Is it necessary to lock a discussion

Saw the thread title and thought the discussion was referring to locking discussions in online classrooms.

Me right now.

 

Having my name hijacked was reason enough for me.

 

Helpful2013,

Can you share the name of this university? Also does this university indicate any accreditation by NAB or any other accreditor? Thanks.

Btw, your point regarding not revealing any personal information and remaining anonymous on this forum, where certain posters are obviously very vindictive, is right on mark.

 

Jan, bubaleh, if you ever hope to earn a doctorate, you should begin to practice basic research skills now.

You should have known the answer to your question already since you've been engaging Steve F. in these threads. The question is why you want to know it now - to attempt to discredit Steve? Good luck.

Now, be a good boy, girl, or combination thereof, and read Steve's personal website, which is linked at the bottom of all of his posts. Then you (or, as you like to put it, YOU) will find the answer you seek. And you can feel proud that you found it on your own. Well, with my help, unworthy and undeserving of that as you may be. :laughing:

 

I am about to enter my 20th year of driving a tractor-trailer around the country. Or, as I prefer to think of it, a camper with a big-ass box on the back.

Therefore, one could say that I've been on vacation for the past 20 years. Bopping around the country and engaging in my favorite pastime, live theatre. (Yesterday's selection was The Rocky Horror Show, the live version, at the Millbrook Playhouse in north central Pennsylvania.) I never have to handle freight, the only real work I do is opening and closing doors, and I could hardly call it hard work. After I drop my trailer in Scranton, PA, this morning, I have no idea where I'm going. And that's half the fun. I do know, however, that it will not be -21 degrees Celsius there.

So I'm actually on no more or less frequently than usual. I like to stop and take a break every few hours, during which I catch up on email and check into the few web sites I monitor (this being one of them). The frequency at which I post, on the other hand, depends on what's happening on the board. When I find a glutton for punishment like Jan, for example, I try to accommodate their needs out of the kindness of my heart.

 

I've been posting here on Degreeinfo since the a.e.d. days using my real name. When I watched Rich Douglas recently get sued in part because he used his actual name and therefore could be served, I decided that discretion was the better part of valor and went over to a screen-name.

 

As I recall, John Bear coined the term 'GAAP' (inspired by the accounting principles). He got it from a presentation at an AACRAO conference that described how admissions officers at American universities typically determine the accreditation-status of unknown foreign universities. So first off, 'GAAP' doesn't have any official status world-wide. It's a rule-of-thumb in one country. What these admissions officers did was consult one or another of a particular set of reference books. One was the UNESCO handbook. Another was a set of references covering different parts of the world that comes out of Australia. A third (for countries where it's applicable) was membership in the Association of Commonwealth Universities (which seems to run a pretty tight ship). I forget the others. So, the essence of 'GAAP' is to get a listing in one of the reference books. No listing, no 'GAAP'. (I'm guessing that 'GAAP' may have evolved, that admissions officers use online references today and those might have changed.)

My complaint over the years was that a listing in the UNESCO handbook, seemingly the easiest to get into, was based on political criteria. It listed any university approved by the local educational authorities in each nation state. Unfortunately there is a tremendous range of university standards out there. In some countries standards are extremely difficult and it's a huge task to create a new university. But in the worst cases around the world, seemingly all it takes is a website and perhaps a pay-off to a well-placed official.

The Saint Regis fiasco was an attempt by US-based entrepeneurs to exploit the weakness of 'GAAP' by finding what seemed to be the easiest place to get offshore approval and (it was hoped) a listing in the UNESCO handbook.

My understanding is that the credential evaluators perform a different function than accreditors. Credential evualators don't conduct international site-visits or worry about things like quality of instruction. What the credential evaluators do is look at syllabi and determine whether they are suitably similar to syllabi at accredited American universities. They would know that a masters degree in Scotland can be a first degree, most equivalent to an American bachelors. But they just assume that foreign universities are accredited if, again, they have the approvals of the appropriate authorities wherever they are located.

Certainly some of the credential evaluators are pretty sophisticated about the accreditation systems around the world. They would know that Mexican accreditation can often be program by program accreditation and not institutional accreditation as it is here. So MIGS' attempt to gain 'RA-equivalence' by associating with a school already in the reference books probably wouldn't have flown, unless the Mexican authorities had specifically accredited the particular doctoral programs offered through MIGS.

It's unlikely that IUGS PsyD programs will be recognized for licensure in places like New York or Washington State, where there are very specific requirements concerning credit hours in particular subjects, residency requirements at the school that awards the doctorate, and required university supervised practicums. (In Washington's case, the requirements are seemingly written so as to rule out distance learning.) In those cases the sticking points wouldn't be IUGS NAB accreditation so much as the design of the program. Presumably the credential evaluators would spot those differences.

 

Suggestion. Why don't you "try to put a personality" on yourself? (LOL)

 

Heirophant, thank you for your very enlightening post.

 

I recall reviewing a post on a distance degree forum from a faculty member of an online university, who used obscenities in his responses to posters, who subsequently posted that some unidentified person contacted his school and made a formal complaint regarding his unprofessional conduct. After reading his experience, it reinforced the necessity to maintain anonymity on ANY forum/chatroom.

 

Levicoff, the more you attempt to besmirch other posters, by ascribing YOUR vindictiveness onto them (eg. ""The question is why you want to know it now-to attempt to discredit Steve?"), the more you are revealing YOUR ulterior motives and SOP. Just an observation.

As far as my being "...unworthy and undeserving of..." your help, if that was so you wouldn't be so trigger happy responding to each of my posts, most of which are not directed to you, with such intensity to undermine my credibility! Apparently you do perceive me as being worthy and deserving, not for the sake of your being of assistance, but out of deep concern that I got your "number".

Let me reassure you pal, you have nothing to worry about. I'm not interested whatsoever in dethroning you from your high exulted virtual reality position of authority as professor emeritus on this forum. It's all yours.

Now, please cease posting while driving your tractor trailer rig and pay attention to the road ahead.:laugh::nono:

 

Although you are correct in certain instances, I disagree with your generalized statement noted above. In fact, a review of many threads on this and other distance learning forums, reveal quite a number of threads where assumed "experts" voiced their very strong opinions and perspectives regarding certain topics (eg. MIGS, CSU, NCU, DEAC and many others) but were grossly incorrect! At times, some of these assumed authorities attempt to strong arm other posters into submission by repetitively reminding them that they are the experts, or possess an RA doctorate and their opponent did not, in lieu of providing substantive facts to support their strongly held positions.

You, I or any other poster do not have any idea as to the academic credentials, professional experience and status or licenses and certifications that ANY anonymous poster possesses, and by presuming that when certain posters boast about their academic or professional standing implies a greater fund of knowledge regarding a particular subject and should therefore be given greater credence, is an argument from authority, which can be fallacious.

 

Yes. So knowing the limitations of NAB accreditation, which are considerable, at least in the US, what are your long term objectives in obtaining this specific accreditation?

Btw, due my being a relative "newbie", I obviously was unaware of your university, "In the now-closed discussion" or any links to it! The only feedback I received from you regarding this subject was in a previous post where you indicated that you were involved in some sort of "project" with NAB, with no mention of your university.

 

Regardless of our disagreement regarding the value of NAB accreditation in the US, I wish you well with the development of your university.

 

Aww.

 

Jan,

To answer your questions from another thread (which I never saw in the original post, I swear), I teach at an AACSB-accredited business school. I'm not tenured, am a full time lecturer. I've published in the following journals in the last six years: Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, Journal of Labor and Employment Law, Practical Tax Strategies and the International Journal of Liability and Scientific Enquiry. I've been on the editorial staff of the Journal of Legal Studies of Business (Staff Editor) and have reviewed articles for the American Business Law Journal and the Journal of Legal Studies Education. I have a JD, MBA and bachelors, all from state universities, the MBA online from a flagship state university. I teach at average State U, I'm perfectly average there, neither distinguished nor undistinguished.

I'll tell you my name if you tell me yours.