Breyer State University

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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.[1] 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".[2] Breyer State University disputes this categorization.[3][4][5]

In March 2008 Breyer State's license to operate in Alabama expired. The Alabama Department of Postsecondary Education denied Breyer State's request for renewal of its license in June 2008 and then reported that the school had moved to Idaho.[6]

Contents

[edit] Operations

Breyer State claims more than 120 contracted faculty. [7] It has been reported that "many of the faculty’s degrees did not come from accredited institutions."[6] It offers bachelor, masters, doctoral, and associate degree programs in diverse fields, including business, psychology and various counseling specialties, education, law, and health care fields. [8]

Breyer was described in 2003 as a "conjoined twin" of James Monroe University. [9][10] Breyer State's president, Dominick L. Flarey, [11] is also identified as president of James Monroe University.[12]

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 website 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." [6]

[edit] Accreditation status

Breyer State is not accredited by any accreditation institution recognized by the United States Department of Education,[13][14] nor is it a state institution.[15] It is on the list of "Institutions Whose Degrees are Illegal to Use in Texas".[16] It is also on the lists of unaccredited institutions maintained by Oregon,[15] Maine,[17] and Michigan.[18]

On its website, Breyer states instead that it is accredited by Central States Consortium of Colleges & Schools (CSCCS),1 a subsidiary organization of the American Institute of Health Care Professionals (AIHCP).[19] CSCCS lists Breyer president Dominick L. Flarey as Executive Director.[20] Formerly Breyer was licensed by the Department of Postsecondary Education of the State of Alabama.[21] 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).[22] The license expired on March 30, 2008,[21] and was not renewed by the Alabama Department of Postsecondary Education.[22][23]

[edit] 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."[24][25] The superintendent had to be ordered to stop using the title "Doctor". The Education Commissioner then sent letters to the districts reminding educators that use of unaccredited degrees was illegal.[26]

[edit] See also

[edit] Footnotes

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

[edit] References

  1. ^ Breyer State University official web page
  2. ^ Clay Risen, "Degree Burns", The New Republic, January 23, 2006, p. 13.
  3. ^ Accreditation from Breyer State website
  4. ^ Adam Jones (2007-02-11). "State’s diploma mills draw academic ire". Tuscaloosa News. http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20070211/NEWS/702110399/1007/dateline&cachetime=3&template=dateline. Retrieved on 2008-02-08. 
  5. ^ Diploma: Expert wants oversight change. The Montgomery Advertiser, February 12, 2007, B-4.
  6. ^ a b c 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
  7. ^ Breyer State University Faculty, Breyer State website faculty page (accessed September 16, 2007)
  8. ^ Online Degrees, Breyer State website (accessed September 16, 2007)
  9. ^ "Degree mills take root in Spokane:Internet companies sell fake diplomas -- and it's all legal". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. 2003-12-02. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002761714_webmillcharges25.html?syndication=rss. Retrieved on 2008-02-08. 
  10. ^ Bill Morlin (2003-11-30). "Spokane a 'hot spot' for dubious degrees:Experts say schools offer diplomas of questionable worth for a few hundred dollars and little effort". Spokesman Review. http://www.spokesmanreview.com/news-story.asp?date=113003&ID=s1448614. Retrieved on 2008-02-08. 
  11. ^ "Dominick L. Flarey, Ph.D., DCH, MBA,RN,CS,CNAA,FACHE (official Resume from Breyer State website)". http://www.breyerstate.com/resume-dominick-flarey.htm. Retrieved on 2008-02-08. 
  12. ^ "Dominick L. Flarey, PhD, DCH, MBA,RN,CS,CNAA,FACHE (official resume from James Monroe website)". http://web.archive.org/web/20040818071115/http://www.osac.state.or.us/oda/oregon_north_dakota/james_monroe/resume-dominick-flarey.htm. Retrieved on 2008-02-08. 
  13. ^ Breyer State website
  14. ^ The 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 State of Michigan lists Breyer as unaccredited.
  15. ^ a b Unaccredited colleges, Oregon Office of Degree Authorization (accessed February 7, 2008).
  16. ^ Institutions Whose Degrees are Illegal to Use in Texas (accessed February 9, 2008).
  17. ^ Unaccredited Post-Secondary Educational Institutions (accessed February 9, 2008).
  18. ^ 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).
  19. ^ American Institute of Health Care Professionals
  20. ^ American Institute of Health Care Professionals Board
  21. ^ a b Private school license, State of Alabama, Breyer State University website, accessed June 22, 2008.
  22. ^ a b Alabama College System, state government website listing private schools
  23. ^ "A Haven No Longer". Inside Higher Education. 2008-06-24. http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2008/06/24/alabama. 
  24. ^ Joshua Riley, Schools chief's doctorate reviewed, Asbury Park Press, July 17, 2008
  25. ^ Wasser, et al., BSU alumni, Asbury Park Press, July 20, 2008
  26. ^ Disputed degrees spur state changes, The New Jersey Star-Ledger, September 4, 2008

[edit] External links

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