Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-19
COLLEGE CHARTER
EXPOSE APPROVED
Former Universities Group
Secretary Condemns
Easy Methods.


-,r,ier,rorld according TO David Allen
Eobertson. assistant director or the
american Council on Education, who
odaV highly approved The stars eX
insure Of the easy methods of incorpo'
.ating a degree granting institution
,ere.
Dr. Robertson formerly was secre-
AIRY of the American Association on
Universities. "a group OF some OF the
.10re prominent institutions OF learn
ng in the country, which sets a mug II
.tandard for its own members ana ne
.,ersoDallV has inspected the organl-
alton Of a great many American
ollegeS.
4 deplorahle condition exists, DR..
robertson said. in the Distric and IN
he States where requirements Tor
establishing educational institutions
are few and easy to meet. Deahhg
y learned degrees is a profitable bust
,esS. lie has followed up leads in the
.ircularS of some Washington lnSu-
utions which claimed that other col
eyes recognized their credits. tie mas
ound the statements false. he stated.
This. he SAYS. not only is an injustice
o mislead students but is likely TO
ujure reputable colleges here.
Suggests English Plan.
one remedy. DIR. Robertson said.
vas for American scholars to follow
he English custom and whenever
hey designate their degrees also
designate the institutions from which
hese were received.
MIR. Robertson said: II can name
| questionable educational corpora
ions now legally operating under
harters obtained from the District
# Columbia or certain of the States.
Iy native state of Illinois leads, hav-
ng ten. The District of Columbia has
hartered nine. Occasionally the
tlumni of great universities have been
involved in these enterprises. In at
east one case the president of a
correspondence university" holds de-
grees from great universities.
ITO a citizen of a European
country the word university" has
R very definite meaning. A univer-
;ity is the highest part of the educa-
ional system organized by the state
tseIf, as in France, or at least under
he supervision of a ministry of edu-
alton. The European has no oppor
unity to know that there is no min
stry OF education in the United States.
lie does not know that a legally
'hartered university may have no
endowment or property, no real
aculty, no genuine admission require
nents, no bona fide courses. either
residential or non-residental; no ade-
tuate educational requirements for.
legfees.
He does not know our hundreds
If colleges and universities with their
90 L.. l..
blamed if he does not differentiate
Seattle and the University of
Washington, Washington, D. c..
abroad and at home any American
hing called National, Federal. Ameri-
an or United States is accepted as
3 guaranteed article.
CIergymen Imposed Upon.
Even If the Department of State
II the United States and the secre-
aries of some of the individual States
10 all in their, power to prevent edu-
ational frauds, the expert academic
creen goods man knows how to ex-
1loit innocent and reputable people,
specially the clergy and the socially
Prominent. Distinguished English
olergymen have been imposed upon.
mot all who deal with these
Operations are so lamblike as to de-
erve sympathy. Many seem to feel
hat in getting a genuine parchment,
bearing certain letters, they are get
ing the worth of their money. This
seems TO be true of the BUYERS of
medical, dental and pharmacy degrees.
Jf course such persons have to pass
he State board examinations in this
'ountry Abroad, the possession of a
iegree generally entities the holder to
practice. But the passing of State
loard examinations can be managed
n some States where caution is less
han in others. There is evidence to
how this.
There is some evidence to show
hat foreign students in the United
states DESTROYS of enjoying the allow
tnce made by parents for an Ameri-
an education have frequently bought
iegrees from diploma dealers and
after spending their time and most
IF their money in more or less
pleasant living have offered to non
English-speaking parents diplomas
which seem to the uniformed to be
If greater value than they are. Per
sons in Mexico, Argentina, India, Ger
many. Denmark. Switzerland. France,
England and the United States have
oeen willing to buy degrees legally
conferred by these American univer-
sites and to use these degrees on
heir cards.
"One may see interlocking person
7el among some of these institutions"
Operate in Europe.
Lowgrade educational institutions,
i
n the District without any intention
II operating here. AS soon as their
certificates are accepted for the files
Of the recorder of deeds they open
offices in European cities and openly
advertise american degrees" Thus
hey never enter the American malls
and are free from any threat of
prosecution.
The American Association of Uni.
versities. DIR. Robertson explained,
has fixed the following standards for
tccrediting colleges:
A college should demand for adj
mission satisfactory completion of
0ur-yer course in secondary
school approved by a recognized ac-
rediting agency.
A college should require for gradua-
lion the completion OF u minimum Of
100 semester hours.
The size of the faculty should bear
a definite relation to the type of in.
5tjtution. the number of students and
he number of courses offered. For "A
College Of approximately 100 students
in a single curriculum the faculty
should consist of at least eight heads
of departments devoting full time to
college work.
Thorough Training Urged.
The training Of the members of the
faculty of professional rank should
include at least two years of study in
their respective fields of teaching in
4 recognized graduate school. 1t is
desirable that the training of the head