Sunday, July 19, 2015

Pirates of Accreditation

CALL FOR AMERICAN TAXPAYERS AND STUDENTS TO CLOSE
THE LOOP HOLES IN
ACCREDITATION
 
Please review the following excerpts and make an informed decision regarding
The quality of education and the enforcement of
CODES OF FEDERAL REGULATION FOR EDUCATION

 

Here are the email addresses to have your complaints heard:

Judith Eaton at CHEA  eaton@chea.org 

Bureau of Post Private Secondary Education  bppe.enforcement@dca.ca.gov

Nelnet Student Loans  nelnetcustomersolutions@nelnet.net

WASC Senior  mepetrisko@wascsenior.org

NASAD Karen Moynahan  KMoynahan@arts-accredit.org

In your emails subject line, state: "CREDIT HOUR"

Let these agencies know if you received one hour of instruction per week outside of  2 hours of homework per week. 

 

Our sister site: ScrewedentsofAAU.info

 

SOME CODES OF EDUCATION
 
 
CFR 2.2 to  clearly define levels of student achievement, with earlier stages being given greater leniency.

"Failure to adhere to CFR 2.2b, where it speaks of literature in the field and promoting the importance of scholarship and/or professional practice"
"CFR 2.5 The institution’s academic programs actively involve students in learning, take into account students’ prior knowledge of the subject matter, challenge students to meet high standards of performance,"

"CFR 2.8  The institution clearly defines expectations for research, scholarship, and creative activity for its students and all categories of faculty. The institution actively values and promotes scholarship, creative activity, and curricular and instructional innovation, and their dissemination appropriate to the institution’s purposes and character."






IMPORTANCE OF SCHOLARLY RESEARCH:
"Failure to adhere to CFR 2.2b, where it speaks of literature in the field and promoting the importance of scholarship and/or professional practice"


 
Misrepresentation, Lies, False Advertising

Hello, My first grievance against AAU, has to do with their enrollment policy practiced by their advisers. When I was considering returning to school for my MFA, I applied to three different schools. I was accepted into the programs at CalArts and the Academy of Art. However, the #1 thing that swayed me to go with AAU (even though CalArts was in my neighborhood) was that the adviser promised me that AAU had a program in place they would use to place me in a job that reflected my training, if I competed their program and graduated. I only found out 2 months before I graduated that AAU had no such program. The only thing they had was a jobs board, which was pathetic. It wasn't managed well and 99% of the jobs posted had nothing to do with my training and/or were not even close to my geographic area. They flat out lied to me about their jobs program and now I'm almost $200K in student loan debt because of their lie. They need to be held accountable for false advertising, misrepresentation and breach of contract.

.
I also became interested in AAU when I read that they would help with the job placement. That is all a lie. All I ask for is get me in the door with an animation studio as a 3D Modeler just so I can have something to put on my resume to get the ball rolling. My ball is currently deflated. I am having a hard time doing that only relying on my demo reel. It is all about connections. I do not think I am asking for much after spending all that money on AAU. Do you? I have checked the AAU Job Board few times and it has not helped or impressed me in any way.
SD~




Subject
6 years, $200k and all I got was a graduation at the Cow Palace..
Message
Where to begin... I was asked to submit a "portfolio" upon applying to AAU in late 2004 with their MPT department. I began as a student in 2005. I thought, surely it must be semi-prestigious since they asked for works in order to be "selected" as a student. I was pretty excited, as my GPA and High School career was a total wash and I couldn't find a good school that would accept me. I saw they had industry instructors and great job placement within these industries! Most of my courses were in the basement of 79 NM and the basement of 180 NM. It was quite depressing and pretty low-key. Our classroom sizes were tiny and I didn't have many variations of courses to choose from. We did begin working with cameras right away, however this was pretty much the extent of our world-class education and every camera I touched was a film camera... I was not diving into modern day work force tools or getting knowledge needed to work on a modern day set. All of our lighting courses were for film as well. Some instructors were good, but for the most part it was so apparent that we had people teaching courses that had no business doing so! I got the impression that no one had been properly trained or even certified to set up a course syllabus. I would often walk away from daily classes without homework/further knowledge. After a full semester for a good majority of my classes, I didn't seem to learn a new trait or gain expertise in anything. I would say a year or two before I had graduated, they moved MPT to Townsend. Which was under remodel during my entire experience of having to attend classes there. I did notice digital courses were added, under water workshops were added, but it was most certainly too late for me. I was a semester away from graduating and I completely lost focus and passion of working within the film industry. I did submit a formal complaint in regards to one instructor, as I had enough and I felt I was really being ripped off. I even followed up with my complaint, though not a single person ever got back with me in regards to this complaint that was filed. It was like it never happened. AAU never provided unique on-set experience. I even tried to switch my major to design, however I could not do so unless I started from scratch and washed my MPT courses. I was so very hurt after spending 6 years at a school in San Francisco and $200k, and I got the shocking news that my graduation was to be held outside of San Francisco and in Daly City at the Cow Palace. The Cow Palace! The facility where RV and Gun shows are held! It was so the opposite of my ideal BIG DAY! It lacked sophistication and was pretty much a big F U! I called to make a complaint, though I was told this was the best choice given our graduation size. Complete lies. I still feel much disrespect from this choice. I only got one chance to experience that moment of accomplishment and it was taken away from me. We had to stand all day in a giant smelly area like cattle. I wanted so much to give Stephens a piece of my mind as I took my diploma holder from her. I graduated in 2011. I have been invited to one event, which was to celebrate a new car being added to their collection. I am very surprised that I don't get routine invites to networking events or anything at all! The career site is a total joke. They have low-brow job postings, such as convenient stores and non-paid "internships" for companies that are struggling to make ends meet. Not a single person from AAU contacted me to discuss post-grad career help. I called once to seek assistance and i was directed to the careers site. They never offered industry internships or open job events, etc. I would very much like a full refund, lol! ugh I am so bummed. I can't believe this was my "education".


DW~

 




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