Rogue's Gallery

Could you post the text?

Hi Deb,
If there is some way you could find the text of the note, as galanga suggests, that would be helpful.

I am also posting to tell you that I'm sorry to hear about your car accident, and hope that you feel better soon. I've recently had a family member involved in a serious accident, and I know how stressful that can be.

Though I certainly don't speak for this site's "administration", as far as I'm concerned please feel free to keep sharing your thoughts with us here, even if it is opinions about SRU that are not the general opinion of the others who are here. Debate and discussion is always good, especially when its done in a civil fashion.

As I said in an earlier post, but I'll repeat it again: I apologize for being so snide with you at first in my earlier posts. I have been impressed with your fortitude and personal ethics to respond with kindness to this somewhat cantakerous group rather than adding to heated exchanges. That is something we could all learn from.

Thank you.

 

I am not aware of any statutes that would make any degree illegal. Its use for licensing or teaching may be limited but I don't require any more ceredentials in this area.

 

Dennis,
If you decided to pursue a CA, CGA, CFA designation, the degree may hinder your acceptance into these programs. However, I think CCU is eventually going to receive DETC accreditation by Summer or Fall of this year.

 

Already there.

 

Re: Could you post the text?

You really are a sweetie....don't worry about being snide...
I'd rather you be blunt with me than be a backstabber....
I did find the post, it was back in Oct....I'll see if I can get it
and you can verify it for us.

Here it is, please let me know if it's some prankster, as SRU
really thinks it is from Mr. Bear. Of if it is from Mr. Bear, and some one tampered with it, in all fairness SRU would like to know.

Deb

Traditional Verses Nontraditional
St. Regis University's advanced academic evaluation process measures knowledge attained through ALL types of education, whether learned in a classroom, or through career, independent study/research, mentor, family, or other sources.

Although a degree based on assessment of prior learning, exams and/or research may seem to be granted in a shorter period of time that is not the reality.

In fact, completion of degree courses via traditional education is quicker and easier than the years involved in acquiring knowledge outside classroom walls. Many of the largest and best schools acknowledge the importance of experience gained outside the classroom.

Granting credits for learning completed outside the classroom is not unique to St. Regis and is an accepted process on the undergraduate level worldwide. St. Regis University has expanded that process into the graduate level to meet the needs of both the future employers and the students in a world that is putting more emphasis on competency as a means for selecting employees.

Traditional degrees are granted as an indication of ability in a given area. It is a credential presented at the completion of a process. The requirements are based on subjective opinions of what "educators" feel is necessary to qualify. These credentials may or may not qualify the student to perform well. Often the degree is no more than a ticket to get a job.

St. Regis University on the other hand, evaluates a person's proven qualifications objectively based on comparative analysis to standard curriculum requirements. The decision to grant the credits and the degree is based on an objective evaluation of the student’s actual demonstrated ability and competency in the field.

In a recent survey among large employers in the US, UK, Europe and Asia it was discovered that a common complaint is that new graduates with "traditional" degrees are often not properly prepared for the job, while many experienced people who can do the job can't get the opportunity because they lack the appropriate credentials.

72% of the employers surveyed believed that the traditional educational system is becoming obsolete, particularly in the US. A relevant, but frightening example can be found in international news articles about the recent failures of corporations, such as Global Crossing, WorldCom and Quest that were lead by people with "traditional credentials". St. Regis University Programs provide a positive solution to a perpetual problem; finding and qualifying accomplished performers. St. Regis hopes to bring this into the corporate world within the next decade.

From Bear's guide to Earning Degrees by Distance Learning, 14th Edition
Nontraditional education takes many forms, including the following:

· credit (and degrees) for life experience learning, even if the learning took place before you entered school;
· credit (and degrees) for passing examinations;
· credit (and degrees) for independent study, even when not enrolled in a school at the time it was done;
· credit (and degrees) through intensive study (for instance, 10 hours a day for a month instead of hour a day for a year);
· credit (and degrees) through guided private study at your own pace, from your own home or office, under the supervision of a faculty member with whom you communicate on a regular basis;
· credit (and degrees) for work done on your home or office computer, linked to your school's wherever in the world it may be;
· credit (and degrees) from weekend schools, evening schools, and summer-only schools;
· credit (and degrees) entirely by correspondence;
· credit (and degrees) through the use of audio- and videotaped courses reviewed at your convenience.
................................
Traditional education awards degrees on the basis of time served and credit earned. Nontraditional education awards degrees on the basis of competencies and performance skills those of society over an entire lifetime.

Traditional education bases degree requirements on medieval formula that calls for some generalized education and some specialized education.

Nontraditional education bases degree requirements on agreement between the student and the faculty, aimed at helping the student achieve his or her career, personal, or professional goals.

Traditional education awards the degree when the student has taken the required number of credits in the required order.
Nontraditional education awards the degree when the student's actual work and learning reach certain previously agreed-upon levels.

Traditional education considers the years from age 18 to 22 the appropriate time to earn a first degree.

Nontraditional education assumes learning is desirable at any age, and that degrees should be available to people of all ages.

Traditional education considers the classroom to be the primary source of information and the campus the center of learning.

Nontraditional education believes that some sort of learning can and does occur in any part of the world.

Traditional education believes that printed texts should be the principal learning resource.

Nontraditional education believes that the range of learning resources is limitless, from the daily newspaper to personal interviews, from videotapes to computers to world travel.

Traditional faculty must have appropriate credentials and degrees.

Nontraditional faculty is selected for competency and personal qualities in addition to credentials and degrees.

Traditional credits and degrees are based primarily on mastery of course content.

Nontraditional credits and degrees add a consideration of learning how to learn, and the integration of diverse fields of knowledge.

Traditional education cultivates dependence on authority through prescribed curricula, required campus residence, and required classes.

Nontraditional education cultivates self-direction and independence through planned independent study, both on and off campus.

Traditional curricula are general oriented toward traditional disciplines and well-established professions.
Nontraditional curricula reflect a range of individual students' needs and goals, and are likely to be problem-oriented, issue-oriented, and world-oriented.

Traditional education aims at producing "finished products" - students who are done with their education and ready for the job market.

Nontraditional education aims at producing lifelong learners, capable of responding to their own evolving needs and those of society over an entire lifetime.

Traditional education, to adapt the old saying, gives you a fish and feeds you for a day.

Nontraditional education teaches you how to fish and feeds you for life.

Traditional education had nothing to offer the dead-tree-limb expert.

Nontraditional education made it possible for him to complete a good bachelor's degree in less than a year, entirely by correspondence and at a modest cost. His job is now secure.

(End of excerpt from Bear's book)

St. Regis University gives those who have gained college level or higher education levels an opportunity that is virtually impossible to obtain without enrolling full time in a traditional school.
----------------------------------------------------------------

SOME KEY DISTANCE EDUCATION REFERENCES


Asian Development Bank 1987

Proceedings of the Regional Seminar on Distance Education

Manila: ADB,


Stewart, David and Daniel, John S 1988

Developing Distance education

Oslo: ICDE,


Calvert, Jocelyn 1988

Distance Education Research: the Rocky Courtship of Scholarship and Practice

Oslo: Keynote paper presented at 14th ICDE World Conference


Keegan, Desmond 1994

Foundations of Distance Education

London: Rutledge,


Holmberg, Borje, Keegan, Desmond, and Stewart, David 1988

Distance education: International Perspectives

London: Croon Helm

Open University UK 1997

University Handbook

Milton Keynes, UK

Deakin University 1999

University Calendar

Geelong, Australia: Deakin University

University of New England 1999

University Calendar

Armidale, Australia: UNE

Keegan, D, and Rumble G 1982

The Distance Teaching Universities

London: Croon Helm

Peters, O 1973

Die didaktische Struktur des Fernunterrichts,

Weinheim: Beltz

Holmberg, B 1981

Status and trends of Distance Education

London: Kogan Page

MAJOR DISTANCE EDUCATION JOURNALS

Epistolodidaktika - Europe from 1977

Distance Education - Australia from 1980

Pakistan Journal of distance Education - Pakistan from 1984

Open Learning - UK from 1986

Journal of Distance Education - Canada from 1986

American Journal of Distance Education from 1987

 

it is not an endorsement

The section you quoted form Bear's book is wrapped in text from elsewhere.

Your earlier remarks were:

Bear's prose discusses the differences between "traditional" and "nontraditional" methods of education. It is not an endorsement of any particular organization, and certainly not an endorsement of Saint Regis.

G

 

Deb: "I think I saw a thread at SRU saying Mr. Bear had some nice Comments in an edition of his book. Almost an endorsement."

John: Nice comments on St. Regis? Never. The first I wrote about them was when they were claiming to be a university based in and approved by the island of Dominica. I quoted The Australian, Australia's national newspaper, which referred to them as a "Dominica-based Internet degree mill" (issue of April 12, 2002).

I agree with galanga -- it would be interesting indeed to learn that those people claim I have written.

Sorry about the accident. I hope, at least, that you feel that the injury-causing air bags were better than not having them.

--John Bear, whose parents had seat belts
installed on the 1948 Ford that was my
first car, in 1954. As I recall, they had to
buy them from a company in Sweden, since
no one in America seemed to know anything
about them at that time.

 

Thanks for the clarification, I didn't think it was an outright
endorsement, but I didn't feel comfortable trying to read between the lines...I took it at face value as a description of SRU,
which while not an endorsement it was not derogatory
either.
Kind of a nuetral description?
Deb

 

Ok, I'm sorry,
I didn't make sense,
I did at one time, remember it as an endorsement.
But when I posted it here, my thoughts did change
that it didn't look like an endoresment, but a nuetral description.
Mr.Bear,

wow, a celebrity..it is an honor to "meet" you as it were.
Thanks for your concerns about my recent accident.
Yes, the air bags were a life saver, although there is some sort of substance according to my husband that can "burn",
I complained about my hand burning, and hubby said it was some of the air bag chemicals got into the wounds on my hand.

But I"m fine and Wed. night I had the honor of performing
at a local "assisted living" home at a reception for their new administrator. I took a keyboard for some orchestration and used
the piano they had in the facility as the kind elderly gentleman who donated it loves it when I show up un announced to
play for them and visit.


Thanks ever so much for your concerns, Mr. Bear and all the fine and handsome kind sirs here
Deb....

 

Here is what SRU emailed me today.




LAST CHANCE!!! PLEASE READ THIS IMPORTANT NOTICE!


Dear Christopher,

As you may have seen at our website, http://saintregis.edu.lr St. Regis University has been bought out by Founders Mission Corporation.

This new owner will not be offering degrees granted through 100% Prior Learning Assessment (PLA).

This means that all new students entering SRU will have to earn at least 25% of their credits through coursework, dissertation, etc.

However, if you have an application in process, or if you have had free evaluation done in the past two years but have not yet accepted your degree, you have until the last day of this month to accept your degree - without having to reapply or take additional courses or complete addition requirements.

If you have already qualified, or if you have an application in progress you will need to accept and obtain your degree this month or you may not be able to get one through this process.

If you have not had an assessment done you may still do so BUT ONLY UNTIL AUGUST 31, 2004 at http://saintregis.edu.lr/admissions.html

All degrees granted during this LAST WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY are fully legitimate and valid. The new ownership does not affect the degree granting authority or accreditation of St. Regis University.

If you have any questions please use the counselor contact form at http://saintregis.edu.lr/contact.htm

Sincerely,


NBE and Founders Mission Transition Staff

 

Sounds like a sales pitch and little more.

I doubt seriously that there's been an ownership change. I also doubt their practice of selling a degree without requiring collegiate-level learning will cease--it is their core business!

I recently asked, rhetorically, how long it will take St. Regis to change "location" and name because of all the bad press and attention it has received. Then we continue to see examples of people taking and using SRU degrees without scrutiny, so who knows?