Fermilab physicist reports on phony degrees Federal Trade Commission officials coming to see results of investigation.(News)

0 Comments | Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL), January, 2004 | by Pierce, Gala M.

Byline: Gala M. Pierce Daily Herald Staff Writer When particle physicist George Gollin received some e-mail spam that promised a degree from a university in 10 days, he became curious. With an Internet search, the University of Illinois Urbana- Champaign professor discovered a bogus Parkwood University and dozens of nonaccredited schools that offer fake diplomas for the right price.

"They're not in the business of selling education, they are in the business of selling credentials," said Gollin, who shared his findings during the weekly colloquium lecture Wednesday at Fermilab. Gollin, who has worked on several experiments at the Batavia lab, identified other phony universities such as Saint Regis, Lexington, Ashford and Robertstown. He said he was...