According to the State of Virginia's Higher Education Dept.,
religious institutions, in the state of Virginia,
are exempt from the Virginia Administrative Code. Since MBI Yeshiva, has the
religious exemption, they
are only allowed to issue religious degrees, but that does not mean that the
degrees are worth anything
outside of MBI Yeshiva. The Yeshiva does not meet state standards. In fact,
though they claimed to be
accredited, the agency that they claimed accreditation from, Transworld Accrediting
Commission is not
recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a crediting agency.
Accreditation
Transworld Accrediting Commission
The Dept. of Higher Education in Virginia gave me this link,
so that you could see that Transworld Accrediting Commission is not recognized
by the US Government as a legitimate accrediting organization.
http://www.ed.gov/offices/OSFAP/Students/closedschool/accred.html#T
I also called CHEA (Council for Higher Education Accreditation,
and they also do not recognize Transworld Accrediting Commission. http://www.chea.org/Directories/national.htm
You can check their links on the left side of the column, for any subject and
you will not find TAC.
Many people do not realize, that a number of official sounding
accediting agencies are not legitimate.
Credentials
The President of this Yeshiva is David Hargis.
"David M. Hargis, Ph.D. President of the Yeshiva / Professor of Hebrew and Theology
/ Bachelor of Arts
in Bible: Central Bible College, Master of Theology: Lael University,
Doctor of Philosophy in Biblical
Communications: International Seminary and Bible College / Ordained to ministry
1973, Ordained
Messianic Jewish Rabbi 1991, President of Messianic Bureau International"
David Hargis did receive a bachelors from Central Bible
College, in MO, on May 27th, 1971.
Lael University, where he states that he got his Master
of Theology from, is another diploma mill.
Steve Levicoff's, Name It and Frame It
http://levicoff.tripod.com/nifi/nifi-12.htm
"LAEL COLLEGE & GRADUATE SCHOOL
3721 St. Bridget Lane
St. Ann, Missouri 63074
(314) 426-7000
Formerly claiming accreditation
by the unrecognized Accrediting Commission International, this
school advertises degrees from the associate's through
doctoral levels. Formerly located in a small
strip shopping center next to a locksmith and an insurance
agency (truly making them a "store-front
university"), they claim that you can, "Study to become
a biblical counselor, a licensed pastoral
counselor, or a ordained minister." What they don't
tell you is pastoral counseling is largely
unregulated by the government and that you don't need
a license to be a pastoral counselor. They
state up front, "Most courses can be completed in a
few days. Send the answers in, we will mark your
papers and mail your grade back to you." This, of course,
would never be acceptable to a legitimate
accreditor since the exams are not proctored. Bottom
line: their degrees are worthless. In September
1992, Lael was granted candidacy status by the Transnational
Association of Christian Colleges and
Schools (TRACS); the school used to be called Lael
University, but recently changed their name to
Lael College & Graduate School, perhaps because
they were required to do so by TRACS. In a new
catalog that is photocopied and stapled and, for the
first time, does not mention any accreditation
with the Accrediting Commission International, Lael
also offers both masters and doctorates in
"psychological services," but they do not mention that
their degrees will not qualify a person for
licensure as a psychologist. Their faculty listings
indicate only three full-time faculty and ten
part-timers; for an allegedly comprehensive university
granting degrees at the bachelor's through
doctoral levels, this is absurd. Despite their continuing
recognition by TRACS (which of course,
doesn't say too much for TRACS), I'll go on the line
here: they're still a degree mill. Advertises or has
advertised in Pulpit Helps."
International Seminary and Bible College is where David
Hargis claims to have gotten his PhD. from. I cannot locate an International
Seminary and Bible College, but did find an International Bible College and
Seminary, which Levicoff wrote about below. He states that many times when these
diploma mills are caught, they will simply alter their name slightly or reverse
the order of part of the name. He also mentions that people will give the name
of an organization that they supposedly got their education from, minorly altering
the name, but you wont be able to locate it. I am still checking into this one.
"INTERNATIONAL BIBLE COLLEGE AND SEMINARY
1301 South Noland Road
Independence, Missouri 64055
(816) 461-3633
Claiming accreditation by the Accrediting
Commission International, this school lists over thirty-three
different degrees (including twelve different master's
degree titles), more than any legitimate school
would list. No faculty credentials are listed in their
catalog, though Dr. George Reuter, founder of the
International Accrediting Commission who was convicted
of running a fraudulent accrediting agency
(see Chapter 4), is listed as a member of their advisory
board. In 1992, Reuter was appointed
president of the school, carrying on a grand tradition
in questionable education. Advertises or has
advertised in Christianity Today and Pulpit Helps."
Don Hargis
For the credentials see Cordova/Hargis
Facts
On 8-28-2000, just after my last update, which involved identifying Bishop Don De Cordova as Don Hargis, of MBI, and stating that MBI was not accredited by a legitimate accrediting organization, I received this reply from Linda Riggs, stating that they did have bonafide accreditation.
Just after my reply was sent, another e-mail from Linda arrived. This was apparently the full intended e-mail. This is also the e-mail, that James Trimm sent out to all his lists. Whether Linda or someone else forwarded it to James, I do not know.
In this e-mail, Linda states that I "twisted facts", "twisted the truth", asked if what I wrote of James Trimm was "skewed and twisted" as she claims I did to her rabbi, his brother, her yeshiva, etc. The following information, will prove that I did no such thing, but stated facts and I, once again, have documentation to prove it. As to Linda's other accusations, there is no vendetta. I have simply checked on each statement that James has made, to defend his original slander and lie. As I checked each statement, he furthered the lies and slander, including me in them as well. His own lies and deceptions have brought this on him. He could have been upright in the beginning and simply apologized and repented for slandering and lying about being Rabbi Yosef. Concerning Linda's other statements, I have spoken the truth, I have not defrauded, lied or deceived anyone, and I do walk uprightly, which is why I answered a plea for an invesitgation into the truth, why I posted to defend a woman unjustly accused of slander and lying, why I have sought the truth in all these matters. To Linda or anyone else concerned, I invite any of you to run a criminal background check on me, check anything about me. See what you will find.
James then puts out a "Further Response to 'Diploma Mill'
Slander.
In this absurd e-mail James not only says that I failed to prove that his degree
had been purchased from a diploma mill, but he also states, "By now broadening
the scope of her attack Kathryn is beginning to expose her true agenda. MBI's
Yeshiva and Beit Netzarim Yeshiva are the only full time Messianic
Jewish Yeshiva programs out there. What she is now saying in effect then
is that ALL Messianic Jewish Yeshivas are diploma mills!"
That is not at all what I have been saying. I have been stating facts from Departments of Higher Education, concerning legalities to issue degrees, accreditation and exemptions. I have also stated, based on research done by Steve Levicoff and quotes from two professors, what diploma mills are. I have also stated that if they call themselves a yeshiva and offer to give rabbinates and s'mikah, with all the terms of Rabbinic Judaism, then they should offer the same standards of education that a Rabbinic Yeshiva offers. To do otherwise, makes a mockery of messianics, going by those names and using those titles. I have never stated that ALL Messianic Jewish Yeshivas are diploma mills. Just those brought up, that offered degrees, which were no where near the standards of other seminaries or rabbinical yeshiva's. Which leads me to the update information about MBI Yeshiva and Beit Netzarim Yeshiva.
The following are changes at MBI Yeshiva site, that were
required by the Depatment of Higher Education in Virginia, in order to be in
compliance with the religious exemption. These changes involved their listing
accreditation and other matters. MBI now states, "Transworld Accrediting Commission
is not recognized by the U.S. Department of Education," which is what I stated
and was contested as twisting facts and not telling the whole truth.
Changes
Notice
to Educators and Concerned Citizens
http://www.mbiyeshiva.edu/educators.htm
Accreditation
http://www.mbiyeshiva.edu/accreditation.htm
MBI
Policy
http://www.mbiyeshiva.edu/policy.htm
On this Policy page, MBI states,
"DISCLAIMER
MBI Yeshiva makes no claims, promises or implied warranty regarding the value
of our services, whether
for training, vocational preparation, job attainment or academic accreditation.
It is up to the student to
determine the validity of credits earned through MBI Yeshiva courses. Each academic
institution and/or
each state determines their own guidelines for transferrable credits. MBI Yeshiva
cannot determine whether
or not a given school will recognize Yeshiva credits. The only contract, and
no other implied, which MBI
Yeshiva enters into with the student, is to provide transcripted course credit
for tuition paid. By applying
to MBI Yeshiva the student agrees to hold MBI Yeshiva blameless and not liable
for failing any possible
expectation of the student concerning participation in MBI Yeshiva. Any student
who submits an
application for admission to MBI Yeshiva agrees to the policy of the Yeshiva
as listed here."
This disclaimer is basically stating that if you apply to
them, you cannot blame or hold them liable for their degrees not being worth
anything outside of MBI, and they make no claims or such to what the value of
their degrees are to anyone else.
Credits
Another interesting connection with MBI is their acceptance of James Trimm's yeshiva, which is not legal according to the State of Texas, does not have a religious exemption and is not accreditited. MBI stated that they accepted up to 66% of Beit Netzarim Yeshiva credits.
MBI
Yeshiva Credits
http://www.mbiyeshiva.edu/credits.htm
I sent an e-mail to MBI, asking if they were aware that James Trimm's yeshiva was illegal.
E-mail
to MBI
They have not responded.
According to David Linkletter, since James Trimm's credits were issued illegally, they cannot be transferred and to do so would be illegal. For MBI Yeshiva to accept them, would also be illegal.