Columbia Offers New Concentration: Graftology
When is a kickback not a kickback? If you're running the study abroad program at Columbia, pretty much always. The International Herald Tribune reports that universities the world over -- from Argentina to Chile to Morocco -- have sponsored junkets, err, subsidized program investigations, for Columbia and others schools in order to garner exclusive regional study rights. These foreign universities are so helpful, IHT reports, that they provide "free and subsidized travel overseas for officials, back-office services to defray operating expenses, stipends to market the programs to students, unpaid membership on advisory councils and boards, and even cash bonuses and commissions on student-paid fees." Who says America's global reputation is hurting?
Of course, Columbia has a sterling reputation as far as kickbacks go, and Kathleen McDermott, Columbia's director of global programs, insists there is nothing untoward here. The trips provide "real access," she said, "in a way you wouldn't necessarily have ... if I were on my own." And by "real access," we'll assume she means real Habanos cigars on real Cuban beaches, sipping drinks with real tiny umbrellas in them, while CU cashes in on each student who goes abroad.
Admittedly, however, Columbia does have the tough job of making sure that these foreign institutions are up to snuff. A few years ago, Columbia student Brendan Jones ignored warnings from the global programs office and went to Oxford University, the Brit equivalent of Phoenix University Online. Oxford was not on Columbia's list of allowed schools; to avoid repeating his junior year, Jones was forced to transfer permanently to the third-bit alma mater of 47 Nobel prize winners and 25 British Prime Ministers.
Have any horror stories or, better yet, personal experience in getting your wheel greased? Anonymity still guaranteed at ivygate.guest@gmail.com --MICHAEL MORISY
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August 14th, 2007 at 1:44 am
First the Cornell/Hottest Ivy debacle and now this. Will the other Ivies ever recover? I wouldn’t bet on it.
August 14th, 2007 at 6:37 am
Whoa, don’t bring the fray to Arizona by insulting Phoenix University Online. That’s a highly respectable temple of academia!
August 14th, 2007 at 9:08 am
Great article! Way to bring these scandals to light
August 14th, 2007 at 9:54 am
goshdarn them there city slickers.
here’s to the bastions of academia and intellectualism teaching our children that bribery is fun and rewarding!
August 14th, 2007 at 10:03 am
A few things are misrepresented regarding Oxford. That tidbit about Mr. Jones is confusing for a few reasons.
1. One cannot transfer to Oxford. Mr. Jones must have started his degree from scratch. A BA is three years. Assuming he was a visiting student at Oxford, he’d have to apply as an undergrad the following October for entry the next year.
2. Because of the linear education at Oxford—one studies one subject from point A to point Z, there is no liberal arts—it is difficult to enter as a temporary student. Partly because of this, study abroad at Oxford is arranged directly with the colleges of Oxford. What ends up happening with some “Oxford” programs is students go to Oxford and get lectured off-site and take a watered down course. Understandably, some American universities don’t want to grant credit for this.
I think Princeton only offers credit through the Sarah Lawrence program, Butler, or if a student applies directly to Oxford as a visiting student. Some universities (e.g., Williams) have special relationships with certain colleges.
So there are two possibilities of what Mr. Jones did:
1. Jones became a visiting student/Sarah Lawrence participant (i.e., legitimate Oxford); went to Oxford; Columbia rejected credit as they said they would because program wasn’t approved; Jones applies to enter as an undergrad following year; and goes to Oxford.
recap: instead of re-doing his junior year and graduating the following year, Jones does at least three more years at Oxford. Since he started a year later, he graduated two years later than had he stayed with Columbia.
2. Jones enrolls in some “Oxford” study-abroad program (i.e., faux Oxford); went to Oxford; Columbia rejected credit as they said they would because program wasn’t approved, and rightfully so; Jones applies to enter as an undergrad following year; and goes to Oxford.
recap: instead of re-doing his junior year and graduating the following year, Jones does at least three more years at Oxford. Since he started a year later, he graduated two years later than had he stayed with Columbia.
—
The whole thing stinks.
August 14th, 2007 at 10:09 am
oxford university: ranked #1 in the world in the field of writing entire dissertations in order to win internet comment board arguments.
August 14th, 2007 at 10:20 am
re: wank
where’s the argument? all i see is a point. the only argument here is your straw man.
August 14th, 2007 at 10:52 am
@blah
indeed it was a point. but what are you trying to say regarding the “stinkage” of this “thing”? something about columbia, or something about oxford which is basically irrelevant?
August 14th, 2007 at 1:42 pm
Columbia DOES provide a program to Oxford, which they consider to be more rigorous than those offered by other schools or outside companies (whether that’s actually the case is an entirely different matter). Jones decided to go a cheaper route that wasn’t approved, so he didn’t get course credit.
August 14th, 2007 at 1:49 pm
“Oxford University, the Brit equivalent of Phoenix University Online” is the funniest thing i’ve read on here in weeks. Kudos!
August 15th, 2007 at 12:37 pm
Oxonians are weird.
August 15th, 2007 at 9:45 pm
should have done a bit more research on this one (or read the nyt article a bit more closely). columbia does offer a study abroad program to oxford, and (as the article notes) did when brendan jones was attending. jones decided to go through sarah lawrence _instead_ of columbia’s existing oxbridge program to save money.
btw, does anyone know what the status is on the other ivies? do they offer more flexible study abroad? my guess is columbia is not alone, but i don’t really feel like looking it up. :)
we can’t compare as far as british prime ministers go. but, as far as nobel prizes go, columbia has 72 - a measly 15 more than the 47 you quoted for oxford.
August 21st, 2007 at 12:23 pm
Uhhh a measly 25 you mean.
August 21st, 2007 at 3:18 pm
25, 15, its ok. 4 seas kidz thats close enuff