This is a very interesting article on the University of Phoenix from the New York Times. I've heard a lot of very good to very bad things about the UofP, but never knew anyone who actually attended classes or received a degree. Some of the complaints in this article are of how online learning programs naturally are, but other claims are disturbing:
"The university says that its graduation rate, using the federal standard, is 16 percent, which is among the nation’s lowest, according to Department of Education data. The official [graduation] rates at some University of Phoenix campuses are extremely low — 6 percent at the Southern California campus, 4 percent among online students..."
"About 95 percent of instructors are part-time, according to federal statistics, compared with an average of 47 percent across all universities."
“Their business degree is an M.B.A. Lite,” said Henry M. Levin, a professor of higher education at Teachers College at Columbia University. “I’ve looked at their course materials. It’s a very low level of instruction.”
"... the Department of Education sent inspectors to California and Arizona campuses. The department’s report, which became public in 2004, concluded that the university had provided incentives to recruit unqualified students and “systematically operates in a duplicitous manner.”"
Any UofP people here want to support or refute the claims in this article?
Troubles Grow for a University Built on Profits - New York Times
