Am. Assn./ Collegiate Registrars
Academic dishonesty; developing and implementing institutional policy.
The definition of what constitutes student cheating and higher education policies to deal with the problem are not always clear. Drawing on a survey of faculty at his campus and case law, Bricault (Spanish/ESL, North Park U., Chicago) analyzes the types, sometimes ingenious techniques, scope, causes, detection and prevention of academic dishonesty; course syllabi statements on academic dishonesty; and associated legal issues. He concludes with questions to guide administrators and faculty in assessing the effectiveness of their school's policies and procedures. Appendices include methodological notes, a sample statement, ethics policy, and Web resources on several schools' institutional policies. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Accreditation mills.
For many years mail-order diploma companies operated, handing out degrees in return for cash. Now colleges are supposed to be accredited by official agencies. So now there are fraudulent mail- order accreditation companies. Ezell, a retired FBI agent, has worked on finding and closing down these scams for many years. His stories of people who were duped by fake diplomas and people who enrolled in "accredited" schools in good faith are both hilarious and poignant. Ezell outlines the laws enacted in an effort to stop this. He also lists phony colleges and accreditors. This is not just an American problem. Countries everywhere have institutions of higher learning that give diplomas to students who have not mastered the subjects. In an unnerving codicil Ezell notes that he is aware of nearly five hundred government employees in Washington who were hired on the strength of fraudulent degrees. It gives one much food for thought. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Counterfeit diplomas and transcripts.
People have for many years claimed degrees and education that they do not have. The advent of the World Wide Web has not only increased the number of fraudulent claims, it also has made it harder to discover them. Ezell, a former FBI agent specializing in counterfeit frauds, covers the subject both historically and as it is practiced today. Many still consider this a victimless crime but a list of people in important jobs in science, medicine and education as well as industry who have been found to have been working with false credentials is chilling. Ezell points out that this is an international problem and that people have used phony diplomas to obtain visas. The Internet has made it easier to obtain counterfeit diplomas, from non-existent universities to well-respected genuine ones. There are even websites that support the illusion that the phony schools exist. Ezell offers suggestion to avoid hiring someone with a fraudulent diploma. The first is to verify information. Call the school and ask if the applicant really went there. Or, if it's not familiar, find out if it is accredited. Ezell gives a list of the most used websites for buying degrees and who to contact to report it. But, he says, the only way to stop the buying of false degrees is the vigilance of those who hire. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
The educational system of France.
Produced by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, this is a review of the French educational system that is presumably intended to be of use to American admissions officers and registrars who are dealing with students coming out of France. It provides historical background and an overview of the entire system, including elementary education, secondary education, vocational education, higher education, and specialized education. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
The educational system of the Russian Federation.
The Joint Russian Federation/U.S. Commission on the Mutual Understanding of Education was established in 1996 to research and compare the educational systems of the two countries. Site visits to the U.S. by a team of Russian educators and to Russia by a team of American educators took place in 1999 and 2000. Foley (admissions, Indiana U.-Purdue U. Indianapolis) presents a report for educational professionals, based on the U.S. team's research, which describes the Russian system in relation the U.S. system. Coverage includes an overview of the Russian system, detailed discussion of the levels and types of education — primary and secondary, vocational and technical, university-level higher education, MBA programs, post-VUZ (similar to Ph.D.), teacher training and medical programs — and grading system. The appendices include sample education documents, placement recommendations for Russian credentials, managing fraud from Russia, and glossary of term. No subject index. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
The SEM imperative; taking enrollment management online.
Today's incoming college students are looking for colleges via the web and user-generated content sites like YouTube and MySpace. This book guides education administrators through issues associated with the use of electronic communications technology for college recruitment, enrollment, and campus communication management. A section on the strategic enrollment management approach to social networks examines social networking sites such as YouTube and blogs within the context of institutional "storytelling." A section on video game play and its connections with higher education begins with an overview of gaming, then discusses the connection between video games and college prospects via LAN parties, the literary importance of video games in the classroom, and the role of video games in driving online learning. Chapters on communicating across generational lines explore the role of technology via an academic and student affairs perspective. Westman is associate vice provost for enrollment management at The University of Texas-El Paso. Bouman is manager of enrollment publications and communications at Ferris State University. There is no subject index. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
