Credentials? Who Needs Credentials?
Posted by Phoenix Woman on February 10, 2008
(Sue Jeffers on left. Ruth Hendrycks on right. Photo, from http://www.suejeffers.org/, added by Charles)
Here’s another entrant in the Laura Schlessinger “one degree is as good as another” False Credentials contest, Ms. Ruthie Hendrycks.
Ms. Hendrycks, who is the head of the local anti-immigration group Minnesotans Seeking Immigration Reform and who ran as Sue Jeffers’ choice for lieutenant governor on the Libertarian Party ticket, claimed to have a bachelor’s degree in family mediation dispute resolution from LaCrosse University. Which is fine and dandy, except for one thing:
In short, LaCrosse University is–or was–a diploma mill. Indeed, it was one of the more notorious diploma mills named in a 2004 GAO investigation (prompted by Congress) about federal employees with bogus degrees.
It’s quite possible that Ms. Hendrycks is simply a victim here who didn’t understand what she wasn’t getting when she purchased a degree from LaCrosse University. However, the resume item does call her judgment into question.
Given that Republicans have other choices in this race– Sleepy Eye veterinarian Greg Bartz (University of Minnesota) and farmer Paul Torkelson–we’d hope they’ll use a little common sense when selecting a candidate who might get anywhere near setting policy for Minnesota’s public post-secondary institutions.
12 Responses to “Credentials? Who Needs Credentials?”
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Dan said
This is an unfounded, ridiculous attack on Ruthie Hendrycks, and the facts are way out of whack in this entire piece.
For starters, Ruthie and Sue Jeffers are Republicans, and ran against Pawlenty in the Republican primary, not as this blog suggests, as Libertarians.
Second, Ruthie does possess a legal and legitimate degree in Family Mediation.
Ruthie has other credentials besides these. She’s a Republican delegate, and president of Minnesotans Seeking Immigration Reform, perhaps the most effective and outspoken organization advocating sensible legal immigration, and opposing amnesty and wide-open borders.
Ruthie is out of my district, but she’d definately have my vote if it was mine to give.
Ruthie is also an amazingly loving and considerate person, who anyone would be proud and fortunate to have as a friend or advocate.
Charles said
Gee, Dan, it sounds like your dispute is with Sue Jeffers. She says very clearly: “She [Sue Jeffers] is seeking the Republican nomination in the September 12th primary with Ruth Hendrycks, a community activist from greater Minnesota and an advocate for sensible legal immigration.”
MercRising is pretty good on the facts.
Ollie Ox said
Split the difference. The Jeffers/Hendrycks ticket ran in the Republican primary, though Jeffers earlier put in for the Libertarian Party.
“Legal and legitimate”? Minnesota doesn’t have a law against diploma mill degrees, but degrees from LaCrosse University–and other non-accredited institutes–are not recognized as valid by any licensing board run by the state of Minnesota.
Call the Minnesota Office of Higher Education for more details.
A number of states, including Texas, North Dakota and Oregon, do have laws that make degrees from institutions like LaCrosse University illegal ( either a petty or civil offense) but Minnesota doesn’t. They’re similar not considered legitimate for any profession that needs a state license or certification, and many private employers frown on them as well.
Whether Ruthie Hendrycks is loving and kind or hateful and mean wouldn’t her faux sheepskin from LaCrosse University anymore valuable. It’s not an attack on her character, just a fact about her academic credentials. She does have a perfectly good degree from Minnesota State-Mankato and was first licensed as a dental hygienist in 1994.
Phoenix Woman said
But Ollie, you don’t get it. Facts in their proper context are like sunlight to vampires as far as these people are concerned.
Ruthie Hendrycks said
Phoenix Woman
I feel I should address several of your statements in the original post.
First and foremost I am not anti immigrant. We support sensible legal immigration and oppose illegal immigration – there is a huge difference as can be attested by those legal immigrants, who are members and support our position.
Secondly, You neglected to bring into your post that I hold an Associate of Science degree from Minnesota State University (formerly Mankato State) in Dental Hygiene.
Many Americans, found distant learning a viable option to the expensive tradition avenue, an avenue that left many without the option of seeking higher education. As stated I had already attend – on campus – the education of a well rounded individual in sequence with the Hygiene Degree.
At the time I was seeking this distance learning degree, the credentials were different that they are today, which is why I do not practice in the area of Mediation – a voluntary viable option to the ordeal and expense of litigation.
Many of those who did participate in distance learning – such as myself – did so in a serious and profession manner buidling on this with certification in family, civil and workplace mediation from The Mediation Center of Oregon and Coast to Coast Mediation Services.
I have on my desk my 27 page thesis titled “Domestic Violence and The Mediation Process – Pros and Cons – that I will copy and send to you, if you would like to provide your mailing address. In addition to Domestic Violence I focused on Real Estate Mediation and Mediation Service for the Handicapped primarily within the Lanterman Act.
Also, not mentioned is the fact that many that participated in distance learning could not foresee the actions later taken. I was not subject to the GOA’s findings because I was not employed in mediation within the federal government – rather private practice, shortly after discontinuing my Dental Hygiene services for the Federal Government on an Indidan Reservation and
continuing to be employed in private practice in the area of Dental Hygiene.
As for the issue of Sue Jeffers and the Libertarian ticket – I would contact Sue – I am sure she would be more than willing to discuss her thoughts on this prior to when I joined her ticket under the Republican Party.
Charles said
Ms. Hendrycks, granting that some officials could be improved by having their mouths washed out, it’s unclear to me what relevance a degree in dental hygiene has to running state government.
A degree in mediation might have some relevance, since it might help the degree holder understand the other person’s point of view. Such as, for example, the point of view that people who buy degrees from diploma mills might be somewhat lacking in judgment.
If you want to have people read your thesis, you could post it to your campaign website. That would probably be the best way to prove one way or another whether you learned something from the experience.
Phoenix Woman said
Besides, Ms. H., isn’t your beef with Haley Barbour? He’s the person who signed the bill — sponsored by another Republican, no less — that targeted LaCrosse as a diploma mill.
Mark Gisleson said
I’d love to see that thesis as well (PO Box 14264, St Paul 55114). The reason why most institutions get disaccredited as diploma mills is because their academic standards are lax and little actual learning is required. Seeing the actual thesis makes it easy to check it for plagiarism, presentational competence, and actual insight into the discipline. It’s commendable that Ms. Hendrycks is willing to mail out copies. Actually, just a digital file sent to mark.gisleson@gmail.com would be fine with me, sparing you the postage bill.
Ollie Ox said
LaCrosse University isn’t accredited and that’s where the bachelor’s degree in family mediation is from. It’s not an acceptable credential in Minnesota. In Oregon, it would actually be illegal to use a diploma from Lacrosse University.
Questions of plagiarism by the individual are irrelevant when the institution granting the diploma itself is the question.
As for the other training programs, they, too, are irrelevant to the central issue here: Hendrycks’ offering up of the Lacrosse University bachelor’s degree as a resume item for her candidacy in the Minnesota House seat.
Ollie Ox said
Moreover, given the large number of legitimate, accredited online learning venues available, it’s difficult to defend the choice of a program that is not accredited nor valid for certification.
Charles said
Ms. Hendrycks? Ms. Hendrycks?
Golly, in like a flash, gone with the cash.
Phoenix Woman said
Like sunlight to vampires, y’know.