POLL: University of Phoenix

Paranoidal schizophrenia? Or at a minimum, paranoid!

Ohhhhhh, that’s why this poll was created! What planet are you on?

I created this poll and this is news to me! You must have a degree in psychology. However, your ability to deduce causal relationships is severely lacking.

 

HA! HA! HA! Alex

Oh please, I have too much of a life to be offended by writing on a messageboard, go ahead and curse your little heart out.

 

Me Again

ALEX WROTE: This "poll" is simply in retaliation to a comment I made about anonymous posters in another threat. The motivation for this poll is simply to get back at me.

MY RESPONSE: Nope..."me again"...No, we must confess. Alex has caught us. It is true Alex, this board is secretly controlled my myself and "me again" in an attempt to discredit you, as you hold so much political clout and are so respected worldwide, we thought this was the only way to do it.

I CONFESS!!! *Sniffle* Sorry "me again" but I am ratting you out, get a good lawyer *LOL*

 

Having just gone back and read what has been written before, I felt compelled to come back and add this.

Alex,

First of all, I apologize if I have offended you. That has not been my intent, but sometimes it happens, in spite of our intentions. So, If I have been offensive, please forgive me.

Second, I think that your comments have been worthwhile and helpful to the discussion here (before we all got off on this tangent). I appreciate them and thank you for them.

Third, I just felt that the language you chose to post here was counterproductive to your argument, which was a good argument. In reaction to that, I just posted my opinion concerning this fact.

Fourth, lets all drop this nonsense and get back to the point of the thread in the first place.

clint

 

Re: Paranoidal schizophrenia? Or at a minimum, paranoid!

What has happened to our memory and common sense? We all know that "me again" started this poll after his anonymity was challenged by Alex in another thread. The poll was totally ill motivated. That does not mean that Alex has a license to shower profanity on any body. Objectivity, please people.

 

Let it go...

I didn’t think I was going to make another posting, but I feel compelled to post one more time: I did not create this UoP poll to get back at atraxler (or at anyone else). That is an asinine thought. That thought never crossed my mind. I can’t believe I’m even having to put this in words: This is nuts.

I have no reason to "get back at" a traxler. This is nothing more then an educational forum that has, up till now, had some quality insight. I guess that as the forum grows, it will experience a simultaneous growth in the number of ludicrous postings e.g. "He posted a UoP poll to get back at me." Nuts. Absolutely nuts.

Geeze, lighten up. Let go of the paranoidal thoughts. I have no interest in "getting back at you" or anyone else for personal opinions that might be held.

And If I have offended anyone, please accept my umble apology. So umble.

Now let's all be happy. Back to the polling station.

 

Sad

Geez! If DL can cause such hard feelings I would hate to see what would happen if some of you debated politics or religion.

 

I used to be extremely opinionated about politics. Now that I’m older, I realize that what I do doesn’t really matter in the big scheme of things (at least at this point in my life). Now I have a laissez faire attitude.

And religion? That’s another story…

 

Here is what "me again" wrote on Wednesday morning in the thread Should Posters be Allowed to be Anonymous?:

• ... Rightly or wrongly, I figured that:
  
  Traxler was chiefly angry about my assessment of the University of Phoenix
  
  and that my anonymity was merely ancillary to his anger.
  
  Mmmmm, maybe a poll should be conducted about the UoP.

His very next post (a little later on Wednesday morning) was the poll. I have drawn my own conclusions.

 

Re: Sad

That discussion is found in the "Off Topics" discussions, under Poll:Religion (you knew there had to be a poll involved...)

clint

 

Angry Motive vs. Pure Curiousity

Thank you Gert. I appreciate that.

To suggest a motive of ”tit for tat” in this scenario is purely asinine.

Yes, I figured that atraxler was simply angry at my assessment of the UoP, so I created a poll to see if there was a general consensus that was similar to my own perception of the UoP.

• Was my assessment of the UoP correct?
• What is the assessment of others?
• What has the poll indicated?

The poll speaks for itself. Purely unscientific, of course.

Have you ever had a ”tug of war” contest with an old sock and a dog? First, you have to let the dog grab a hold of the sock with his teeth and then, the more you tug on the old sock, the more the dog growls and begins yanking back at the sock. The harder you pull on the sock, the more he resists! The smaller dogs are the cutest because they won't let go -- ever!

These UoP threads are sort of like that and the University of Phoenix is the sock that is caught in the middle.

Aw yes, the University of Phoenix....

 

cdhale,

Thanks for your comments (4/27 5:13PM). You don’t need to apologize; you have not offended me. I agree that my use of profane language has been counterproductive. I made a mistake and I am going to have to live with it.

Scott (Rogers),

Thanks for your support. You are one of the very few who really understands what is going on here with regards of this thread. You are correct, I don’t have a “license to shower profanity” in here. Again, my response was composed in the heat of the moment and I am now paying the consequences.

and now, to throw more wood into the fire…

“me again” has described here what I consider is an improbable story. Read his message detailing his experience at UoP in the thread titled “Fielding Institute vs. University of Phoenix vs. Capella” dated 1/28/02 6:50AM. I posted a reply on the same day (7:19 AM), challenging his post and, to this date, never received an answer.

He again posted a vague negative comment, providing no evidence, in the thread “Anyone have experiance with University of Phoenix” (verbatim, the typo isn’t mine) at 2/20/02 9:11PM. My response (at 2/21/02 12:02 AM) also went unanswered.

So, what I have seen is that this “me again” character is eager to talk about his negative experience at UoP, yet fails to provide factual evidence. In the poll “Should Posters be Allowed to be Anonymous” (see “Off-topic discussions, 4/1/02) this individual promises

To this date (4/27 8:34 PM CDT), the poll stands at 32.65% for anonymity and 67.35% against anonymity, yet this individual has failed to keep his own word. My belief is that a person who posts under his/her real identity is less likely to publish false or unsubstantiated information or opinions, while an anonymous poster, since they do not have a reputation to protect, may have no reservation about that.

So based on these events, I indirectly called him a coward, saying on 4/13/02 12:31 AM “one speaks negatively, cowardly hiding under the anonymity of an alias.” Let me remind you what cowardly means (from to Encarta):

His response ten days later (4/23/02 8:46PM) was:

Before I could respond to his message (I didn’t read it until the next morning) “me again” posted:

(Note the at the end of the line above).

A few hours later this “poll” is born. So, he came out of nowhere with the idea of having a poll on UoP simply because he didn’t like what I said about his anonymity. Now, if the discussion was about UoP (instead of anonymous postings) my reaction to the poll would have been different.

So, how can you believe that this poll was created in good nature and with a real curiosity to find what people think about the University of Phoenix? Simply look at the original wording on the poll: “The University of Phoenix is an Excellent RA School” vs. “The University of Phoenix is a Terrible RA School” and “no opinion.”

I respect contrasting opinions about UoP, in fact I admire Mr. Andy Borchers because he has provided detailed information about why he didn’t like teaching at UoP. I don’t agree with his assessment, but I respect his honesty and the fact that his is brave enough to sign his own name in every post.

My offer is still on: anyone who wants to discuss UoP can count on my comments. Phoenix is not perfect, it’s not the best college out there, but I don’t think it is the worse. As with all of the other schools I have attended, there are good and very good things, as well as problems, such as bad professors, bad classes, bad classmates, and a few other things. Tell me which school is perfect?

The issue is not the negative aura that UoP has in this forum; the issue is with cowardice, dishonesty and questionable tactics. Most of you are very intelligent and I am sure you can figure this out. I don't have much else to say here, so I'll go back and do what I do most of the time: read your discussions about new DL opportunities and the usual battle between the RA and non-RA proponents.

Y'all have a good weekend... you've been a wonderful audience!

 

That was interesting

As an example I use the name "Kane" simply because I value my privacy. Why does anyones real identity matter?

So what if some idiot wants to claim he has a "master of bation" degree from the "First College of Sexlessology" or something like that. Heck, you think such people giving their real names will make them honest?

Even a better question, why are people so touchy about this U of P fiasco. It is starting to sound like the old "My daddy is bigger then your daddy" kiddie routine.

"Kane"

 

Re: That was interesting

Only if one wishes to use one's personal experiences as fodder for discussion, or for support for one's viewpoint. Such "experiences" can be as easily fabricated as one's psuedonysm. Neither carries a bit of weight.

Don't get me wrong; the power of an idea is independent of its source. But support for that idea must be independently verifiable, or it simply doesn't apply.

Be anonymous. But be aware that an anonymous poster's personal experiences do not weigh.

 

Fair enough

Rich:

I respect your right to feel that way, But the person who first refered me to the University of London was anonymous and it did "weigh" as I have chosen U of L as my educator.

Kane

 

It's getting old...

Ho Hum

atraxler, what can I say to edify you and to lift you up and to bring you wisdom?

 

UOP online

I am not sure why 16% of the voters do not like UOP online, but I would hazard a guess that they are not alumni. There are major differences between ground campus and online. Its like comparing the ole' apples and oranges. Whereas, ground school you meet your professor face-to-face without a web cam on both sides you are not likely to ever meet your professor except through electronic communication. But many people enjoy the anonymity so why fault them. I certainly enjoy the convenience of going to school once my baby is asleep. If not for an online education, I would have none. So am I a loser because I choose to be educated? I understand all about free speech, but why insult people that are just trying to do their best. Isn't free enterprise about marketing the business to the consumer's expectations and desires? If it is not your desire to receive your education online, then you certainly should choose a ground campus. There are advantages to both.

Its not fair to begrudge people that enjoy something you don't.

Thanks.
Deborah

 

Deborah

Nobody here is attacking distance education, 16% of voters have problems with a particular school...U of P.

No one is attacking or insulting U of P students nor is anyone "begrudging" them. Some people simply do not like (for whatever reason) U of P. No one has called you a loser.

You should not take it so personally. U of P is Regionally accredited, other peoples opinions do not lessen the recognized status of U of P.

Kane

 

dscirincione,

When you said 16% of the people voted that the UoP is a terrible school, I think you read the poll wrong. It is actually 30% (so far).

I doubt anyone on this forum would begrudge distance education. Kudos on your independent studying while your baby sleeps. DL is a wonderful opportunity for adult learners who are employed full-time.

The poll has nothing to do with DL. The poll is exclusively about the UoP. Before I registered on this board, the UoP was a topic that has been vigorously argued. Now that I’m a senior member at UoP, it is still vigorously discussed. Topics that have been discussed include:

• Lax academic standards.
  
• Every student gets an “A,” regardless of the amount or quality of work that is submitted (hyper grade inflation)
  
• Students not turning in papers or doing assignments and still getting an “A” or an occasional “B”
  
• The amount of hours the student is logged on so the university can maintain its RA status
  
• The quality of the instructors. This includes the feedback they give (or don’t give) and what type of credentials they have. It has been asserted that the UoP has the fewest number of doctoral staff, but I personally don’t know about the veracity of that statement
  
• Some people assert that since the UoP is a ”for profit” school, they place profit above the quality of education that is delivered. This in itself is a continuing controversy.
  
• There are many other contentious issues that seem to be unique to the UoP. I don’t see these controversies swirling around other RA schools like they do around the UoP.

Many people become emotional or angry when these issues are raised. Some people even begin cursing. I don't understand this mindset. Please feel free to say anything you want about a school that I've graduated from. It won't upset me. It will be like water falling off a duck.

I have no regrets about leaving the UoP. I am happy that the UoP serves the needs of some people.

 

to me again

If you didn't care for UOP online, why did you choose to get your degree from there?