Another deception - The Open University of America

The Open University of America

http://www.theou.com/testing/default.asp?content=admission
and their accreditor CHEIA - CHEA International ?


Wile a naibor and partner in rockt ball was happy by transfering his units from Open University Israel to this entity, I was very suspeseus of it.

No recognized accreditation
No listed faculty
The address we couldn’t verify if its really a school or business like p.o or office rental.

What confused me all the affiliations they claim to other Open Universities.

I'm 99% sure it’s substandard.

But have 1% that what if I’m wrong.

Per my suggestion he sent his credentials and transcripts to J Silniy for evaluation in order to transfer to Excelsior College, he is looking at Charter Oak and the other DL options.

He was close to sending 1,800 as deposit to OUoA.
They fooled him and he was under impression that they were comparable or better then Open University of Israel.

I hope I didn't do him disservice.
But the OUoA looks substandard to me.

He posted something about this on another channel, still thinks maybe some one will tell him I was wrong.

The reason is he has 40% of BA at Open University of Israel and they are giving him additional 40% credit for life exp and vocational certificates, the rest he needs to complete.
still to generous in my opinion.

Anyway to feel better I posted this here and he will see the replies.
He can't post here because in the past he posted very negative info here and was kiked out, I think he reformed do.


Learner

 

At least their website is honest. It states, "THE OPEN UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA IS NOT ACCREDITED BY AN ACCREDITING AGENCY RECOGNIZED BY THE UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF EDUCATION. "

 

I agree.

So do some diploma mills.

But what about the CHEIA - is this not to sound like CHEA?
Isn't this a bogus accreditor?

Learner

 

I'm 99% sure you're right, Learner.

The accreditor is clearly a fake-name designed to be confused with CHEA.
The accreditation statement is full of weasel words; it is also clearly aimed at fooling foreigners unfamiliar with US system of accreditation. (The "no Federal Ministry of Education" is foreign-sounding and also just plain wrong.)
The international recognition stuff mentions a couple of prizes but doesn't name them. It's certainly not any foreign GAAP-type recognition.
The address sounds like an apartment. It is also written Canadian-style (but maybe they do that in Seattle).
The life-experience stuff is vague--no real portfolio like the "Big 3".
The flag and big yellow sun logo looks vaguely like a knockoff of the Malaysian flag's components rearranged (?).
The whole thing sounds like a knockoff of the legitimate Open Universities in other countries.

I believe you have nailed them, Lerner. Well done.

 

Not to mention looking very much like the legitimate Open University's logo.

 

I think I have found one of its friends.

Searching for

Taken from this OUoA page, finds one other match. The Distance University. There are many more similarities, including the FAQ page and the accreditation page. They even have the same fax number (604-3242575) Curious that while OUoA lists lots of affiliated universities, The Distance University doesn't even get a look in.

 

While I understand your dilemma, I'd say that these are pretty good odds. As you know, there are many, many legitimate DL schools around. Your friend doesn't need to even think about a school such as that.
Jack

 

Let's see. The phone in Seattle is answered by some catering service. The phone in Vancouver, BC is answered by a machine saying "No one is available." And, hilariously, their "Accreditation Statement" is written (they say) by Philip Forte, founder and longtime owner of the dreadful Pacific Western University. They also give an address in Puerto Rico.

Since the notorious Egbert Phipps is apparently in Vancouver, and has a history of using real or almost real names for his fake schools (Weston Reserve, Washington University), one wonders if his hand is on this one as well?

 

It do indeed. Thanks, JamesK!

 

wow these fake unis are getting clever....it looks like the OU and many foreign students would be fooled - especially as so many in the world value US education BUT dont realise that the worlds most powerful economy seems to have a liberal attitutude to educational providers (certainly in Asia no one questions US degrees - but would question, for example, an Indian degree)! A clever businessman would keep an unaccredited uni just within the law, make his students do some work and reap millions of easy dollars. i presume that is what is happening here? Or will the real OU sue them?

i like the statement "Almost 20% of our students have their fees paid by their companies, including government and military agencies, small businesses, and more." i just hope thats a lie!

 

The text of that disclosure of unaccredited status is taken verbatim from the Hawaii statute. That tells me that the person behind this one has either had experience with one of our enforcement actions or has cloned the site of someone who has had that experience.

 

drstrangeglove: "i like the statement "Almost 20% of our students have their fees paid by their companies, including government and military agencies, small businesses, and more." i just hope that's a lie."

John: Sadly, it may be the only true thing on their site. When the phony LaSalle in Louisiana sent out a list of 300+ major corporations they said had paid for their degree, I grew indignant, and started calling them. After ten completed calls, I found five that said, "We pay for all accredited degrees" (and had never heard of fake accreditation, such as LaSalles), and five that had confused it with the real LaSalle in Philadelphia. Rich Douglas' doctoral research confirms that HR people are not nearly as knowledgeable as we might wish.

 

Dr. Bear

In 20 plus years I’m in USA I worked for deferent well known companies and now do as well.

Only once I had to provide evaluation for my degree.
So only one employer ever asked to validate it.

As far as I know no one ever contacted my school overseas and in US - Florida Tech to validate credentials.

The only company ever validate was a defense contractor and first space shuttle developer.

Wile 7 years at the same company the rest was deferent lenths.
So 1 out of 6 total employers ever checked my credentials.
My Brother in law 27 years in USA and also 6 deferent employers never had his credentials verified.

His degrees are from Kiev State University - Shevchenko.
And USC in S CA( 2002).

Learner

 

Dear Lerner

I'm not sure I understand your point.

I have been driving cars for 50 years, and I have never had an accident. Would it be your advice that I should stop using my seatbelts and disable the air bags?

John Bear

 

Rich Douglas' doctoral research confirms that HR people are not nearly as knowledgeable as we might wish.

I was saying that in my case and my brother in law case they didn't even bother to chek.

What makes me wander is it only because we are immigrants.

Some HR people don't check at all.

Learner