Oregon and Kennedy-Western

Sorry to not be clear, when I refer to Caribbean schools I am referring to those offering at least a bachelor's degree. I tend to forget that there are legitimate local community colleges there because their degrees generally don't reach the mainland as such.

 

Fascinating. The only bachelor's level degrees we have ever seen from the Caymans were obvious diploma mills, so this issue has never come up.

Any foreign degree has to be from a school that has the "foreign equivalent" of U.S. accreditation. This cannot be simply a license to issue degrees because U.S. accreditation does not authorize schools to issue degrees (only state governments or Congress can do that), it is an evaluative process.

Therefore if the Caymans college can show that it went through a meaningful external evaluation using genuine standards, its degrees would be valid here. We would refer any such request to AACRAO for advice.

The same is true of any associate degrees, of course, but it is extremely rare for such degrees to appear in Oregon. I have seen one or two in my six years here, and none from the Caribbean.

 

This is so generous of the state of Oregon that we are going to let you use your legal unaccredited degree from another state as long as you put in writing "This degree is worthless" or stated in other language which has an identical meaning.

We certainly do not wish to demean your hard-earned education at an institution of higher learning who has not paid us to review its curriculum but we are protecting the residents of the state of Oregon from unscrupulous evil-doers. In order to qualify as knights in shining armor, we must consider all unaccredited degree holders as scum until they prove otherwise.

This high standard of absolute morality and decency is brought to you by the same state that took the high moral road by allowing people to legally commit suicide if it is your desire to do so. Our award-winning legislature also recently passed an Oregon statute that requires all drivers in the state to slow down to 20 miles per hour in school zones 24 hours a day seven days a week. Yes, when you are driving home at 2am you must slow down near schools for the kiddies who are at home sound asleep or be ticketed.

Oregon is leading the nation with this type of progressive thinking and ingenious law writing. You will definitely want your state to follow our lead because we are innovators of state laws which would put Big Brother to shame.

 

Your solution is right around the corner HERE

 

Love it or leave it?

I take it you would be against national lawmaking as that would leave no place to go for any dissenters.

 

So you are of the opinion that unaccredited degrees are worthless? Interesting.

Who’s to say “education” really took place, that was it truly “hard-earned” and the entity in question is actually “an institution of higher learning?” It sure seems to me that, considering the price, and the fact that it accomplishes all of these things, ODA review is a real bargain.

Oregon is only asking that the true nature of the degree be disclosed. Is it your personal opinion that the true nature of an unaccredited degree is “scummy?”

I guess you really ran out of cockamamie points to make. Is this the impetus of your rant against the ODA? Big Brother? Oh, brother!

 

I love it!!!

So now you're admitting that deceit is the main ingredient in giving unaccredited degree any value and the order of the day when it comes to getting use out of unaccredited degrees! Since the employer may assume that the degree is bona fide, we mustn't warn them that it is useless!

This is one very clearly legal rule that looks like you're going to have to live with. The truth will be told. You can gnash your teeth and wring your hands about the truth being known. You can curse the truth, you can enter into deep denial but even you finally admit that the truth is that unaccredited degrees are practically useless when the truth is known. I love it!!!

Russ, you have surpassed yourself in double-think and illogical thinking. As Rich is fond of pointing out (and the grandest example IMHO) another SELF CHECK!

P.S. Thanks for making my day. I'm going to be giggling about this all day.

 

About eight – 10 years ago I had the privilege of attending a small academic symposium given by a Malaysian education scholar. At some point his lecture took a bitter turn towards a diatribe against all his many fellow countrymen who took the “easy” route and obtained doctoral degrees from U.S. institutions. Apparently, many Malaysian professionals “suddenly,” according to him, claim that they now hold a doctorate from the U.S. The man was absolutely indignant. He was outraged. He had worked years for his doctorate from a Malaysian university, while top politicians pranced about with their prestigious diplomas from America’s two biggest purveyors: Pacific Western University and Walden University. “Walden? They’ve just been accredited,” I announced. “Impossible,” he scowled. The man was absolutely outraged - indignant. “All those people?” His head sank, his eyes lowered. “Walden?” he repeated. Walla! Jackpot! Eureka! His adversaries had bested him.

That evening I reflected on my own choices in life. Why was it that I had missed the stock market and real estate surge? When would I ever learn to buy low and sell high? Why had I missed Walden when they were still an affordable deal, before quadrupling in price? Somewhere – out there in the land of independent self-governing universities, there must be a high quality institution, with a commitment to excellence, an affordable price, and a future pedigree. Might Kennedy-Western, or Akamai, be that next gold mine?

Morgan Khanstein, Esq.

 

Bear in mind that all the people who acquired their degrees before the school was accredited cannot claim to have accredited degrees. Accreditation in the U.S. is never retroactive.

 

Okay. Name one.

Since I've been involved in this field (1979), many DL schools have been created and subsequently accredited, including Capella, Touro University Internatoinal, NCU, JIU, AMU, and many more. Several were greeted with skepticism and many others with great anticipation. My favorite example is Capella. Anyone with any sense knew right away that it wasn't just going to be legit, it was going to be big and real. Where is such a school today? Nowhere. The only things we see right now are (a) fake schools constantly debated and (b) a few old-guard unaccredited schools that have achieved DETC accreditation. When was the last unaccredited (not even DETC) DL school that became RA? It's been a while. Where is the next Capella or NCU?

And please, don't offer up Kennedy-Western. That one is so tired. They've been in business for more than two decades without even an attempt at operating to any measurable academic standard. In fact, they've gone to great lengths to avoid it.

 

And I would be most reluctant to associate Akamai with KWEntity.

 

Hi Russ, I must admit that I underestimated my delight and I giggled yesterday AND today on this one.

I noticed that you have made a couple more posts tonight and thought perhaps you accidentally missed the opportunity to comment on how you feel that unaccredited are useless if employers are made aware of the truth?

 

Does Oregon require such degree holders to state on their job applications: "I hold an unaccredited degree from an accredited university"?

One of the points I would challenge you on is that there are many reasons why someone pursues post-secondary education, including but not limited to: (a) college is a coming of age experience; (b) desire to master a subject; preparation for a career (either requiring licensure or not); (c) desire to associate one’s name with an institution; (c) to experience personal growth; (d) and the desire to have one’s life and career achievements and expertise recognized with an academic title.

With regards to (b) - why else would so many parents send their acaemically "under prepared" children to a $20K school per year - kids who will spend a large part of their time drinking instead of studying? Name recognition. Whether a degree from a pre-accredited IHE (e.g. Walden) is accredited or not, it associates the holder with that institution.

Morgan Khanstein, Esq.

 

"Esquire"? You don't list a law degree...is there another group in the world silly enough to use "Esquire"?

Okay. I'll come clean...I admit it...I used that silly title myself...

 

Without doubt, AKAMAI University is not a degree mill.

However, I will find irresistible to know, why Alan put Akamai as a degree mill.

Alan, can you make clear, why Akamai is a degree mill in your Breathtaking Inventory?

 

And I would be extraordinarily p*ssed off to see my respect for Dr Tony Maranto of Akamai (a responsible if rare poster hereabouts) used as a stick with which to beat Alan Contreras, for whom I also have great respect, not least for his steadiness under a millstream of invective and abuse.

 

Hi Bill, I was simply trying to show how the words that the state of Oregon requires on your unaccredited degree are disparaging of the degree. Why don't degrees from accredited schools that provide a low quality of education have to state that on their resumes? Why should any degree have to state whether it is unaccredited or not?

I don't mind the "unaccredited" part as much as the "not approved by the Oregon Department of Degree Authorization" which can be interpreted by some potential employers that the degree has no validity.