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Vermont Dog Earns College Degree
Some info on the Rochville University websote:
Facts about Rochville University
Rochville University is one of the most popular on-line universities; in 2001-2002, it received 45,862 applications for various on-line distance-learning programs.
Following are the number of students who have enrolled in various programs at Rochville University.
Accounting - 8,475 degrees awarded in 2002
Human Resources - 4,654 degrees awarded in 2002
Business Administration - 6,473 degrees awarded in 2002
Information Technology - 4,375 degrees awarded in 2002
Business Management - 5,734 degrees awarded in 2002
Law Studies - 3,929 degrees awarded in 2002
Criminal Psychology - 5,132 degrees awarded in 2002
Media Communications - 3,475 degrees awarded in 2002
Education - 4,957 degrees awarded in 2002
Nursing - 3,348 degrees awarded in 2002
About the staff:
218 faculty members
65 administrative staff
60 student support services staff
Total degrees awarded 2002:
54,000 including all programs and courses, representing
273 different majors for bachelor degrees
240 different majors for master's degrees
273 different majors for doctorate degrees
273 different majors for associate degrees
You can see their fee schedule here.
Rochville is accredited by
Universal Council for Online Education
Missouri City, TX 77459, USA
No names are given but they explain their process: "Accreditation applies to the entire institution in operation at the time of the most recent full-scale evaluation. It indicates that each constituent or related unit has been examined and found to be achieving its own particular purposes satisfactorily, although not necessarily, all at the same level of quality"
Credential Watch has a long list of so-called accrediting agencies "not approved by the U.S. Department of Education." Credential Watch warns that any "so-called accreditation" by these entities should be considered meaningless Yes, Universal Council for Online Education is on the list.
Let the online student beware.
by Staff
Westford, Vermont -
College isn't easy.
There are hours upon hours of homework and some courses are a total nightmare.
But not all students are stressed.
Meet Chester Ludlow. The 8-year-old pug got a college degree without even cracking open a book.
His owner, Vicky Phillips, runs http://GetEducated.com -- a consumer advocacy group. She wanted to prove just how easy it is get a college degree, so she sent a fake resume and $499 check to Rochville University.
Three weeks later Chester had his degree, two sets of transcripts, and even a window decal for his car-- never mind the fact he'll never drive.
"We were very proud of him when the package came," Phillips said. "We had a graduation party. We got him a cap and gown."
Chester's achievement is shedding light on diploma mills.
Rochville is one of about 500 online universities that offer degrees for no work.
Many of the schools are accredited. The catch is-- most of the accreditation agencies aren't recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
But In most states--including Vermont-- diploma mills aren't even illegal.
"They're not committing fraud, technically, in most states, because most states don't require a college to be accredited," Phillips explained.
Some online programs and universities are legit.
Champlain College offers eight online degrees; everything from accounting to business management.
"We're actually a pioneer in online education," said Lance Millett of Champlain College. "So it's something we're really proud of."
Enrollment in those programs has risen 10 percent over the past 2 years-- an increase Millett says could be even more significant, if it weren't for diploma mills. The mills have created a stigma about online degrees.
And that's why back in Westford, Phillips is hoping Chester will actually use his fake credentials-- hounding diploma mills into cleaning up their act.
Vicky Phillips estimates that three-fourths of all people who get fake diplomas know exactly what they're doing but are willing to take the chance to save a few thousand bucks.
To find out if online classes at a school are legit, there are a couple of things you can do. For starters, find schools with name recognition-- specifically in the geographic region you're hoping to work-- and then visit that school. Most online universities do have an actual campus.
— Staff
WCAX
2009-10-13
http://www.wcax.com/Global/story.asp?S=11308158
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