Breyer State University

Breyer State University, also called Breyer State University-Alabama, is an unaccredited distance education, for profit, private university that used to have an office in Birmingham, Alabama. [ [http://www.breyerstate.com Breyer State University] official web page] It has been described by "The New Republic" magazine as a diploma mill that "claimed official-sounding accreditation to attract hundreds of people to obtain degrees".Clay Risen, "Degree Burns", "The New Republic", January 23, 2006, p. 13.] Breyer State University disputes this categorization. [ [http://www.breyerstate.com/accreditation.htm Accreditation] from Breyer State website] [cite news|publisher=Tuscaloosa News|title=State’s diploma mills draw academic ire|author=Adam Jones|date=2007-02-11|url=http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20070211/NEWS/702110399/1007/dateline&cachetime=3&template=dateline|accessdate=2008-02-08] [Diploma: Expert wants oversight change. "The Montgomery Advertiser", February 12, 2007, B-4.]

In June 2008 Breyer State's license to operate in Alabama expired and was not renewed. The Alabama Department of Postsecondary Education reported that the school had moved to Idaho. [http://www.hep.uiuc.edu/home/g-gollin/pigeons/2008_07_14_Alabama_Private_School_Licensure-Release.doc No more diploma mills: Chancellor Bradley Byrne announces new initiatives to shut down sham schools, better regulate other for-profits] , Alabama Community College System, Department of Postsecondary Education, News Release, July 14 2008]

Operations

Breyer State claims more than 120 contracted faculty. [ [http://www.breyerstate.com/faculty.htm Breyer State University Faculty] , Breyer State website faculty page (accessed September 16, 2007)] It has been reported that "many of the faculty’s degrees did not come from accredited institutions." It offers bachelor's, master's, doctoral, and associate's degree programs in diverse fields, including business, psychology and various counseling specialties, education, law, and health care fields. [ [http://www.breyerstate.com/degrees.htm Online Degrees] , Breyer State website (accessed September 16, 2007)]

It was described in 2003 as a "conjoined twin" of James Monroe University. [cite news|date=2003-12-02|title=Degree mills take root in Spokane:Internet companies sell fake diplomas -- and it's all legal|accessdate=2008-02-08|publisher=Seattle Post-Intelligencer|url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002761714_webmillcharges25.html?syndication=rss] cite news|Publisher=Spokesman Review|title=Spokane a 'hot spot' for dubious degrees:Experts say schools offer diplomas of questionable worth for a few hundred dollars and little effort|author=Bill Morlin|date=2003-11-30|url=http://www.spokesmanreview.com/news-story.asp?date=113003&ID=s1448614|accessdate=2008-02-08] Breyer State's president, Dominick L. Flarey, [cite web|url=http://www.breyerstate.com/resume-dominick-flarey.htm|title=Dominick L. Flarey, Ph.D., DCH, MBA,RN,CS,CNAA,FACHE (official Resume from Breyer State website)|accessdate=2008-02-08] is also identified as president of James Monroe University. [cite web|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20040818071115/http://www.osac.state.or.us/oda/oregon_north_dakota/james_monroe/resume-dominick-flarey.htm|title=Dominick L. Flarey, PhD, DCH, MBA,RN,CS,CNAA,FACHE (official resume from James Monroe website)|accessdate=2008-02-08]

Breyer State originally incorporated in Kamiah, Idaho in 2001, but later incorporated in Alabama in 2004, as Breyer State University-Alabama. As of August 2008, Breyer State's web site displays an address in Los Angeles, California at the bottom of each page.

In a news release Alabama announced an initiative to rid the state of fraudulent institutions and had this to say about Breyer State University. "While many of the institutions closed for legitimate reasons, some – notably Columbus University and Breyer State University – were operating apparent diploma mills and taking shameful advantage of hundreds of unsuspecting students."

Accreditation status

Breyer State is not accredited by any accreditation institution recognized by the United States Department of Education, [http://www.breyerstate.com/accreditation.htm Breyer State website] ] [The [http://www.osac.state.or.us/oda/unaccredited.aspx Office of Degree Authorization] of the State of Oregon lists Breyer State University as one of the "unaccredited degree suppliers" whose degrees do not meet the state's requirements for use as credentials. The [http://www.michigan.gov/documents/Non-accreditedSchools_78090_7.pdf State of Michigan] lists Breyer as unaccredited.] nor is it a state institution. [ [http://www.osac.state.or.us/oda/unaccredited.aspx Unaccredited colleges] , Oregon Office of Degree Authorization (accessed February 7, 2008).] It is on the list of "Institutions Whose Degrees are Illegal to Use in Texas". [ [http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/AAR/PrivateInstitutions/NoTX.cfm Institutions Whose Degrees are Illegal to Use in Texas] (accessed February 9, 2008).] It is also on the lists of unaccredited institutions maintained by Oregon, [ [http://www.osac.state.or.us/oda/unaccredited.aspx Unaccredited colleges] , Oregon Office of Degree Authorization (accessed February 7, 2008).] Maine, [ [http://www.maine.gov:8080/education/highered/Non-Accredited/UnaccreditedSchools-042706.pdf Unaccredited Post-Secondary Educational Institutions] (accessed February 9, 2008).] and Michigan. [ [http://www.michigan.gov/documents/Non-accreditedSchools_78090_7.pdf COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES NOT ACCREDITED BY CHEA] , which "will not be accepted by the Civil Service Commission as satisfying any educational requirements indicated on job specifications" (accessed February 9, 2008).]

On its website, Breyer states instead that it is accredited by Central States Consortium of Colleges & Schools (CSCCS),fn|1 a subsidiary organization of the American Institute of Health Care Professionals (AIHCP). [ [http://www.aihcp.org/csccs.htm American Institute of Health Care Professionals] ] CSCCS lists Breyer president Dominick L. Flarey as Executive Director. [ [http://www.aihcp.org/board.htm American Institute of Health Care Professionals Board] ] Formerly Breyer was licensed by the Department of Postsecondary Education of the State of Alabama. [http://www.breyerstate.com/alabama-license-image.htm Private school license, State of Alabama] , Breyer State University website, accessed June 22, 2008.] According to the Alabama Department of Postsecondary Education website, a license permits institutions "to operate in the State of Alabama AND IS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH ACCREDITATION" (capitalization in original). [http://www.acs.cc.al.us/privateschool/SchoolList.aspx Alabama College System] , state government website listing private schools] The license expired on March 30, 2008, and was not renewed by the Alabama Department of Postsecondary Education. [cite news|url=http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2008/06/24/alabama|publisher=Inside Higher Education|date=2008-06-24|title=A Haven No Longer]

Controversy

In July 2008, the "Asbury Park Press" reported that the superintendent and two other administrators of the Freehold Regional High School District in central New Jersey had received tuition reimbursement for enrolling at Breyer State and had been given salary increases based on doctoral degrees issued by Breyer State University, described by the newspaper as "an unaccredited institution deemed an 'apparent diploma mill' by education officials in its home state of Alabama." This was stated to be a violation of a New Jersey law against the professional use of titles and degrees earned from unaccredited institutions. The superintendent stated that he did not intend to seek an accredited doctoral degree, but he planned to continue using the title "Dr." [Joshua Riley, [http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008807170543 Schools chief's doctorate reviewed] , "Asbury Park Press", July 17, 2008] [ [http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080720/OPINION01/807200347/0/OPINION Wasser, et al., BSU alumni] , "Asbury Park Press", July 20, 2008] The superintendent had to be ordered to stop using the title "Dr.". The Education Commissioner then sent letters to the districts reminding educators that use of unaccredited degrees was illegal. [ [http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-11/1220502921246120.xml&coll=1 Disputed degrees spur state changes] , The New Jersey Star-Ledger, September 4 2008]

ee also

* List of unaccredited institutions of higher learning
* List of unrecognized accreditation associations of higher learning
* Educational accreditation

Footnotes

fnb|1 (not to be confused with the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, a recognized regional accreditor)

References

External links

* [http://www.breyerstate.com Breyer State University] official website