Diploma Mills

Bob Fecht probably is little known or not known at all to most of us. But why would he as a son of Wyoming be of interest to us? Believe it or not, there is a connection. His alma mater, Lacrosse University, appears to be the alma mater of one of Bishop State's top-level administrators, the Dean of Instructional Services, (http://bishop.edu/PDFs/catalogs/BSCC_GC_web.pdf , p. 274) as well as a counselor at Faulkner State Community College (http://www.faulkner.cc.al.us/admissions/catalog0910 , p. 269). 

According to a 2009 Cheyenne Herald article's headline,"Lacrosse University was never authorized to grant degrees!" (http://www.cheyenneherald.com/_pdf/February%202009/Breaking%20story%20-%20Lacrosse%20University%20closed.pdf). But this is neither the first mention of Lacrosse University's infamous distinction nor its dubious degrees. In a 2004 article titled, Psst, Wanna Buy a Ph.D.?, Lacrosse University found press in the  highly regarded Chronicle of Higher Education. Central to that article is the proliferation of bogus degrees being used to gain jobs or promotions within higher education. The article describes such thusly, 

When informed that Mr. del Corral's doctorate is from Lacrosse, his supervisor, Paul A. Spindt, a professor of banking and finance, says he plans to discuss the issue with higher-ups at Tulane. "As a matter of policy, I wouldn't be very happy with people with degrees that are not fully accredited," he says.

Mr. del Corral never met the person at Lacrosse who reviewed his dissertation. He never talked to the person on the telephone. He never sent him an e-mail message. And he never took a single course. When asked if he thinks Lacrosse is a diploma mill, Mr. del Corral says it probably is. On the other hand, he explains, "it gave me what I needed."

Apparently started in Louisiana, Lacrosse University was first closed by that State, then later relocated to and was closed by the State of Mississippi (http://www.osac.state.or.us/oda/unaccredited.aspx; http://www.bluestemprairie.com/a_bluestem_prairie/2008/02/will-ruthie-hen.html). The State of Michigan rightfully does not accept degrees from Lacrosse University, and other institutions known to be diploma mills (http://www.degreeinfo.com/showthread.php?t=25901). At the same time, several states, including Maine (http://www.maine.gov/education/highered/Non-Accredited/la-mo.htm), clearly show Lacrosse University as unaccredited. This appears to be substantiated through a search conducted from the web site of the Council For Higher Education (http://www.chea.org/). At last, the State of Mississippi has "pull[ed] the welcome mat on outfits without accreditation like Lacrosse University" (http://www.cheyenneherald.com/_pdf/February%202009/Breaking%20story%20-%20Lacrosse%20University%20closed.pdf).   

The consequences of diploma mills and the degrees they award threaten the quality of education. Harm also comes to unsuspecting students and to the public who through their tax dollars pay salaries for those touting their bogus degrees of dubious distinction awarded by unscrupulous institutions. Really now, is it appropriate for tax payers' dollars to be used to pay wages to individuals based on degrees awarded by a diploma-mill? Are these degrees considered and used for hiring and promoting individuals in our community colleges? What about integrity -- the integrity of the holders of these dubious degrees as well as the integrity of the hiring officials who hired the holders of these dubious degrees? These and other critical questions need to be raised in the public arena with answers offered by elected and appointed public officials who should be doing a better job guarding the public's interest (http://www.studentclearinghouse.org/colleges/dv/pdfs/TimesPicayune_071604.pdf).

Do you think it reasonable to examine the policies and procedures (or lack thereof) that allow for the publication of these diploma-mill degrees in official publications of our various community colleges? Are we as a State going to allow our community colleges to be humiliated and diminished by publishing diploma-mill degrees in official publications, as if they are bona fide degrees? With so much online information available about diploma-mills, their degrees, and their graduates, I can only imagine that to keep publishing (and possibly recognizing) these bogus credentials will keep Alabama in the forefront of academe as a laughing stock. And what about the possibility of better qualified individuals having missed job opportunities to those who hold these so-called degrees? I think it most reasonable to pursue this matter of diploma-mill degrees as a matter of public interest and as a matter of efficiency and effectiveness of our community colleges.