TOPICS
TOPICS
Detecting Diploma Mills
In May, the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee held hearings on diploma mills, singling out several institutions that had committed particularly egregious fraud or had marketed themselves to federal employees.
The hearing, however, brought to light the problem of actually identifying diploma mills, or schools that essentially sell degrees in exchange for little or no coursework. There are some institutions that are, indisputably, fraudulent. In 2001, when the committee began investigating diploma mills, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, purchased a B.S. in biology and a master's degree in medical technology. She completed no coursework, but bought the premium edition, which contained a 3.8 grade point average.
These diplomas, which Collins displayed at the June hearings, were clearly bogus.
Some readers have contacted Government Executive, however, to ask if a particular school is a diploma mill. One particularly irate reader wrote to complain that his school, Kennedy-Western University, was unfairly depicted as a diploma mill during the committee's hearings.
At those hearings, investigators gave several general tips on how to recognize a diploma mill.
Legitimate schools also will often require a student to take a test on the relevant material to receive credit for work experience. An investigator for the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee applied to Kennedy-Western as part of the probe and received 43 percent of the credit needed for her degree because of previous work experience.
"We have thought long and hard about it, and we have decided that is not a model that we are willing to pursue," Gering said. "That is what we chose to be, an unaccredited university ... there are a lot of people who want the kind of education we provide."
When asked about Kennedy-Western's claims, however, a spokeswoman at the Wyoming Department of Education said the state's licensing procedure was never intended to replace the accreditation process. Legitimate schools are expected to seek accreditation, said Deb Hinckley.
The Education Department is expected to produce a directory of accredited schools by the end of 2004, although officials are still unsure how they will make that list available to the public.
Windfall Elimination
The House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security is reviewing legislation that reduces and, in some cases, eliminates Social Security benefits for federal retirees, according to the National Treasury Employees Union.
The Windfall Elimination Provision, enacted in 1983, reduces Social Security benefits for people who spent most of their careers working for the government and part of their careers working in a job covered by Social Security. The provision affects federal employees enrolled in the Civil Service Retirement System.
New legislation, the Public Servant Retirement Protection Act (H.R. 4391), would apply a new benefit calculation that would take the place of the WEP. There are four other bills pending that would repeal or modify the law.
According to NTEU President Colleen M. Kelley, the measure plays "havoc" on the retirement plans of many federal employees.
COMMENTS
- There is alot of available reading on Kennedy-Western University a/k/a Warren National University. Some Texans are currently in trouble for use of this so called "degree" - See "When Elected Officials Aren't What They Seem: Texas officials and Pennsylvania cats tout misleading credentials" In the report reference here: "Bogus Degrees and Unmet Expectations, Are Taxpayer Dollars Subsidizing Diploma Mills?" Kennedy-Western immediately waived 43% of the Engineering master's degree requirements, based on her JOURNALISM degree and some random seminars attended. She even notes that "they asked for no proof or documenation" and "As a note, I have no formal engineering training". Of the remaining 5 classes left for a Master's degree, the student knocked off 2 of the 5 classes in a grand total of 16 hours and said that each "course" was an open-book exam where she had to pick terms out of the glossary. AVOID! James Johan Posted December 3, 2007 12:59 PM
- Here is the answer to the question regarding converting military training/experience to college credit: I worked as a military education counselor for a number of years. There are a number of colleges/universities affiliated with the military for the purpose of making it easier for servicemembers to gain higher education. I never saw one activity that relaxed its academic standards, though they all waived most or all of the normal 'residency' requirements civilian students had to meet. These schools are part of the "Serviceman's Opportunity College (SOC)" network. My "Bible" in converting military training and experience to civilian equivalents was the guide published by the American Council on Education (a.k.a "The ACE Guide"). I never saw a school accept a military course that not had been evaluated by the ACE, and some schools did not grant all the credit that was recommended in the ACE Guide. This is not the same as the usual "You Pay Me and I'll Give You A Degree With No Study" diploma mill. I got my BA through this program and I guarantee I studied and took as many tests as any civilian student! And I did it all in my off-duty hours while raising a family. SOC is a very worthwhile program to help active duty military individuals earn college degrees in spite of constantly fluctuating assignments. Henry Posted July 26, 2004 2:47 PM
- According to the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee, “legitimate schools also will often require a student to take a test on the relevant material to receive credit for work experience. An investigator for the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee applied to Kennedy-Western as part of the probe and received 43 percent of the credit needed for her degree because of previous work experience.” OK, how will the schools that give liberal credit for military education/training come out in these investigations? If you look at the ‘educational’ record of a number of top military they report degrees that are nothing more than a so called academic institution taking money and giving a sheepskin for ‘professional military education.’ The individual already has the school attendance on their record, and then for the exchange of some money, they get a Master’s degree. It would be very interesting for GovExec.com to contact the Department of Defense, and ask if they all, support, encourage this form of a Diploma Mill. GovExec.com reader Posted July 26, 2004 7:54 AM
