Trident university TUI increasing tuition rates

[GearMonkey]

I submitted 5 files that were just .jpeg files renamed to "Czecksikhs essay 1-5.doc" for my capstone class. I was just hoping for an extension by making the professor think the files were corrupted, but got all A's. The professor even commented on my "insightful discussion of the topic."

I think I just threw up a little in my mouth. I'm not sure what is worse, the fact that the instructor isn't even pretending to do his/her job or that you had to cheat to pass a TUI class. The Air Force really should put a blank space for institution next to the yes/no AAD box on the promotion forms.

Edited June 16, 2012 by GearMonkey

[Guest]

You can draw your own conclusions as to what implications that might have for the quality of the education and how the degrees being granted are regarded.

I think the conclusions were drawn long before all this.

[Beaver]

I submitted 5 files that were just .jpeg files renamed to "Czecksikhs essay 1-5.doc" for my capstone class. I was just hoping for an extension by making the professor think the files were corrupted, but got all A's. The professor even commented on my "insightful discussion of the topic."

This makes me want to quit ERAU and switch to TUIIUIUIUI. Not that ERAU has been a real brain buster...

[di1630]

"The Air Force really should put a blank space for institution next to the yes/no AAD box on the promotion forms."

Why? Because a BS degree from TUI is any more useful in judging who should be promoted as the guy who gets a legit one. fist yourself

Edited June 17, 2012 by di1630

[Scholar]

I submitted 5 files that were just .jpeg files renamed to "Czecksikhs essay 1-5.doc" for my capstone class. I was just hoping for an extension by making the professor think the files were corrupted, but got all A's. The professor even commented on my "insightful discussion of the topic."

Was this for an Undergraduate or a Masters degree program? Could you say whether this was recently or was it some time ago?

[Guest]

Calm down inspector.

[Chida]

Was this for an Undergraduate or a Masters degree program? Could you say whether this was recently or was it some time ago?

Calm down inspector.

Yeah, no sh:t. As if you're going to rescue the reputation of this fine institution.

[czecksikhs]

Was this for an Undergraduate or a Masters degree program? Could you say whether this was recently or was it some time ago?

I don't know anything about that, I just want some food and water for my friends.

[GearMonkey]

Why? Because a BS degree from TUI is any more useful in judging who should be promoted as the guy who gets a legit one. fist yourself

As the sole deciding factor no, as part of a more rounded and representative dataset hell yes!

Under the current system we all look the same. Everyone has an AAD (or an “AAD”), SOS, and 6.9 deployments under their belt. I think the promotion board would benefit from knowing whether we earned our degrees as full or part-time students as well as if they were awarded by a reputable institution or a diploma mill. If this was enacted along with a deployment metric of some sort it could help even the score for folks who are on the road all the time. For example, a distance learning degree from a reputable institution for an AFSOC guy with a 1:1 dwell suddenly looks a bit more impressive than an in-residence AFIT degree for an Acquisitions bubba who has served a single 179 as a Wing Exec. This could also help highlight the fact that 69%, or more, of our AADs are a total joke which offer no benefit and were a complete waste our time and the Air Force’s money. Everyone knows this already and admitting it might be the first step towards walking back this retarded requirement.

[Guest]

But it's an online master's degree, because like the rest of you I have a family, work, and other things that I want/need to do with my time than get a masters in geo-political studies at Harvard.

Amen.

An MBA from Harvard didn't help me when I was in the USAF any more than your TUI degree is helping you. That means, for the purposes of filling an AAD square they are exactly equal.

And that is exactly as it should be.

...at least until they finally scrap this stupid fucking AAD requirement and start making people compete basis how good they are at their jobs and how valuable they are to the USAF basis their true leadership skills and intellectual abilities.

[Scholar]

Yeah, no sh:t. As if you're going to rescue the reputation of this fine institution.

The issue of when and on what program the failures in the assessment system occurred relate to the extent that the administrators at Trident University International have addressed what is a serious and fundamental problem which potentially undermines the quality of the education they provide and the validity of the degrees they have granted. Note that shortly after this thread appeared two people posted to state that the assessment / grading process was defective and that suggests that this could easily be a widespread problem - at least occurring frequently enough to pose a serious threat to the university's reputation and if it became public, to undermine the validity of the degrees it has granted.

To argue that promotions boards don't care about issues such as this is clearly wrong as it was a naval promotions board which unearthed the fact that a graduate from TUI had not completed all the courses he should have completed in order to be granted his degree and which then led to the scandal which hit TUI in 2011.

If students on TUI's flagship MBA program are getting passing grades for nonsense or repeat papers that don't deserve them there is clearly something seriously wrong with the assessment system at TUI. The administrators have know about this for some time, but if those instances occurred a while back they could claim that all is now well. If they occurred recently (in the past eighteen months say) clearly they can't and they and the accreditors who inspected Trident University International recently should be held to account for such failures.

[Beaver]

it was a naval promotions board which unearthed the fact that a graduate from TUI had not completed all the courses he should have completed in order to be granted his degree and which then led to the scandal which hit TUI in 2011.

First tailhook, now this. Thanks, Navy.

[BigE]

Amen.

An MBA from Harvard didn't help me when I was in the USAF any more than your TUI degree is helping you. That means, for the purposes of filling an AAD square they are exactly equal.

And that is exactly as it should be.

...at least until they finally scrap this stupid ######ing AAD requirement and start making people compete basis how good they are at their jobs and how valuable they are to the USAF basis their true leadership skills and intellectual abilities.

Come on now Rainmain - Don't lie - we all know that by Harvard you really mean night school at UMASS Lowell...

[Bronco130]

Well here's to hoping TUI doesn't go to shit since I'm a few classes in and in it for the long run sounds like we'll know more in a few months

"We thank WASC for their counsel and look forward to the WASC special visit in Fall 2012 which will ensure that the new administrative policies, procedures, and processes implemented by TUI are enduring and that student information systems enhancements are progressing. It is our goal to demonstrate this to WASC at the Fall 2012 special visit."

https://www.trident.edu/message-from-the-president#mar142012

[Scholar]

Here is the full text of the message from TUI's President Sansing of March 14th - emphasis added by this author:

"Trident University Accreditation Update

I am pleased to inform you that the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) has removed the Trident University Show Cause order.

They have placed the University on probation

. This action enables us to: a) affirm that the changes we have instituted now become permanently ingrained in the way we manage our operations, and b) complete the implementation of remediation plans for students impacted by the general education credits issue. The Commission commends TUI for responding swiftly and resolutely to the Show Cause sanction

and for assuming full responsibility for recognizing the shortcomings of past conduct.

We thank WASC for their counsel and look forward to the WASC special visit in Fall 2012 which will ensure that the new administrative policies, procedures, and processes implemented by TUI are enduring and that student information systems enhancements are progressing. It is our goal to demonstrate this to WASC at the Fall 2012 special visit. TUI is privileged to continue our seven-year relationship with WASC, and

we are honored to be accredited by an organization renowned for its rigorous standards and review processes

.

Trident University currently remains the only 100% on-line University accredited by WASC.

As the Commission rightfully pointed out,

some of our processes were not in compliance and needed to be changed

.

Our faculty and our commitment to educational excellence never faltered during these past months, and we believe that Trident emerges from Show Cause stronger and better equipped to serve our diverse student body with academic excellence and integrity.

As always, our priority is serving students and alumni.

On behalf of the University, I want to extend our thanks to our students, our alumni, and our faculty for their support and fortitude.

Dr. Lucille Sansing

President and CEO, Trident University International"

I'd ask that you consider:

1. What does being on probation mean?

2. Have they really "assumed full responsibility for shortcomings of past conduct" when students openly state that they passed courses and got degrees for papers that are meaningless?

3. Do you really think that if that is happening at TUI, WASC really does have "rigorous standards and review processes"?

4. Do you really think Trident is "better equipped to serve its diverse student body with academic excellence and integrity" after firing a lot of their faculty?

5. Do you think these thanks, expressed in March, carry any meaning other than indicating a callous hypocrisy towards faculty and staff who were fired shortly thereafter?

6. If President Sansing was able to communicate so eloquently in March, why is she so silent in May and June?

[Guest]

Come on now Rainmain - Don't lie - we all know that by Harvard you really mean night school at UMASS Lowell...

I did go to UMASS Lowell. Once. I was picking up my daughter from a lacrosse camp.

[Hacker]

The Air Force really should put a blank space for institution next to the yes/no AAD box on the promotion forms.

It's moronic that academic degrees have anything to do with the promotion process anyway, so feeling that there needs to be some sort of dick-measuring relative merit between any of the places GIs go to get their square-fillers is even more retarded.

[guineapigfury]

Isn't the easy solution to change the name of Undergraduate Pilot Training to Graduate Pilot Training and issue every new pilot a master's degree in Aviation to go with their shiny new wings? No more pilots wasting time and taxpayer dollars on nonsense degrees. Combat effectiveness and pilot promotion rates increased and millions of dollars saved. Boom, problem solved. Somebody call the IDEA program and have them write me a fucking check. I will also accept payment in bourbon, pixie stix, and pictures of tits.

[BADFNZ]

If all this isn't a reason to get a masters from a "real" school, then I don't know what is. After reading this thread, I don't see how anyone could send another $0.01 to this place.

I'm getting my masters from a school that actually has a campus, a football team (with a recent National Championship), and anything else a normal college should have. All because I'm getting a legit masters doesn't mean I spend every waking moment doing school work. Most of my classes are comprised of readings and two tests, with an occasional essay. I actually work a lot less than all my bros that are going through TUI. I can't count how many times those dudes have commented that they have 6-9 essays to do on any given weekend. No thanks.

Don't be afraid to branch out and get a degree from a school you won't be embarrassed of.

[magnetfreezer]

Isn't the easy solution to change the name of Undergraduate Pilot Training to Graduate Pilot Training and issue every new pilot a master's degree in Aviation to go with their shiny new wings? No more pilots wasting time and taxpayer dollars on nonsense degrees. Combat effectiveness and pilot promotion rates increased and millions of dollars saved. Boom, problem solved. Somebody call the IDEA program and have them write me a fucking check. I will also accept payment in bourbon, pixie stix, and pictures of tits.

But that wouldn't be fair if we don't give out master's degrees with the 9-week Biloxi training to become a personnel officer...

[17D_guy]

Isn't the easy solution to change the name of Undergraduate Pilot Training to Graduate Pilot Training and issue every new pilot a master's degree in Aviation to go with their shiny new wings? No more pilots wasting time and taxpayer dollars on nonsense degrees. Combat effectiveness and pilot promotion rates increased and millions of dollars saved. Boom, problem solved. Somebody call the IDEA program and have them write me a ######ing check. I will also accept payment in bourbon, pixie stix, and pictures of tits.

Sweet.. then we can change the name of Undergraduate Cyber Warfare too!

[Hacker]

If all this isn't a reason to get a masters from a "real" school, then I don't know what is.

Again, it all depends on your whole rationale for getting your Masters. For the vast majority of AF officers, their decision to get a Masters Degree is almost exclusively linked to their desire to progress in the ranks, and there is simply the added benefit of building their resume for their post-blue civilian carrer.

In this light, it makes absolutely no difference. All of the things you have mentioned are peripheral issues that mean absolutely zero.

As has been mentioned in the other thread on advanced degrees, most civilian firms that are going to hire you after the military are going to do so based on your military experience, unless you have a specific advanced degree from a specific range of schools.

In that case, it still makes absolutely no difference based on the pool of schools we're talking about.

[Guest]

We don't rack and stack anyone based on their undergraduate degree or college pedigree. In fact, we value GPA above all else which incents those seeking pilot slots to follow the easiest path.

NFW we should apply some bullshit measurement to graduate degrees.

[BADFNZ]

Again, it all depends on your whole rationale for getting your Masters. For the vast majority of AF officers, their decision to get a Masters Degree is almost exclusively linked to their desire to progress in the ranks, and there is simply the added benefit of building their resume for their post-blue civilian carrer.

In this light, it makes absolutely no difference. All of the things you have mentioned are peripheral issues that mean absolutely zero.

As has been mentioned in the other thread on advanced degrees, most civilian firms that are going to hire you after the military are going to do so based on your military experience, unless you have a specific advanced degree from a specific range of schools.

In that case, it still makes absolutely no difference based on the pool of schools we're talking about.

Valid reasoning, but when you take into account the fact that both degrees will cost you the same and have more or less the same workload, would you rather have that TUI degree on your resume or one from a "legit" school? The only reason anyone in their right mind would choose a school like TUI would be due to cost and workload, but it turns out those two advantages are becoming more neutral now.

All I'm saying is that we don't need to sell ourselves short when deciding on an advanced degree. It doesn't matter if we're just trying to check the container or not. Don't be afraid to explore all of your options. Just like a lot of us thought we'd have trouble in college, UPT, etc, you'll soon realize it's never as bad as you thought it would be.

And for the record, I think Masters should be completely masked on PRFs.

Edited June 18, 2012 by BADFNZ

[AZwildcat]

I have never, ever heard one single person say that they think a Master's degree is a good discriminator on a PRF or that in any way, shape, or form it betters the Air Force...in general it's a colossal waste of time and taxpayer money. How has this shit not gone away yet?