CUSGC faculty comments

Greetings to all. I'm new on this discussion board. I've read different views and experiences that some of you have had with CUSGC. I have seen clear comments from at least two students at this institution, still referred to as MIGS. There have been a few faculty who have posted, including Dr. Bear. I'm not getting a clear picture of the current image of CUSGC today.

I do not refer to this institution as MIGS since a letter was sent to faculty on Aug 6, 2001, stating that "public perception was that it was a "stand alone" institution (which it is not) and it was decided to drop the name Monterrey Institute in order to reflect the reality of its standing as a graduate division within the Center of University Studies." It is not unusual for there to be a subdivision within a university with a separate accounting system. MIGS is easier to say and shorter in my file structure, and CUSGC has an entirely different sound.

I have read nothing on the CUSGC website that claims to be US accredited, but describes the international status of the accreditation. There is a statement that the degree is recognized by employers for pay raises and promotions. That's one reason why many adults go for a graduate degree, anyway, not for a future in the academy. The legitimacy of this was confirmed for me when Dean Chatfield and I worked with the state of Illinois to clarify if a Masters degree sought by one of my students would fulfill requirements for a promotion. After careful consideration, the response was affirmative and I have not received any notification that the Illinois decision has been recinded.

I've long been of the opinion that the strength of the teacher is not the sole component for academic success in school. The student must bring the desire for a quality learning experience to the conversation. An excellent accredited school can produce a student who didn't learn principles of educational theory and a good school can produce a student with an excellent grasp of the concepts. You all know this. CUSGC's procedures of establishing a learning contract places the responsiblity in the lap of the student, but the faculty also must provide appropriate instruction. The syllabi that I provide my students are as rigorous as any that I experienced in my own graduate work. I can honestly say that the students that get past me will be competitive in the marketplace.

I've been teaching with MIGS/CUSGC since March, 2001. I'd like to hear more from other faculty members. While I continue to work closely with my students, I agree with comments in other threads that the management may not be the tightest. What are other teaching experiences? What successes and disappointments have you experienced?

Cynthia

 

You wrote: "I'm not getting a clear picture of the current image of CUSGC today."

When I first discovered CUSGC it was not referred to as MIGS on their website. I was impressed by the concept and promptly set about getting all registration papers in order and mailed the package to the Mexican address listed:

official transcripts
letters of recommendation
a well thought out and executed bio (IMHO)
AND a registration fee in US dollars

THEN, I sat back and waited for my journey to a challenging RA degree to begin...

only to discover DegreeInfo... and find out that MIGS was all a sham!
Geez! No wonder the "university" never responded to my numerous emails!

My questions to you are, where are you getting your students? They wouldn't take me!
Can you use your position to get my money back, please?

Oh yeah, the clear picture of CUSGC... sorry, I don't think profanity is allowed on this forum.

 

If I were you, Dan, I'd show a little more respect towards the High Priestess of the Order of the Red Grail Church of Transformational Wicca.

 

Bad juju. Very bad juju.

Anyone associated with MIGS who takes this stance is either naive or deceptive. Neither of these is particularly good in a faculty advisor.

One post, and she's already piling it on about MIGS.

 

I just killed a chicken and danced in it's blood, so I think I'm ok. Thanks for asking!

 

Good Googling! This sort of sprightly welcome is very much like how the bright minds in Mensa-Texas interact.

My questions reflect my observations of other land-based and distance institutions in comparison with CUSGC. I am interested in hearing the experiences of other faculty. That's why I started a new thread. I am, in fact, unable to reach anyone there. I do keep all correspondence so I can review which administrator said what when.

Dancing in blood, though, now that's a peculiar comment from an educated person. Funny how you pick up on my religion and not my research. Oh well. I could say "I hear you're a Catholic priest. Does that mean you're a pedophile?" I'm sure that your religion does not cloud your judgment as my religion does not cloud mine. Religion is not a discussion that is appropriate for this forum.

 

Agreed. A little religious tolerance is never a bad thing (particularly when she did not bring it to board, but someone had to track down her identity).

Come on, folks. There's plenty to discuss concerning her post about CUSGC/MIGS without insulting her personally.



Tom Nixon

 

Thank you, Tom. I'm sure that the persons who posted completely understand that distance education is just that, education at a distance. Students in their dl classes may be from anywhere in the world. International etiquette is particularly necessary in this business. One student that I have in another school is a professional man in the Middle East. I certainly cannot interact with him in the same manner that I do a college freshman in West Virginia. There are differences in use of language and culture, including expectations of teachers.

Distance education teachers need to be completely inclusive with interactions online. Jokes about gender, disability or ethnicity, and slashing comments on faith, only serve to silence students and, in fact, lose business for the school as they go elsewhere to more inclusive academic environments.

As I said before, I hope to hear from *faculty* about what they experience with CUSGC. This forum is an excellent place to discuss the issues and practice appropriate international etiquette at the same time. Who knows, a potential contract or new student may be on board and will make decisions based on the strength or lack of academic presence.

Again, any other faculty out there?

 

MIGS used to have a discussion board, but no one ever really used it. You mean you folks don't have staff meetings?

 

Perhaps Ms. Blodgett is not invited to attend . . . since her name does not appear on MIGS faculty list. Unusual, since she claims to be teaching for them since March 2001.

(Do pardon my reference, Cynthia, but they have such a special place in my heart that they will always be MIGS.)

Perhaps, then, she would like to share with us how she came to "teach" at CEU/MIGS - whether she responded to an ad or whether they approached her. As well as whether she has personally met anyone associated with CEU. (As Marlon Brando said in Guys & Dolls, "And that means in person.") And how many students she has advised, and in what capacity. And whether she knows of any degrees being awarded by her illustrious and august institution. And what her faculty advisors at U. Nebraska might think of her distinguished affiliation. (No, that is not a threat by any means, merely a rhetorical question in light of Dr. Arias' recent experience with Cal State.)

In the meantime, if she has not done so, I suggest that Ms. Blodgett set her index here on the board to reflect messages beyond the usual 45 days. I'm sure she would find the more complete threads in the MIGS forum quite illuminating, and it would be interesting to see if she would continue to write such an enthusiastic apologia.

By the way, welcome to the board, Cynthia.

 

Faculty?

“Faculty? We ain't got no faculty. We don't need no faculty. I don't have to show you any stinking faculty!"



Alfonso Bedoya,
President of CUSGC

 

Cynthia:

Actually, my spiritual beliefs DO cloud my judgement, as they form part of my perceptual set, and as such, are not easily compartmentalized.

However, you are right. Religious discussions are not proper grist for this mill. As for the dancing in blood bit, well, I found the "bad Juju" line so funny, I busted a gut! I simply had to respond in kind! No offense meant, I assure you!

Additionally, since I am not "faculty" anywhere, I'll refrain henceforth from interacting on this thread...after throwing salt over my left shoulder!

Good luck with MIGS.

 

I am Canadian, therefore, I apologize! Disregard the "salt over the shoulder" tag, ok?

 

levicoff: I have the counter set back to the beginning and I have read the posts. What I saw was post after post of rehashing the same commentary. I did notice that John Bear said at one time that MIGS, as it was called then, seemed to be legit with bad marketing and pr. I concur.

It's clear that Rich has been greatly hurt by the situation. Everything that he described, though, is not unique to a dl institution. Doctoral students tend to be targets of university staff and professors who think it is their duty to make life as miserable for students as it was for them. I've known secretaries who deliberately withhold information from doc students (like call numbers for registration). I've known professors who deliberately do not follow through with academic responsibilities toward doc students. I know one PhD who had her data stolen by faculty who proceeded to publish her dissertation study under their names. There was nothing she could do. I know another PhD whose wife ran off with his committee chair and his dissertation grant. Mistreatment of doc students is not unique, Rich, nor limited to cyber.

In my recent past I worked with a .edu internet startup and there's all sorts of ways to mess up on the paperwork. I'm holding my judgment until I talk with Bruce Forman or Jon Chatfield.

By the way, I'm assuming that since you know all, do you know where Linda Yates might be found?

Yes, I've talked with Bruce, Jon, and Linda, voice to voice. No, I did not go to Florida or Mexico. I don't know of many truly distance teachers who actually set foot in the administrative offices. Not a bad idea, though. I don't need to respond to your crude suggestion that I'm lying about mentoring students. If I were lying, I'd have to have a pretty rank ego to put myself into your precision line of fire. I assume I am not on that fac list because I have not yet completed my dissertation.

Gus: Funny picture. Not one you'd like to have on your bumper in Texas. Texans are allowed to carry concealed weapons, you know.

Dan: I wouldn't say that spiritual beliefs cloud judgment, but they do offer a lens through which you interpret your experiences. If your spiritual truth is that authority is condemning, then distrust may very well be what you will experience in your relations with authority in any setting. (Bad juju if you bring that attitude home to your spouse.) If your spiritual beliefs hold that people are basically good, then your actions will tend to listen to others with open ears and maybe an open mind. Gandhi wasn't clouded and he lived firmly with his spirituality.

Feel free to do the salt thing. That's an old folk superstition. I suppose you can look up the origin of the practice on farmersalmanac.com. Don't use too much salt, though. Some is ok but too much will damage the flowerbeds. You could toss coffee grinds over your shoulder if you're in a violet patch.

Oh, thanks for the welcome. It's nice to see that you didn't treat me any differently than Julie or Leslie. I see that it's just a few men who have the loud angry voices in this discussion. I wonder why that is.

 

Very funny synopsis. The black plague was inconvenient, too.

 

I liked Gus's picture of his alter ego. But I think perhaps this is the real Gus: Sainz in action.
(Thanks to Gus himself for providing the link.)

 

Retraction

Cynthia: "I did notice that John Bear said at one time that MIGS, as it was called then, seemed to be legit with bad marketing and pr. I concur."

John: That is what I once believed. No longer.

Incidentally, one Marina C. Bear (BA, Berkeley; MA, Dominguez Hills; MA, Ph.D. Vanderbilt; faculty at Vista College, adjunct faculty at Saint Francis University) applied to be on the MIGS faculty, and was rejected by Bruce Forman.

 

You'd rather I'd have said, "Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha?"

Why, Cynthia, I thought I was rather diplomatic with you. I happen to be in a nice mood this week. If it were last week, I'd have been much more blatant about your naiveté and denial.

Nonetheless, you are the one claiming to be on the CEU/MIGS faculty, not me. Yes, of course I cn track Linda Yates. But since it appears that you need the research practice, I leave it to you. I'm out of this business.

I notice, moreover, that you addressed none of the questions I raised in terms of how you affiliated with CEU/MIGS. I would, of course, add the obvious additional question at this time: Are you advising doctoral students? Without already holding a doctorate yourself. Res ipsa loquitor (look it up).

Now, try again. Because I most certainly did treat you differently than Julie and Leslie. They got a boot; you merely got a feather.

Have a nice day.

 

I'm not an educated person, so perhaps I can explain it to you.

In Santeria, religious practices include drumming, dancing and sacrifice of chickens whose blood is offered up to the Orishas.

Dan didn't suggest that you dance in blood, he said that he did so in order to protect himself from any evil that you might decide to send his way because he had criticized MIGS.

Steve Levicoff was sued by your employers for making remarks critical of MIGS. At least one other Degreeinfo participant reports that he was threatened with a lawsuit as well.

So I found the idea that MIGS was now resorting to witchcraft instead of filing civil complaints to be rather funny.

Anyone who has worked in the court system can appreciate the irony, I'm sure.

(Yes, I know that isn't what Wicca is all about, nevertheless I found the idea funny.)

 

She is a pretty priestess. I thought that they are ugly.
http://www.oltraining.com/meetus.html