Columbia Pacific University in California
1978-2000For CPU's reorganization updates - click on www.cpuniv.us
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The following chronology is based on documents collected over 1.5 years of research. Many of these are official documents are from the State of California. The documents have been scanned and saved as files which you can view.
Some files are in PDF format.You will need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer system to read the papers formatted in PDF. Once the software is installed, click on the link for the paper you wish to view and Acrobat Reader will be started and will open the PDF file on the screen. Acrobat Reader is sometimes a little slow in opening files; don't be anxious if nothing seems to be happening.
- 1978 - CPU is founded by three senior academics - two former Presidents of Regionally Accredited U.S. Universities and a Harvard psychiatrist - includes an early review of CPU by distance education expert John Bear, Ph.D.
- 1982 - Bear's Guide to Non-Traditional College Degrees gives CPU a high rating
- 1983 - Two CPU degree programs receive the seal of "Approval" - curriculum described by State Dept. of Education as "consistent in quality with curricula offered by appropriate established accredited institutions which are recognized by the the U.S. Dept. of Education ..." after it impaneled "a qualified visiting committee and conducted a comprehensive on-site qualitative review and assessment of the institution and all programs offered" ...
- 1986 - CPU receives Full Institutional Approval - entire CPU curriculum described by State Dept. of Education as "consistent in quality with curricula offered by appropriate established accredited institutions which are recognized by the the U.S. Dept. of Education ..." after it impaneled "a qualified visiting committee and conducted a comprehensive on-site qualitative review and assessment of the institution and all programs offered" ...
- 1989 - State legislates the birth of the Council for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education (CPPVE) with new Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education Reform Act. See 1990 document from California Postsecondary Education Commission - "Authority to Grant Degrees in California". This document explains the existing law from 1979 and the new law (1989) brining in the CPPVE.
- 1990 - California Postsecondary Education Commission document describes CPU and other California unaccredited "Approved Independent Institutions" as institutions "whose graduates' achievement compares to that of accredited institutions, according to the State Department of Education".
- 1991- New Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education Reform Act is implemented. CPPVE bureaucrats remove all references to consistency in quality with US DOE recognized curriculums from institutional "Approval" certificates. "Approval" is now described as meeting "minimum standards established by the council" ... The category "Full Institutional Approval" is also eliminated
- January 1, 1991 - CPU receives new Approval certificate signed by CPPVE's Director "Kenneth Miller". Definition of "Approval" now demoted and described as meeting "minimum standards established by the council". Approval is granted from January 1, 1991 through July 1, 1997. The report of the 1990 site visit leading to the 1991 approval can be viewed here.
1991 - CPU President announces state reapproval in 1991/1992 Alumni newsletter (PDF File).
- 1992 - CPU's President announces planned direction toward Candidacy for Regional Accreditation and non-profit status
- 1992 - CPPVE Assistant Director Sheila Hawkins tells CPPVE employee Dr. Betty Dow that CPU was in for a big surprise and that CPU would never be reapproved. See full court testimony of Dr. Betty Dow.
1995 - CPU President and Chief Academic Officer announce drive toward regional accreditation in summer issue of Alumni newsletter. Also announced is the formation of a CPU Alumni Board of Governors and the implementation of Alumni Trustee appointments for the Board of Directors.
A Severely Flawed Report of CPU by a Severely Biased Visiting Committee
- August 23-24, 1995 - CPPVE Site Visit Committee renders negative reapproval inspection report of CPU. Out of six committee members 3 are from competing California universities, 1 from a clearly biased distance learning institution; and 1 CPPVE operative acting on orders from superiors (see Betty Dow's 1999 court testimony on CPPVE's deputy director Shiela Hawkins).
See grossly flawed Original Report of the CPPVE Site Visit Committee. (PDF File - long document - slow download)
- November 15, 1995 - Independent Educational Consultant makes complete review of both CPU and the CPPVE Report. Consultant's report states that CPPVE report "is utterly unreliable" ..., "is grossly in error in most details", and outlines 86 "Errors of Fact" in the CPPVE Report
See Original Report from Independent Educational Consultant's Review of CPU and CPPVE's grossly flawed report (PDF File - long document - slow download).
See resume provided by Independent Educational Consultant (PDF File - slow download).
See Information provided on the Independent Educational Consultant's Corporation(PDF File - slow download).
Tacit Racism in California's CPPVE/BPPVE? The Case of CPU's Two African Deans
CPPVE Bureaucracy Closed by Governor for Waging Vendetta Against Institutions
- 1996 - CPPVE is closed down by Governor Wilson for exercising "a pattern of reprisals and vindictiveness" against private post-secondary institutions (letter of Governor Wilson to Members of the California Assembly, Sept. 30, 1996).
- CPPVE before shut-down, in its last meeting in June, 1997, issues edict to insure closure of CPU
- 1997 - State Administrative Court Judge sides with CPPVE, now recreated as BPPVE in the Department of Consumer Affairs. Administrative Court Judge denies CPU necessary brief time to obtain proper legal counsel and CPU's President, Dr. Richard Crews, is forced to defend CPU in Administrative Court
Evidence of adverserial connection between Columbia Pacific University former President Dr. Richard Crews and California state attorney Asher Rubin traced to 1978. Were Crews' and CPU singled out in part because Crews provided evidence supporting state medical care for a transsexual in a court case, resulting in Rubin losing the case for the state?
CPU Begins 4 Years of State Appeals Processes
- CPU files Appeals in State Appeals Court to stay open
- 1999 - Former State staff and educator in CPPVE (Dr. Betty Dow), testifies against CPPVE in Court on CPU's behalf as a "whistle-blower" that former CPPVE Assistant Director Shiela Hawkins was biased against CPU and had stated to Dow that CPU was in for a big surprise - CPU wouldn't be reapproved. Hawkins had been making these statements as early as December, 1992, almost three years prior to the site inspection team visit of CPU.
- 2000 - A group of CPU alumni writes to California Governor Davis, addressing the State injustice to CPU's alumni and students
- December 2000 - CPU loses State Appeals. The 3 Judges who ruled against CPU at the State Appeals Court are former State District Attorneys who had worked in the same location as the State Prosecuting Attorney in the CPU cases.
- CPU ends as an institution after 23 years.