Rochville University

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Rochville University is an unaccredited online university offering a "Life Experience Degree, and Certificate Program." It has been accused of being a diploma mill. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has indicated that Rochville, Belford University, and the agencies from which they claim accreditation, "appear to be operated by the same people". [1]

Contents

[edit] Accreditation status

Rochville has claimed to be accredited by various organizations but none are recognized higher education accreditors. These have included the International Accreditation Agency for Online Universities (IAAOU), the Universal Council for Online Education Accreditation (UCOEA), the Board of Online Universities Accreditation (BOUA), the Universal Council for Online Education Accreditation (UCOEA) and the World Online Education Accrediting Commission (WOEAC). Because Rochville University is not accredited by any recognized accreditation bodies in the United States, its degrees and credits are unlikely to be acceptable to employers or other institutions and use of the degree would be considered illegal or fraudulent in many states. [2]

[edit] Criticism and controversy

Claims have been made that Rochville University is a diploma mill. [3][4][5]

On December 15, 2005, CNN aired a report on diploma mills and terrorism.[6] As part of its coverage, the network purchased a master's degree in chemistry from Rochville in the name of Abu Salsabil Hassan Omar, presumably an identity of their own creation. Attempts to find a physical presence for Rochville failed. CNN reported that its website was operated from Sarasota, Florida. The diploma received by the network was mailed from the United Arab Emirates.

There is concern that some may have used degrees obtained from Rochville and other online universities for fraudulent purposes. On February 22, 2007 Yorkshire police announced plans to re-investigate 700 court cases after the conviction of Gene Morrison, "a fraudster who conned the courts for three decades by posing as a forensic expert."[7] Morrison was convicted of 22 counts involving his claimed education including four counts of obtaining money by deception, seven counts of attempting to obtain property by deception, eight counts of perverting the course of justice or intending to pervert the course of justice, and three counts of perjury.[7] Court ruled his BSc in Forensic Science, a Masters with excellence in Forensic Investigation and a Doctorate in Criminology from Rochville University in the United States were gained, "not from years of study and learning, but from accessing a website, www.affordabledegrees.com, and paying a fee."[7]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Malisow, Craig, "First Degree Fraud," Houston Press, July 20, 2006. Accessed August 17, 2006.
  2. ^ Institutions whose degrees are illegal to use in Texas
  3. ^ Diploma Mills: Purchase Fake Credentials, by Kim Rahn, The Korea Times, August 22, 2007
  4. ^ Officer has to pay back raise after degree-mill probe, by Aisling Swift, Naples Daily News, May 21, 2006
  5. ^ ‘Diploma mill’ suit settled by boro, cop by John Dunphy, East Brunswick Sentinel Suburban, May 5, 2005
  6. ^ Diploma Mills Represent Security Threat to United States December 15, 2005 CNN, Paula Zahn Now
  7. ^ a b c "700 court cases thrown into doubt by fraudster", Yorkshire Post, 22 February 2007. Retrieved on 2007-03-13. 

[edit] External links