Rutherford University
Encyclopedia
Rutherford University, also known as Senior University International and Stratford International University, was an unaccredited
private institution
that offered degree
s online. It operated from 1993 through 2009 and offered the following degrees: Bachelor of Arts
, Bachelor of Science
, Master of Arts
, Master of Science
, Master of Business Administration
, Doctor of Philosophy
, Doctor of Business Administration
.
The Oregon Office of Degree Authorization had labeled Rutherford University a degree mill
.
, Sicily
. Rutherford also claimed to be recognized by the government of the African nation of Swaziland
, but this was denied by the nation's minister of education and other education officials in early 2008. Subsequently, the claim of recognition by Swaziland was removed from the university website and returned.
The Oregon Office of Degree Authorization states that Rutherford University has "no authority to issue degrees." The British Columbia
government believed that the school was operating unlawfully from British Columbia.
. Its owner or co-owner was Lester Carr, who was also a co-owner of Columbia Pacific University
and also served as president of Columbia Commonwealth University in Rock Springs, Wyoming
. Senior University International was not allowed to continue its operations from Wyoming
after it did not meet the requirements of the Wyoming government.
Subsequently the school officially operated from British Columbia
. According to Hoovers it had annual sales of 600,000 dollars with seven employees in Vancouver
, but other reports stated that it operated from Richmond
. Richmond is the place of residence of Rutherford senior Abdul Sultan Hassam, Vancouver is the residence of owner Leslie Carr. In March 2006 Rutherford was instructed to stop enrolling students from the Canadian
province.
In 2005 the Dutch foundation "Counselling Netherlands" in Heteren
started a Bachelor of Arts in Multidisciplinary Counselling program for 10.000 euro over four years through Rutherford University. However, in 2008 it was discovered that the school was not accredited as Counselling Netherlands had claimed.
In 2007 the university claimed to have its headquarters in Mbabane
, Swaziland
, but its corporate headquarters remained in Evanston, Wyoming. As of mid 2008, only an address in Swaziland was provided by the institution. A telephone number in Swaziland was removed from the website after the operator had stated not to know Rutherford University. The Oregon Office of Degree Authorization reports listed Wyoming, British Columbia, Swaziland, South Africa
, and China
as geographic locations with which Rutherford University has been associated.
In June 2009, all information at sub-pages was no longer available from the organization's website. The website of "Rutherford University Mexico" was available after temporary being dysfunctional, but by September 2009 the domain was no longer connected.
in New South Wales
, Australia
.
Educational accreditation
Educational accreditation is a type of quality assurance process under which services and operations of educational institutions or programs are evaluated by an external body to determine if applicable standards are met...
private institution
Private university
Private universities are universities not operated by governments, although many receive public subsidies, especially in the form of tax breaks and public student loans and grants. Depending on their location, private universities may be subject to government regulation. Private universities are...
that offered degree
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
s online. It operated from 1993 through 2009 and offered the following degrees: Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
, Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
, Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
, Master of Science
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
, Master of Business Administration
Master of Business Administration
The Master of Business Administration is a :master's degree in business administration, which attracts people from a wide range of academic disciplines. The MBA designation originated in the United States, emerging from the late 19th century as the country industrialized and companies sought out...
, Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
, Doctor of Business Administration
Doctor of Business Administration
The degree of Doctor of Business Administration, abbreviated, or and equivalent to , is a research doctorate in business administration. The D.B.A...
.
The Oregon Office of Degree Authorization had labeled Rutherford University a degree mill
Diploma mill
A diploma mill is an organization that awards academic degrees and diplomas with substandard or no academic study and without recognition by official educational accrediting bodies. The purchaser can then claim to hold an academic degree, and the organization is motivated by making a profit...
.
Recognition
On its website Rutherford claimed to be accredited by the International States Parliament, an organization based in PalermoPalermo
Palermo is a city in Southern Italy, the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Province of Palermo. The city is noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old...
, Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
. Rutherford also claimed to be recognized by the government of the African nation of Swaziland
Swaziland
Swaziland, officially the Kingdom of Swaziland , and sometimes called Ngwane or Swatini, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa, bordered to the north, south and west by South Africa, and to the east by Mozambique...
, but this was denied by the nation's minister of education and other education officials in early 2008. Subsequently, the claim of recognition by Swaziland was removed from the university website and returned.
The Oregon Office of Degree Authorization states that Rutherford University has "no authority to issue degrees." The British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
government believed that the school was operating unlawfully from British Columbia.
History
Rutherford was established in 1993 as Senior University International in Evanston, WyomingEvanston, Wyoming
Evanston is a city in Uinta County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 12,359 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Uinta County.-Geography:Evanston is located at...
. Its owner or co-owner was Lester Carr, who was also a co-owner of Columbia Pacific University
Columbia Pacific University
Columbia Pacific University was an unaccredited nontraditional distance learning school in California. It was founded in 1978 by Richard Crews, a Harvard-trained psychiatrist, and Lester Carr, a former president of Lewis University, and operated with state approval...
and also served as president of Columbia Commonwealth University in Rock Springs, Wyoming
Rock Springs, Wyoming
Rock Springs is a city in Sweetwater County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 18,708 at the 2000 census. Rock Springs is the principal city of the Rock Springs micropolitan statistical area, which has a population of 37,975....
. Senior University International was not allowed to continue its operations from Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
after it did not meet the requirements of the Wyoming government.
Subsequently the school officially operated from British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. According to Hoovers it had annual sales of 600,000 dollars with seven employees in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, but other reports stated that it operated from Richmond
Richmond, British Columbia
Richmond is a coastal city, incorporated in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Part of Metro Vancouver, its neighbouring communities are Vancouver and Burnaby to the north, New Westminster to the east, and Delta to the south, while the Strait of Georgia forms its western border...
. Richmond is the place of residence of Rutherford senior Abdul Sultan Hassam, Vancouver is the residence of owner Leslie Carr. In March 2006 Rutherford was instructed to stop enrolling students from the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
province.
In 2005 the Dutch foundation "Counselling Netherlands" in Heteren
Heteren
Heteren is a village in the Dutch province of Gelderland. It is located in the municipality of Overbetuwe, about 12 km southwest of Arnhem on the south bank of the Rhine. Heteren was a separate municipality until 2001, when it became a part of the new municipality of Overbetuwe...
started a Bachelor of Arts in Multidisciplinary Counselling program for 10.000 euro over four years through Rutherford University. However, in 2008 it was discovered that the school was not accredited as Counselling Netherlands had claimed.
In 2007 the university claimed to have its headquarters in Mbabane
Mbabane
-References:...
, Swaziland
Swaziland
Swaziland, officially the Kingdom of Swaziland , and sometimes called Ngwane or Swatini, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa, bordered to the north, south and west by South Africa, and to the east by Mozambique...
, but its corporate headquarters remained in Evanston, Wyoming. As of mid 2008, only an address in Swaziland was provided by the institution. A telephone number in Swaziland was removed from the website after the operator had stated not to know Rutherford University. The Oregon Office of Degree Authorization reports listed Wyoming, British Columbia, Swaziland, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, and China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
as geographic locations with which Rutherford University has been associated.
In June 2009, all information at sub-pages was no longer available from the organization's website. The website of "Rutherford University Mexico" was available after temporary being dysfunctional, but by September 2009 the domain was no longer connected.
Australia
In 2003, a "Rutherford University" was identified as planning to develop a new campusCampus
A campus is traditionally the land on which a college or university and related institutional buildings are situated. Usually a campus includes libraries, lecture halls, residence halls and park-like settings...
in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.