Press 2 for St. John's University

Anyone who wants to find out more about St. John's University – no, not the one in New York, but the obscure one near Springfield, La., where Florida juvenile justice secretary Walt McNeil (left) got his master's degree in 2002 (see Saturday's St. Petersburg Times story here) – will easily find a phone number through Google, but not much more. And if you call, you’ll get a voice mail message that directs you to press 1 for Dr. Winkler, 2 for St. John's University and 3 for the Congregational Church.

The Gradebook pressed 2 a few weeks ago, and left a message.

A woman called back, but declined to give her name and refused to say which organization accredited St. John's. She did say, though, that a 1989 Florida law which attempted to criminalize the claiming of degrees from schools like St. John's (which isn't accredited by any entity recognized by the U.S. Department of Education) was "punitive." "I don't know anybody in your state who is happy with that legislation. I don’t know an employer. I don’t know a university," she said. "It implies if you don't have a certain type of accreditation, your accreditation is fraudulent, which is obviously lacking in thought as to what accreditation really means."

More than a week later, The Gradebook left another message. This time, when the same woman called back she identified herself as Dr. Pam Winkler, the widow of St. John's founder Arthur Winkler (read about him here) and herself a retired St. John's president (read about her here, at the Galactic Expo). Winkler said it was university policy not to answer questions except in writing, and then proceeded to jot down a long list of dictated questions. A few hours later, she faxed over a 2-page press release that did not respond to many of the questions. Instead, it congratulated McNeil on his appointment, by Gov. Charlie Crist, to the DJJ post.

The press release also said St. John's "was widely known and respected for extensive and comprehensive criminal justice, security administration and anti-terrorism curriculum. Busy law enforcement professionals who sought to advance their academic degrees found St. John's University's distance learning to provide the largest and most comprehensive police science and criminal justice curriculum in the world." McNeil was the Tallahassee police chief when he got his master's from St. John's. It's in criminal justice.

- Ron Matus, state education reporter

Comments

[Robin Smith]

It’s easy to get credit from financers. Many credit card companies even offer unsecured credit to seniors with a lifetime of good credit account. But usually these credit amounts have higher interest rates.

http://studentsblog2.blogspot.com/2009/10/how-to-avoid-debt-in-retirement.html

[instant degree]

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[RH]

I personally received a degree from St. John's U. I have two other degrees from other universities and do feel that I received a comprehensive program from St. John's. I worked with Art Winkler and briefly with Pam. I took away vast knowledge that is directly applicable not only to my professional life, but my personal life as well. By the way, a Fortune 10 company reimbursed me 100%. They did a thorough check, so apparently it wasn't such a terrible place.

[Anonymous for fear of retaliation]

I personally worked for Dr. Pam Winkler at St John's university in Springfield, LA. She is a complete scam. She sells worthless degrees for thousands of dollars and no, her school is NOT accredited nor is it recognized by the Louisiana Board of Education, although she lies and says it is. I'm withholding my name for fear of retaliation from that evil corrupt individual.

[Anonymous for fear of retaliation]

I personally worked for Dr. Pam Winkler at St John's university in Springfield, LA. She is a complete scam. She sells worthless degrees for thousands of dollars and no, her school is NOT accredited nor is it recognized by the Louisiana Board of Education, although she lies and says it is. I'm withholding my name for fear of retaliation from that evil corrupt individual.

[A Master's degree is nothing more than a piece of paper]

In case you didn't know, a master's degree is nothing more than a piece of paper. A person who has a masters deserves no more respect than the person who is a laborer.

For the most part, the education system as a whole is nothing more than a paper scam. The first four years: you memorize simple facts and turn in regurgitated papers, expertly plagiarized from authors gone by. The next two years: If you do well in the first four years of memorization/plageriazation, you get to move into an advanced form.

Until the university system can teach people how to THINK, higher education will be a sham.

Whoever covets a master's degree needs to take a 2-year work hiatus, take out a sizable loan, go to any university/college and go to class where you can rehash old facts, taught out of obsolete books, by career professors who've never experienced half of what they teach.

Real learning takes place after you've earned your paper knowledge.

Signed,

We the People

I'm glad to see this thread died.

[Ever hear of having a point?]

I'm not sure of what the previous poster meant by all of the random words thrown together, like buckets of paint on a bedroom wall. However, I must commend the poster on the P.T. Barnum reference; I received a good chuckle out of that.

[Master degree means something and commands respect on it's own merit]

Timing is everything.

A coveted Master's degree.

I am trying to figure out which one of these disciplines of higher education applies to how my mind receives messages.

Halloween is near, right?

And I also hear P.T. Barnum barking in the background.

For those who don't have time, Mr. Winkler's website looks intriguing:

NOTES FROM HYPNOSIS AND GOD: BY DR. ARTHUR WINKLER:

NOTES FROM THE POWER OF SUGGESTION WITH HYPNOSIS:

NOTES FROM HYPNOTHERAPY: