California University Foreign Credentials Evaluation issues degrees?

Discussion in 'Accreditation Discussions (RA, DETC, state approva' started by laferney, Dec 31, 2007.

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  1. laferney

    laferney Active Member

    This is a foreign degree credential evaluation service that appears to be issuing degrees along with evaluations.

    http://cauniversity.edu.cufce.org/servicesoffered.htm

    From their site:
    "To help you obtain the United States equivalency evaluation of all of your studies and specialized work experience. To help you work towards the completion of the needed requirements to obtain a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts degree per the guidelines set forth by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. To give you the knowledge that three years of specialized work experience is equal to one year full-time university credits for immigration and employment purposes only."
    They lists goals to:
    "evaluate and integrate all academic credits earned from various schools, colleges, and universities from abroad and within the U.S.A
    To determine if these credits fulfill the requirements for graduation with a baccalaureate, master's or doctorate degree.
    To issue certificate and diploma equivalency (high school to doctorate degree)."
    Their degree evaluation report looks more like a diploma than an evaluation -they call it an "equivalency degree."

    http://cauniversity.edu.cufce.org/usequivalencydiploma.htm

    I don't see that they are authorized to offer degrees-even equivalency degrees-by the state of CA. and the fact that they evaluate and integrate all academic credits earned from various schools, colleges, and universities from abroad and WITHIN THE U.S.A" into a degree appears strange.

    I don't see how this would be helpful to a person as a degree or Foreign credential evaluation.
     
  2. BillDayson

    BillDayson New Member

    There have been several threads about this. Unfortunately, the search function isn't working this morning.

    Apparently the immigration people recognize both education and relevant work experience when processing visa applications, counting three years work experience as equivalant to one year of university. These 'California University' people are trying to spin that policy into legal authority to award life-experience degrees.

    They weren't authorized, last time I looked. This thing's legality was doubtful at best, at least prior to the recent implosion of the California post-secondary school-regulation system. Their gimmick seems to be that they aren't governed by the California Education Code since they aren't awarding degrees, but rather degree-equivalency diplomas. Apparently all they possess in California is a business license.

    Here's some comments from the University of California's Office of the President about it. It seems that California University Foreign Credential Evaluators had endorsed degrees/credits from Concordia College and University. They were also reportedly claiming that CUFCE was "accredited" by the Association of American Universities, which elicited a cease-and-desist letter from the AAU.

    http://listserv.ucop.edu/cgi-bin/wa.exe?A3=ind0506&L=UCIS-L&E=quoted-printable&P=13589&B=------_%3D_NextPart_001_01C5776E.78EB50B8&T=text%2Fhtml;%20charset=US-ASCII

    The parent organization is something called the Amorsolo Foundation. Apparently it's named for its founder, Luis Amorsolo.

    http://www.taxexemptworld.com/organization.asp?tn=1260135

    California University FCE gives us a PO box as its mailing address. There's also a "rush" address (6556 Fountain Ave. LA CA) that turns out to belong to Amorsolo Family Children's Daycare.

    http://www.hollywoodchildcarecenter.com/

    Here's something interesting that's related to California University somehow:

    The Institute of Chartered Strategists

    http://ics-edu.com/index.php?

    This boasts addresses in Malaysia and the US (Califonia University's pob) and purports to have rights to offer DL programs in the name of Russia's Kursk State Technical University. It looks like the target market is Asia.
     
  3. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    Bill's right. Probably illegal, but they'll get away with it for a while because of a lack of enforcement. Unless the Feds in DHS go after them first.
     
  4. MichaelR

    MichaelR Member

    They once tried to claim membership in NACES but that was shut down rather quickly.
     
  5. Zehavi

    Zehavi New Member

    California Foreign Credential Evaluators - ACICS

    As of now, California FCE is a legitimate credential evaluator operating within the State of California. I called the California Department of Education about them. They are recognized by ACICS or the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools so they are mainly involved in the evaluation of credentials for use in the vocational / technical school arena. Their evaluations are also recognized by Sacramento State University for their wastewater programs (also vocational by nature) and are limited to this program only. Most higher education institutions would not accept their evaluations.
     
  6. Academic123

    Academic123 member

    .
    Hi California FCE may be I say may be recognised by California but that is because they have no current legislation to not accept any evaluation services California is at the moment implementation new legislation to block the loop holes California FCE does not appear on any list of approved Credential Evaluators. Not true about only vocational /technical they issue all evaluation and a degree certificate which they have no educational or legal power as they are a corporation with no licence to grant degrees They are breaking their own rules in any case by issuing doctorates contrary to ACICS rules How in the name of === did they get accepted in the first place for a university that does not exist ?
     
  7. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

  8. RFValve

    RFValve Well-Known Member

    Very clever idea, open an evaluation service and give it the name of a University.

    Many new immigrants have problems getting into the job market due to the lack of recognition of their foreign degrees. These guys basically give you an evaluation that looks like a degree. The new immigrant can show to a prospect employer the evaluation that can pass for an American degree (If you don't read it too carefully).

    The idea is clever but the "degree" issued is a good as a degree from a diploma mill as the place is not accredited but I guess it can fly for some employers that don't check too closely.
     
  9. Lerner

    Lerner Well-Known Member

    This is not their idea.

    I have a diploma of degree equivalency issued by NARIC UK.
    For extra 30 BP my evaluation letter was suplemented with Diploma of equivalency from NARIC.

    There are other Credential evaluation services in USA that issue such certificate or diploma of evaluation or diploma of equivalency.

    In my 26 years in USA I was only asked once to show my diploma to employer.
     
  10. MichaelR

    MichaelR Member


    Actually most evaluation credential companies issue an evaluation report, not a diploma or a certificate.
     
  11. mba_expo

    mba_expo New Member

    According to the NARIC UK website, they currently only issue a less-confusable "Statement of Comparability" with or without translation waiver and/or rush service, or a "Career Path Report."
     
  12. Lerner

    Lerner Well-Known Member

    According to NARIC evaluation report I have.
    They are actually recommend I purchase the certificate for additional fee.
    They state that employers and agencies actually prefer the evaluation in the certificate format.
    So I did.

    Now the report and diploma are from 2005.
    I don't know if today they have this practice.
     
  13. Lerner

    Lerner Well-Known Member

    From NARIC FAQ:
    http://web.archive.org/web/20050603012709/http://www.naric.org.uk/faqs.asp#6

    What will I receive from you?

    We can provide you with a letter, which is your statement of comparability. This advises how your qualification compares against UK qualification levels.

    http://www.naric.org.uk/documents/sample%20certificates/Comparability%20Letter.pdf

    You may request an additional Comparability Certificate, which is an attractive document that can be included with your letter and qualification certificates. Please note there is an additional charge for this service.


    In addition to your Letter of Comparability you may wish to receive a UK NARIC Certifi cate
    of Comparability. This provides you with your comparability statement in a certifi cate format
    which is often required by employers or other institutions. This Certifi cate is an entirely optional
    service. The cost of the Certifi cate is £23.50 (including all taxes) per qualifi cation, payable by
    cheque or postal order to ECCTIS Ltd. Please contact the UK NARIC stating your reference
    number and the name of award should you require a NARIC Certifi cate.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 27, 2009
  14. BillDayson

    BillDayson New Member

    There have been some changes in the "California University" site in the last 15 months.

    The link in the original post, that once led to a 'services offered' page now contains a red-letter legal warning about libel and unauthorized use.

    http://cauniversity.edu.cufce.org/servicesoffered.htm

    And they've added a page entitled 'degree granting authority' in which they say that they have registered with the California Department of Consumer Affairs BPPVE, and assure us that this guarantees that their "equivalency degrees" are "equivalent" to degrees granted by regionally and nationally accredited colleges and universities in the United States.

    http://cauniversity.edu.cufce.org/degreeauthorization.htm

    In reality, the BPPVE is no longer in operation and no longer approves schools in California. When it was functioning, California approval from the BPPVE never represented, let alone guaranteed, equivalence with regionally and nationally accredited degrees.
     
  15. MichaelR

    MichaelR Member

    and lets not forget when they tried to claim that they where members of NACES as well....
     
  16. Lerner

    Lerner Well-Known Member

    CA state approval before the formation of BPPVE when it was still under the CA department of Education did initially in the 1990 and number of years claimed that the degrees of CA approved universities should be viewed as
    equal to Accredited degrees.

    I seen this on the official catalogue of the colleges of the state of CA.
    WHen I was visiting family and happened to visit local library with my grandson in West Hollywood.

    I know that other states didnt accept this claim.
    I read about it in number of Bear guides and on discussion boards.
    Most criticism was that the agency underfunded and understaffed couldn't assure compliance to it requirements.
     
  17. Eandeavour9700

    Eandeavour9700 New Member

    In the section consumer protection on their website they link to agencies where they are registered.

    I can find their registration as member of AIEA, EAIE and AEA on the respective websites. Is this registration significant for their credibility or legitimacy?
     
  18. MichaelR

    MichaelR Member

    Most likely not. Most of these groups just require you to pay a fee to get in. IF they where a member of NACES then there would be a rather grueling membership process to endure.

    I do find it interesting that they claim you can find them on the CHEA.ORG site....
     

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