“Also Concerned” writes in:
We can post and post and post. But now we need to plan and organize.
So, what do we want? Our “old Hillel.” A JEWSISH DAY SCHOOL. And how can we do this? There should be one highly visible thread addressing the “how to.” We can offer suggestions, unite, and act. We must ACT.
Some preliminary suggestions:
1. Lots of letters to the Jewish Journal.
2. An ad in the Jewish Journal
3. A Save-Hillel phoneathon or Save-Hillel letter to Hillel families. Postings here say most parents think “everything is back to normal.”
4. The alumni: Are they in a position to really do something? If so, what?
92 responses so far ↓
1 Concerned Citizen // Apr 15, 2007 at 2:12 pm
We need to do every last thing that has been suggested here.
1. MAIL CAMPAIGN–We need a list of email addresses AND snail mail addresses of the parent body NOW.
The parents are totally in the dark and are being left in the dark intentionally by administrators who give them scripted answers.
2. JEWISH JOURNAL EMAIL LINK Can we get a link up right now that would allow people to start emailing the Jewish Journal as of this moment?
3. FOMENT STUDENT REBELLION We need alumni who still have ties to the current students to start planting the seeds and fomenting rebellion on the ground right now.
The students do not need to actually protest at Hillel itself and risk a crackdown–which there will be.
Alumni just need to get these current Hillel students riled up enough that they don’t let their parents off the hook–they need to insist that their parents demand a public hearing (I’m not sure what that involves and how you get one). They should also be demanding that their parents sign the petition on this website.
These alumni need to get the current students to start stirring the pot with their parents and not let down the heat until resolution is accomplished. The current students are very upset but have no idea how much power their own voices wield. Alumni needs to impress upon them how much power they actually do have.
4. DONATIONS WITH STRINGS ATTACHED Are there any members of the alumni who could buy their way onto the board right now or give a major contribution with strings attached–(i.e. I will only give you this contribution if Holden is out and once Holden is out, then Druin can be out next–and if Rabbi Kaplan remains principal)
One of the primary reasons that the 3 were rehired was that 2 donors were about to pull out if they weren’t . That is the MAIN reason they were rehired. Our blog brought the issues to the attention of the donors.
MONEY TALKS…BIG TIME!!!!!!!!!!!
Do we have any donors out there who are will to pull their weight now…or potential donors willing to give with strings attached? We need these people more than ever.
5. GET THE RESUME OF THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL Last, someone who knows the name of the future high school principal from Kansas, Holden’s crony, needs to anonymously submit his name to the site administrator now so we can start digging up his resume etc.
That contract needs to be broken ASAP.
Let’s get this ball rolling right now folks!
2 Concerned Citizen // Apr 15, 2007 at 2:23 pm
Aaron and Shlomo are right. This is going to be a long fight, a “dog fight”
DIG IN YOUR HEELS AND GET READY TO KEEP FIGHTING FOR A WHILE!!!
Bnei Yisrael are an “Am K’shei Oref”– a stubborn, stiff-knecked people –and that very quality of stubborness, or rather tenacity, has been the key to our SURVIVAL as less than 1% of the population in a world that has persecuted us for centuries and has attempted to wipe us of its face.
JEWISH TENACITY IS GOING TO BE NEEDED HERE –
EVIL TRIUMPHS WHEN GOOD PEOPLE DO NOTHING!
3 Concerned Citizen // Apr 15, 2007 at 3:19 pm
6. SPREAD THE WORD TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS WEBSITE.
4 Concerned Citizen // Apr 15, 2007 at 3:27 pm
7. Enlist the aid of an attorney who specializes in Contract law who can help us figure out how we can break contracts with Holden, Druin, and the Kansas crony without getting sued.
5 slow down a minute..... // Apr 15, 2007 at 3:29 pm
Buying your way onto the board with strings attached lowers you to the current level and perpetuates the “I can buy what I want at this school” culture that has existed for too long. If you stoop to their level, then anyone with money can have their way at the school…..for better or for worse. The power needs to be returned to the common folk. I don’t know about others out there, but I no longer trust this school to educate my children. The only voice I have is my ability to walk away. Fortunately, there are many fine Jewish schools in our community. How do other parents feel?
6 Concerned Citizen // Apr 15, 2007 at 3:53 pm
8. CALL CAJE –Central Agency of JEWISH Education, a branch of GMJF, Greater Miami JEWISH Federation in downtown Miami which gives a lot of money to our school.
CAJE is dedicated to raising funds to support JEWISH day schools in South Florida
CAJe may cut off funds once it learns that every single administrator in for next year’s line-up is NOT Jewish.
Correct me if I’m wrong:
FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR OF 2007-08
SAINT HILLEL’S LEADERSHIP WILL BE COMPRISED OF:
Principal of Elementary School — not a Jew
Principal of next year’s Middle School — not a Jew
Principal of next year’s High School –not a Jew
Head of School / Dean– Not a Jew
As far as I see it, this is no longer a JEWISH day school.
Someone needs to call CAJE and find out what stipulations are necessary in order for Federation to continue funding the school.
(Federation also contributes to teachers’ health benefits and pensions.)
7 anonymous // Apr 15, 2007 at 5:23 pm
FYI-The principal of the elementary school for next year is most definitely Jewish.
8 Michael Newman // Apr 15, 2007 at 5:38 pm
While I appreciate all these ideas on what we can do to make the school better including alumni donations, student revolts etc… is it fair to put all this on parents, students, alumni etc… when it seems like the teachers have done very little for themselves?
If they are not willing to even voice their issues to the board/administration let alone start a strike, I have a slight issue with calling on others to do all the necessary legwork to solve the situation. It is OUR school, and the only way that these things are going to be resolved is if EVERYONE works together.
Calling for alumni to buy their way onto the board to help teachers maintain their jobs seems like a little bit of a stretch to me when they have done very little to fight back for themselves.
They are not allowed to talk to one another in the hallway? You think the school is going to risk a lawsuit over firing a teacher because he or she was talking to another teacher? Even assuming the teacher can be “legally fired” for that (which I doubt), you think the school is going to want to hire an attorney and incur the cost of defending the lawsuit?
Let’s stop analogizing this situation to that of WWII or Cuba. In those places, they killed/kill dissenters. Here, we don’t know what they do to dissenters because I have yet to hear of anyone over there actually dissenting.
I am a great supporter of this cause but we need to be realistic about expectations…
9 Concerned Citizen // Apr 15, 2007 at 7:30 pm
Michael, You have a good point.
But all I can tell you is that they’re not in the position to do so, and most of the good ones have left or will leave.
If everyone is okay with that, then I guess we’re finished here.
10 Concerned Citizen // Apr 15, 2007 at 7:38 pm
Until you’ve walked in someone else’s shoes, however, don’t be so quick to judge.
I personally don’t understand how any teacher could want to work in a school that doesn’t have a union to protect them.
I think many of these teachers are so committed to teaching Jewish kids that they’re willing to forego their own personal job security in order to better Jewish youth.
These teachers have greatly miscalculated in their careers.
They should apply to public schools, have job security, and pensions.
Most teachers who retire from Hillel, retire at 65 with a maximum of about $180,000.
How many years could most people you know survive on 180K — that would last me 2 and a half years — at most !!!
Teachers in public schools get tenured after 3 years (no one can fire them) and retire to the tune of 60k a year for thirty years….
You are so right. Why would anyone choose to teach at Hillel vs. teach at a public school?
Maybe it has something to do with the great kids.
I would encourage those teachers to go elsewhere–quickly.
11 Concerned Citizen // Apr 15, 2007 at 7:43 pm
Michael, here’s one more thing to ponder:
If the teachers who you liked in your day and all the good ones had not been around because no one had tried to protect them, who would you have been stuck with as a teacher? Where in your life would you be right now?
12 Isaac Sapoznik // Apr 15, 2007 at 7:49 pm
Concerned Citizen:
I have been gone this weekend away from a computer. I must say that while I agree with your mission, we may disagree on how to get there.
Beleive it or not, while this is a great forum for people to discuss, it is limited in its capablities for action. Threatning the school with student revolts and guilting us into helping you, as Michael said it best, is not a realistic means of getting to where we want to be.
Your last post was trying to guilt everyone who has been helping our cause to further help your cause. You say that if the good ones left and the others are leaving, then what are we doing here? Don’t tell everyone that, “if everyone is ok with that then I guess we’re finished here.” That is a cop-out and a guilt trip and I do not appreciate it.
We are all on the same team. However, your methods of going public with everything is simply not going to work with such sensitive subjects. I may not know the right answer on how to solve it, but publicly rallying people and guilting people is not the way.
I agree with Michael’s post 100%. Help US help YOU. If the teachers are so disgruntled then they need to band together and do something. I don’t beleive for one second that all the good teachers are leaving. That is a scare tactic. I happen to know a lot of good teachers are staying even though some are leaving. I happen to know for a fact that 3 great teachers are staying and receiced their contracts this week.
Please don’t scare me that all the good ones are leaving. Michael is right, the the teachers need to be working together with the Alumni, parents and the board.
Threatning to “Oust the Board” who realized their mistake and remedied a potentially very bad decision is NOT going to want to make the board help us even more. Threatning the administrators are not going to make them help us.
We all need to be civil and I beleive some of us are getting a bit out of hand with all their rhetoric. We don’t need to write to the Jewish journals. What is that going to do? Bad publicity is not what we need. I do agree that we need to confront our administrators and the board.
Anonomosly behind a screename will not get us anywhere. IF the teachers want to say something they need to band together and go to Rabbi Kaplan or someone they trust in the board. No one in the shcool is going to take kindly to threats and people posting anonomosly.
I want what you want. I just know that causing havoc in a chaotic school is not the answer.
13 Concerned Citizen // Apr 15, 2007 at 7:51 pm
Isaac,
You are not helping ME.
I do not work at Hillel.
Let me make this very, very clear to you.
I have no vested interest for myself.
This is purely for others .
I am sitting pretty in my life–baruch hashem.
And that’s the only reason I’m not afraid to be posting here.
14 Ivory Tower // Apr 15, 2007 at 7:54 pm
Actually, Concerned citizen, the public system does not work that way.
Tenure is almost impossible to get. Fifty percent of new teachers leave within 5 years to pursue different careers or go into private/parochial schools…
Of the remaining teachers in public school about 2% leave every year…for at least the next few years, which explains why, once the teachers who do get tenured, are very few. I do know teachers who have taught thirty years in the same schools, there are not a lot of them.
15 Isaac Sapoznik // Apr 15, 2007 at 7:54 pm
Lastly, it seems to me that you have a personal agenda as well.
You make it seem that you care so much about the school but then you say that all the teachers should go elsewhere immediately.
Something does not make sence. If you do not work at the school, then why are you scared to post your name or give me a personal call?
Something is just not adding up for me.
16 Concerned Citizen // Apr 15, 2007 at 7:56 pm
Isaac,
I’m not sure we do have the same agenda.
I am the conduit through which the voices who cannot speak are speaking.
I have received NUMEROUS phone calls.
What is my agenda on behalf of those who have phoned: Get all the cronies and henchmen out. Tomorrow. No one wants them around for even one more day–that means Holden out, Druin out, and Rabbi Kaplan MUST remain. That means Judy Dach, a wonderful human being, is no longer given free reign to make educational decisions any longer.
Is this your agenda too or is your agenda to protect the cronies?
17 Concerned Citizen // Apr 15, 2007 at 7:58 pm
Obviously, I do not really want the teachers to leave…
If I did, why would I have fought so hard to get them re-hired?
I am just painting the pain picture of what will happen if we don’t step in.
Michael N. seems to think they need to step in for themselves and I’m trying to explain to him why they can’t.
18 Concerned Citizen // Apr 15, 2007 at 8:03 pm
Ivory Tower,
I think you and I are talking about 2 difft systems–The public UNIVERSITY sys. is difficult to get tenure in
In Florida, teachers get tenured after 3 years in PUBLIC schools– not universities–public high schools.
Everything I’ve said above is a confirmed fact.
I am not talking about the Ivory Tower, or the university world. I’m talking about public schools in Miami-Dade county.
19 Isaac Sapoznik // Apr 15, 2007 at 8:11 pm
If you read carelfully to Michael’s comment, he never says that the teachers need to do anything by themselves. He specifically says that we all must work together.
I will tell you that your ideas and standing behind an anonomys screename is never going to get what you want done accomplished.
I think you are only hurting the teachers chance of coming together. If you were serious about helping them, then you wouldn’t even mention that current teachers are even calling you to begin with.
Moreover, your inconsitencies in your statements are ruining your credibity. Why are you telling the same people that you are trying to help to leave as soon as possible? Please, don’t tell me that it was a joke. That was not the first time you are saying that.
To any teachers that are reading this, Michael is right. You need to get together behind one voice, not online behind someone who no one knows. If you want to be heard teachers you need to speak. Rabbi Lefkowitz, Mrs. Galitzer, and Mrs. Heber spoke and people listened. I do not beleive for a second that it can’t be done. I promise, going behind an anonomys person is not going to get what you guys want.
Adam Holden made a bad decision in the beggining. However, when he was confronted with the problem by public voices, he reversed the decision. The 3 teachers got their contracts back. Why are you so sure that teachers cannot talk to him? I beleive that they can if they do it in a proper, respectful form and not in the public antics as you have suggested.
20 Concerned Citizen // Apr 15, 2007 at 8:12 pm
Isaac,
Is everything you’re saying coming purely from you or is there anyone speaking through who also does not prefer to post their name on this site. Everything adds up just perfectly. We’re all playing the same game here.
21 Isaac Sapoznik // Apr 15, 2007 at 8:14 pm
Actually, everything I am saying is coming directly from by head. If you are implying that my mother is saying this you are wrong because I haven’t even spoken to her in a few days becasue she is away on a business trip. You can go a double check that if you would like.
I am not playing your game. Although I am flattered that you would think that I am talking for someone else.
22 Isaac Sapoznik // Apr 15, 2007 at 8:16 pm
Another proof, I wouldn’t be so quick to respond if it was coming from someone else.
23 Concerned Citizen // Apr 15, 2007 at 8:18 pm
My apologies.
24 Concerned Citizen // Apr 15, 2007 at 8:23 pm
I hear the point that teachers need to come out and start speaking up too and working together with everyone.
I just know they’re petrified to do that.
A parent on another thread has just addressed the issue of teacher intimidation today.
Maybe that person can better explain the phenomenon than I can.
25 Concerned Citizen // Apr 15, 2007 at 8:25 pm
ON the thread called “Our School,” Concerned Insider explains why the teachers are not stepping up.
I think Concerned Insider hit the nail on the head.
26 anonymous // Apr 15, 2007 at 9:54 pm
For those of you who wanted to know.
Directly from Holden’s resume
It states the following:
Married with 3 children (perhaps at that time)
1987: Bachelor of Education - South Hampton University - South Hampton, England
1987: LaSainte Union College of Higher Education - Certificate of Catholic Education
1996: Washburn University, Topeka Kansas - Master of Education (School Administration)
2001: California Coast University, Santa Ana, California - Doctor of Education (School Administration)
There are some other distance learning certificates as well.
This is how he evidently sold himself.
27 Aron Sotnikoff // Apr 16, 2007 at 12:00 am
There is certainly a great spirit to this blog, and it is a noble effort. However, there seems to be a bit of inexperience among the vocal contributors to the blog about how to effect institutional change. Parents are not educators, so you cannot simply say to them, “Act now, before it’s too late,” and expect them to know what to do. And you cannot instruct teachers, many of whom teach at Hillel for the love of the job and certainly not for the meager pay, to just stand up and jeopardize their livelihoods with spouses and children to think of.
If you want to be a catalyst for real change, you need to initiate and present the solution yourself, then gain the support of the masses. For instance, if you are concerned about the radical change in curriculum that has taken place over the past several years (i.e. the virtual destruction of the Jewish Studies program), then mobilize your resources and draft an organized, coherent, and practical new curriculum. If you believe the administration is incompetent, form a dedicated search committee and find top-rate candidates to join your camp. Then, with your new curriculum and new administration candidates in hand, hold a town hall or parlor meeting for parents/alumni and rally their support. Convince them that you are offering a better education and a more promising future for their children. This is business, so you can’t just yell - you have to sell! Once you’ve got that support, then you can ask those parents to stand up and demand better. If you hand them the solution, they will be happy to join together and confront the administration. An anonymous blog can be an effective tool, but at the end of the day, you need leaders and doers, not screamers and complainers.
An additional word: I think there is a tendency among people to get caught up in nostalgia. Yes, our “old Hillel” was great, and we all have warm and fuzzy memories. But this is not about recreating what we had so that we can continue to endlessly reminisce about our wonderful Hillel days. This is about current and future students who have a right to the education for which they are paying a hefty price. This is about maintaining the values and the mission of the “old Hillel,” not necessarily its structure or faces. As concerned parents/students/alumni, we should not get caught up in having things all the way they used to be - we must all be open to change, progress, and revision. What is important is that whatever form Hillel takes, it must preserve the mission of providing an authentic Jewish education of the highest quality, combined with superior secular studies, and a culture of values that reflects the underlying foundation of the Jewish people.
So, I think everyone needs to really evaluate their commitment to this cause. To achieve the goal, there is a tremendous amount of real, hard work that needs to be done. You are not in high school anymore! What people are asking for is nothing short of an institutional revolution. That sort of thing doesn’t just happen and it can’t be done by just intimidating the people in power. Make the effort, present an alternative, and win people over. That’s the name of the game.
Best,
Aron Sotnikoff ‘99
“Shemaya said: Love labor, abhor high office, and do not take counsel with the ruling power.” (Avos 1:10)
28 Concerned Citizen // Apr 16, 2007 at 12:19 am
Wise words
29 Concerned Citizen // Apr 16, 2007 at 12:32 am
“For instance, if you are concerned about the radical change in curriculum that has taken place over the past several years (i.e. the virtual destruction of the Jewish Studies program), then mobilize your resources and draft an organized, coherent, and practical new curriculum. If you believe the administration is incompetent, form a dedicated search committee and find top-rate candidates to join your camp. Then, with your new curriculum and new administration candidates in hand, hold a town hall or parlor meeting for parents/alumni and rally their support”
The thing is all of this is already in existence; it’s just not being allowed to continue to exist:
New administration–Rabbi Kaplan (only for another month)
Curriculum in hand –Jewish History, etc.–already in existence
and yet, it is being eliminated with no one but the board’s permission.
So how should everyone go about rallying and selling ?
I’d love to hear your input Aron.
30 Digger // Apr 16, 2007 at 1:13 pm
What to do?
I tell you what:
You call the Dept. of Education & Professional Practice services: (850) 245-0505 and report a fraud resume, Probably, Holden’s certification is pending, as he is new in Florida.
Report the fraud on his Resume, and it will no longer be processed!
Any fraud can be reported to The Florida Center for Advising & Academic Support (FCAAS) Dept. of Education & Professional Practice services!!
also:
Next High-School Principal: Tymony Bonnila from Topeaka, KS – Also worked in the Hyman Brand Academy from Kansas.
Background: similar to Holden’s (Also Coach):
B.A., Ottawa University; M.A., Washburn University
Look at lower rating both him & Holden received from
Ratemyteachers.com :
http://www.ratemyteachers.com/schools/kansas/overland_park/hyman_brand_hebrew_academy/tymony__bonilla
http://www.ratemyteachers.com/schools/kansas/overland_park/hyman_brand_hebrew_academy/adam__holden
31 also concerned // Apr 16, 2007 at 4:04 pm
concerned citizen: an agenda we do want, but how you going to achieve your goals? are the people who are calling you prepared to help you?
32 dbk -- a parent // Apr 16, 2007 at 5:00 pm
Take a look at Ottawa University and Washburn University– get more info from collegeboard.com college search and see whether this is the properly educated example of a pricipal for our kids to use as a role model. I hope my son will aspire to better than that! Is this what the national search turned up? Non-Jewish leaders, with these credentials –this is what is so special and unusual? Shame on whoever came up with this as a solution!
33 Concerned Citizen // Apr 16, 2007 at 5:37 pm
I believe I said this on another thread: It’s very possible that no fraud has been committed in a legal sense. It is LEGAL for a coach to teach AP English; it is just unethical.
Second, I have heard that California Coast University DID have approval from the California Board of Ed. at the time he earned the the degree (2001) EVEN THOUGH the school was not yet accredited; perhaps it even had provisional certification (like FIU law school). If that’s the case, he did not commit fraud.
Someone needs to call the California Board of Ed. to verify whether this university had been approved or not.
Until that’s been done, we cannot know whether fraud has been committed or not.
34 Concerned Citizen // Apr 16, 2007 at 5:38 pm
Also Concerned: I have no idea. I posed the same question to Aron. I’m out of ideas. It’s someone else’s turn now.
35 anonymous // Apr 16, 2007 at 7:35 pm
There is a major difference between approval and accreditation.
California approval means the ability to operate a business in California.
An accredited university in California on the other hand, must meet rigorous ACADEMIC standards set forth by the United States Department of Education.
California Coast University was not accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council until 2005. Prior to 2005, all degrees or certificates from California Coast University are not accredited.
In May 2004, The General Accounting Office referred to California Coast University as an unaccredited institution before the US Senate Hearings on Diploma Mills and Other Unaccredited Schools. The GAO “searched the internet for nontraditional, unaccredited, postsecondary schools that offerd degrees for a relatively low flat fee, promote the award of academic credits based on life experience, and do not require any classroom instruction”. California Coast University was one of the institutions that had conducted business in this manner.
Does California Coast University in 2001 seem like an ACADEMIC instituion to you?
36 Concerned Citizen // Apr 16, 2007 at 8:04 pm
You guys have a telephone. Make the call.
37 anonymous // Apr 16, 2007 at 10:23 pm
The question remains, was the doctorate degree a requirement for the position. If it was not, then it becomes a non-issue as Holden holds a Master’s degree.
Additionally, please note that CCU no longer offers doctoral programs - - it’s no wonder.
Doctoral Degrees
I noticed that CCU no longer offers Doctoral Degree programs. What happened?
The University was awarded Accreditation with the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC.org). This accrediting agency’s authority does not currently extend through the doctoral level. Therefore CCU discontinued accepting any new applications toward doctoral degrees. Student who may have already been enrolled in a doctoral degree will be allowed to complete (teach-out) that program.
Does CCU plan to offer doctoral degrees?
The University’s Accrediting Agency does not currently accredit colleges or universities through the doctoral level. We are hopeful that the situation will change in the near future and that the Association will be granted approval from the Dept. of Education to expand its scope. At that time, the University will make application to again offer doctoral degree programs.
Apparently, their doctoral programs had never been accredited!
38 Aron Sotnikoff // Apr 16, 2007 at 10:33 pm
How about doing some “market research” as a first step? There are a lot claims being made on this blog about “many” people wanting one thing or another. I’ve seen comments about “the majority of parents,” “the minority on the Board,” etc. You cannot convince anyone to do anything without hard data. You must demonstrate what, in fact, the community (i.e. parents, the Board, the administration, students, etc.) wants. Hillel is a “community school,” an idea that has always been an asset and a liability; either way, you must understand the real wishes of the entire community. This includes being willing to back down if what you want is not what the vast majority of the community wants.
I would suggest you design a written survey. It should be a short survey (no more than 1 double-sided page), with pointed, relevant questions related to the direction of the school, the administration, the curriculum, the religious orientation of the school, and any other issues which may be important in the current discussion. Incorporate multiple choice and ranking type questions with some opportunities for free response. Mail the survey to a sample of parents (say 30-50% of each class, or more if you want), being sure to include some parents you think will agree with you, some you think will disagree, some you think are apathetic, and a good number about whom you have no idea. Create a P.O. box and ask parents to return the survey, postage-paid, to the P.O. box. If you like, you can include several copies of the survey and return envelopes with each mailing, instructing the parents to feel free to distribute the copies to other parents they think might want to participate.
Hopefully, if parents are interested in their children’s education and have a few minutes to spare, you will get a decent response. Compile the data, analyze it, and come to a detailed understanding of your market. Assuming the parent body is really behind the ideas being promoted on this blog, you will now have in hand relatively scientific data to support your plan. This data will be important to present to parents when you gather them for a town hall meeting, so that no one will be operating on assumptions, but rather on plain, hard data. Be sure to identify potential points of compromise from your survey results. Perhaps many parents will express dissatisfaction with a particular administrator, but wouldn’t want to see the reintroduction of double-periods of Talmud (just an example - I have no idea what specifics are actually in contention). As you get ready to rally support, always remember your market and incorporate the appropriate compromises.
Perhaps this idea doesn’t strike you as the right one, but I think it is at least the right approach. Grassroots movements don’t get started in thin air; they get started with real action and hard work. Make parents/students/teachers/alumni realize that YOU are the ones who are really taking the time to think about the future of the children, not the current leadership. And don’t forget that these things take time. You have an entire summer ahead of you, and with some serious effort maybe you can make some progress in that time. But maybe it will take a year, or two, or more. Be honest - how dedicated are you?
I hope someone finds this helpful.
Best,
Aron
39 anonymous // Apr 16, 2007 at 10:43 pm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Coast_University
Additional information:
California Coast University (CCU) is nationally accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) and recognized by the US Department of Education (USDE) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). The school has been fully approved by the State of California since 1974, based on standards established in the California Education Code and regulated by the Bureau of Private Post-Secondary and Vocational Education (BPPVE).
History
The school was founded in 1973 and its facilities are located in downtown Santa Ana, California. Approximately 8,000 students are enrolled at any given time.
Since its founding in 1973, CCU has offered undergraduate and graduate programs in business, management, psychology, and education. The primary method of learning has been directed independent study using correspondence and other distance media means. Although it has become a common teaching method among universities in the U.S., this non-traditional method of study occasionally receives criticism by media and traditional academia.
Regulation and accreditation
CCU has received much official attention and scrutiny since its founding. Nevertheless, CCU has always been approved by the State of California regulated by the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education. Due to a change in legislation, this bureau is now part of Consumer Affairs not Education, which makes California unique in this regard. State approval grants CCU the authority to award academic degrees up to and including the doctoral level. [1] In January 2005, CCU was awarded national accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC). The school is recognized by the Council of Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) in Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Department of Education.
CCU does NOT currently hold regional accreditation by the Western Association of Colleges and Schools or specialized professional accreditations. Prior to its accreditation, the school participated in a congressional investigation into unaccredited schools and tuition practices for federal employees. The school went on to receive national accreditation shortly afterwards. CCU discontinued new registrations into its doctoral programs in late 2004 while still allowing enrolled doctoral students to complete their degrees. CCU continues to teach out its doctoral programs in a number of scholastic subjects. This was required by DETC as policy since the limits of DETC authorization extended only to the Masters level in 2005. As of January 2007, DETC was authorized by the U.S. DOE to recognize professional doctorates such as the Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.), Doctor of Psychology (D.Psych), and Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degrees. In light of DETC’s expanded scope, CCU has announced that it is applying to DETC in the first quarter of 2007 to re-offer professional doctorate programs.
DETC was granted an expansion of scope by the U.S. Department of Education in January 2007 which permits it to recognize schools that offer professional doctorate programs such as Doctor of Business Administration, Doctor of Psychology, and Doctor of Education. As a result, CCU is anticipated to reinstitute its doctoral programs following DETC approval.
40 Concerned Citizen // Apr 17, 2007 at 12:46 am
Aron, I’m a big believer in surveying too. If the majority of parents want their kids in a school that is like Miami Country Day with no Judaics (but is attended by all Jewsh), so be it. But we’ll never know until we survey them. At this point, we all know what needs to be done, but I think people are too scared to go out there and do it. In light of this fact, parents are not going to fight. They are simply going to pull their kids out.
41 anonymous // Apr 17, 2007 at 7:26 am
As stated before, approval to conduct business is in not the same as being accredited academically.
The DETC will confirm this statement. Call this organization or The US Department of Education in Washington.
42 anonymous // Apr 17, 2007 at 7:51 am
While a doctorate was not a requirement for the Headmaster’s position, according to the 2004 US Senate Hearings :
“diploma mills are unfair to those who work long and hard for legitimate degrees and who might get passed over for a hiring, a raise, or a promotion based on an employer’s misunder-standing of what a diploma mill degree truly represents.. ..
They are unfair to potential employers whether in the public or private sector who might assume that a bogus degree ac-tually reflects mastery of materials needed to perform a particular job.
. Diploma mills fail to provide the rewards and returns of a true education”.
43 anonymous // Apr 17, 2007 at 8:59 am
Agreed, however, was a doctoral degree a requirement of the position?This is the first question. If not, it is a non-issue.
44 admin // Apr 17, 2007 at 9:04 am
anonymous: I think the answer you are looking for is here.
45 anonymous // Apr 17, 2007 at 9:46 am
Thank you, admin.
Evidently the doctoral degree is a non-issue.
Avi Frier indicated he spoke with Judy Dach and the doctoral degree was not a requirement for the position. This information was found in a prior posting:
She told me that they knew where his degree was from, but didn’t care because the PhD was not a requirement for the job. His Masters is from a ‘real’ university, and that is the minimum requirement they were looking for.
She said they would have hired him with or without the “Dr.” title.
However, the doctoral degree may have stood out amongst the other candidates giving him the edge. Who knows.
46 Aron Sotnikoff // Apr 17, 2007 at 10:58 am
Concerned Citizen,
You wrote: “At this point, we all know what needs to be done, but I think people are too scared to go out there and do it.”
For someone so vocal on this site, I wouldn’t have expected this response. I’m suggesting a simple survey to be mailed back to an anonymous PO Box. What is there to be scared of? Go out and do it. If you want, get me the parents’ address list, and I’ll do it!
A survey should not be an intimidating thing. I would hope that the administration would encourage it along with the dissenters. It gives everyone’s voice a chance to be heard. If something as simple as this can’t get done, then just throw your arms up, get your kids out, and wave goodbye to the Ben Lipson Hillel Community High School.
Best,
Aron
47 Concerned Citizen // Apr 17, 2007 at 12:22 pm
Aron,
Since I know your name I will find you. What I need is a survey crafted by you and the results tallied by you.
I need someone to get the addresses also as I have no way of obtaining them. I am trying to get something together on this end, but don’t know if I’ll be able to pull it off.
Any help on this end from anyone is much appreciated.
I am vocal and I will do my share but only if I have support.
I cannot be attacked behind the scenes by people connected to the board. The only way I will take action is with the help of others. I am not a one man show.
——————————————————
Anonymous and Anonymous,
Although obtaining a Ed.D was not a requirement for the position–
THE DEGREE IS AN ISSUE IF
someone has lied on a resume !
Lying on your resume about a doctorate degree is a CRIME in the state of Florida.
Therefore, employing a criminal is a factor. Wouldn’t you agree?
How can anyone try to sweep something of this magnitude under the rug? Unbelievable.
How could anyone want an alleged criminal running a Jewish day school that’s committed to teaching our children ethics and proper moral behavior?
I have one more question for the first anonymous:
It sounds like fraud has indeed been committed.
There’s a lot of information here about CCU that I’m finding hard to sift through and digest (I’m not an attorney) so here’s a simple yes or no question before I have someone make that phone call :
Was CCU PROVISIONALLY ACCREDITED OR ON ITS WAY TO ACCREDITION BY THE CALIFORNIA BOARD OF ED. AS OF 2001?
A simple yes or no will suffice. But I need you to know for sure.
Thank you anonymous 1.
48 Aron Sotnikoff // Apr 17, 2007 at 12:35 pm
Concerned,
Sure, feel free to contact me and I’ll help out. I would post my email address here, but I have no idea who’s reading this stuff, so I’d rather not. I give you permission to obtain my email address from the site admin. Alternatively, my sister is in the current 12th grade. If you have connections inside the school, you can get my contact info from her.
The only help I would ask is that I don’t necessarily know all the issues (I graduated eight years ago), so I would need some guidance about what needs to be addressed on a survey. As far as the address list, someone will have to obtain that info (legally and appropriately).
Best,
Aron
49 anonymous // Apr 17, 2007 at 6:53 pm
No, California Coast University was not provisionally accredited in 2001. It was considered unaccredited by the US department of Education, The United States Senate, The General Accounting Office and the Distance Education and Training Council.
Academic integrity and honesty is never a “non-issue”.
50 Anonymous // Apr 17, 2007 at 7:02 pm
Florida Center for Advising & Academic Support (FCAAS) Dept. of Education & Professional Practice services: (850) 245-0505
This number does not help. It only helps school that receive government money for scholarship funded programs and Hillel does not fit that category.
51 anonymous // Apr 17, 2007 at 8:44 pm
Yes, according to the State of California, CCU has always been approved by the State of California regulated by the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education. Due to a change in legislation, however, this bureau is now part of Consumer Affairs NOT Education, which makes California unique in this regard. State approval grants CCU the authority to award academic degrees up to and including the doctoral level.
Hope this helps!
52 anonymous // Apr 17, 2007 at 9:10 pm
Consumer Affairs concern business institutions:
California Coast University is NOT now accredited, nor has ever been accredited for doctoral degrees by the US Department of Education , the Council for Higher Education or the Distance Education and Training Council.
Call the DETC in Washington to confirm this.
This office will explain that approved does not mean accredited.
information.
53 anonymous // Apr 17, 2007 at 9:20 pm
According to the following website: http://www.detc.org/school_details.php?id=178
California Coast University
700 North Main Street
Santa Ana, CA 92701
USA
Phone: 714-547-9625
Fax: 717-547-5777
E-mail: info@calcoast.edu
Web Site: http://www.calcoast.edu
Founded: 1973
First Accredited: 2005
Next Review: 2009
Category: Degree Granting
Associate of Arts in: Business Administration and Psychology; Bachelor of Science degrees in: Business Administration, Management, Health Care Administration and Psychology; and Master of Business Administration; MBA with concentration in Human Resources; Master of Science in Management, Master of Science in Psychology; Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction, and a Master of Education in Administration.
Subjects:
——————————————————————————–
Academic Degrees
Administration
Business Administration
College Level Subjects
Education
Education-Curriculum and Instruction
Management
Psychology
54 Anonymous // Apr 17, 2007 at 9:33 pm
Florida Statute § 817.567
817.567. Making false claims of academic degree or title
(1) No person in the state may claim, either orally or in writing, to possess an academic degree, as defined in s. 246.021, or the title associated with said degree, UNLESS the person has, in fact, been awarded said degree FROM AN INSITITUTION THAT IS:
(a) Accredited by a regional or professional accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education or the Commission on Recognition of Postsecondary Accreditation; (NOT THE CASE)
(b) Provided, operated, and supported by a state government or any of its political subdivisions or by the Federal Government;
(SEEMS TO BE THE CASE HERE ACCORDING TO THE POST ABOVE–”has always been approved by the State of California regulated by the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education”)
If qualification (b) has been sufficiently satisfied, which according to Anonymous it was (I have not done any research to confirm the veracity of this statement), then it doesn’t matter that qualification (a) was not satisfied.
It sounds like CCU needed either US Dept. of Ed. approval OR State approval. As long as it had one (which it sounds like it did) then the degree is okay and not fraud. In other words, CCU did not need BOTH types of approval–unfortunately.
If I am misunderstanding these statutes please inform me.
55 Anonymous // Apr 17, 2007 at 11:02 pm
“In May 2004, The General Accounting Office referred to California Coast University as an unaccredited institution before the US Senate Hearings on Diploma Mills and Other Unaccredited Schools. The GAO “searched the internet for nontraditional, unaccredited, postsecondary schools that offerd degrees for a relatively low flat fee, promote the award of academic credits based on life experience, and do not require any classroom instruction”. California Coast University was one of the institutions that had conducted business in this manner.”
Who is the General Accounting Office? What was the outcome of the US Senate Hearings? What were its findings?
And how does this fit in with qualification (b) as stated above?
56 anonymous // Apr 17, 2007 at 11:09 pm
California Coast University was first accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council in 2005. This institutional national accreditation is recognized by the US Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education. Accreditation is not retroactive; prior to 2005 all degrees or certificates from Califronia Coast University are not accredited.
The DETC accredits and evaluates the academic programs in distance learning instiutions.
The California Bureau mentioned only gives an institution the right to operate in its state. This bureau does not evaluate the academic integrity of institutions in California. That is why it is not under the Education Department but under the Office of Consumer affairs.
You are confusing the business concept of approval versus the educational concept of accreditation.
57 Anonymous // Apr 17, 2007 at 11:23 pm
Just a reminder…. In the article in the Newspaper, mentioned that such a degree what not a requirement of the position.
The fact is that the man received a degree, what is not clear is whether there is a prohibition for it to appear on a resume since the University was not accredited. ….and for an individual who holds himself out to be cream of the crop, I would hardly believe that he did not do his due diligence and research the school. It was probably the easy way to obtain the credential figuring no one would delve into it this deep.
58 Anonymous // Apr 17, 2007 at 11:58 pm
“You are confusing the business concept of approval versus the educational concept of accreditation”
The State of Florida says EITHER :
a) “accredited” by US Dept of Ed OR
b) ‘”supported” by the State/meaning Business Approval is all that’s needed and NOT “accreditation “–”has always been approved by the State of California “–the word “accreditation” is used in provision a) and not b).
The degree satisfies b). It doesn’t have to also satisfy a)
If you feel you have a case here by all means pursue it
59 anonymous // Apr 18, 2007 at 12:20 am
California Coast University was cited by the United States Senate in 2004 as one of the unaccredited schools that received federal monies to pay for the bogus degrees of its own government employees .
This is why the school stopped issuing doctorates and CCU did not receive any accreditation until 2005.
You can read about this school’s past by googling the US Senate’s 2004 report on Diploma Mills and Unaccredited Universities.
You will also read in this report about the witnesses’ and Senators’ opinions of the character of the individuals who would seek this type of unaccredited degree to advance themselves while misleading and ultimately hurting others by their lack of real knowledge.
60 Anonymous // Apr 18, 2007 at 7:31 am
Who should be called? The other number is a dead end.
61 Anonymous // Apr 18, 2007 at 9:08 am
There is not a defensible case here.
To reiterate the point from above, according to OUR state law
The State of Florida says EITHER :
a) “accredited” by US Dept of Ed OR
b) ‘”supported” by the State/meaning Business Approval is all that’s needed and NOT “accreditation “–”has always been approved by the State of California “–the word “accreditation” is used in provision a) and not b).
The degree satisfies b). It doesn’t have to also satisfy a)
Therefore, there is really nothing to pursue. However, all interested parties should take note that potentially it is not a degree from a recognized accredited school. That is all.
The bigger issues relate to our teachers and their treatment - ruling by intimidation, taking the family out of the Hillel family - creating a cold corporate culture rather than a nurturing, warm. hamish, environments for our teachers and students. This is a monumental issue!!!!!
62 Involved Parent // Apr 18, 2007 at 2:45 pm
Hillel is accredited by SACS. Are we accredited by any other organization? Is a doctorate required at any point for us to maintain our good standing and accreditation? I seem to remember something about this from many years ago when my children were in another accredited Jewish day school. I don’t know how to research this, but it is worth looking into. At that time, the headmaster needed a PhD. for our accreditation.
63 Anonymous // Apr 18, 2007 at 3:11 pm
It is not advisable at this time to question our accreditation. We have not violated any of the policies related to the administrative head of school.
Based on review of the listed policies and procedures, SACS does not require the administrative head of school to possess a doctoral degree.
64 Anonymous // Apr 18, 2007 at 3:25 pm
Again, although the PhD. is not required, the fraud as been committed
by using it as part of the legitimate credentials by submitted resume & faulty profile. There is a case! Let us all not be distracted by individuals who try to mislead us. As mentioned, someone should call the Better Business Bureau now!!
65 Anonymous // Apr 18, 2007 at 3:35 pm
If you are that convinced that fraud was committed, why are you asking someone to call the BBB - -why don’t you do it yourself?
66 The Original Anonymous // Apr 18, 2007 at 3:44 pm
And why are you so defensive – are you the public relation person for Holden, Trying to toss sand in our eyes?
67 Anonymous // Apr 18, 2007 at 3:56 pm
It is not about being defensive. This was not the intention. The question was simple, if this has been identified, and you have consulted your counsel, why would you be asking someone else to make the call when you are the one with the information. There was no malice intended in the response posted.
Sorry, if you were offended. Based on the information I have read from everyone who posted, are you positive that there is fraud. A degree was obtained, whether it is worth the paper it was written on is what is in question.
It is like a diamond that is certified - a person can still have a diamond that is a diamond but not certified. A degree may be in hand but it may not be from an accredited school. The question is, is that defensible as fraud?
….and no, I do not do public relations for Holden or anyone else for that matter.
68 The Original Anonymous // Apr 18, 2007 at 4:08 pm
Talking on diamonds, we should also consider the cut, quality, clarity and color…
Sorry if you are offended, but a degree was NOT obtained, please refer to paper trails regarding CCU prior to 2004 situation. Any resume quoting the degree before CCU was certified is Fraud! Read the previous trails: the Fox Television Network employee – gone! The FEMA employee – gone!
69 Anonymous // Apr 18, 2007 at 4:17 pm
Someone needs to call SACS so that the Dean will also soon be - gone!
70 Anonymous // Apr 18, 2007 at 4:20 pm
Sorry, did not see that information.
71 Also Anonymous // Apr 18, 2007 at 4:25 pm
If you did not see the information, please look at: Are Qualified Administrators Making the Decisions at Hillel? from March 29 :
This came from an anonymous source, and Hillel had a board meeting about it as well yesterday evening.
“Dr.” Holden received his Doctor of Education degree (Ed.D) from California Coast University, a distance learning (correspondence) school.
California Coast University’s doctoral program at the time “Dr.” Holden was granted his “degree” was unaccredited by any regional or national accrediting body.
In 2004 it was discovered that “Dr.” Lynn Ianni, a psychological therapist working for the Fox Television Network on the reality show “The Swan” was not really a doctor at all. Where did she receive her Phd? … California Coast University.
“Accreditation does matter”
Should a person with a doctoral degree purchased on the internet from a non-accredited doctoral program be shaping the future of Hillel?
Another message refers to an article about John Pennington, FEMA advisor, who also attended California Coast University. The article states:
In testimony before Congress last year, investigators for the General Accounting Office identified California Coast as a diploma mill.
72 Anonymous // Apr 18, 2007 at 4:26 pm
No one here needs to be defensive or apologize.
We are all on the same side.
73 Anonymous // Apr 18, 2007 at 4:36 pm
to those who did NOT read the trail from March 29th: Are Qualified Administrators Making the Decisions at Hillel?
In 2004 it was discovered that “Dr.” Lynn Ianni, a psychological therapist working for the Fox Television Network on the reality show “The Swan” was not really a doctor at all. Where did she receive her Phd? … California Coast University.
“Accreditation does matter”
Should a person with a doctoral degree purchased on the internet from a non-accredited doctoral program be shaping the future of Hillel?
Another message refers to an article about John Pennington, FEMA advisor, who also attended California Coast University. The article states:
In testimony before Congress last year, investigators for the General Accounting Office identified California Coast as a diploma mill.
74 anonymous // Apr 18, 2007 at 4:40 pm
While a Head of School may not need a doctorate to lead a SACS accredited institution, clearly a Head of School with credentials from an institution not accredited by the US Department of Education at the time the degree was conferred is definitely a problem.
SACS specifically counts the number of accredited bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees of the faculty and administration.
Moreover, SACS looks at the percentages of teachers licensed in their fields in the state they are currently working in.
Heads of school also refer to their credentials informally . What would happen if SACS or CAJE representatives merely asked in passing, “Where did you go to graduate school? What did you do your dissertation on? ”
These are normal questions professionals ask each other at conferences and meetings. Dissertation Abstracts will only accept scholarly work by individuals from reputable universities. If other professionals wanted to read such a dissertation, where would they find it?
75 Michael Newman // Apr 18, 2007 at 5:13 pm
What is the Better Business Bureau going to do? What business is being reported? The headmaster of a school is not a “business.” So, the only party you will be able to report is the school. I don’t even think that the school would qualify as a “business.” Moreover, even if they did file some sort of report, what result would the BBB be able to attain? Are they going to file a report on their website saying that Holden is a fraud? That the ppl at Hillel are stupid enough to be conned by a person with a higher education degree from an online school?
I’m in the process of dealing with the BBB right now and there is very little they can do to an actual business. How much less can they do for an organization that really is not classifiable as a business?
In my opinion, this is not an issue for the BBB.
76 Anonymous // Apr 18, 2007 at 5:14 pm
SACS contact info:
http://www.sacscasi.org/region/contactus.html
77 anonymous // Apr 18, 2007 at 5:16 pm
Diploma Mill News
Sunday, July 31, 2005
2 teachers’ degrees under fire
Detroit News: “After about a year of haggling, Huron School District officials are heading into binding arbitration with two teachers who earned degrees from an online university and want the pay raises they say should come with them. Jennifer Fox, a high school English teacher, and Aileen Thorington, a high school math teacher, earned degrees that could boost their salaries by $7,000 to $14,000. District officials argue that because the degrees came from Mississippi-based Cambridge State University, which is not accredited by a state-approved agency, the teachers don’t deserve the pay hikes. ‘The school board felt these degrees weren’t bona fide degrees, and we didn’t believe it appropriate to pay these teachers additional money for … degrees that were obtained from a very questionable agency,’ said Ken Appleby, school board vice president. The teachers, however, believed their degrees — and the Cambridge State program — were legitimate, and district officials did approve their study at the school before knowing if it was accredited. It’s one of the first public cases in Michigan of teachers using advanced degrees from what district officials consider to be, at best, an illegitimate school and, at worst, a diploma mill. The case goes to arbitration Sept. 20 as a new state law cracking down on the manufacturers and users of fake degrees takes effect. The Authentic Credentials in Education Act, signed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm less than two weeks ago, makes it illegal to manufacture fake academic credentials or use them to get a job, promotion or loan.”
¶ 7/31/2005 12:12:00 PM
Thursday, July 28, 2005
Otterbein hires attorneys to get to bottom of link with diploma mill
wkyc.com: “Otterbein College has hired a law firm to review the suburban Columbus school’s relationship with a Florida-based diploma mill. The chairman of the school’s board of trustees, Tom Morrison, says the board wants to make sure something like this never happens again. William McCoggle of Miami was charged last week with grand theft and fraud after a grand jury investigation of his company, Move On Toward Education and Training, which allegedly awarded hundreds of sham teacher certificates.”
¶ 7/28/2005 12:17:00 PM
Monday, July 18, 2005
Grand jury to issue report of school district driver’s ed program
Herald.com 07/18/2005: “The Miami-Dade Grand Jury will issue a report this afternoon about teachers who have inappropriately receiving certification to teach driver’s education classes and possibly other subjects, The Herald has learned. Details are expected to be released by State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle at a 3 p.m. news conference, but a memo from Superintendent Rudy Crew confirmed the substance of the report. The allegations, which predate Crew’s arrival last summer, were the subject of a February 2004 investigation by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. According to that report, a teacher at Palmetto Senior High partnered with Eastern Oklahoma State College to provide non-credit professional-development classes for teachers. But because transcripts from Eastern Okalahmoa State were unclear, many teachers were apparently able to use the questionable classes to maintain their teaching certificates or become eligible to teach additional subjects. The Palmetto teacher, William McCoggle, ran the operation as business called Moving On Toward Education and Training. He could not immediately be reached for comment.”
¶ 7/18/2005 10:51:00 PM
Monday, July 11, 2005
Prosecutors Block Site Offering ‘Berkley’ Degrees
The Daily Californian: “Until last week, a man who calls himself Dr. Dennis Globosky sold thousands of degrees over the Internet from a familiar-sounding University of Berkley for as little as $2,065. UC Berkeley officials previously sent cease and desist letters to Globosky, claiming he violated the school’s trademark rights. However, it was not until last week, after Pennsylvania prosecutors sued Globosky and his business for consumer fraud, that his company was stopped from issuing degrees. A state judge issued a preliminary injunction against the Pennsylvania company on Thursday, shutting the school down and freezing Globosky’s assets. Globosky named the school to fool potential employers into believing the degree recipients graduated from UC Berkeley, said experts in the diploma mill industry, where customers can quickly get any degree they want for little more than a cash payment. The industry brings in about $200 million per year.”
¶ 7/11/2005 02:08:00 PM
University of Berkley grants cat a Master Degree for money
Teachers.net: “Last year, the Pennsylvania attorney general’s office decided to sue an institution its officials called a ‘diploma mill,’ after Colby Nolan, their undercover student, got his master’s degree in business administration. The fact that Colby is a pet cat bolstered their case. In a lawsuit filed Wednesday against another institution the attorney general said is a diploma mill, the office is going for the University of Berkley’s jugular, and it isn’t bothering with pet tricks. The lawsuit, filed in local court in Erie County, where the business is based, charged a former New Mexico state trooper, Dennis Globosky, 50, with selling thousands of fake degrees in the United States and abroad, since the late 1990s, and operating under a bogus accreditation institution. Along with the complaint, the attorney general asked the court to immediately shut down Berkley’s operations. After several hours of review Wednesday morning, the judge granted the request. ‘Defendants knew their worthless, fraudulent degrees, phony accreditation, bogus faculty, falsely portrayed physical facilities — would be used to mislead employers,’ the complaint reads.”
¶ 7/11/2005 02:03:00 PM
Wednesday, July 06, 2005
Pennsylvania Attorney General Corbett Seeks to Shut Down Erie-Based “Diploma Mill”
Pennsylvania Attorney General: “Attorney General Tom Corbett today filed a civil lawsuit against a former New Mexico State Trooper accused of operating an Erie-based online ‘diploma mill’ and phony accreditation institution that sold thousands of bogus Associate, Bachelor’s, Masters, Doctorate and Honorary degrees to individuals nationally and internationally. The complaint and separate motion for special injunction seeking to shut down the online business was filed in Erie County Court. The legal action investigated by Corbett’s Bureau of Consumer Protection additionally seeks to permanently prohibit the defendant from engaging in business in the state and require the payment of fines and costs. During a news conference at his Erie Office today, Corbett identified the defendants as 50-year-old Dennis James Globosky, last known address 204 German St., Erie, and Globosky’s businesses, ‘The University of Berkley,’ ‘The University of Berkley Online,’ UofB Inc., and ‘accreditation institution’ New Millennium Accrediting Partnership for Educators Worldwide or ‘N.A.P.F.E.W.’ Globosky served on the New Mexico State Police force from 1978-1979. According to the lawsuit, Globosky is operating from offices located at 2700 West 21st St., Suite 24, Erie, despite representations in advertising materials that the University has numerous satellite offices throughout the U.S., including Berkley, Michigan and Chicago, Illinois. Various documents claim that ‘N.A.P.F.E.W.’ has a Washington, D.C. mailing address. Corbett’s investigators said Globosky, who holds a high school diploma from Wattsburg Area High School in Erie County, refers to himself in promotional materials for the University as Dr. Globosky, Director of Academic Administration. He advertises, promotes and sells the academic degrees through the Internet on websites including www.berkley-u.edu plus 17 feeder sites. The online University catalog includes pictures of buildings and academic structures that appear to have been taken from legitimate colleges and universities, including Harvard.”
¶ 7/06/2005 01:59:00 PM
78 Anonymous // Apr 18, 2007 at 5:16 pm
Center of Advancement for Jewish Education in Miami (CAJE):
http://www.caje-miami.org/articlenav.php?id=21
79 anonymous // Apr 18, 2007 at 5:23 pm
In cases of questionable academic credentials,
as you can see from the above examples,
it is up to the Miami State Attorney’s Office to investigate these matters to see if there is indeed a violation of Florida Law Statutes.
80 Anonymous // Apr 18, 2007 at 5:30 pm
Then let’s call SACS, CAJE, and the Miami Attorney’s Office.
The squeaky hinge gets the grease.
81 anonymous // Apr 18, 2007 at 7:37 pm
While there are some writers on this blog that still seem to think an unaccredited degree is a “non-issue” , hopefully they will change their minds after reading The US Senate 2004 Hearing reports on Diploma Mills and Unaccredited Institutions and this small sample of prosecuted cases.
Academic Integrity is never a “non-issue”.
82 Michael Newman // Apr 18, 2007 at 8:33 pm
It is an issue with regard to the fact that the Board hired this person, gave him an employment contract, and gave him power to employ/fire whomever he pleases. It took a “search committee” to span the nation in order to find the best suited individual to lead the school, and the best person that the board found was someone with an online degree.
The fact that this is where his degree came from does not make him a bad person. In my opinion, it does say anything about his character. I don’t know him, so I can’t say anything bad. If I had an online education degree, I would put it on my resume as well.
I just cannot fathom that this is the most qualified individual for the job. What was the “search committee’s” criteria for hiring the new headmaster? From the rumors I heard, the pay is good. How was it that nobody with a “conventional” degree was available?
When is the next election to the board? If parents do not like what is going on, they must run for the board and get elected. That way, they don’t have to fight the board and its decisions but they can actually create the school policy.
83 Anonymous // Apr 18, 2007 at 8:56 pm
I too question how a national search yields someone who possesses a degree from an online diploma mill. Surely more qualified candidates exist.
I also question how a national search does not yield a SINGLE Jew qualified to be Head of School.
Do they really believe there aren’t enough intellectual Jews with prestigious degrees who live in the US and would qualify to head a Jewish day school?
I have heard that at the Robert M. Beren Academy in Houston, Texas, an Orthodox Jewish Day School, successfully resolved a similar situation to the one we find ourselves in today.
The Beren Academy had employed an administrator who was not fit to serve his position in ways that served the best interests of their school.
That school successfully broke the contract with this administrator and did not open themselves up to any legal liability in doing so.
Can the Digger and other readers please look into this matter and see if indeed a precedent had been set at that school as to how to successfully and legally break contracts with such types of administrators?
Speaking to people who work there might be particularly informative.
84 Anonymous // Apr 18, 2007 at 9:16 pm
I think we all should be able to read Adam Holden’s dissertation as well as Dr. Judy Dach’s.
Dr. Judy Dach is the Educational Guru who has made all major educational decisions for Hillel for more than a decade.
Which scholarly or academic journals have published Adam Holden and Judy Dach’s dissertions ?
The Hillel family is entitled to know.
Dissertations are supposed to be published, and therefore, public knowledge — information that is open to public review.
If they are not published in any academic journals, then I question whether these individuals are really as qualified as they walk around pretending to be.
85 anonymous // Apr 18, 2007 at 9:23 pm
Board elections are once a year. I am unsure how one would get elected, however, basically, I believe that a nominating committee chooses a slate of individuals and these are the people who are elected to the board. There is no real vote. The board nominates and it becomes a shoe-in, for lack of a better term. The board members are hand picked.
Elections are once a year in May/June. However some have 2 year terms. There is also a financial commitment associated with being on the board - that precludes the average person from serving.
86 Anonymous // Apr 18, 2007 at 9:31 pm
Next Board Meeting: May 10
June 7 is the Annual Board Members Meeting
The board is a clique — it is very picky and exclusive of the people it befriends and allows in to the Secret Society.
87 Anonymous // Apr 20, 2007 at 11:56 am
“Board elections are once a year. I am unsure how one would get elected, however, basically, I believe that a nominating committee chooses a slate of individuals and these are the people who are elected to the board. There is no real vote. The board nominates and it becomes a shoe-in, for lack of a better term. The board members are hand picked.”
In this case, it doesn’t pay for anyone to attend the annual board meeting.
There has to be a more equitable way to select members who sit on the board so as to be more inclusive.
88 Michael Newman // Apr 20, 2007 at 12:48 pm
If nobody has ever tried to get elected to the board, nobody can say that that the procedures are unfair.
Whoever wants to run just needs to make sure to abide by all the guidelines laid out and to get support from other members.
Making a blanket statement that the board is not democratically elected is just going to make people think twice about even attempting.
If people do not like what is going on, the best way for change would be to become the policy maker.
If that person is unfairly discriminated against by the ones currently in power and is told that they cannot run, another round of letters needs to be sent to parents explaining the unfair practices of getting onto the board, a fact that will further alienate the board from the community, resulting in decrease in enrollment.
For anything to change, parents must get more involved with the board.
89 Anonymous // Apr 20, 2007 at 12:57 pm
Yes.
The unfair practices need to be in the letter.
What should we say in the letter about that?
90 Michael Newman // Apr 20, 2007 at 2:13 pm
I have not heard from anyone with personal experience that the board has participated in unfair practices with regard to other members running for vacant positions.
Before putting anything about that in the letter, it must be confirmed by someone who attempted to become a member to the board and was refused even though that person followed all the correct procedures.
Otherwise, they are just empty accusations that may create liability for the letter-writer and/or anyone that signs.
91 Anonymous // Apr 20, 2007 at 5:22 pm
Good point. Thank you.
92 Ivory Tower // Apr 21, 2007 at 11:53 pm
Again, Thank you!