The Union Institute in the news

The unique nature of Union is so wonderful. I'm sorry for anyone to lose out on it. I'm also sorry if (if) it goes away. No other doctoral program in the world compares with it, and the community is one of the finest you can imagine. The collaborative--as opposed to combative--relationship between faculty and learners is one to savor and enjoy. I hope it survives in its current form--and with the people who are its legacy.

 

Re: Union Institute

Reminds me of the scene in the horror flick where someone is about to enter the woods and hears a voice crying out, "Go back! Go back!!!"

Union is on a precepice at this point. Rather than taking my word for it, do some reading on the Graduate Learners group at Yahoo, which you can find here. Res ipsa loquitur.

A few years ago, I predicted that Union would not survive because it moved in two opposite directions: (1) It had lost its original mission of serving as the premier nontraditional doctoral program in the world, yet (2) it had failed to become competitive in an age of increasing competition. I wish I could say I was wrong on this one, but Union seems to be going down the tubes even faster than I thought they would.

As Rich correctly notes, Union was once the doctoral program where you could write your own ticket in pursuit of a legitimate doctorate. However, the program has become less flexible due, in large part, to its own administrative ineptitude (especialy viz. the neglect of its relationship with U.S. DoEd and Ohio OBR) and misperception of its original mission. And in attempting a more structured program, they do not do it as well as their proprietary counterparts.

I never supported the profit-making schools, but if I were to recommend a low-residency doctoral program today, it would be Capella, which recently became the first distance program to achieve CACREP accreditation (the gold standard in the counseling field). Close second: Argosy University at Sarasota - which, espite a ridiculous sounding name, has long had a solid program model combining resident and distance studies.

My recommendation to someone who, today, has not yet started his or her doctorate at Union: Go back! Go back!!!

 

I really like Capella. Really. I wouldnt' hesitate to take a degree there, recommend someone else do so, or even work for them.

I like Argosy, especially for its legacy. (It has been around almost as long as Union--as the University of Sarasota--but was accredited later.)

But my favorites are Nova Southeastern and, especially, Fielding. Fielding most closely resembles Union. Unlike Union, Fielding dictates the competency areas required for each degree. But like Union, Fielding provides flexibility to the learner and mentor for defining the methods used to establish competency. Also, Fielding has a similar feeling of community as found at Union.

 

I am sorry to hear about the decline of Union as I have always respected the program. Union and Nova were my final two choices for a Ph.D. program in the early 90's and I opted for Nova because it had a specific major. If I had chosen Union I probably would have done the program in a different field continuing my research studies that I had undertaken at Antioch.

Will Union be able to recover?


John

 

Maybe. Steve seems to think not. I suspect it can survive with the bachelor's and master's programs. I question the financial viability of the Ph.D. program. I also question its viability in its current form. (I suspect even more changes will be thrust upon it, perhaps even removing the Ph.D. designation in favor of other doctoral designations.)

Finally, I seriously question the current administration's commitment to the Ph.D. program. The Ph.D. program has a lot of folks from a long time ago. Just like a new team owner clearing out the manager, general manager, etc., I wonder if Union's president isn't also doing the same. Starve the Ph.D. program, then perform a mercy killing, all to get rid of the one bunch (the doctoral faculty) who remember what the school once meant--and who try to keep that ideal alive. I think they're a pain in the president's butt and he'd just as soon get rid of them. I don't think he has the first idea about what Union really was--and still is.

What would really be cool is if another school (like Antioch?) would take over that program and run it well. A school that shares a long history with Union (like Antioch?). A school that was once a member of the UECU (like Antioch?). Perchance to dream....

 

TUI

I also looked at their PhD program and also was turned off by the tuition costs. They were very innovative from the start but with other DL institutions to choose from, their program offerings and tuition were not competitive.

 

Rightly or wrongly set, I also could not afford UIU's tuition--or the unpaid leave which would have been required for their residency requirements. (That's my situation, not an assessment of those residency requirements one way or the other.)

Having said that, I wish them well, and hope that their doc program can resolve its difficulties or, as Rich hazarded, move to another institution which is able and willing to support it faithfully and adequately.

 

I guess I don't understand. Union's tuition is right in line with Nova, Fielding, Walden, et. al. They're all absurdly expensive, but Union isn't any more so.

As for residencies, only the Entry Colloquium is longer than 5 days (it is 10 consecutive days, Friday afternoon to Sunday afternoon), and it involves missing, typically, 6 business days. Seminars are half that. Also, 10 of the days in residence are peer days, which can be scheduled one at a time on any day of the week. Learners typically schedule them on weekends or in conjunction with seminars, and tend not to miss additional work time. Finally, learners can complete some seminars and (more frequently) peer days online.

All in all, you face missing about 3-4 weeks of work over 3-5 years. For most people, that means giving up about half their vacation time during their doctoral studies. No sweat, right? I mean, after paying all that tuition, you're not going to have any money for vacations, anyway!

 

Rich, I'm poor. I'm not claiming UIU's tuition is out of line. I'm simply saying I couldn't afford it, nor could I afford the loss of pay involved in doing the residency stuff. I have no quarrel with what they do. I just do not make enough to afford them, given my choice of profession and choice of where I work. I get no paid vacation and my employer does not pay for my schooling. My pay is sharply below what my organization specifies for someone of my years of service. I knew all this going in, and am not complaining about it. I can readily see how others might also find UIU priced out of their reach, that's all.

 

Unk - you need a union

I have seen many preacher's wages. The ones paid by the central church organizations (such as Anglican) are living wages but not great. The ones paid by tiny congregations that are loosely affiliated are pathetic.

One I know recently joined the army and hopefully retires in the army. The day he joins his wage probably goes from $25,000 to over $50,000, as a newly minted captain.

 

How much do ya need, unk?

Seriously, I said in my last post that the costs are tremendous. I was just pointing out that Union's tuition isn't any different from the other short-residency doctoral options.

Your lack of paid vacations would severely impair your ability to pursue most short-residency doctoral programs.

The costs, and the time spent, are daunting no matter which short-residency doctoral program one contemplates.

We agree.