UMUC - Pros/Cons

Re: Re: UMUC Instructors

1. UMUC-Europe has to have teachers to teach the classes - they take what they can get.

2. Instructors may not like an institution but have olbigations (family, etc.) also - it's far easier to GET a position if you HAVE a position.

3. UMUC-Maryland in the past (2000) had (and may still have) instructors and administration that were dragged kicking and screaming into online course delivery. They did not know it, did not like it and they resented the changes in the CIS feield since 1992.

4. Today YMMV.

 

UMUC DE Debate

Yeah, you can read some trascripts of the debate as it unfolded by clicking on http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UMUCDE/ . There's another site www.umuc.blogspot.com that brings up several other things about UMUC (Europe I think, but it could be the whole UMUC system being talked about).

It's not just UMUC Europe that needs warm bodies to teach. The instructors need the work too. Central Texas (vo-tech)pays $1200 per course. Phoenix (MBA) pays $1400 per course. There's also OU. At $1400 per course with 2 courses per Term and 5 Terms, that's $14000 a year. UMUC Europe is the only liberal arts undergrad program serving military personnel in Europe and pays a little bit better, but their contract offers little job security for instructors. Courses cancel...instructor go hungry.

 

Re: UMUC DE Debate

And you have to figure that many of the instructors that wind up in Eurpoe without any contract beyond the class have to be the bottom feeders.

I learned something I did not know - but that makes considerable sense. "The company, U.M.U.C. Online, is wholly owned by the university and provides marketing and recruitment services for U.M.U.C.'s distance-education program." So it's for-profit, on the same model as UoP.

It certainly explains one professor and the CIS Program Chair who literally did not know what an MCSE or Cisco was.

 

Bottom Feeders and Capitalists

To be fair, I have met some good UMUC (Europe and Adelphi) professors who were very good, and dedicated to students. Not many, but a few. And some of those moved on to full-time tenure track positions. I've also met quite a lot who were not very well qualified, trying to keep the ID card and tax free status, and really ragged on their military students (the bottom feeders, I think you're referring to).

Regarding the UMUC Online company, I'm not a corporate lawyer and do not fully understand how the "corporate non-profit" thing works. The press reports on the subject, and Gerald Heeger's investment in the company that was financed with taxpayer dollars, sound shady to say the least. The news releases by Household Watch, and their website, also portrayed UMUC as a "corporation" concerned with numbers and dollars rather than quality instruction. Although there are many positive news stories about UMUC, there are enough news stories of ahdy business practices and operations that give me pause for thought about UMUC. I read yesterday in a USMD newspaper that Gerald Heeger has enjoyed a c. 246% increase in pay since becoming president of UMUC--that must be quite a pot full of money.

 

Re: Bottom Feeders and Capitalists

And I've had one good professor there also - who gave me a "B" and a academic basket case - who gave me an "A". I promptly voted with my feet - have my EdS from NSU and am on the last lap - the dissertation.

To be clear - UMUC's online company is "for-profit" not "non-profit" - so the salary jump and disregard for academic quality are completely in sync.

 

UMUC professors

I'm not sure my last post got through so here goes again. I don't think you all are being fair to professors.

First, because one disbarred or defrocked profesor was hired to teach Psyc 100 by DE, and is assigned to Europe DE doesn't mean all the professors are "bottom feeders". I've seen many good professors go, because they were sick and tired of the directors in Heidelberg or Adelphi. In both cases, the academic director for social sciences has messed up again, and she's messed up every office she has had. There are still two or three professors here who are pretty good.

If UMUC would pay people well, treat their faculty better, and listen for a change maybe UMUC could hire on and retain good "dedicated" faculty to work with students.

Second, Adelphi under UMUC President Heeger and Provost Nicholas Allen control almost everything now. So it is one big UMUC. they shoudl start earning their pay raises and benefits.


Third, the person who listed their respectable degrees missed a point. What have you done since getting your degrees? Life doesn't stop after graduation day. Maybe that fellow Huseonica has life achievements (after he grduated) we don't know about on his resume. One problem with Maryland, and the way they hire, is they get awestruck by the degrees and what they can print in the catalog to show people. Refereed publications, professor evaluations, contributions to professional associations, and other good work don't mean a hill of beans to the directors in Heidelberg. There again they miss hiring on and retaining good faculty.

I don't disagree with what has been posted in the other web sites. We could all work to improve the quality of the UMUC program for students, and keep good faculty. I suggest new directors to get looking after these things.

 

What question? Pieces was looking for comments on UMUC. I gave my comments and Pieces responded to them (a month prior to your comment). No particular questions was ever asked.

As far as being completely seperate, if you are enrolled in one, you can take classes through all of the divisions (and often need to if you want to get a degree done in a reasonable amount of time). Therefore, the headaches of one division can be your headache regardless of which one is your main division. Also, the diploma you recieve doesn't mention where you attended classes. It simply reads University of Maryland University College. Beyond that, all the divisions ultimately report to the same person - Gerald Heeger.

 

Re: UMUC professors

Let me know when the new directors are in place - based on your suggestion.

 

Hiring and "academic culture" in Europe is distinct from hiring and "academic culture" in the US.

Which is specific to what was being asked.

 

Complaints

Somebody has a beef against UMUC. I can say you can find lots of people with beefs about many universities. I had one from one of my alma maters. I should never have gone to grad school where I got my undergrad degree... hahaha. Actually, I had some legitimate complaints. This is a well-respected Research I university, too.

Let's see, what have I done since earning my degrees somebody here asked. That was a silly comment, but I always worked fulltime while getting degrees. I've made national presentations, written several books, consulted, etc... Was an instructor in the MI School, so I know when I am being shucked and jived by g.i.'s that don't want to put in the time and effort (you know who they are).

Now, I read http://www.umuc.blogspot.com/ and must say this sounds like what I saw at the University of Phoenix. I have not seen this so far at UMUC (online) but this blog lists some dangerous signs.

 

Congratulations on your many achievements since graduation.

I too read the blog, and agreed with most of what was written. It reflects what is experienced by many faculty at this location of UMUC's global operations.

I know about the cases mentioned--the non-RA degree recipient, and the "ethics" professor. I'm not certain that retaining the non-RA degree employee was a bad idea. He seems to have done a lot for UMUC, and has worked very hard for the university. The professor who has been "disbarred" for an ethics violation (an affair with a patient) is another matter to consider, as that too is a "no no". So, let's boot the non-RA degree holder who has contributed to the university, but keep the alleged sexual predator.

Do we really know al the details about these people?

This is how it works, at this UMUC location. The professor in question did not bow low enough to please the management in Heidelberg, or asked a question that embarrassed someone in Heidelberg. So the Heidelberg people in return write some letters, make some calls, and find what's needed to discredit the professor. John Golembe has done that. Jane McHan has done that. In fact, they've done it again. The former-Director, Chambers, the masters in Adelphi, let it happen. Some faculty members "rat" on others too, for petty reasons (In academia the smallest issues often become big battles). There's an insurgency going on here, and a thriving gossip mill, that destroys the reputations of good people and "dedicated instructors" forcing some of the better instructors to leave before it's too late to save their reputations from malicious lies or things not relevant to their abilities as a good instructor dedicated to students and the mission of the university.

The interesting thing is that the tables can easily be turned. Students and faculty members simply dig up dirt on the people in Heidelberg (mismanagement, plagiarism, etc.), which causes them great anxiety. Spread that dirt around, and discredit them before they discredit you. It's become a spectator sport for many.

There's plenty of dirt too. Looking through past news reports from the handling of the "missing professor in Turkey (1997)," "the murdered field representative in Bosnia," Gerald Heegers business dealings on behalf of the university and his own stock portfolio, the growing numbers of complaints from students found in blogs and other Web sites, there's plenty of dirt to be found on the UMUC Europe management team.

Since, however, it's not my kind of a spectator sport, and given the nature of the "insurgency" in the European Division of UMUC, I believe I would feel safer as a Marine walking a patrol in Fallujah. I do try and remove myself from the dirtier aspects of UMUC Europe, and stick to what I enjoy which is working with the students here who serve in the Army and Air Force.

This really got going about 3 or 4 years ago because the UMUC Europe Director cut his subordinate managers loose on the faculty. It has continued and become a terrible situation. The strange thing is Joe Arden, John Golembe, Nick Allen, or even Heeger (the invisible man) could put a stop to the insurgency with one telephone call or one e-mail or one letter, and maybe a bit of reorganization in Heidelberg. They do know who to contact. I don't think anyone should wait by the phone though.

Congratulations, again, on your many achievements since graduation. If you ever want to endanger the worthy reputation you've worked hard to build, come on over to UMUC Europe and meet the Heidelberg directors. If you believe you have high academic standards, again, come on over and meet the UMUC Europe management team, and get ready for the shock of your academic life. The blog, plus the other complaints listed on TCS, sounds very familiar. stko

 

Re: Complaints

I think being accomplished might threaten some of our beloved list members.

 

UMUC

Jim. I believe you DO speak the truth!

To the other poster about UMUC being separate. I'm not so sure about that. Heeger and company have strived to create a "global UMUC," and have taken powers from the Asian Division and European Division directors, particularly power over the online DE program. It's all run by Adelphi, with some minor powers delegated to the ED and AD. The diploma reads UMUC, but the faculty members are assigned to various divisions. It's been a mess.

Well, "beloved list members" this has been some interesting reading, and Jim's comments and focus have been helpful.

PS. I wouldn't "wait by the phone" either, because I'm not sure the UMUC directors know where their phone is. See you in Fallujah.

 

Re: UMUC

Been there, done that...got the medals...spent five years in Iraq, Kuwait, KSA, Jordan...take care.

I highly recommend academia instead