Posted on 12/07/2004 7:27:18 AM PST by DouglasKC
Online School That Gave Cat an MBA Is Sued
By MARK SCOLFORO, Associated Press Writer
HARRISBURG, Pa. - The Pennsylvania attorney general's office Monday sued an online university for allegedly selling bogus academic degrees — including an MBA awarded to a cat.
Trinity Southern University in Texas, a cellular company and the two brothers who ran them are accused of misappropriating Internet addresses of the state Senate and more than 60 Pennsylvania businesses to sell fake degrees and prescription drugs by spam e-mail, according to the lawsuit.
Investigators paid $299 for a bachelor's degree for Colby Nolan — a deputy attorney general's 6-year-old black cat — claiming he had experience including baby-sitting and retail management.
The school, which offers no classes, allegedly determined Colby Nolan's resume entitled him to a master of business administration degree; a transcript listed the cat's course work and 3.5 grade-point average.
The state is seeking a permanent injunction, civil penalties, costs and restitution for violating consumer law and restrictions on unsolicited e-mail ads.
Prosecutors said more than 18,000 illegal e-mails were sent out this year with links to Trinity Southern's Web address, including 300 that appeared to originate from the Internet servers of Pennsylvania companies and institutions.
Among the alleged victims are Penn State University and the University of Pennsylvania, as well as numerous Internet service providers, businesses and technology companies.
The defendants are the school; Innovative Cellular and Wireless Inc. of Corpus Christi, Texas; Alton Scott Poe of St. Cloud, Fla., vice chancellor and dean of admission for Trinity; and Craig Barton Poe of Frisco, Texas, president of Innovative Cellular.
A phone message left at Trinity Southern was not returned Monday. None of the other three defendants appears to have a listed or published phone number.
Wonder what courses are in the CATalog..
I always knew cats weren't as smart as they acted.
Quick Google search:Guy from University of San Francisco lists PhD from TSU: http://urology.ucsf.edu/faculty/facDahiya_bio.html
Here's a minister: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Delphi/6712/personal.html
With a little more work, might we turn up someone interesting?
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But it won't be me stuck trying to take away the kitty's degree . . . |
I guess they gave credit for "life experience".....
Nine lives equals a whole lot of experience...
NeverGore :^)
I was just thinking that there's going to be a lot of people turning to people in their office and saying "Hey...don't you have a degree from there?"
You mean it's a scam?
But what about the New York Times giving weasels jobs as editorial columnists? All of this concern about feline perks...what about weasine perks?
As an offended hedgehog, I am moving to Canada.
Maybe the cat aced the GMAT and got in fair and square. Ever think of that?
This is fun...I've found 2 so far...
I know someone with a PhD from there. She's under federal investigation for wire and advanced fee fraud. My attorney & I get to go to an all-expense paid trip to Virginia to testify against her. It will be a sweet day, indeed.
"Maybe the cat aced the GMAT and got in fair and square"
Did he get a purrfect score?
Wow...google "Trinity Southern University" resume
Eye opening...
Here's a doctor... http://www.dogtraininginc.com/aboutme.htm
What about some of these cats who went to private schools? I bet they could ace the SAT. My cats are smarter than me... I clean their boxes, feed them, etc... what do i get in return?
A chiropractor... http://www.lakeridgewellness.com/RonnYoung/main.html
Better:
Ralph Timperi, head of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s infectious disease lab, represented himself as a Ph.D., citing a degree from Trinity Southern University (TSU).
He has since apologized...(More proof Mass is screwed up)
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