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| Type | Distance education |
|---|---|
| Established | 1997 |
| Affiliations | USDLA |
| Website | www.almedauniversity.org |
Almeda University (also known as Almeda College, Almeda College & University, or Almeda International University) is an unaccredited American institution that offers various academic degrees through distance education, including a "Life Experience Degree".
History
Almeda University was founded in 1997 as a distance learning program and currently has an address in Boise, Idaho. In 2001, the school established an online presence. It currently offers undergraduate degrees as well as masters and doctorate degree programs. In addition to its degree programs, Almeda University also offers a wide selection of non-credit courses intended for professional development. Bears' Guide says that they could not locate the physical address of the institution and were told by reception that Almeda University is a "web only" institution. As of 2005, the Oregon State Office of Degree Authorization reported that Almeda had been closed by legal action in Florida but might still be operating there, had been based in Georgia for a brief time, and also was using an Idaho address.
Programs and courses
Almeda University offers associate, bachelor and master degrees using "Prior Learning Assessment" and also master and doctorate programs in business and theology that require the completion of a thesis or dissertation, according to its website. Almeda University also offers some 1,000 nondegree technical and business courses and certification preparation programs by e-learning.
Accreditation status
Legally, Almeda University is a corporation registered on the Caribbean island of Nevis. Almeda claims accreditation by the Council for Distance Education Accreditation, Interfaith Education Ministries (IEM) and the Association for Online Academic Excellence (AOAEX); none of these are recognized by the United States Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. On its website, Almeda states that its claimed sources of accreditation are not recognized by the US Department of Education, with the result that students cannot receive US federal loans or assistance under the GI Bill and Almeda degrees may not be recognized by academia or employers.
- Connecticut: According to the Connecticut Department of Higher Education, Almeda was ordered to cease operating in Connecticut in October 2001. After an investigation in 2002 indicated that Almeda was continuing to advertise its programs in Connecticut, the Department of Higher Education sent Almeda a second cease and desist letter and referred the issue to the Connecticut Attorney General for possible legal action.
- Florida: In 2003 the Florida Department of Education entered into an agreement with Almeda requiring the institution to cease operating in the state. Although Floridians can still get a degree from the online university, Almeda warns Floridians that its degrees may not be valid for public employment in Florida.
- Texas: Almeda is on the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board list of "Institutions Whose Degrees are Illegal to Use in Texas."
- Other states: Almeda's website also warns Almeda degrees may not be valid for public employment in Illinois, Oregon, New Jersey, North Dakota, Washington and Idaho.
Reception
Almeda's academic standards have been criticized by a variety of education organizations. According to Bear's Guide to Earning Degrees by Distance Learning, Almeda College and University is a web-only university that offers degrees based on an assessment of a candidate's "life experience". Bear notes that Almeda states that it is accredited by the Association for Online Academic Excellence, but that that association is itself unrecognized.
In 2004 the CBS affiliate in Albany, New York, ran a report on Almeda that featured Peter Brancato, who had filled out an application for an associate's degree degree on behalf of his dog, Wally. On the application, Brancato listed "Plays with the kids every day ... teaches them to interact better with each other ... Teaches them responsibilities like feeding the dog." Almeda granted Wally a "life experience" associate's degree in childhood development. Almeda claims Brancato perjured himself by creating a false identity using a fabricated name and date of birth. They write, "He completed an application that included a background of the following: Eight-years tutoring pre-K children, curriculum design and development, teaching coping skills, and volunteer coaching."
In 2006 a Naples, Florida, police officer was required to pay back a salary increase based on a degree from Almeda. Two Naples police officers were also temporarily terminated after investigation showed that they received diplomas from Almeda University. Both officers appealed, stating to investigators that they had talked to department administrators before submitting the degrees to verify that they qualified for the incentive program. On October 28, 2006, both officers were given their jobs back, with back pay, however received 10-day suspensions and were required to take an ethics course before the end of the year. In a similar incident in 2009, eight Washington state troopers who had obtained degrees from Almeda were required to relinquish the educational incentive pay they had received, but they avoided prosecution for fraud because prosecutors could not find evidence of criminal intent. Also in 2009, the Sacramento Bee reported that Sacramento city firefighters who had purchased degrees from diploma mills to get raises were having their raises revoked. Almeda University was listed as one of the institutions that had provided degrees.
In 2011, the website U.S. News University Directory, operated by U.S. News & World Report, published an article about online education that included favorable mention of Almeda's master's degree program in psychology. Inside Higher Ed reported in June 2011 that the item was brought to its attention by the website GetEducated.com and that the U.S. News website removed the posting after being alerted that Almeda "is not recognized as a legitimate degree-granting university by the U.S. Department of Education or any mainstream accrediting agency." The website editors stated their commitment to "focus on accredited colleges and universities" and blamed an "editorial oversight" for the site's use of an Almeda press release as a source.
See also
- Diploma mill
- Educational accreditation
- List of unaccredited institutions of higher learning
- List of unrecognized accreditation associations of higher learning
References
- ^ Unaccredited colleges, Oregon State Office of Degree Authorization, accessed March 20, 2008 and September 16, 2011
- ^ "Institutions Whose Degrees are Illegal to Use in Texas". Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Archived from the original on 10 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-09 and 2011-09-16.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - About, Almeda College website, accessed September 16, 2011
- State of Michigan List of Non-accredited Colleges and Universities, accessed September 17, 2011
- Unaccredited Post-Secondary Educational Institutions, Maine state government
- "Almeda University Agrees: Degree Holders More Likely to Find Work". Indyposted. 2012-06-08. Retrieved 2012-08-03.
- "Almeda University". Netcheck.
- ^ Bears' Guide to Earning Degrees by Distance Learning, John Bear, Maria Bear, (2003-01-01), pp.187 Ten Speed Press, 215. ISBN 1-58008-431-1
- Unaccredited Colleges, Oregon Office of Degree Authorization, archived by archive.org on December 29, 2005
- ^ "Almeda University". Almeda University. Archived from the original on 14 October 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-15.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) Cite error: The named reference "Almeda University" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page). - ^ "Almeda Policies and Procedures". Retrieved 2006-10-04.
- ^ "Almeda University-Certifications and accreditations". Almeda University. 2006. Archived from the original on 13 August 2006. Retrieved 2006-08-18.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "Accreditation Database and Information". Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Archived from the original on 20 August 2006. Retrieved 2006-08-18.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - "Actions against unlicensed colleges and private occupational schools in Connecticut Fall 2001-Spring 2003" (PDF). Connecticut Department of Higher Education. Retrieved 2007-01-17.
- ^ Simmons, Kathryn (2006-07-17). "University not recognized by state of Florida". NBC2. Archived from the original on 2007-10-26. Retrieved 2006-08-18.
- "Degrees for Sale". CBS6. 2004-02-19. Archived from the original on 24 August 2006. Retrieved 2006-08-18.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - "Perjury to prove a point". Almeda University. Archived from the original on 8 November 2006. Retrieved 2006-10-20.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - Kara Kenney (2006-07-17). "Police officers fired over fake degrees". NBC2. Archived from the original on 2007-03-30. Retrieved 2006-10-04.
- Staff (2006-10-12). "City manager hears arguments in ex-officers' firings". Naples Daily News. Retrieved 2009-03-26.
- Ryan Mills (2006-10-28). "Officers fired for online degrees rehired". Naples Daily News.
- Sharon Pian Chan, Troopers with bogus degrees won't be charged, Seattle Times. Republished by Yakima Herald, February 3, 2009
- Scott Gutierrez, No charges in online diploma inquiry, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, February 2, 2009
- Robert Lewis, The Public Eye: 'Diploma mill' degrees for firefighters cost city $50,000, grand jury says, Sacramento Bee, July 9, 2009. Archived by archive.org on October 19, 2009.
- Steve Kolowich, Ranking the Online Colleges, Inside Higher Ed, June 30, 2011
External links
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