Charisma University has received "Candidate for Accreditation ACPSP

Discussion in 'Accreditation Discussions (RA, DETC, state approva' started by worldtraveler, Apr 17, 2014.

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  1. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    Small update: I won the dismissal and attorney's fees (which are in the thousands). There's a hearing next week to approve the exact amount. Then I go about collecting from Dr. Okpala of Charisma.
     
  2. LearningAddict

    LearningAddict Well-Known Member

    ^^^ That's great! The whole thing was nonsense. Hopefully this will deter other dullards from trying what they did.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 21, 2016
  3. airtorn

    airtorn Moderator

  4. LearningAddict

    LearningAddict Well-Known Member

  5. airtorn

    airtorn Moderator

    Yep. Agreed.
     
  6. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

  7. Garp

    Garp Well-Known Member

  8. mbwa shenzi

    mbwa shenzi Active Member

    I think there's also an agreement with Bellevue University. Re this and the other Charisma University thread, I wonder what happened to surprises' sidekick worldtraveler.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 23, 2016
  9. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    Court order today granting my motion to recover cost associated with the anti-SLAPP decision:

    The Court confirms the tentative ruling as follows:

    Defendant Richard Douglas's Motion For Attorney's Fees is GRANTED. The court finds that the sum of
    $5,985.00 in attorney's fees was reasonably incurred by Defendant Douglas in connection with the
    SLAPP motion, and motion for attorney's fees.

    The court awards Defendant Douglas the sum of $5,985.00 in attorney's fees against Plaintiff per CCP §
    425.16(c).


    Dr. Okpala, I'll be in touch.
     
  10. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    Good news. I'm glad it worked out well. It seems like the right thing.
     
  11. Phdtobe

    Phdtobe Well-Known Member

    DI needs to have a legal defense for members like Dr. Douglas who put themselves on the line for the love of education.
     
  12. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Good idea... as long as it doesn't interfere with our DI 401K, medical benefits and profit sharing! :smile:

    Congrats to Dr. Rich on the outcome.

    J.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 5, 2016
  13. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    I think the plan is to get to that right after we update the banner.
     
  14. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    The plaintiff sued many people, including this board AND its owner. I'm the only one who--because I use my real name--was served. (Levicoff was also sued, but not served. Observers here can judge his gratitude.)

    I fought back and not only won a dismissal of the entire case, but also a judgment in my favor. Whatever I am able to recover, however, won't come near to covering my costs in this case. (Not even half).

    This isn't just about the money, of course, and the board's owner has (in private) thanked me for taking on this guy. That's good by me. But I could use a less flip attitude from this board's moderators. This was a serious matter and it cost me thousands of dollars to defend. And, I hope, winning the anti-SLAPP judgment will deter similar actions. After all, the next one could be you.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 5, 2016
  15. Steve Levicoff

    Steve Levicoff Well-Known Member

    Well, it’s not like I couldn’t be found. I can always be fouind somewhere in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, or Wyoming.

    True, but think of the war stories you can now tell. One day, with your grandchildren on your knee, you can say, “Have you ever heard the story of how your grandpop was sued by the evil degree mill monster?”

    But you’re not alone, Rich. I will never recover the cost of defending myself against the MIGS lawsuit. On the other hand, I didn’t have any costs.

    I haven't noted any flip attitude on the part of the moderators. Let’s face it, the whole thing was kind of funny. Degree mill lawsuits usually are.

    Thank you, Martin Niemoller. (“And then they came for me…”)
     
  16. mbwa shenzi

    mbwa shenzi Active Member

    I was sued but never served. I did, however, take a lot of heat from Dr Okpala for asking polite questions he didn't like. It wasn't fun then and the lawsuit didn't make it any funnier.
     
  17. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    I'm truly glad that no one else was served and had to deal with this. I wish, of course, the number of defendants to have to respond was "zero," but I'm glad it was no more than one.
     
  18. Phdtobe

    Phdtobe Well-Known Member

    I truly think there could be a mechanism to voluntary make Richard whole by DI members. We do not have to make him rich just cover only out of pocket expenses. Today it is him, tomorrow it could be Kizmet, phdtobe, or other members. The moderators are already doing a great job by monitoring the board. This is just extra protection to support what the moderators deemed fit to post on DI.
     
  19. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    I didn't think it was funny, either. I was part of this, too - or I think I might possibly have been. Anyway, I saved a PM that said I'd been sued - although I was never served, either.

    And if I've tried to extract a tiny bit of humour from this bad situation, (post #72, above) it's not at Dr. Douglas's - or anyone else's expense. Again, kudos to Dr. Douglas and his legal representation for taking this thing on - and winning.

    J.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 5, 2016
  20. Neuhaus

    Neuhaus Well-Known Member

    I like the spirit. But the reality is that such a plan might complicate things rather than helping. We are a discussion forum and I'm comfortable with the relationship sort of ending there. We aren't Roman soldiers going into battle so I don't see the need for a burial fund.

    When we post under our real names, we take a risk. It means that we should take care in what we say, how we say it and understand that this possibility of getting sued always exists. Rich made comments he stood behind and was willing to fight. While it is true that not everyone will have the resources to fight back, I think we run the risk of emboldening a user of this forum who might ignore their "filter" knowing that a defense fund and the glory of taking on the diploma mills awaits.

    Now, if you wanted to start a Go Fund Me as a one off cause for Rich to offset his expenses, I'd contribute. But I don't dig the idea of a standing fund. Beyond the possibility that this might give people the wrong idea or a false sense of bravado when they post here, it means that someone would have to take fiduciary responsibility for that money and fiduciary responsibility is boring.
     

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