Wishes and More Wishes

Discussion in 'Off-Topic Discussions' started by Steve Levicoff, Aug 4, 2003.

Loading...
  1. Steve Levicoff

    Steve Levicoff Well-Known Member

    As I have been monitoring DegreeInfo.com occasionally, I could not help but notice that there are several birthdays during the month of August on the part our better known denizens, several of whom date back to the AED days. I offer the best of birthday wishes to Russ Blahetka and Kirstin Evenson Hirst (both moerators on this board), John Wetsch (one of the few triple-plus graduates of nontraditional RA programs on the board), Peter French (who has consistently been one of the foremost defenders of, and participants in, degree mills), and Jimmy Clifton (who has done more to publicize theological degree mills than God would care to tolerate).

    I have not heard of anyone else on this month's birthday list, which, of course, makes them insignificant.

    I also join the many who have congratulated Rich Douglass on his graduation from The Union Institute. And yes, it was a better program when I graduated. :D

    Next, as long as I'm making a rare public appearance here, we need to clear up a rumor . . . I am not, nor have I ever been, enrolled in a Canadian degree program. I enrolled in a certificate program in Addiction Studies at McMaster University, which offers the courses in both residential and non-residential formats. McMaster is a major university (as any theological student who has ever heard of the McMaster Divinity School knows) located in Hamilton, Ontario.

    However, in reading one of the textbooks for the first course - written by the course instructor* - I noted a ridiculous number of typos, poorly constructed grammar, no footnotes, and the most amateur writing I have ever seen in a book. I determined the book had been self-published and, tracing the web site of the publisher backwards, found that it was a porn site. I concluded that the instructor's doctorate was likely from a degree mill, so I called him to make, um, a friendly inquiry. Sure enough, he told me that he received his doctorate in psychology from California Pacific University (where, of course, he had never shown up). Since he was referred to as a psychologist in some references I had seen, I asked whether he had been able to pass the Ontario psych boards with a CalPac doctorate, and he informed me further that he had never sat for the boards.

    I quickly dumped McMaster University from my list, and switched to a regionally accredited U.S. school for the program I was seeking. (Does this remind anyone of ol' what's-her-name from Mercer University a couple of years ago? It would seem that both some American RA and otherwise legit Canadian universities don't have a clue when it comes to credentialing.) Fortunately, I was able to recognize the situation quickly, so I avoided the victimization that affects so many people in distance ed.

    Finally, to clear up the question of where I have been over the past several months, back in January there was a glitch in the DegreeInfo.com program that resulted in my account information getting garbled on the server. Rather than having it corrected then, I decided it was time for a break and left things as they were so I wouldn't be tempted to post as often as I had in the past. I'm still way too busy to become actively involved, but finally re-registered the account and had the glitch corrected. Nonetheless, I do have an other-than-cyber life that keeps me more than occupied, so don't expect me to be here very often.

    Hope all is well with everyone, legitimate and degree-mill-zoids alike.
    ____________________

    * What? You thought I would give you a teaser and not tell you the glorious details? The instructor was one Peter Sacco, whose personal web site is here. His book Women Want What They Can't Have is easily the worst textbook I have ever read. It's was printed by Babcock Publishing Company - indeed, a self-publisher, which is at www.jeb-publications.com/book-publishers.htm. But if you drop the last part of the companyr's URL and go simply to www.jeb-publications.com, you find that it's a cyber-porn site. The amazing thing is that Sacco is still teaching at McMaster, as well as at Niagara College and Niagara University, and his courses are used by other schools in the Ontario Learn consortium. Go figure . . .
     
  2. decimon

    decimon Well-Known Member

    Well, you've outed Sacco but what of Vanzetti? Any chance that these universities are not clueless but that there's some collusionin' goin' on with some decision makers?
     
  3. roysavia

    roysavia New Member

    Steve,
    Nice to hear from you.
    I'm surprised to hear that McMaster University would hire a professor from an unaccredited school. McMaster has a good reputation as being one of Ontario's leading medical and business schools.
    Obviously, as with any institution, some people do get teaching appointments without having the proper credentials. Please don't assume that all Canadian DL programs are substandard. I'm quite sure that the folks at McMaster are looking into this matter. The course instructor at the McMaster Divinity School will most likely get his butt kicked out the door.
    warmest regards,
     
  4. Tom Head

    Tom Head New Member

    Welcome back! My bet was that you were doing an M.Div. and planning a go at the ministry. (Hey, if Hauerwas can do it...) Funny that you showed up when you did--just ran across cheap used print copies of NIFI (4th ed) and Street Smarts on bookfinder.com, and snapped them up.

    Brief update on my writing career, since I remember bugging you for advice early on (meant to send this privately, but can't get ahold of a private email address): Things are working out marvelously, since I've finally found a genre (K-12 library nonfiction) that consistently needs books that can be done semi-quickly. Finished eight within the past year for the Gale Group, and just last week signed a contract to do a new grade 5-9 history of religious freedom in America for another publisher, which marks my ninth consecutive non-DE-related project. Thomas Nixon has admirably filled in for me (and then some) in the wacky world of distance education, having just finished his single-author Bears' Guide on high school diplomas (a darned useful book, I should add). Otherwise, not much to report; mulling on adding the London B.D. to my to-do list (as I need documented Hebrew credit anyway and have 6 sh of brick-and-mortar M.T.S. courses I don't quite know what to do with), but the Cowan Ph.D. is keeping me plenty busy at this point.

    Good luck in your new field! I used to have coffee at the table by the local NA group, and it has given me an awful lot of respect for addiction counseling. Probably one of the most undervalued counseling fields out there, and certainly one of the most beneficial. Didn't know the usually wonderful McMaster had a DL program in that field; it's a shame your adjunct turned out to be a putz.


    Cheers,
     
  5. oxpecker

    oxpecker New Member

    My own theory is that Steve has been in a Canadian gaol for the past 6 months as a consequence of his extremely detailed exploration of this site.
     
  6. uncle janko

    uncle janko member

    Hi Dr Levicoff: Best wishes in your new program. It is really valuable and difficult work, and greatly needed.
     
  7. Vinipink

    Vinipink Accounting Monster

    Glad you are alive and kicking, could you care to clarify about California Pacific University, I am only aware they offer Business doctorare and not in Psy? As I checked their site, still is in business only!
     
  8. roy maybery

    roy maybery New Member

    "his doctorate in psychology from California Pacific University (where, of course, he had never shown up). "

    I have done a brief search of the forums but can't seem to find any details on this institution. Am I correct to assume that it is not particularly kosher?

    I live in Hamilton Ontario McMaster is the local university on the other end of town. I find this jucy snippet very interesting as McMaster as an institution has a very inflated view of their authenticity.

    Roy Maybery
     
  9. Anthony Pina

    Anthony Pina Active Member

    Re: Re: Wishes and More Wishes

    For years, Columbia Pacific U. had been a favorite for authors and others to get a quick psych doctorate. Two famous examples are John Gray (Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus) and his ex-wife Barbara DeAngelis (books and infomercials on relationships).

    Tony Piña
    Faculty, Cal State U. San Bernardino
     
  10. roy maybery

    roy maybery New Member

    Is Columbia Pacific University RA accredited?
    Roy maybery
     
  11. Anthony Pina

    Anthony Pina Active Member

    No, Columbia Pacific was never regionally accredited, although they were a California approved school for many years until they lost their approval and subsequent appeals.

    Tony
     
  12. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    Thanks, Steve. Of course, I was enrolled both before and after Steve, so it's hard for me to tell. It is certainly more structured than ever before--good or bad? :confused:

    According to Steve's theory of declining rigor, I completed a program that was both better and worse than his. Only my experience was just the opposite: Union's requirements (not necessarily its standards) are more defined and less flexible than when I entered.

    Welcome back, Steve.... :)
     
  13. Dennis Ruhl

    Dennis Ruhl member

    Steve did say California Pacific not Columbia Pacific. Which one did he mean?
     
  14. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    Interesting, because Steve referred to California Pacific twice, not Columbia Pacific. But California Pacific does not offer a psychology program, nor has it ever, IIRC.
     
  15. plcscott

    plcscott New Member

    What does IIRC stand for?
     
  16. decimon

    decimon Well-Known Member

    If I remember correctly, IIRC is for, If I Remember Correctly.
     
  17. plcscott

    plcscott New Member

    Thanks. Still learning these discussion board acronyms.
     
  18. Dave Wagner

    Dave Wagner Active Member

    Kosher? Dunno... However, it is a good California State Approved school. If you have examined the regionally-accredited business programs and are still looking for one that meets your needs, then I highly recommend California Pacific University, especially for the MBA and DBA.

    Best wishes,

    Dave
     

Share This Page