Belford University

Belford University is an organization offering online unaccredited degrees for "life experience". The organization maintains a post office box in Humble, Texas, but its certificates are mailed from the United Arab Emirates.cite news | url=http://www.houstonpress.com/Issues/2006-07-20/news/news.html| title=First-Degree Fraud | publisher=Houston Press | date=2006-07-20 | first=Craig | last=Malisow | accessdate = 2007-03-13]

Accreditation status

The school is not accredited by any accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education (USDE) or Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Neither of the organizations from which Belford claims accreditation, the International Accreditation Agency for Online Universities (IAAOU) and the Universal Council for Online Education Accreditation (UCOEA), are recognized accreditation associations of higher learning. [ [http://www.chea.org/pdf/CHEA_USDE_AllAccred.pdf Recognized Accrediting Organizations (as of February, 2006)] , CHEA] Without recognized accreditation, Belford's degrees and credits might not be acceptable to employers or other academic institutions, and use of degree titles may be restricted or illegal in some jurisdictions. [ [http://www.ed.gov/students/prep/college/diplomamills/accreditation.html Diploma Mills and Accreditation - Accreditation ] ] Jurisdictions that have restricted or made illegal the use of credentials from unaccredited schools include Oregon, [http://www.osac.state.or.us/oda/unaccredited.aspx Unaccredited Colleges] , "Oregon Office of Degree Authorization"] [http://www.billingsgazette.com/newdex.php?display=rednews/2005/01/30/build/wyoming/40-online-learning.inc State mulls online learning] by the Associated Press, "Billings Gazette", January 30, 2005] Michigan, [ [http://www.michigan.gov/documents/Non-accreditedSchools_78090_7.pdf Colleges and Universities not accredited by CHEA] , "Michigan Education and Children's Services"] Maine, [ [http://www.maine.gov/education/highered/Non-Accredited/non-accredited.htm Accredited and Non-Accredited Colleges and Universities] , "Maine’s List of Non-Accredited Post-Secondary Schools"] North Dakota, New Jersey, Washington, [ [http://www.hecb.wa.gov/autheval/daa/ConsumerInformation.asp Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board] , "Washington Consumer Information"] Nevada, [http://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-394.html#NRS394Sec700 Use of False or Misleading Degrees] Nevada statute NRS 394.700] Illinois, Indiana, Texas [ [http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/AAR/PrivateInstitutions/NoTX.cfm Institutions Whose Degrees are Illegal to Use in Texas] , "Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board"] [ [http://www.herald-coaster.com/articles/2007/09/28/news/top_story/topstory.txt Two less doctors in the house - Hebert, Wilson back away from Ph.D.'s issued by ‘diploma mills'] ,by Stephen Palkot, "Fort Bend Herald", September 28, 2007] and Korea. [ [http://www.koreapot.com/bbs.php?inc=view&num=10&ctg=6&page=1&keyfield=&key=&andor= Guide to teaching English in Korea] Koreapot.com] Many other states are also considering restrictions on the use of degrees from unaccredited institutions. [ [http://www.osac.state.or.us/oda/faq.html Is Oregon the only state that disallows use of unaccredited degrees?] "Oregon Office of Degree Authorization"]

Controversy and criticism

A 2005 investigative report on WHEC-TV in Rochester, NY, characterized Belford as "just one of hundreds of diploma mills easily accessible online." [cite news | url=http://www.10nbc.com/index.asp?template=item&story_id=13935| title=I-Team 10 Investigation: Diploma mills | publisher=WHEC-TV | date=2005-02-08 | first= | last= | accessdate = 2007-03-13]

According to David Linkletter of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Belford "is not a legitimate institute of higher education. No legitimate university offers a complete degree on the basis of one's life experience. I particularly like the 'order now' button on their Web site, which is another clue...To the extent that Belford University is in Texas, it is operating in violation of the Texas Education Code." Furthermore, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has indicated that Belford, Rochville University, and the agencies from which they claim accreditation "appear to be operated by the same people."

On 13 March 2006, Arthur Barnes, a former fire chief, was dismissed from his job for his Belford "degree". According to the "New Hampshire Union Leader", "The Web site www.belforduniversity.org offers master's degrees based on 'life experience' for $479. Users are asked to submit their work experience on the Web to qualify for the degree. And if there is no work experience, they can still get a degree by finishing an online multiple-choice test." In fact, "The program even lets users choose their grade-point averages. A 3.0 GPA is free, but they can earn a 4.0 for an extra $75. The program also promises to ship the degrees out within a week." [Kalil, Mike, [http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Salem+selectman+candidate+defends+degree+from+online+diploma+mill&articleId=41df29d6-a7eb-423c-b84d-83f7c9a90a32 Salem candidate defends degree from diploma mill] , "New Hampshire Union Leader", March 13, 2006.]

In 2008, a candidate for sheriff in Mahoning County, Ohio, was removed from the ballot after the Supreme Court of Ohio determined that his associate's degree from Belford could not be used to satisfy the state's requirement that a sheriff have at least two years of post-secondary education. [The Vindicator (Youngstown, Ohio), [http://www.vindy.com/news/2008/jan/11/elections-board-disqualifies-alli8217s-bid/ Elections board disqualifies Alli’s bid] , January 11, 2008, and [http://www.vindy.com/news/2008/feb/15/wellington-says-candidacy-issue-should-have-beennw/ Wellington says candidacy issue should have been settled locally] , February 15, 2008]

ee also

*Diploma mill
*Accreditation mill
*List of unaccredited institutions of higher learning
*List of unrecognized accreditation associations of higher learning

References

reflist

External links

* [http://www.belforduniversity.org Belford University] - official website
* [http://www.belfordhighschool.com/school/InsideBelford.html Belford High School]
* [http://www.chea.org Council for Higher Education Accreditation] - provides public database documenting accreditation of U.S. colleges and universities