Hamilton University

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Hamilton University was an unaccredited institution based in Evanston, Wyoming. According to the Oregon Office of Degree Authorization, it was first established in Hawaii as American State University. [1] It has since been closed by court order in Wyoming and has relocated to the Bahamas under the name Richardson University. [1]

Contents

History

Since it had no real students and no faculty and was housed in buildings which had once been a Motel 6, Hamilton was widely thought to be a diploma mill. [2] The school issued degrees based on "life experiences." Candidates for a degree were required to answer a few questions and write a small project of 2,000 words (about seven typed pages). The school issued Bachelor's, Master's, and even PhDs. The presence of a small church built in the parking lot had served to make the activity tax free due to federal and state laws, even though the church building had no pews; people in Evanston had never seen services there. [2]

CBS News reported in 2004 that Hamilton was operated by Rudy Marn of Key West, Florida. [2] Marn, an art collector and philanthropist, has a history of running diploma mills. [3] In 2008, Marn pleaded guilty to tax fraud and was sentenced in October 2008 by Casper federal court to two years in prison and ordered to pay $620,000 in restitution to the IRS. [4] Marn, Bureau of Prisons # 10728-091, served time in Federal Correctional Institution, Beaumont Low in the Federal Correctional Complex, Beaumont, and was released in September 2010. [5]

The website used the .edu domain, because before October 29, 2001, unaccredited institutions were allowed to use such domains. [6]

Academics and accreditation

Hamilton claimed to be accredited by the American Council of Private Colleges and Universities (ACPCU). [7] The ACPCU, which was "set up by Hamilton, for Hamilton" [2] has no authorization from the United States Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Former FBI consultant John Bear called it a "fake accrediting agency set up by the Wyoming-based diploma mill, Hamilton University." [8]

Criticism and controversy

An investigation by the TV news program 60 Minutes revealed that some people in positions of power actually held phony degrees issued by Hamilton University, such as Cessna Aircraft Co. CEO Jack J. Pelton. [2] A statement by the company did not deny the allegations, asserting that Mr. Pelton was chosen for his field experience more than for his academic achievement.[ citation needed ]

The most notable "graduate" of Hamilton University was former U.S. government official Laura Callahan, a key figure in the "Project X" email scandal involving the disappearance of thousands of White House emails which had been subpoenaed by Congress. [9] [10] Callahan's diplomas from HU had enabled her to get a high position in the United States Department of Homeland Security. A probe of her claims evolved into an investigation by the Government Accountability Office of Federal employees who had paid diploma mills with taxpayer funds.

When the CBS 60 Minutes video crew visited the campus, there was no evidence of any students or faculty, but three office workers present. [2]

People with Hamilton degrees

Connected institutions

See also

Related Research Articles

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A diploma mill is a company or organization that claims to be a higher education institution but provides illegitimate academic degrees and diplomas for a fee. The degrees can be fabricated (made-up), falsified (fake), or misrepresented. These degrees may claim to give credit for relevant life experience, but should not be confused with legitimate prior learning assessment programs. They may also claim to evaluate work history or require submission of a thesis or dissertation for evaluation to give an appearance of authenticity. Diploma mills are frequently supported by accreditation mills, set up for the purpose of providing an appearance of authenticity. The term may also be used pejoratively to describe an accredited institution with low academic admission standards and a low job placement rate. An individual may or may not be aware that the degree they have obtained is not wholly legitimate. In either case, legal issues can arise if the qualification is used in résumés.

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Rochville University

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American Central University (ACU) was an unaccredited distance learning private, for-profit university licensed by the state of Wyoming in 2004. The Oregon Office of Degree Authorization stated that the institution may be run from Malaysia.

Madison University is a non-accredited distance learning college located in Gulfport, Mississippi. The state of Mississippi considers Madison an "unapproved" college. Madison is also listed as an unaccredited and/or substandard institution by four other U.S. states. According to The Chronicle of Higher Education, Madison University has been referred to as a diploma mill by the state of Oregon.

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Jack J. Pelton

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Bienville University was an unaccredited institution that was based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It was run by Thomas J. Kirk. Bienville University was referred to as a diploma mill or degree mill in a 2003 article by KVBC News 3. It was never recognised or approved by any accreditation agency and was not approved by the US Department of Education nor the Council for Higher Education Accreditation and has been closed by the State of Louisiana. It then moved to Woodville, Mississippi. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has put Bienville University on the list of Institutions Whose Degrees are Illegal to Use in Texas. Without recognized accreditation, Bienville'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. Jurisdictions that have restricted or made illegal the use of credentials from unaccredited schools include Oregon, Michigan, Maine, North Dakota, New Jersey, Washington, Nevada, Illinois, Indiana, and Texas. Many other states are also considering restrictions on the use of degrees from unaccredited institutions.

Diploma mills in the United States

A diploma mill is an organization that awards academic degrees and diplomas with substandard or no academic study and without academic approval by officially recognized educational accrediting bodies or qualified government agencies. 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 organizations claim accreditation by non-recognized/unapproved accrediting bodies set up for the purposes of providing a veneer of authenticity.

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References

  1. 1 2 Unaccredited Colleges Archived 2011-05-25 at the Wayback Machine , Oregon Office of Degree Authorization (accessed October 14, 2007).
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Diplomas for Sale, CBS News, 60 Minutes (2004-11-10)
  3. ↑ Kleinberg, Eliot (2007-12-07). "DEGREES BRING PERKS, BUT COLLEGE RAISES DOUBT". Palm Beach Post . Retrieved 2009-01-17.
  4. ↑ Wyoming Man Sentenced to 24 Month Prison Term for Tax Fraud Archived 2011-09-03 at the Wayback Machine , IRS, 2008
  5. ↑ "Locate a Federal Inmate: Rudy G Marn". Federal Bureau of Prisons. 2009. Retrieved 2009-01-17.
  6. ↑ .edu FAQ: Eligibility for the .edu Domain Archived 2012-06-09 at the Wayback Machine , EDUCAUSE website, accessed August 3, 2008
  7. ↑ "Welcome to Hamilton University". Archived from the original on 1998-12-05.
  8. ↑ States Struggle to Regulate Online Colleges That Lack Accreditation Archived 2007-04-27 at the Wayback Machine , The Chronicle of Higher Education , March 23, 2001
  9. ↑ Paulso, Amy (2000-03-23). "White House officials acknowledge e-mail glitch secrecy, say no threats were made". CNN. Archived from the original on 2009-01-23. Retrieved 2009-01-17.
  10. ↑ Diploma Mills Are Easily Created and Some Have Issued Bogus Degrees to Federal Employees at Government Expense , Statement of Robert J. Cramer, Managing Director, Office of Special Investigations, United States Government Accountability Office, Before the Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness, Committee on Education and the Workforce, U.S. House of Representatives (2004-09-23
  11. ↑ Ben, Wild Hanlons; Treasure Hunters Archived 2006-07-05 at the Wayback Machine , NBC website (accessed February 11, 2008)
  12. ↑ "EAA Senior Leadership Team". EAA.
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