ChaT with CEO of the University of Phoenix Online

The Chronicle of Higher Education is sponsoring an online discussion with Brian Mueller, chief executive officer of the University of Phoenix Online, on Thursday, October 31 at 1:00pm Eastern Time. You can submit questions in advance, participate in the live discussion, or view the transcript following the discussion at http://chronicle.com/colloquylive/2002/10/phoenix/

Jason D. Baker
http://www.bakersguide.com

 

A transcript of the chat is now available: The Phoenix Agenda for Distance Education. Includes question from degreeinfo denizen Andy Borchers.

 

As much as Andy and I disagree vis-a-vis the for-profit vs. not-for-profit issue, he asked a damn good question. I wish he would have gotten an answer.

 

This CEO seems to be a subject expert on very little about Phonenix Online. Most of the early questions could not be answered because he claims not to have known the answers. Whether he really didn't know or was simply being evasive was a bit of a turn off to me.

 

Thanks Rich - by the way I submitted several other questions that weren't asked - I suspect due to time.

One questions had to do with UoP offering doctoral programs. I asked what role UoP would take in the creation of knowledge (e.g. research). Typically, doctoral education is deeply involved in this - but will UoP as a for profit follow?

I also ask them about the commonly reported matter of study groups not meeting as required. Some time ago UoP responded to challenges (and fines) from the US DoE by instituting mandatory group meetings. It is common knowledge that at many sites students aren't doing what UoP promised they would.

Regards - Andy

 

I think the topic of the groups not meeting for the agreed to length of time points to the curriculum. It is my assumption that if the group assignments were a bit more time-intensive, maybe the groups would need to meet for the prescribed 5/4 hours per week.

Just a thought

M