Victor Berlin

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Victor Berlin
Nationality American
Education Northwestern University (Ph.D.)
Cornell University(B.A.)
Occupation Educator
Known for Founder of the University of Fairfax

Victor N. Berlin is an American educator specializing in information security who has founded and led several post secondary institutions,[1] including Potomac College and the University of Fairfax. His tenure as president of the University of Fairfax ended in 2010.[2]

Education

On his curriculum vitae, Berlin lists a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering and Management Science from Northwestern University and a B.A. from Cornell University.[3]

Career

Early career

Berlin's first educational employment was with the New York City School System in 1969. He then served as faculty at Boston College from 1973-75 before becoming a vice president of General Communications, Inc. (GCI), Rockville, Maryland-based career college offering vocational training.[4] He served in that capacity from 1979 to 1991. In 1994 Maryland authorities found that the school had "serious and egregious deficiencies," including admitting students who lacked high school diplomas or the equivalent, and changing the academic program without regulatory approval. GCI declared bankruptcy in 1995 after an administrative judge assessed fines of $20,000 for misleading advertising and $100,000 for not enforcing academic standards and attendance policies and ordered the school to refund the tuition of about 500 students. Later the U.S. Department of Education investigated the school and found it to be liable for $4 million. In March 2000, Maryland approved payments of $2,625 to repay the loans of 379 students, and the federal government agreed to write off the remainder of the obligations.[4]

Potomac College

In 1991, Berlin left GCI and started Potomac College, also in Rockville.[5][6] The school was operated by the Potomac Education Foundation, which Berlin controlled. The college offered people with two years of college the opportunity to complete bachelor's degrees in management or microcomputer systems management. The Potomac Education Foundation sold the school in 1995 after Maryland state authorities determined that they would allow its continued operation only if Berlin and his wife Janet did not have decision-making authority for it. Two years earlier Maryland regulators had temporarily suspended college operations after finding several violations of state standards at Potomac, including inadequate library, curriculum and faculty resources; poor recordkeeping; and admission of students who lacked the required two years of college education.[4] The college was subsequently sold to private investors and reorganized as a for-profit university headquartered in the District of Columbia.[7]

Anteon International Corporation and Rockwell University

In 1996 Berlin headed the training division at Anteon International Corporation in Fairfax, Virginia, providing courses in computer programming for technical professionals. In 2000 he persuaded Anteon executives to establish Rockwell University to offer master's degrees in e-commerce. Rockwell was approved to enroll students in November 2000, but in June 2001, before any students enrolled it was sold to Pinnacle Software Solutions, a technology training company. Berlin remained with Rockwell until December 2001.[4]

University of Fairfax

In 2002, Berlin founded the University of Fairfax which offers online instruction and issues graduate degrees (Master of Science and Ph.D.) and graduate certificates in Information Systems. In November 2007, Fairfax announced a collaboration with Jones International University's School of Business to offer a dual degree program leading to both a master's or doctoral degree from Fairfax and a Master of Business Administration in Information Security Management from Jones International.[8] Berlin served as president of the university until 2010.[2]

The University of Fairfax is also the doing business as name of the Potomac Education Foundation. As of 2008, Berlin was president of this foundation and his wife was the chief operating officer.[9]

See also

References

  1. ↑ VictorBerlin.net homepage (accessed August 22, 2007), archived at archive.org on September 28, 2007.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "University of Fairfax announces new president". University of Fairfax. 17 September 2010. Retrieved 4 February 2011. 
  3. ↑ Victor N. Berlin, Ph.D.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Ellen McCarthy (December 8, 2003). "To Berlin, College Is Big Business". The Washington Post. pp. E01. Retrieved 2008-09-02. 
  5. ↑ Panel to Consider New College in Md.; Montgomery Trade School May Be Converted, The Washington Post, retrieved from highbeam.com, March 30, 2011
  6. ↑ Potomac College Avoids Shutdown; State Officials Suspend Efforts to Close Troubled School in Rockville, The Washington Post, retrieved from highbeam.com, March 30, 2011
  7. ↑ "Public Disclosure Statement: Potomac College". Middle States Commission on Higher Education. March 3, 2011. Archived from the original on June 10, 2011. 
  8. ↑ Jones International University to Expand Online Information Security MBA Degree in Collaboration With the University of Fairfax, press release, November 21, 2007
  9. ↑ 2008 Form 990, Potomac Educational Foundation, Inc., retrieved 2010-08-05 

External links

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