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. Phdtobe

    Phdtobe Well-Known Member

    I am in agreement with everything you wrote. The only thing that I will add is that the members who used their real names, in my opinion, gives DI as a whole greater credibility. This is not to say that the people who writes under assume names are not credible. Many of them are very accomplished.
     
  2. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    No, thank you. It's a generous thought, but let's leave it at that.

    Let's instead use whatever remaining energy there are on Charisma and focus it on the topic.
     
  3. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    Actually, I was willing NOT to fight and to settle.

    I had a phone conversation with Dr. Okpala right after he had me served. I offered to settle this as gentlemen. I offered to post something on the degree boards in question that he chose, provided it was the truth. He refused, convinced he would prevail.

    He then filed an inept suit pro se, naming the people whose names he knew, and a few by their tagnames. He also named both boards and their owners. Because I was the only one his server(s) could find, it fell to me.

    He called me once again before the suit was heard, I assume to seek a settlement. But by then I was pretty ticked off (and thousands into legal fees) and told him to buzz off. Then we one an excusal for me, then a dismissal of the entire suit.

    We offered to settle after the suit was dismissed, confident we'd get an anti-SLAPP judgment.

    We offered several times after the anti-SLAPP judgment (before we submitted our costs).

    We now have a judgment for costs and are trying to settle this again. Dr. Okpala has been unresponsive. He also quit attending hearings since the original dismissal, and never responded to each motion we filed.

    After all of that--and it took nearly two years--we have a judgment against him that I'll present to his employers (assuming he doesn't reach out to settle).
     
  4. mbwa shenzi

    mbwa shenzi Active Member

    Samuel, who claimed he was a representative of Charisma's legal department, categorically denied there was any connection whatsoever between Charisma University and Victorville International University but in my opinion, Charisma is a, let's say, continuation of VIU. Here's an archived version of Victorville's web site not long before VIU disappeared

    https://web.archive.org/web/20110309142949/http://www.vi-edu.us/about.html


    Google, for example "We are proud of our academic challenge and excellence, and we believe that every incoming student adds to our legacy." and see where you end up.
     
  5. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    Victorville claimed to be: "A Joint Development Project of Newport University CED (NUCED)."

    That thing can be found here: Newport University CED

    It's statement on accreditation is, um, interesting. Here's just a part of it: Newport University CED is an on-line professional higher educational institution established in Republic of Ghana through a Royal Charter as an educational wing of the Nana Wiabo Educational Trust Fund under Chairmanship of the Royal Highness Nana Dr. Obeng Wiabo V the Chief of Gomoa Nyanyano, and Oshihene (Chairman of Lands) of Gomoa Akempim Traditional Area, Ghana to offer the professional qualifications jointly developed and offered with the Chartered Institute of Supply Chain Management, a prominent professional certification body established in Ghana.

    So there!

    Victorville appears to have operated, despite its many other claims, from a California storefront. (Victorville, natch.) Makes sense, since Okpala lives down the road in Irvine, CA. But Victorville wasn't approved by the state, it appears.

    Charisma. The gift that keeps on giving.
     
  6. mbwa shenzi

    mbwa shenzi Active Member

    Correct, and it was also a division - I think that's the word that was used but I may be wrong - of WIDU, the World Information Distributed University in Russia.

    Anyway, in 2008, there were actually two universities "operating as one" as they put it, Victorville International University and American Centered University, run by Dr Okpala and Dr Okpala - they are twins - and again, although Samuel denied it, VIU and ACU were accredited by Maxine Asher's WAUC. At least they claimed to be accredited by WAUC, see https://web.archive.org/web/20080731173008/http://ahes-edu.us/accreditation_degree.html
     
  7. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Gomoa Nyanyano is one of at least two traditional African kingdoms that have issued Royal Charters to universities: Gomoa Nyanyano (Ghana) and Bunyoro-Kitara (Uganda). Yes, they are "real" Kingdoms with "real" Monarchs and long histories. I have no wish to offend the Monarchs, their Kingdoms or anyone living there.

    I also read that the 6th Mukungu (Prince-Governor) of the Ancient Abbey-Principality of San Luigi (Fizzan), Kingdom of Bunyoro-Kitara is Dr. John Kersey, of European American University. From European American University's website, I learn that EAU has Royal Charters from both Kingdoms mentioned:

    "The University’s operation rests on the basis of its corporate charter, issued by the Commonwealth of Dominica, which provides it with the legal authority to function as a private international university. The University holds two further Royal Charters firstly from HM the Omukama of Bunyoro-Kitara (which also incorporates the University in the Kingdom of Bunyoro-Kitara) and additionally from HRH the Chief of Gomoa Nyanyano, Ghana."

    Here's the website of one of the Kingdoms:

    Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom - Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom (Rep. Uganda) - The most powerful Kingdom in East Africa!

    J.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 6, 2016
  8. mbwa shenzi

    mbwa shenzi Active Member

    I'd say that's pretty much meaningless. In the Ugandan constitution, it's clearly stated that "a traditional leader [a king] or a cultural leader shall not have or exercise any administrative, legislative or executive powers of Government or local government."
     
  9. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Thanks! Good enough for me!

    J.
     
  10. mbwa shenzi

    mbwa shenzi Active Member

    You're welcome, Johann.

    By the way, the Bunyoro-Kitara web site is registered to a Swiss, or German, individual with a profound interest in aristocracy.

    Now, re Victorville etc: I forgot to mention that its agent in Scandinavia - if we are to believe him - was a Chinese bloke who founded the European Management University International in Denmark. He is also a graduate of Yorker International University, Cloverfield University, Robert de Sorbon etc.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 6, 2016
  11. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    This is a bit off-track, but yes, I looked him up. I found it extremely interesting that among his American honours, this person listed that he was a Kentucky Colonel and an Arkansas Traveler.

    I always thought "Arkansas Traveler" was just an old folk-song I sometimes like to play on my harmonica - and so it is, but it's also a title presented by certificate to distinguished visitors to the State. Says so, here:

    <i>Arkansas Traveler</i> - Encyclopedia of Arkansas

    Oh my -- the Internet. You learn something new every day... :smile:

    J.
     
  12. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    In more good news, not only have I been released (motion to strike) from the Okpala lawsuit, but the entire case (including actions against the other defendants) has now been dismissed with prejudice. Buh-bye!
     
  13. Abner

    Abner Well-Known Member

    That great! That must have been very stressful. Did you have to spend a lot for an attorney?
     
  14. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    That's a relative term. I think "yes."
     
  15. Abner

    Abner Well-Known Member

    That's terrible! Too bad your attorney wasn't able to make Charisma pay your legal fees.
     
  16. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    It doesn't quite work that way. In an anti-SLAPP judgment, I was awarded the costs related to defending my free speech. That was about 60% of the total costs. Enforcing the judgment and collecting it will be interesting. But the court can't "make" him pay; it can only "order" him to pay. I've never tried to collect on a lawsuit before; this is the first time I've been sued and I've never sued anyone. The final disposition of the case was just filed, so I'm waiting to see what's next.
     
  17. Abner

    Abner Well-Known Member

    What a hassle. That would totally stress me out.
     
  18. Garp

    Garp Well-Known Member

    Good luck. It is irritating that you are out of pocket anything. I hope the guy decides to be honorable and pay up. That won't make you whole but it is something. Also, since the school's name is Charisma, it would seem to be his duty to do so.
     
  19. Bruce

    Bruce Moderator

    Awesome, congratulations! :beerchug:
     
  20. mbwa shenzi

    mbwa shenzi Active Member

    This was never a laughing matter and the only time I smiled was when user ilovecharisma posted the following:

    I'm happy to hear the case has been dismissed with prejudice, though and my question to Dr Okpala is simple: was it really worth it?
     

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