose New Member

    I sent an e-mail to Cambria with the title of the dissertation and a link to this thread asking about the publication.

    Shawn
     
  6. Shawn Ambrose

    Shawn Ambrose New Member

    My guess is that ProQuest only accepts dissertations from legitimate colleges and universities. Good question though.

    Shawn
     
  7. carlosb

    carlosb New Member

    I did find one Breyer State University - Kamiah Idaho dissertation at dissertation.com. The first 25 pages can be downloaded for free. I'll defer to those with experience with dissertations to say how good it is\isn't.

    http://www.dissertation.com/book.php?method=ISBN&book=1581122098
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 20, 2007
  8. StevenKing

    StevenKing Active Member

    Interesting faculty...

    First of all, when I started reading these posts and noticed "back2cali" - I thought I was reading the latest ramblings of my ex-wife who affectionately abandoned my family when I was stationed in Korea. (Her email contains the same phrase - but even she is not so foolish to pursue an unaccredited DBA). :D

    While this person will have to deal with the ramifications of such a "credential" - I thought it might be interesting (and since I have the summer off...) to compare faculty listings of Breyer State University to another questionable entity: Canyon College.

    Faculty listed at both:
    AJ Adams
    John Anderson
    Jay Carlin
    David Dutcher
    Gerald Evans
    Thomas Fish
    Domink Flarey
    William Flood
    Fr. George Gonzalez (Very interesting to compare the two listings - apparently he has three PhD's [or inappropriately labels them between faculty pages]. I thought I was indecisve about education - this guy is another that's truly done it all...)
    Deryl Gulliford
    Leah Klein
    Catherine Moran
    Catherine Moriarity
    Dale Mueller
    Tanya Muller
    Mary Lynn Page
    Richard Pessagno
    Edward Piper
    Thomas Shear
    Micheal Townsend
    Melody Williams

    Want an interesting read? Check out Prez Flarey's credentials...

    Interesting...is this a common practice of those looking to beef up a questionable CV?
     
  9. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    I truly believe that, beyond the obvious profit angle, BSU exists to puff up the resumes and credentials of its "students" and "faculty." Just look at all the self-credentialed faculty members.

    I don't know if there is a connection to Canyon--a similar operation, certainly--but the purposes for both are the same. I'm not surprised to see so many faculty at both.
     
  10. StevenKing

    StevenKing Active Member

    I find it interesting in the sense that I would, one day, like to be involved in online adjunct instruction. Reviewing these credential listings indicates that many have regular (and accepted) positions in academe. I would think that such associations would hurt, and possibly hinder, one's credibility.
     
  11. CalDog

    CalDog New Member

    As discussed previously, Breyer State University is "accredited" by the Central States Consortium of Colleges and Schools, an unrecognized agency. It has been reported that CSCCS and BSU are owned by the same individual, as described earlier in this thread.

    CSCCS "accredits" exactly one other school besides Breyer State. It just happens to be Canyon College, where the same individual is listed as a faculty member.

    At least Breyer State has state authorization to operate legally. Canyon may not even have that.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 20, 2007
  12. CalDog

    CalDog New Member

    Cambria Press appears to be a relatively young firm that solicits and publishes scholarly works. They take the unusual step of listing the terminal degrees held by each of their authors, perhaps to help establish their credibility. The list appears to be pretty complete; it does not seem to be just a selection of the most prominent schools.

    Nearly all of their authors appear to hold PhD degrees from RA (or foreign equivalent) schools. They don't appear to have ever published anything from a Breyer State graduate before. There are no Breyer State grads on their authors list, and their search box returned no hits for "Breyer".

    The authors list does include one EdD from California Coast University. California Coast currently has DETC accreditation, but I understand that its doctoral degrees were issued before it received such accreditation. If so, then the degree in question would presumably qualify as unaccredited.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 20, 2007
  13. Shawn Ambrose

    Shawn Ambrose New Member

    Couple of quick things that struck me while skimming over the dissertation:

    1. The committee is not listed in the dissertation

    2. Granted, most of the first 25 pages is introductory material, but for the first few pages of chapter one - there are many facts presented without references. I'm not going to pay the money to read the rest, but if I have a fact or opinion from someone else, it needs to be referenced.

    Shawn
     
  14. CalDog

    CalDog New Member

    The only indication that this dissertation has been reviewed by any member of the Breyer State faculty is on the first and third pages, which state: "Faculty and Administrative Approval by: Dominick L. Flarey, Ph.D." No other names or signatures are shown.

    Flarey is reportedly the owner of Breyer State (as well as CSCCS, its "accreditation agency"). According to his Breyer State biography, Flarey has an accredited BS in Nursing and an accredited MBA in Health Care Administration, plus an unaccredited PhD and a number of other credentials involving unaccredited schools (for example, his bio notes that he is a professor in seven different health-related disciplines at Canyon College).

    It's not apparent that Flarey has any expertise, credentials, or publications at all in the field of Political Science generally, or related to terrorism specifically. Yet it also appears, based on the posted thesis, that he had sole responsibility for evaluating and approving doctoral dissertations in this field.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 20, 2007
  15. John Bear

    John Bear Senior Member

    The Kingster: "I would think that such associations would hurt, and possibly hinder, one's credibility."

    The Bear: Indeed, they do. And a surprising (well, I used to be surprised) number of people don't even know that they are listed as faculty at dreadful schools. Typically, they answer a help wanted ad, and whether or not they apply (some do, most don't), they are nonetheless listed as faculty.

    Is it time to bring back The Levicoff Letter, which deserves to resurface every year or two. Steve wrote it to help out a poor shlub who signed on as an adjunct at Canyon College, tried to get out of it, and was being harassed by them. Warning: contains Levicoffian language.
    ==============================================
    Levicoff writes:
    But since the Canyon issue has come up, here is a letter that I wrote to Michael Storrs, Canyon's president, back in January 2000. The issue involved a semi-regular newsgroup participant who got scammed into being an adjunct faculty member for Canyon, and Storrs was attempting to hold him to a binding contract to teach for them. The newsgroup participant's name is irrelevant at this point, so I have blanked it out.

    Suffice to say that Storrs released the guy from his contract
    immediately and without further retribution. The reason that it is
    relevant today is that it contains lots of nifty information about
    Canyon, right down to its physical facility, and it is a good example of
    how - when the facts are correct - a degree mill operator *will* back
    down without taking legal action. Here's the letter (one of the more
    fun ones I have had the occasion to write) . . .

    January 15, 2000

    Michael F. Storrs, President
    Canyon College
    521 West Maple Street
    Caldwell, ID 83605

    Dear Michael, et al:

    I am a member of a consortium of academic
    professionals and consumer activists actively engaged
    in research and advocacy on distance education issues,
    especially the exposure of degree mills. We have been
    in contact with one ____________, have been informed
    of his history of involvement with Canyon College, and
    are in receipt of correspondence to __________ from
    Michael F. Storrs, copies of which were sent to John
    Denmark and attorney Bryan Walker. I have also
    reviewed __________'s contract, which is so convoluted
    that even a legitimately accredited school wouldn't
    touch it.

    This response is written on behalf of __________, but
    has not been reviewed by him in advance. I note for
    the record that it is not to be construed as a formal
    response, and the nature of any feedback with which I
    have provided __________ should not be construed as
    legal advice.

    With that in mind, Michael, grab a cup of coffee,
    plant your ass in a chair, and take your medicine.

    ____________ has never called Canyon College a degree
    mill on the Internet newsgroup alt.education.distance,
    I did. I submit, sir, that your institution is a
    fraud, a scam, a sham, a con, and a rip-off. Face it,
    sweet cakes, Canyon College is a fucking joke.

    Now let's get down to business. Kindly open your
    textbook to your letter of January 13, 2000, to
    __________.

    First, I submit that the contract between Canyon
    College and ___________ is null and void based upon
    Canyon College's misrepresentation of its programs,
    its legitimacy, and the acceptance of its degrees.
    Hell, man, Canyon is a fucking degree mill, and I'll
    testify to that in any courtroom in the nation - even
    one in Caldwell, Idaho. Then I'll invite judge and
    jury to a box lunch on the lawn of your luxurious
    campus - John Denmark's house. (A fucking house! I
    love it! Hell, man, even the Caldwell Fire Department
    was on the floor laughing when they verified the
    property information for me.) And you can explain to
    the court how you manage to fit a School of Business,
    School of Psychology and Counseling, School of Social
    Work, School of Health Administration, School of
    Theology, and School of Divinity into that cute little
    edifice at 521 West Maple Street. (Note to John
    Denmark: By the way, that was me calling Saturday
    night. Hell, man, if you're going to have a scam
    college operating out of your fucking house, you
    shouldn't answer the phone live on the weekend. I
    mean, if that isn't obvious . . .)

    Now, you referred to __________'s "recent
    unprofessional conduct and false or derogatory
    statements." Nonsense. __________ has exhibited far
    more patience with you wazoos than I would have at any
    time. He has not engaged in unprofessional conduct,
    and his statements about Canyon College were evenly
    tempered. Even if they had not been, if it walks like
    a duck, quacks like a duck, and shits like a duck,
    it's a fucking duck. And you guys walk, quack, *and*
    shit like a typical degree mill.

    I have reviewed the Canyon College web site
    extensively, and it's a joke. C'mon, dude, six
    courses for a master's degree? Six courses for a
    doctorate degree? Not to mention the lack of
    disclosure about your psychology and counseling
    programs, which would not qualify a person to sit for
    the professional board exams in any licensure-based
    state. Moreover, your FAQ contains misleading
    statements about the possibility of achieving
    licensure with a Canyon degree. (Am I wrong, sugar
    buns? Prove it - cite one student who was able to
    become professionally licensed in any state and in a
    mental health field with a Canyon degree.)

    I submit that you make false and misleading statements
    about the transferability of your credits, the
    possibility of Canyon's future accreditation by a
    legitimately recognized agency, and the compatibility
    of its degrees with those of other institutions.
    (C'mon, sport, a six-course "Masters in Divinity"
    degree? You're on my turf here, and I'm laughing my
    ass off.)

    Now let's get to the bottom line. _______'s contract
    is null and void (chorus join in, "now and
    forevermore!"). You jackasses wouldn't stand a
    proverbial snowball's chance in hell if you were to
    take legal action against him, and if you have been up
    front with your attorney (which I highly doubt) he has
    already told you this. (Incidentally, I loved the "we
    have sought legal counsel" bit. Bryan Walker
    certainly has solid credentials, right down to his
    J.D. from the University of Houston Law School. But
    if he's half the realist he should be, he wouldn't be
    bonkers enough to take this case on a contingency
    basis. And unless you're willing to spend megabucks
    on legal fees for a losing case, it's time to give
    this issue a rest.)

    So get off ______'s ass. You scammed him once, and he
    now has the support of a major group of educators and
    consumer advocates in distance education behind him.
    Legal action? Right, dude - I'll be delighted to have
    a jury laugh your sleazy little ass out of any
    courtroom in the country. Just as I'll be laughing if
    I have to place a call to my buddies at the Idaho
    State Board of Education (on State Street in beautiful
    downtown Boise, just a lovely 45-minute drive from
    Caldwell), the Idaho Attorney General's Office and, of
    course, The Idaho Statesman (which would have even
    more of a ball with this than I have had).

    In short, you swindling little charlatan, the matter
    is closed. Consider __________ out of the contract.
    And you will do absolutely nothing - I repeat,
    *nothing* - to hinder his ability to work, to damage
    his reputation, or to impugn his credibility, or I
    will go to town on you. Pro bono.

    Now, before you respond - if you have either the balls
    or the stupidity - be a good boy and check out my own
    qualifications and experience. You'll find my
    curriculum vita right on my home page at
    http://levicoff.tripod.com. You'll find some of the
    books I have written, including two authoritative
    volumes on distance education and two law books that
    are still used as legal texts. So make sure that any
    response you send is eloquent as hell, because I can't
    be bothered with amateurs. And if I haven't pushed
    your buttons enough, I'm delighted to tell you that I
    have posted a copy of this letter right on the
    alt.education.distance newsgroup, where it will be
    available to potential millions of people around the
    world.

    Trusting that __________ will not hear from you again,
    I remain -

    With best wishes, kindest regards, and hugs and
    kisses,

    Steve Levicoff, Ph.D.
     
  16. StevenKing

    StevenKing Active Member

    True Levicoffian fashion

    Let's face it...even speaking as an evangelical Christian...I was always curious what Dr. Steve was going to cook up in the AED days.
     
  17. Bill Huffman

    Bill Huffman Well-Known Member

    I doubt that anyone bothered to even read the dissertation, except perhaps to make a superficial comment. The purpose of the superficial comment is to help convince the victim in the validity of the process and therefore institution. It doesn't take much at this point. The victim has the bait in his mouth and wants to swallow it. A little thing like that can complete the acceptance of the degree, hook, line, and sinker. Thereby creating another academic fraud that happily embraces his own ticking time bomb, perhaps exhibiting such hubris on his personal path to destruction that he tells people that he should be addressed as doctor! People really can be facinating.
     
  18. back2cali

    back2cali New Member

    Breyer State has its office in Alabama as listed on their site.

    Breyer State University-Alabama
    2100 SouthBridge Parkway, Suite 650, Birmingham, Alabama 35209
    hours: Mon - Fri, 8am-4pm CST
    phone: 205-414-7567 • fax: 205-414-7499
     
  19. CalDog

    CalDog New Member

    The address cited by backtocali (and by Breyer State) is actually the address of a Regus "virtual office" branch. Regus provides services like mail collection and forwarding, a local fax number with fax forwarding, personalized call answering and forwarding, voice mailboxes, etc., for a monthly fee.

    As noted by Regus: "A virtual office provides you with a prime local business address and a credible, risk-free base for corresponding with clients." Credibility and risk may be important considerations for a school like Breyer State.

    It's safe to assume that Breyer State's real HQ is elsewhere. The same would be true for the many other organizations also "share" Suite 650 with Breyer State. A Google search will readily turn up many other organizations with the exact same address, such as SouthStar Funding, the Alabama Senior Driver Research Project, and the Fonteneau Firm.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 22, 2007
  20. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    Ooh, that's going to leave a mark. A university operating from a no-tell motel kind of office? Geez, what's next, operating from the guy's home? Oh, wait, that's okay, right....?:eek:
     

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