Diploma mills in the United States

A diploma mill (also known as a degree mill) is an organization that awards academic degrees and diplomas with substandard or no academic study and without recognition by official educational accrediting bodies. The purchaser can then claim to hold an academic degree, and the organization is motivated by making a profit. These degrees are often awarded based on vaguely construed life experience. Some such organizations claim accreditation by non-recognized/unapproved accrediting bodies set up for the purposes of providing a veneer of authenticity.

Various schemes have been implemented to curb the proliferation of diploma mills, and a number of states have passed bills that make it illegal for an organization to confer degrees without accreditation.

Legal status

The United States does not have a federal law that would unambiguously prohibit diploma mills, and the term "university" is not legally protected. As a result, the United States is a diploma mill haven from a global viewpoint. The United States Department of Education lacks direct plenary authority to regulate schools and, consequently, the quality of an institution's degree. Under the terms of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, the U.S. Secretary of Education is required by law to publish a list of nationally recognized accrediting agencies that the Secretary determines to be reliable authorities on the quality of education or training provided by the institutions of higher education that they accredit.

Diploma mills are mainly found in the U.S. jurisdictions which have not adopted tough laws to prohibit them. Also, some degree mills have taken advantage of the U.S. Constitution's protection of religion by representing themselves as Bible colleges, since in many jurisdictions religious institutions can legally offer degrees in religious subjects without government regulation. Nevertheless, some religious colleges and seminaries have been fined for issuing degrees without meeting educational requirements.^[1]

Although the DipScam operation in the 1980s led to a decline in diploma mill activity across the United States, the lack of further action by law enforcement, uneven state laws, and the rise of the Internet have combined to reverse many of the gains made in previous years.

A 2002 Seattle Times article noted that some believed Wyoming had "become a haven for diploma mills."^[2] Conversely, "Oregon, New Jersey, and North Dakota have adopted tough laws that include fines and jail time for using fake degrees to gain employment."^[3] However, Wyoming passed stricter laws in 2006 requiring universities and colleges to either be accredited or be candidates for accreditation to operate in the state.,^[4]

In 2004, a housecat named Colby Nolan was awarded an "Executive MBA" by Texas-based Trinity Southern University. The cat belonged to a deputy attorney general looking into allegations of fraud by the school. The cat's application was originally for a Bachelor of Business Administration, but due to the cat's "qualifications" (including work experience in fast-food and as a paperboy) the school offered to upgrade the degree to an Executive MBA for an additional $100. As a result of this incident, the Pennsylvania attorney general has filed suit against the school.

In February 2005, the US Department of Education launched www.ope.ed.gov/accreditation to combat the spread of fraudulent degrees.^[5]

The state of Washington passed a bill^[6] in March 2006 "prohibiting false or misleading college degrees."^[7] The law was approved and introduced penalties of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine for knowingly granting or promoting an unaccredited award. In Tennessee, a law that took effect in July 2004 made diploma mill degrees illegal, but the state does not have an agency or authority to investigate.^[8] Florida enacted a state law making it a criminal offense to claim a degree from an unaccredited college, but in 2003 it was reported that Hillsborough County, Florida, authorities had been advised that the statute was unconstitutional.^[9] Wyoming passed a law requiring a post-secondary institution granting degrees to Wyoming citizens to be accredited, or to be a candidate for accreditation. (There is an exemption for religious schools.) ^[10]

The State of Michigan Civil Service publishes a list of unaccredited schools^[11] based on the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Michigan also has a system of publicly chartered colleges and universities (such as the University of Michigan, Wayne State University, Michigan State University, et al.) Private colleges and universities are regulated by the Michigan State Board of Education.^[12] However, there does not appear to be a published list of accredited higher education schools accessible from the State of Michigan's website.

U.S. jurisdictions where the use of higher education credentials from diploma mills and unaccredited schools is explicitly illegal or legally restricted include Illinois,^[13] Indiana,^[13] Maine,^[14] Michigan, Missouri,^[15] Nevada,^[13] New Jersey,^[16] North Dakota,^[16] Oregon,^[13][16] South Dakota,^[13] Texas,.^[17][18] Virginia,^[13] and Washington.^[13][19] Many other states are also considering restrictions on unaccredited degree use in order to help prevent fraud.^[20] In 2006, Mississippi passed laws to restrict diploma mills and more legislation was planned for 2009 to further restrict institutions operating without approval".^[21] George Gollin, a University of Illinois professor and board member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation said: California is the only state in the country without rules governing postsecondary education institutions "You have no law. Everyone else does."^[22] This is because Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed renewing the Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education Reform Act.^[23] The military also restricts the use of unaccredited degrees; a notable case involved Vice Admiral Donald Arthur of the U.S. Navy.^[24]

Wyoming-based Kennedy-Western University sued the state of Oregon in 2004, challenging a state law that made it illegal for résumés used in connection with employment (including job applications) in the state to list degrees from institutions that are not accredited or recognized by the state as legitimate.,^[25][26][27] Kennedy-Western claimed that its degree-holders had a First Amendment right to say they were degree-holders. The case never got to trial because the parties reached an out-of-court settlement. Under the settlement, Kennedy-Western degree-holders may say that they have degrees when applying for private sector jobs in Oregon, but must also reveal that the school is unaccredited on all job applications, resumes, business cards and advertisements that mention the degree. (Public employment and licensed professions are excepted from the agreement).^[26][28] A statutory revision was enacted in 2005, allowing graduates of unaccredited and unapproved schools to list an unaccredited degree on a résumé as long as they note the school's unaccredited status in the résumé.^[29] In the settlement, the Oregon State Office of Degree Authorization (ODA) also agreed to refrain from referring to the school as a "diploma mill."^[26] Oregon now lists Kennedy-Western as "unaccredited", stating that its "degrees do not meet requirements for employment by State of Oregon or for work in any profession licensed by the State of Oregon for which a degree is required".^[30] The school eventually changed names and was forced to cease operations on March 31, 2009 after a failed attempt to become accredited.^[31]

In June 2006 it was reported that the National Collegiate Athletic Association had been "scrutinizing the standards of nontraditional high schools to identify 'diploma mills'."^[32] Reportedly this started when "The New York Times exposed University High in Miami."^[32] Currently, there are 22 schools that are under review to make sure they meet NCAA requirements.^[32]

In 2009, it was reported that a housecat named Oreo Collins had been awarded a General Education Diploma from Jefferson High School Online.^[33]

In 2010, it was revealed that Kenneth Shong ran "Carlingford University," a diploma mill, while he was incarcerated at Racine Correctional Institute in Racine, Wisconsin for several crimes, including fraud.^[34] The operation was run with addresses in London, England; Mobile, Alabama; and in Green Bay, which turned out to be empty store fronts or PO Boxes. An investigation into the operation's activity is ongoing.

Government jobs scandals and GAO investigation

In 2004, Laura Callahan resigned from the United States Department Of Homeland Security after it was learned that she had received her doctorate from the unaccredited Hamilton University (not to be confused with the fully accredited Hamilton College in Clinton, New York). Callahan had previously been a senior director at the DHS and held supervisory positions at the United States Department of Labor and within the Bill Clinton White House. According to an article in Reason magazine, “The (Callahan) scandal raises serious doubts about the government's ability to vet the qualifications of public employees on whom the nation's security depends.”

The Callahan scandal caused a public outcry that stimulated an 11-month congressional investigation into fraudulent use of and reimbursement for non-qualifying academic degrees by government workers, the first such major inquiry since Operation Dipscam. A 2004 report^[35] released by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) detailed a pattern of widespread and ongoing abuse by numerous federal employees, based on information provided by three unaccredited schools that cooperated with the initial probe. The institutions, California Coast University, Kennedy-Western University, and Pacific Western University, represented a small fraction of the dozens of suspected diploma mills in existence nationwide. The particular concern addressed was that the regulations allowing Federal funding of degrees mandate that the program must be accredited. (California Coast and California Miramar have both since gained accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council.)

463 federal employees were discovered to have been enrolled in the three schools at the time of the inquiry. The Department of Defense had the highest number of enrollees, with 257 employees registered. The GAO also found that the government itself had paid at least $170,000 for questionable "coursework" by federal employees at California Coast and Kennedy-Western alone, and believed that even this amount had been significantly understated by the institutions involved.

The GAO report revealed that at least 28 senior-level employees had obtained their degrees from diploma mills or unaccredited universities, while cautioning that "this number is believed to be an understatement." The implicated officials included three unnamed National Nuclear Security Administration managers with emergency operations responsibility and top "Q level" security clearance allowing access to sensitive nuclear weapons information. In May 2004, NNSA spokesman Brian Wilkes told reporters that "the [managers'] conditions of employment did not rest on the education that they were claiming," and that the revelations would not affect their job status.^[36]

Many of the federal officials implicated in the scandal were never publicly named, and their status remains unclear. Charles Abell, the principal Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, was identified by the press as having obtained his master's degree from Columbus University of New Orleans, an unaccredited distance learning school. Daniel P. Matthews, Chief Information Officer for the Department of Transportation (which oversees the Transportation Security Administration) was reported to have received his $3,500 bachelor of science degree from Kent College (not to be confused with Kent State University in Kent, Ohio), a diploma mill in Mandeville, Louisiana. In spite of these revelations, both remained in their positions and continued to hold security clearances.^[37] Abell continued in his Defense Department job until August 2005, when he joined the staff of the United States Senate Committee on Armed Services, where he remained until 2007.^[38]

Terrorism worries

On December 15, 2005, CNN aired a report on diploma mills and terrorism. The report explained that "H-1B visas can be issued to anyone who is highly skilled and can get a job in the U.S. McDevitt is concerned a phony advanced degree could be the first step for someone in a terrorist sleeper cell."^[39]

The report explained, the Secret Service "bought their own degree for a perfect terrorist candidate, although theirs was fictional." The person was Mohammed Syed with no formal education, but training in chemical engineering with the Syrian army. "The Secret Service even added to Syed's application that he needed a degree quickly, so he could find employment and obtain an H-1B visa, allowing him to stay in the US." Furthermore, "In less than a month, the imaginary Syrian army expert was notified, James Monroe University was awarding him three advanced degrees in engineering and chemistry, all for $1,277."^[39]

GAO - U.S. Government Accountability Office investigations revealed the relative ease with which a diploma mill can be created and bogus degrees obtained.^[40] Records obtained from schools and agencies likely understate the extent to which the federal government has paid for degrees from diploma mills and other unaccredited schools. Many agencies have difficulty in providing reliable data because they do not have systems in place to properly verify academic degrees or to detect fees for degrees that are masked as fees for training courses. Agency data obtained likely do not reflect the true extent to which senior-level federal employees have diploma mill degrees. This is because the agencies do not sufficiently verify the degrees that employees claim to have or the schools that issued the degrees, which is necessary to avoid confusion caused by the similarity between the names of accredited schools and the names assumed by diploma mills. It was found that there are no uniform verification practices throughout the government whereby agencies can obtain information and conduct effective queries on schools and their accreditation status.

See also

Education portal

Essay mill Educational accreditation Accreditation mill Unaccredited institutions of higher learning List of unaccredited institutions of higher learning List of unrecognized accreditation associations of higher learning

.edu Job fraud Mickey Mouse degrees Name It and Frame It? Underwater basket weaving Who's Who scam

References

1. ^ Associated Press, "Texas Supreme Court to review seminary case", December 3, 2004
2. ^ Mead Gruver (February 9, 2005). "Alleged "diploma mills" flocking to Wyoming". Seattle Times. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/education/2002174735_diploma09.html. Retrieved 2007-10-05. 
3. ^ Mark Clayton (June 10, 2003). "Degree duplicity — Fake diplomas are easy to buy online, but colleges are becoming more wary". Christian Science Monitor. http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0610/p15s02-lehl.html. Retrieved 2007-10-05. 
4. ^ "Warren National University planning to close". Casper Star-Tribune. Feb 2, 2009. http://www.trib.com/articles/2009/02/03/news/wyoming/9b74a140777ad47f87257552000269d4.txt. Retrieved 2009-07-08. 
5. ^ Ryan Singel. "Database Fights Diploma Mills". Wired magazine. http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,66476,00.html. Retrieved 2007-10-05. 
6. ^ "HB 2507 - 2005-06 — Prohibiting false or misleading college degrees". Washington State Legislature. June 2005. http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=2507&year=2006. Retrieved 2007-10-05. 
7. ^ "CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT; ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2507; Chapter 234, Laws of 2006; 59th Legislature; 2006 Regular Session; HIGHER EDUCATION--FALSE ACADEMIC CREDENTIALS" (pdf). Secretary of State, State of Washington. June 7, 2006. http://www.leg.wa.gov/pub/billinfo/2005-06/Pdf/Bills/Session%20Law%202006/2507-S.SL.pdf. Retrieved 2007-10-05. 
8. ^ Amy Rutledge, Buying phony degrees online, WATE TV-6 November 15, 2004.
9. ^ Detective Cleared In Fake Diploma Case, by Mark Douglas, The Tampa Tribune, July 21, 2003
10. ^ "ENROLLED ACT NO. 31, SENATE" (pdf). LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING. 2006. http://legisweb.state.wy.us/2006/Enroll/SF0069.pdf. Retrieved 2007-10-05. 
11. ^ (pdf) COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES NOT ACCREDITED BY CHEA. State of Michigan. http://www.michigan.gov/documents/Non-accreditedSchools_78090_7.pdf. Retrieved 2009-11-07. 
12. ^ (pdf) POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ON THE ESTABLISHMENT AND APPROVAL OF NONPUBLIC COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES IN MICHIGAN. State of Michigan. http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdcd/policy__procedures_complete-current_1-24-06_229518_7.pdf. Retrieved 2009-11-07. 
13. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} Oregon Office of Degree Authorization
14. ^ Accredited and Non-Accredited Colleges and Universities. State of Maine. http://www.maine.gov/education/highered/Non-Accredited/non-accredited.htm. Retrieved 2007-12-28. 
15. ^ Kumar, Kavita (‎Jul 9, 2009‎). "Using fake degrees now a misdemeanor in Missouri". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/the-grade/higher-education/2009/07/using-fake-degrees-now-a-misdemeanor-in-missouri/. Retrieved 2009-07-08. ^{[dead link]}
16. ^ ^{a b c} State mulls online learning by the Associated Press, Billings Gazette, January 30, 2005
17. ^ Institutions Whose Degrees are Illegal to Use in Texas
18. ^ U.S. Department of Education, Diploma Mills and Accreditation
19. ^ Crown College, located at 8739 S. Hosmer, Tacoma, WA suspended academic operations effective August 10, 2007. Higher Education Coordinating Board, State of Washington. http://www.hecb.wa.gov/autheval/daa/ConsumerInformation.asp. Retrieved 2007-12-28. 
20. ^ Is Oregon the only state that disallows use of unaccredited degrees? Oregon Office of Degree Authorization
21. ^ "Diploma mill ban showing results". Clarion Ledger. June 15, 2009. http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20090615/NEWS/906150319/Diploma+mill+ban+showing+results. Retrieved 2007-04-13. ^{[dead link]}
22. ^ "'Diploma mill' degrees for firefighters cost city $50,000, grand jury says". Sacramento Bee. Jul. 9, 2009. http://www.sacbee.com/news/story/2011619.html. Retrieved 2009-07-08. ^{[dead link]}
23. ^ Arnold Schwarzenegger (PDF). Assembly Bill 2810. Office of the Governor. http://gov.ca.gov/pdf/press/ab_2810_veto.pdf. Retrieved 2008-01-12. 
24. ^ Navy résumé doesn't quite hold water, Russell Working, Chicago Tribune, October 1, 2008
25. ^ States Struggle to Regulate Online Colleges That Lack Accreditation, The Chronicle of Higher Education - Information Technology, March 23, 2001.
26. ^ ^{a b c} Oregon settles with unaccredited university, Portland Business Journal, December 22, 2004.
27. ^ http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/margie_boule/index.ssf?/base/living/1107867837315370.xml
28. ^ Oregon Settles Federal Lawsuit Filed by Kennedy-Western University; State Officials Will Seek Changes to State Law Regulating the Use of Degrees from Unaccredited Universities, Kennedy-Western press release by David Gering, Businesswire, December 21, 2004
29. ^ Conference Committee on SB 1039, 73rd Oregon Legislative Assembly - 2005 Regular Session, Measure: SB 1039 A*, June 22, 2005.
30. ^ Office of Degree Authorization
31. ^ Warren National U., Formerly Known as Kennedy-Western U., to Shut Down, by Thomas Bartlett, The Chronicle of Higher Education, February 2, 2009
32. ^ ^{a b c} Thamel, Pete; Wilson, Duff (2005-11-27). "Poor Grades Aside, Athletes Get Into College on a $399 Diploma". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/27/sports/ncaafootball/27school.html?_r=1&pagewanted=2&ei=5094&en=c6ec098a1f75f4dd&hp&ex=1133067600&partner=homepage. Retrieved 2010-05-01. 
33. ^ Popkin, Helen A. S. (August 14, 2009). "Clever cat earns ‘high school diploma’ online". MSNBC. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32420644/ns/tech_and_science-tech_and_gadgets. Retrieved 2009-08-15. 
34. ^ Ryan Foley (Feb 22, 2010). "A diploma mill's trail leads to Wisconsin inmate". Associated Press. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jY3Oml_Gtscm8GryStbCcA9VnaPwD9E1E1V80. Retrieved 2010-03-15. ^{[dead link]}
35. ^ Robert J. Cramer, Managing Director Office of Special Investigations (pdf). DIPLOMA MILLS — Federal Employees Have Obtained Degrees from Diploma Mills and Other Unaccredited Schools, Some at Government Expense. General Accounting Office. http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d04771t.pdf. Retrieved 2007-10-05. 
36. ^ McGlinchey, David (2003-04-11). "Nuclear agency managers among diploma mill users". GovExec.com. http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0504/051104d1.htm. Retrieved 2006-11-15. 
37. ^ Dizard, Wilson (2004-04-26). "Hill sets plans for confronting diploma mill problem". Government Computer News. http://www.gcn.com/print/23_9/25699-1.html. Retrieved 2006-11-15. 
38. ^ The Washington Times, The Gertz File, August 5, 2005, and McCain likely to run from atop defense panel, by Rowan Scarborough, January 2, 2007.
39. ^ ^{a b} Paula Zahn (December 15, 2005). "Diploma Mills Represent Security Threat to United States?". CNN. http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0512/15/pzn.01.html. Retrieved 2007-10-05. 
40. ^ http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d041096t.pdf

Further reading

• Gollin, George, "Unconventional University Diplomas from Online Vendors", University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, Center for Advanced Study, February 2003.
• Schemo, Diana Jean, "Diploma Mill Concerns Extend Beyond Fraud", The New York Times, June 29, 2008

External links

• Psst. Wanna Buy a Ph.D.? The Chronicle of Higher Education, June 25, 2004. "Some professors have dubious doctorates, other professors sell them, and colleges often look the other way."
• Sperry, Paul. Cut-Rate Diplomas: How doubts about the government's own "Dr. Laura" exposed a résumé fraud scandal. Reason magazine, January 2005.
• Associated Press. U.N. Fired Staff Members With Academic Degrees From Diploma Mill, via Fox News, 11 February 2007.
• Chicago Tribune. PhD, the easy way, 9 August 2008
• Diploma mills presentation from the University of Illinois.
• Information resources concerning unaccredited degree-granting institutions – A collection of links by George Gollin

U.S. state sites

• List of non-accredited colleges/universities by State of Michigan
• Unaccredited colleges by Oregon State Office of Degree Authorization
• List of non-accredited colleges/ universities by State of Maine
• List of Fraudulent or Substandard Institutions with a Texas connection
• List of Fraudulent or Substandard Institutions with no known Texas connection