Are degrees from conservative Christian schools like Liberty University toxic?

This is not necessarily the case, even with campus-based students. The LU network is restricted, to be sure, but that doesn't mean that LU students can't access unfiltered internet via wifi hotspots in town or via their own off-campus connections. Of course, there is also the reality of iPhone/iPad/smartphone 3G.

LU is only doing what many organizations do: filtering its network.

Sure, the code of conduct goes beyond this, but this is based on voluntary compliance, not on technical arrangements.

 

Not if the filter is installed at your router, which is perfectly feasible. Then it filters your entire home network.

Do the rules allow LU students to access the internet via non-campus networks ?

Like China and Cuba, for example.

 

Yes, that would work with a server/client network or that "I Boss" router that you found. However, I would bet that there is a way for a person with administrator access to defeat the monitoring features of that unit. The school I work at uses a very sophisticated, dedicated filtering service called Astaro and I know how to get around that, so do some of the students. Even if your home had an iron clad router-based filtering system, you could still operate a computer off of the network to do whatever you like. You could have a second ISP, if need be. No matter what, there would be easy ways around such activity monitoring.

 

China, Cuba, and nearly all Fortune 500 corporations....

Yes, LU students can access the internet via non-campus networks. Some activities online may get a student in trouble if found out, but accessing unfiltered internet off-campus is not a violation.

The idea of filtered internet is really a non-issue. It's mostly designed to block illegal activities and things such as pornography. This is standard procedure at most workplaces, and it doesn't seem that strange for a Christian university. After all, the students do voluntarily attend.

 

I don't know if many people from general population can recognize LU as conservative christian school. It has a rather neutral and generic name. For example I was thinking that LU could be some kind of military university. :biggrin:

 

I would say as long as you don't go to Bob Jones University), you should be fine.

 

No, because you don't want to work for someone who is so racist and bigoted as to judge you based on where you earned your degree. In fact, if you like Jerry Falwell's values, and said employer didn't hire you, then they just did you a huge favor; in general, you don't want to work for someone who isn't smart enough to hire you based on what you actually bring to the job.

 

Not sure how that's "racist"? And is it "bigoted" to discriminate against those openly discriminate against others? Those are philosophical questions I'll leave to someone else. On your other point, I wouldn't trust anyone who shared Jerry Falwell's values. The man was a total nutcase.

I do agree though that if you share Liberty University's conservative Christian message then you probably don't want to work for anyone that would cull you for associating with them. That is, unless the economy is troubled and unemployment is high and you just need a job to put food on the table for the time being...

 

StefanM: "...that doesn't mean that LU students can't access unfiltered internet via wifi hotspots in town..."

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At a Fortune 500 corporation, the institution may restrict your internet access may be restricted, but there is compensation for that. They pay you.

At LU, the institution restricts your internet access, and you pay them. It just seems like a less attractive deal somehow.

 

And so do the online students. Yet I think we can all agree that LU has totally different rules for B&M vs. DL students.

And this raises the question: are DL degrees from Liberty University really "equivalent" to the B&M degrees? Many schools offer the same programs by B&M and DL, and do not distinguish their DL degrees from their B&M counterparts. And many degreeinfo readers will argue that this is perfectly justifiable, since the requirements are the same regardless of the program modality.

But here we have a situation where the B&M and DL requirements are not the same. It would appear that the B&M students face a long list of strict rules and regulations, and that violations can subject them to academic discipline and expulsion. But DL students in LU degree programs are -- based on what I'm hearing in this thead -- completely off the hook in these regards.

So this is a situation where B&M and DL program requirements are, in fact, quite different, and so it would be appropriate to distinguish degrees obtained by different modalities. How does Liberty do this?

 

It does. I know a young engineer that could not land an aerospace job in So. CA. So he went to a top west coast school, earned an engineering masters, and subsequently landed a job. Of course a sample size of one is not statistically significant.

 

Sure, it may be, but, remember, this is a voluntary arrangement. Students are free not to attend or to transfer if they decide LU's restrictions are too onerous for them.

Your original comparison to Cuba or China was also way off the mark, indicative of your apparent bias. Governmental censorship is fundamental different from an organization blocking access to websites on their network, especially when affiliation with the organization is completely voluntary.

 

But it does indicate that discrimination can exist. You can't make any conclusions on the prevalence of discrimination, but one example does provide evidence that the problem at least exists.

 

The degree requirements for online programs are slightly different, but, depending on the degree field, the nomenclature of the degrees may remain the same.

If it is acceptable to equate degrees earned under completely different pedagogical methods (online vs. in-class), then there is no reason to distinguish between degrees earned under different student regulations. One is a significant, academic difference, and the other is primarily a issue of campus policy.

 

These differences are involving on-campus conduct, these are not academic differences. There is no reason to differentiate the degree, it is not a degree in conduct, it is an academic degree. Most universities of this type do not try to control what people do in their own homes, they are merely trying to insure that the conduct by those who live on their campus is in alignment with their mission statement. If they did not have these rules, Liberty would be hypocritical. They would be teaching one way of life, while their students lived a completely different way of life on campus.

There are plenty of other choices out there and the students who attend Liberty are free to go to any other school, yet they choose to go to Liberty for the very reasons that Liberty is being criticized. I would bet that most students gladly follow the rules.

 

Have a look at this video that was produced independantly by a Liberty student; it is not a Liberty University product. These students don't seem oppressed to me:
YouTube - Humble Tip - Liberty University - LU Anthem - Music Video

 

You're showing your age.

 

I was considering a grad degree from Liberty, but decided I am too uncomfortable with their theological position and so I am looking elsewhere....probably Britain or SAfrica.

 

Well, yea, my age shows all the time and I've given up trying to hide it, or my growing bald spot! So no contest there. :grumble: However, I'm pretty sure this video is only about 5 months old, at least that's the date on the YouTube post and the date I first started hearing about it.