Comments on: How to create a diploma mill: How to legally become the President of a fake college. http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/04/04/how-to-create-a-diploma-mill-how-to-legally-become-the-president-of-a-fake-college/ Human Animals at the Crossroads of Culture, Science, Religion and Media Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:07:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: A Comprehensive List of Degree Mills and other Unaccredited Educational Institutions « Who’s your alma mater? http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/04/04/how-to-create-a-diploma-mill-how-to-legally-become-the-president-of-a-fake-college/#comment-24004 A Comprehensive List of Degree Mills and other Unaccredited Educational Institutions « Who’s your alma mater? Wed, 03 Sep 2008 11:31:43 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/04/04/how-to-create-a-diploma-mill-how-to-legally-become-the-president-of-a-fake-college/#comment-24004 [...] – California Dorcas University Drake College Earlscroft University – Great Britain, Seychelles Eastern Missouri Business College - St. Louis, Missouri Eastern State University Eastern University - Albuquerque, New Mexico East [...] [...] – California Dorcas University Drake College Earlscroft University – Great Britain, Seychelles Eastern Missouri Business College - St. Louis, Missouri Eastern State University Eastern University - Albuquerque, New Mexico East [...]

]]> By: Alan http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/04/04/how-to-create-a-diploma-mill-how-to-legally-become-the-president-of-a-fake-college/#comment-21909 Alan Tue, 22 Jul 2008 09:07:51 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/04/04/how-to-create-a-diploma-mill-how-to-legally-become-the-president-of-a-fake-college/#comment-21909 Funny, perfect like putting a picture of model by a camera so you can get a clear picture of someones face. lol Funny, perfect like putting a picture of model by a camera so you can get a clear picture of someones face. lol

]]> By: projektleiterin http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/04/04/how-to-create-a-diploma-mill-how-to-legally-become-the-president-of-a-fake-college/#comment-17444 projektleiterin Sun, 06 Apr 2008 21:15:49 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/04/04/how-to-create-a-diploma-mill-how-to-legally-become-the-president-of-a-fake-college/#comment-17444 I always say that I want to become a guru and suck the blood out of people, but maybe I should create my own college! What a wonderful idea! :D I always say that I want to become a guru and suck the blood out of people, but maybe I should create my own college! What a wonderful idea! :D

]]> By: grumpypilgrim http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/04/04/how-to-create-a-diploma-mill-how-to-legally-become-the-president-of-a-fake-college/#comment-17425 grumpypilgrim Sat, 05 Apr 2008 15:45:21 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/04/04/how-to-create-a-diploma-mill-how-to-legally-become-the-president-of-a-fake-college/#comment-17425 I heard, a while ago, that a similar thing is happening in, of all places, the lumber industry. The lumber industry is undergoing internal changes in which some lumber producers are certifying that their lumber is produced in a sustainable manner. The certification is being backed up by an external accrediting agency. However, there are two major accrediting agencies: one that is independent of the lumber industry, and one that consists of a consortium of lumber producers. Guess which one gives accurate reports about sustainable practices and which one grants certifications with relatively little regard to sustainable practices. Oh, and yes, the certification mark that the pro-industry agency uses is remarkably similar to the one that the independent agency uses, making it very hard for average consumers to know if they are buying lumber from a source that employs truly sustainable practices. When it comes to third-party certifications, the rule is often: "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em." If you don't like the certification process that exists, because it is "too independent," just create your own. It happens in more places than you probably realize. I heard, a while ago, that a similar thing is happening in, of all places, the lumber industry. The lumber industry is undergoing internal changes in which some lumber producers are certifying that their lumber is produced in a sustainable manner. The certification is being backed up by an external accrediting agency. However, there are two major accrediting agencies: one that is independent of the lumber industry, and one that consists of a consortium of lumber producers. Guess which one gives accurate reports about sustainable practices and which one grants certifications with relatively little regard to sustainable practices. Oh, and yes, the certification mark that the pro-industry agency uses is remarkably similar to the one that the independent agency uses, making it very hard for average consumers to know if they are buying lumber from a source that employs truly sustainable practices.

When it comes to third-party certifications, the rule is often: “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.” If you don’t like the certification process that exists, because it is “too independent,” just create your own. It happens in more places than you probably realize.

]]> By: Erich Vieth http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/04/04/how-to-create-a-diploma-mill-how-to-legally-become-the-president-of-a-fake-college/#comment-17414 Erich Vieth Sat, 05 Apr 2008 00:02:13 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/04/04/how-to-create-a-diploma-mill-how-to-legally-become-the-president-of-a-fake-college/#comment-17414 Ben: The mustache (and the rest of the 80's motif) is gone, as you can tell from my photo in the header (which I need to change, just because it's about time). Two AAG's (my co-worker and I) lost their jobs when the office became overtly politicized. This only happened with regard to targets that were heavy contributors or who were somehow "Friends of the Office" (I saw memos with that phrase). If a business was politically unconnected, we were free to go after it. Lots of unconnected crooked businessman (we nicknamed many of these guys "Skippy-the-Punk") got no mercy from anyone in my office, all the way to the top. I had taken a substantial pay cut to take the AAG job in the first place, so I wasn't there to make money. After losing my job I considered suing, as a method of publicly demonstrating Webster's character. In the end, no one would take my case because I instantly picked up a job that paid more--I had no financial damages. Eventually, the word got out. The high point of that was during the televised debate between Webster and Mel Carnahan (Republican and Democrate, respectively). During the debate, Carnahan blasted Webster for my firing (and that of the other AAG). I simply wanted the word to get out about Webster's character. It did. Webster was a 20-point favorite to be governor prior to the corruption stories started. Months later, on election night, he gave his concession speech at about 7 pm. It was a wrenching period of my life to work at the office when there was corruption within the office. Ironic too. I certainly didn't work alone to get the word out. The other guy who was fired was an inspiration to me and made my part easy. We would often ask ourselves whether there was any option to doing what we did. After all, we had to look at ourselves in the mirror every morning. Erika, I just went online and saw lots of Internet schools out there. I don't know what kinds of schools they are, and it's really hard to tell by looking at their web pages. Which is exactly the point with an accreditation organization. That a school is "accredited" gives people reassurance that they are dealing with a bona fide school rather than some teenager working out of his mother's basement. Believe it or not, one guy who was running a diploma mill was busted. While in prison, they caught him running another diploma mill using the prison pay phone. He got really pissed at me and sued me for a billion dollars once (he didn't win). With the Internet, it's easier than ever to "be" a University. Why stop there? "Be" a multi-national University with a "200 year history in providing the finest education to the best students, like YOU." Check out this site (http://www.online-degrees-and-scholarships.com/doctorates.htm ). Apparently, you can get a Ph.D. in almost any subject, online (e.g., "family therapy," law, professional occupational therapy, pharmacy). Incredible. Many of these online colleges and universities claim to be accredited. The big question, once again, is "Who the hell is the accreditor?" Here's one other thing to notice. Many fake colleges and universities used to (probably still do) use names that sound an awful lot like the names of real colleges. If I were a fake accreditor, I would use a name that sounds like the name of a well-established legitimate accreditor. So beware, to anyone who is thinking about signing up with an online school. One last thing, beware of a lot of fluff like "recognized by the state of X." This might simply mean that the school was incorporated in the state of X, something any business can easily and cheaply do. As I suggested in the post, all of this makes you crave accreditors for accreditors . . . Ben: The mustache (and the rest of the 80’s motif) is gone, as you can tell from my photo in the header (which I need to change, just because it’s about time).

Two AAG’s (my co-worker and I) lost their jobs when the office became overtly politicized. This only happened with regard to targets that were heavy contributors or who were somehow “Friends of the Office” (I saw memos with that phrase). If a business was politically unconnected, we were free to go after it. Lots of unconnected crooked businessman (we nicknamed many of these guys “Skippy-the-Punk”) got no mercy from anyone in my office, all the way to the top.

I had taken a substantial pay cut to take the AAG job in the first place, so I wasn’t there to make money. After losing my job I considered suing, as a method of publicly demonstrating Webster’s character. In the end, no one would take my case because I instantly picked up a job that paid more–I had no financial damages.

Eventually, the word got out. The high point of that was during the televised debate between Webster and Mel Carnahan (Republican and Democrate, respectively). During the debate, Carnahan blasted Webster for my firing (and that of the other AAG). I simply wanted the word to get out about Webster’s character. It did. Webster was a 20-point favorite to be governor prior to the corruption stories started. Months later, on election night, he gave his concession speech at about 7 pm.

It was a wrenching period of my life to work at the office when there was corruption within the office. Ironic too. I certainly didn’t work alone to get the word out. The other guy who was fired was an inspiration to me and made my part easy. We would often ask ourselves whether there was any option to doing what we did. After all, we had to look at ourselves in the mirror every morning.

Erika, I just went online and saw lots of Internet schools out there. I don’t know what kinds of schools they are, and it’s really hard to tell by looking at their web pages. Which is exactly the point with an accreditation organization. That a school is “accredited” gives people reassurance that they are dealing with a bona fide school rather than some teenager working out of his mother’s basement. Believe it or not, one guy who was running a diploma mill was busted. While in prison, they caught him running another diploma mill using the prison pay phone. He got really pissed at me and sued me for a billion dollars once (he didn’t win). With the Internet, it’s easier than ever to “be” a University. Why stop there? “Be” a multi-national University with a “200 year history in providing the finest education to the best students, like YOU.”

Check out this site (http://www.online-degrees-and-scholarships.com/doctorates.htm ). Apparently, you can get a Ph.D. in almost any subject, online (e.g., “family therapy,” law, professional occupational therapy, pharmacy). Incredible.

Many of these online colleges and universities claim to be accredited. The big question, once again, is “Who the hell is the accreditor?”

Here’s one other thing to notice. Many fake colleges and universities used to (probably still do) use names that sound an awful lot like the names of real colleges. If I were a fake accreditor, I would use a name that sounds like the name of a well-established legitimate accreditor. So beware, to anyone who is thinking about signing up with an online school.

One last thing, beware of a lot of fluff like “recognized by the state of X.” This might simply mean that the school was incorporated in the state of X, something any business can easily and cheaply do.

As I suggested in the post, all of this makes you crave accreditors for accreditors . . .

]]> By: Erika Price http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/04/04/how-to-create-a-diploma-mill-how-to-legally-become-the-president-of-a-fake-college/#comment-17407 Erika Price Fri, 04 Apr 2008 19:27:00 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/04/04/how-to-create-a-diploma-mill-how-to-legally-become-the-president-of-a-fake-college/#comment-17407 Thanks for sharing this experience, Erich. I found it especially interesting to hear how you and the other designers of this "college" had to balance creating a believable environment with making it clear under any <i>real</i> inspection that the institution was bogus. I wonder, do you know how these shams have changed with the advent of the internet? Would this whole process take place online now, perhaps without ever physically meeting an accreditor? I would guess that the process of churning out fake degrees has only become easier in recent years. Thanks for sharing this experience, Erich. I found it especially interesting to hear how you and the other designers of this “college” had to balance creating a believable environment with making it clear under any real inspection that the institution was bogus. I wonder, do you know how these shams have changed with the advent of the internet? Would this whole process take place online now, perhaps without ever physically meeting an accreditor? I would guess that the process of churning out fake degrees has only become easier in recent years.

]]> By: Ben http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/04/04/how-to-create-a-diploma-mill-how-to-legally-become-the-president-of-a-fake-college/#comment-17406 Ben Fri, 04 Apr 2008 18:20:06 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/04/04/how-to-create-a-diploma-mill-how-to-legally-become-the-president-of-a-fake-college/#comment-17406 Edward J. Haskell, that was the clincher. I like that show, car talk. Dewey, Chetum, and Howe... (attorneys at law) Great picture, including the groucho marx moustache. So you really did get the shaft when they fired you. And its not like you could go complaining to the attorney general. i'm (amazed, no, wrong word) glad you decided to write about it. I wonder what would have happened if you had written about it then... maybe you did... Edward J. Haskell, that was the clincher.

I like that show, car talk. Dewey, Chetum, and Howe… (attorneys at law)

Great picture, including the groucho marx moustache.
So you really did get the shaft when they fired you. And its not like you could go complaining to the attorney general. i’m (amazed, no, wrong word) glad you decided to write about it. I wonder what would have happened if you had written about it then… maybe you did…

]]> By: Skblllzzzz http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/04/04/how-to-create-a-diploma-mill-how-to-legally-become-the-president-of-a-fake-college/#comment-17403 Skblllzzzz Fri, 04 Apr 2008 15:47:06 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/04/04/how-to-create-a-diploma-mill-how-to-legally-become-the-president-of-a-fake-college/#comment-17403 “Education is for the birds” and “Everything from petty theft to grand larceny.” Wonderful! “Education is for the birds” and “Everything from petty theft to grand larceny.”

Wonderful!

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