Robert J.
02-17-2005, 01:52 AM
Hi Folks,
I just wanted to make some final comments and officially close this series with KWU. Degreeboard.com is working on our next interview and hope to start a new series next quarter.
Back to Kennedy Western University...
In private correspondence KWU was quite pleasant, easy to deal with, prompt, didn't seem dodgy, basically had no restrictions on what we could ask and their only concern was some form of closure to the series and that their responses would be un-edited and allowed in their entirety. I personally hope all of our future participants are as easy to deal with as Kennedy Western University was and I am very glad they took this bold and new step with us and our little community, and most of all, you and the public have some extra information on Kennedy Western that we didn't know before.
We intentionally made and came up with what we think are fair and moderate questions towards Kennedy Western. We have to be somewhat realistic as no one and no school is going to agree to be interrogated and there has to be some give and take and both parties have to see some value in the process and utilization of their time and risk. We've also had some private correspondence with people where from the outside looking in saying we picked the wrong person to interview. However, from the inside looking out we didn't think that mattered and still do not because with the format of the interview that we had I really doubt the answers from the President of KWU, their Chancellor, their Attorney, or David Gering would be any different in content or substance nor could we even technically verify the source of the answers for that matter, so again, not that big of an issue to us.
I found certain responses quite surprising, such as the size of the school and them using an e-learning system with Blackboard and the providing of students with an e-library, I just don't see many schools being called a "mill" doing stuff like this. I also found their answers to Question #2 and #10 frank and revealing as to where they are in the Higher Education world and an awareness of the current obstacles they face.
I also found some of their answers disappointing in the first round, such as their answer to question #5 (What does an unaccredited school offer that an Accredited School cannot?), which they never really did answer and also their answer to question #8 asking for details to how they convert their "life experience" to college level credit also went no where.
Then of course there were the follow-up questions. This was the most disappointing of all, as their answers seemed intentionally vague, almost to the point that they gave up on the interview. Their answer to the follow-up question again asking for details of Life Experience to college credit process even when quoting David Gering himself saying they were "Well documented and consistent" was just not acceptable and I think they erred greatly the most in that response and I don't think they solved the PR answer to that riddle sufficiently yet.
So, did this series change anyone's minds? I doubt it. I doubt it would've changed anyone's minds anyways. Did we learn something about KWU? I'm sure we did, at least I know I did. I think overall for them they were able to get a positive message across in an avenue where there's limited outlets altogether, but they fell short of the goal line.
I just wanted to make some final comments and officially close this series with KWU. Degreeboard.com is working on our next interview and hope to start a new series next quarter.
Back to Kennedy Western University...
In private correspondence KWU was quite pleasant, easy to deal with, prompt, didn't seem dodgy, basically had no restrictions on what we could ask and their only concern was some form of closure to the series and that their responses would be un-edited and allowed in their entirety. I personally hope all of our future participants are as easy to deal with as Kennedy Western University was and I am very glad they took this bold and new step with us and our little community, and most of all, you and the public have some extra information on Kennedy Western that we didn't know before.
We intentionally made and came up with what we think are fair and moderate questions towards Kennedy Western. We have to be somewhat realistic as no one and no school is going to agree to be interrogated and there has to be some give and take and both parties have to see some value in the process and utilization of their time and risk. We've also had some private correspondence with people where from the outside looking in saying we picked the wrong person to interview. However, from the inside looking out we didn't think that mattered and still do not because with the format of the interview that we had I really doubt the answers from the President of KWU, their Chancellor, their Attorney, or David Gering would be any different in content or substance nor could we even technically verify the source of the answers for that matter, so again, not that big of an issue to us.
I found certain responses quite surprising, such as the size of the school and them using an e-learning system with Blackboard and the providing of students with an e-library, I just don't see many schools being called a "mill" doing stuff like this. I also found their answers to Question #2 and #10 frank and revealing as to where they are in the Higher Education world and an awareness of the current obstacles they face.
I also found some of their answers disappointing in the first round, such as their answer to question #5 (What does an unaccredited school offer that an Accredited School cannot?), which they never really did answer and also their answer to question #8 asking for details to how they convert their "life experience" to college level credit also went no where.
Then of course there were the follow-up questions. This was the most disappointing of all, as their answers seemed intentionally vague, almost to the point that they gave up on the interview. Their answer to the follow-up question again asking for details of Life Experience to college credit process even when quoting David Gering himself saying they were "Well documented and consistent" was just not acceptable and I think they erred greatly the most in that response and I don't think they solved the PR answer to that riddle sufficiently yet.
So, did this series change anyone's minds? I doubt it. I doubt it would've changed anyone's minds anyways. Did we learn something about KWU? I'm sure we did, at least I know I did. I think overall for them they were able to get a positive message across in an avenue where there's limited outlets altogether, but they fell short of the goal line.