James Kirk diploma mills

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For other educational institutions using the name "LaSalle University", see La Salle University (disambiguation). For other educational institutions named "Edison", see Edison (disambiguation).

Thomas James Kirk II[1][2] (also known as Thomas McPherson[citation needed]) was the operator of several fraudulent higher education organizations (diploma mills), including the University of San Gabriel Valley, Southland University,[3] Bienville University,[4] and LaSalle University (Louisiana). He was indicted for fraud in 1996 and, after a plea agreement, was sentenced to five years in U.S. federal prison.

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[edit] History

The University of San Gabriel Valley was a correspondence law school based in California. Southland University was later also established in California, but moved in about 1986 to Missouri where it was renamed LaSalle University. Kirk later moved it to Mandeville, Louisiana. According to John Bear, in Louisiana Kirk set up "World Christian Church", placed the university in the ownership of the "church" to claim religious exemption from state education laws, and claimed to have taken a vow of poverty.[5] The school was shut down after a July 1996 raid by the FBI, U.S. postal inspectors, and the Internal Revenue Service. Kirk was charged with 18 criminal counts, including mail fraud, tax violations, and other crimes.[6] At the time of his arrest, the operation was discovered to have more than $35 million in bank deposits, current cash deposits of $10 million, and other assets.[5] Ultimately Kirk entered a plea agreement in which he was sentenced to five years in federal prison and was ordered not to operate any more schools.[6]

Kirk served five years in federal prison for charges relating to these diploma mills.[5] After he went to prison his wife, Natalie Handy, opened Edison University, an unaccredited distance education institution operated from a rented mail box at a Mail Boxes Etc. in Honolulu.[5] Edison later used the name Acton University.[6]

[edit] LaSalle University after Kirk's imprisonment

According to John Bear, in 1997 LaSalle University was sold to new owners who operated it as a legitimate operation until January 1999 (however, during this period some students were still doing substandard work for the old LaSalle programs). It continued to operate under the LaSalle name from January 1999 until October 2000, during which time all academic work was intended to meet accepted academic standards. Beginning in October 2000 and continuing until its final closure in the summer of 2002 it used the name Orion College.[6]Pat Brister, a leader of the national and Louisiana Republican Party, served as chief executive officer and chairman of the trustees of Orion College during its brief existence.[7]

[edit] Notable incidents involving James Kirk diploma mill credentials

In 2002, a Massachusetts school superintendent was criticized over a "phony doctorate" from LaSalle University in Louisiana, but was able to retain his job, which did not require a doctorate.[8].

In 2006 a Texas police officer was charged with several violations related to use of false credentials, including claiming a college degree in criminal justice management based on credentials from the unaccredited LaSalle University in Mandeville, Louisiana.[9] That same year, a Texas school superintendent was reported to have received a Ph.D. from LaSalle University in Louisiana. The superintendent told reporters he "had no idea" that the university was fraudulent.[10] A Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board official described LaSalle as a "fraudulent or sub-standard institution" and noted that Texas law made it a misdemeanor to use "a fraudulent or sub-standard degree to promote a business to seek employment or ask extra compensation."[10]

In 2006 TV hypnotist Paul McKenna won a libel action in the United Kingdom and was awarded "relatively modest" damages against the Daily Mirror over a statement by the newspaper that Paul McKenna was dishonest when using his LaSalle degree. The court stated, "Mr McKenna was not, in my judgment, dishonest and, for that matter, whatever one may think of the academic quality of his work, or of the La Salle degree, it would not be accurate to describe it as 'bogus'." "Desmond Browne, QC, for McKenna, said that 'any perceived lack of academic rigour at La Salle' did not prove that his client was dishonest."[11]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Associated Press (September 25, 1996). Minister indicted on fraud charges involving church-run university. Dallas Morning News
  2. ^ Staff report (September 25, 1996). Ex-Senate candidate indicted in fraud case. The Advocate
  3. ^ Legislator escapes probe, by Teddy Ng, The Standard
  4. ^ Louisiana Board of Regents Shuts Down 4 Distance-Learning Institutions, By Andrea L. Foster, The Chronicle of Higher Education
  5. ^ a b c d John Bear, Degree Mills: The $200 Million a year Competitor You Didn't Know You Had. Revised April 7, 2004.
  6. ^ a b c d Bears' Guide to Earning Degrees by Distance Learning by John B. Bear & Mariah P. Bear, Pages 273-274, 15th edition, 2003
  7. ^ ""Orion College Opens", January 25, 2001". allbusiness.com. http://www.allbusiness.com/education-training/education-systems-institutions/6043872-1.html. Retrieved November 8, 2009. 
  8. ^ Deborah Allard-Bernardi, Furtado gets raise and vote of confidence, The Herald News, May 9, 2002
  9. ^ Some small town officers may be 'gypsy cops' by Byron Harris, WFAA-TV (Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas), 03:34 PM CST on Thursday, January 18, 2007
  10. ^ a b Questionable credentials surround Hutto ISD superintendent by Gina Swanson, News 8 Austin, 10/14/2006 2:16 PM
  11. ^ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1525101/Hypnotist-McKenna-wins-bogus-degree-libel-case.html
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