Free Degrees At New Online Uni

[Albert Hidel]

Innovation and a call for a competency-based accreditation model? The klones want to crush it like a bug! Notice in the Comments how bow-tied scumbags like Anal Contreras and AACRAO's Barmak Nassirian immediately jump on the "drive-them-out-of-business" bandwagon.

At New Online University, Advertisers Will Underwrite Free Degrees
August 2, 2012, 7:57 pm
By Angela Chen

An online degree-granting institution called World Education University, set to open this fall, plans to try an advertiser-driven model to support its free content.

“Any Silicon Valley start-up will tell you that if you can drive enough eyeballs to your Web site, you can find ways to leverage that and monetize it,” said Scott Hines, the university’s chief executive. “We’re very transparent to students. They understand that their education is being underwritten generally through advertisers.”

Advertisers will pay for students to answer survey questions related to their products. For example, students may be asked a question like “Are you a runner?” when they log into the learning-management system. If a student checks “yes,” he or she will thereafter see ads for a certain brand of running shoes on the home page.

World Education University will also allow companies to publicly sponsor students, who will then be told about the connection. According to Mr. Hines, that approach is attractive to advertisers because it will help to build brand loyalty early.

A third main source of financial support will derive from a points system. Students will receive points for performing well academically or completing certain courses. They will then be able to redeem the points for prizes and services offered by partner advertisers. Mr. Hines said that other revenue models include fee-based tutoring and charging for premium content.

The university plans to offer 120 to 150 courses in areas such as art history, psychology, and business administration. Although it plans to develop its own content instead of forming partnerships with existing universities, Mr. Hines said that the initial course materials—such as videos and syllabi—are being provided by two colleges with which the university has confidentiality agreements. The colleges want to help his university, Mr. Hines said, but wish to remain anonymous because they are afraid of retribution from accreditation agencies.

Accreditation is a struggle for World Education University, Mr. Hines said, because “the accreditation system right now is not real supportive of innovation.” The university is seeking accreditation from national, regional, and international bodies, including ones recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, he said. The university is also interested in creating a competency-based accreditation model, in which corporate partners accredit the university as properly preparing students for their industry.

[Armando Ramos]

Notice in the Comments how bow-tied scumbags like Anal Contreras and AACRAO's Barmak Nassirian immediately jump on the "drive-them-out-of-business" bandwagon.

Members of the bespectacled bow-tied butt buddies brigade. Is "Barmak" Armenian for "Anal"?


Barmak Nassirian.............................................Alan Contreras
"Amorphous and highly dubious"

barmak 1 week ago

How is this inane "business plan" newsworthy? I realize that the Chronicle can't pass substantive judgment on the merits of the proposed course of action, but shouldn't something be actually happening before it is given coverage? All I see here is an amorphous and highly dubious back-of-the-napkin concept, with nothing actually in place to indicate viability.

alancontreras 1 week ago in reply to barmak

I concur with Barmak. As far as I can tell from the web site, this entity does not even exist yet as a degree-granting institution anywhere. It is a lovely web site, typical of the kind provided by bottom-feeder for-profits that hide their faculty, backed by canned vapor. As soon as we find out where they are licensed and who their faculty are, we can start paying attention.

George Rectum 10 hours ago in reply to alancontreras

Speaking of canned vapor, how are those remedial defamation law classes coming along? Been sued for any more civil rights violations lately?

I concur with Barmak. Jeez, what a cloying, obsequious douchebag. I concur with Barmak. Puke! When Gay Al's not "concurring" with Barmak he's "collaborating" with Gollum.

[bigfoot]

bow-ties again....lmao!

[theWEUtruth]

Notice in the Comments how bow-tied scumbags like Anal Contreras and AACRAO's Barmak Nassirian immediately jump on the "drive-them-out-of-business" bandwagon.

Members of the bespectacled bow-tied butt buddies brigade. Is "Barmak" Armenian for "Anal"?


Barmak Nassirian.............................................Alan Contreras
"Amorphous and highly dubious"

barmak 1 week ago

How is this inane "business plan" newsworthy? I realize that the Chronicle can't pass substantive judgment on the merits of the proposed course of action, but shouldn't something be actually happening before it is given coverage? All I see here is an amorphous and highly dubious back-of-the-napkin concept, with nothing actually in place to indicate viability.

alancontreras 1 week ago in reply to barmak

I concur with Barmak. As far as I can tell from the web site, this entity does not even exist yet as a degree-granting institution anywhere. It is a lovely web site, typical of the kind provided by bottom-feeder for-profits that hide their faculty, backed by canned vapor. As soon as we find out where they are licensed and who their faculty are, we can start paying attention.

George Rectum 10 hours ago in reply to alancontreras

Speaking of canned vapor, how are those remedial defamation law classes coming along? Been sued for any more civil rights violations lately?

I concur with Barmak. Jeez, what a cloying, obsequious douchebag. I concur with Barmak. Puke! When Gay Al's not "concurring" with Barmak he's "collaborating" with Gollum.

As a founding investor and one who particapated in "the back of the napkin concept" over 4 years ago I am very saddened about where Curtis E Pickering has taken WEU. Once a thriving company filled the brightest minds of the world to Pickering working out if the community Starbucks. The entire staff is gone with the mojority of them owed money. His staff consists of Raul Ramirez ,manager of a local band www.One11band.com and a freelance web designer by the name of Christian Nolan. They are the only two left that are drinking the Koolaid of Curtis Pickerings
I welcome all emails from staff, Deans, admin, invedtors, vendors who are by Pickering of WEU. TheWEUtruth@gmail.com

[Virtual Bison]

I could not even finish reading the responses. A bunch of uptight assholes are spewing their lies and hate towards this college. Maybe this school is on the up and up or maybe not. But considering Gollen and Contraras's track record, I would say that they cried wolf far too many times.