Breyer State University
Encyclopedia
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
. 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". Breyer State University disputes this categorization.
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. As of September 2010, its website lists an address in Los Angeles, California
.
, masters
, doctoral, and associate degree
programs in diverse fields, including business, psychology and various counseling specialties, education, law, and health care fields.
Breyer was described in 2003 as a "conjoined twin" of James Monroe University. Breyer State's president, Dominick L. Flarey, is also identified as president of James Monroe University.
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."
According to its website, as of August 2010 Breyer State University had applied to the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education
for approval to operate in California
. The website also states that some degree programs have been redesigned to meet California standards, and the time frame for each course is now 15 weeks.
by any accreditation institution recognized by the United States Department of Education
, nor is it a state institution
. It is on the list of "Institutions Whose Degrees are Illegal to Use in Texas". It is also on the lists of unaccredited institutions maintained by Oregon
, Maine
, and Michigan
.
The institution states that it is accredited by the Educational Accreditation Association (EAA), but the EAA does not claim to have appropriate recognition or authorization to grant an accreditation.
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." 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. It was reported in September 2009 that H. James Wasser would resign at the end of the school year. The episode led the New Jersey state legislature to enact a law preventing state tuition assistance from being used at non-accredited institutions.
, a recognized regional accreditor
)
Educational accreditation
Educational accreditation is a type of quality assurance process under which services and operations of educational institutions or programs are evaluated by an external body to determine if applicable standards are met...
distance education
Distance education
Distance education or distance learning is a field of education that focuses on teaching methods and technology with the aim of delivering teaching, often on an individual basis, to students who are not physically present in a traditional educational setting such as a classroom...
, for profit, private university
Private university
Private universities are universities not operated by governments, although many receive public subsidies, especially in the form of tax breaks and public student loans and grants. Depending on their location, private universities may be subject to government regulation. Private universities are...
that used to have an office in Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
. It has been described by The New Republic
The New Republic
The magazine has also published two articles concerning income inequality, largely criticizing conservative economists for their attempts to deny the existence or negative effect increasing income inequality is having on the United States...
magazine as a diploma mill
Diploma mill
A diploma mill is an organization that awards academic degrees and diplomas with substandard or no academic study and without recognition by official educational accrediting bodies. The purchaser can then claim to hold an academic degree, and the organization is motivated by making a profit...
that "claimed official-sounding accreditation to attract hundreds of people to obtain degrees". Breyer State University disputes this categorization.
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. As of September 2010, its website lists an address in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
.
Operations
Breyer State claims more than 120 contracted faculty. It has been reported that "many of the faculty’s degrees did not come from accredited institutions." It offers bachelorBachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
, masters
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
, doctoral, and associate degree
Associate's degree
An associate degree is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by community colleges, junior colleges, technical colleges, and bachelor's degree-granting colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study usually lasting two years...
programs in diverse fields, including business, psychology and various counseling specialties, education, law, and health care fields.
Breyer was described in 2003 as a "conjoined twin" of James Monroe University. Breyer State's president, Dominick L. Flarey, is also identified as president of James Monroe University.
Breyer State originally incorporated
Incorporation (business)
Incorporation is the forming of a new corporation . The corporation may be a business, a non-profit organisation, sports club, or a government of a new city or town...
in Kamiah, Idaho
Kamiah, Idaho
Kamiah is a city in Idaho and Lewis counties in the U.S. state of Idaho. The largest city in Lewis County, it extends only a small distance into Idaho County. The population was 1,160 at the 2000 census...
in 2001, but later incorporated in Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
in 2004, as Breyer State University-Alabama. As of August 2008, Breyer State's website displays an address in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern 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
Columbus University
Columbus University is an unaccredited distance education institution that has been based at different times in Louisiana and Picayune, Mississippi....
and Breyer State University – were operating apparent diploma mills and taking shameful advantage of hundreds of unsuspecting students."
According to its website, as of August 2010 Breyer State University had applied to the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education
California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education
The California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education is a unit of the California Department of Consumer Affairs charged with regulation of private postsecondary educational institutions operating in the state of California...
for approval to operate in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. The website also states that some degree programs have been redesigned to meet California standards, and the time frame for each course is now 15 weeks.
Accreditation status
Breyer State is not accreditedEducational accreditation
Educational accreditation is a type of quality assurance process under which services and operations of educational institutions or programs are evaluated by an external body to determine if applicable standards are met...
by any accreditation institution recognized by the United States Department of Education
United States Department of Education
The United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...
, nor is it a state institution
Public university
A public university is a university that is predominantly funded by public means through a national or subnational government, as opposed to private universities. A national university may or may not be considered a public university, depending on regions...
. It is on the list of "Institutions Whose Degrees are Illegal to Use in Texas". It is also on the lists of unaccredited institutions maintained by Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, and Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
.
The institution states that it is accredited by the Educational Accreditation Association (EAA), but the EAA does not claim to have appropriate recognition or authorization to grant an accreditation.
Controversy
In July 2008, the Asbury Park PressAsbury Park Press
The Asbury Park Press is a daily newspaper in Monmouth and Ocean counties of New Jersey and has the third largest circulation in the state...
reported that the superintendent
Superintendent (education)
In education in the United States, a superintendent is an individual who has executive oversight and administration rights, usually within an educational entity or organization....
and two other administrators of the Freehold Regional High School District
Freehold Regional High School District
The Freehold Regional High School District is a public regional school district serving students in grades 9-12 from eight communities in western Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. The district, consisting of six high schools, is the largest regional high school district in the state of...
in central New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
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." 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. It was reported in September 2009 that H. James Wasser would resign at the end of the school year. The episode led the New Jersey state legislature to enact a law preventing state tuition assistance from being used at non-accredited institutions.
See also
- List of unaccredited institutions of higher learning
- List of unrecognized accreditation associations of higher learning
- Educational accreditationEducational accreditationEducational accreditation is a type of quality assurance process under which services and operations of educational institutions or programs are evaluated by an external body to determine if applicable standards are met...
Footnotes
(not to be confused with the North Central Association of Colleges and SchoolsNorth Central Association of Colleges and Schools
The North Central Association of Colleges and Schools , also known as the North Central Association, is a membership organization, consisting of colleges, universities, and schools in 19 U.S. states, that is engaged in educational accreditation...
, a recognized regional accreditor
Regional accreditation
Regional accreditation is a term used in the United States to refer to educational accreditation conducted by any of several accreditation bodies established to serve six defined geographic areas of the country for accreditation of schools, colleges, and universities...
)