The new diving coach at Indiana University (IU) who arrives with credentials that include six Atlantic Coast Conference titles at Duke University and four Olympic medals as coach of the 2012 U.S. team in London also has a bachelor’s degree in physical education from an alleged “diploma mill” that issues fake degrees in the mail for money, the Indianapolis Star reports. The article is available at http://indy.st/11VfYuj. (more…)

Questionable educational institutions known as “diploma mills” that are more interested in taking money from students for worthless degrees instead of providing them with quality academic educations have a long history in America and clear warning signs, according to an infographic released by Distancelearning.com available at http://www.distancelearning.com/resources/diploma-mills-infographic/. (more…)

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick has signed a bill – H4307, “An Act Relative to Background Checks” – that closes an existing criminal history background checks loophole by authorizing the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) and school districts to conduct national fingerprint-based criminal history background checks on all teachers, school employees, and early education providers in the state. To read the full text of Bill H4307, visit http://www.malegislature.gov/Bills/187/House/H04307. (more…)

A man who allegedly bought a doctorate degree from an “unaccredited diploma mill” and is accused of “abusive, fraudulent, and harmful” treatment at a clinic he runs that led a teenaged patient to attempt suicide has been sued in Federal Court by the now 18-year-old boy’s parents, the Courthouse News Service reports. The family is seeking punitive damages for Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act violations, fraud, conspiracy, unauthorized practice of medicine, breach of fiduciary duty, negligence, and consumer law violations. The full Courthouse News Service report on the case is available at: http://www.courthousenews.com/2012/10/12/51226.htm. (more…)

More new hires at the University of Iowa (UI) – including faculty positions as well as merit, professional, and scientific staff – could face criminal background checks under a proposed policy expansion approved by the University’s Faculty Council, the Iowa City Press-Citizen reports. UI’s current background check policy implemented in 2005 applies only to finance or medical positions designated as “security sensitive.” The full article is available on the Iowa City Press-Citizen website at: http://www.press-citizen.com/article/20121017/NEWS01/310170036/UI-hires-will-face-criminal-background-checks. (more…)