‘Diploma mill’ disputed; spokesman says Canyon is ‘a good college’

By Patrick W. Connelly
Herald Staff Writer

WEST MIDDLESEX July 29, 2008 09:27 pm

— A spokesman for an Idaho-based online college some West Middlesex teachers have taken courses through denied Tuesday the institution is a diploma mill.
“We’re a good college and we’ve never sold a diploma for cash,” said Phil Braun, director of administrator services at Canyon College.
The online college operating in Caldwell, Idaho, has come under fire from West Middlesex school directors after teachers were reimbursed for taking its classes.
Canyon isn’t permitted to grant degrees in Pennsylvania, the state Department of Education said. It is accredited by two private agencies not recognized by the federal government.
The institution opened in 1998 and has about 3,000 people currently taking classes, said Braun, who wouldn’t give his last name when The Herald contacted him for a previous story.
Teachers learned of Canyon after colleagues Mark D. Hogue, a math teacher, and Dr. Joseph W. Pasquerilla, a former social studies teacher, passed out fliers encouraging the coursework, board President Thomas Hubert said.
The fliers identify the men as Canyon College employees. Pasquerilla is listed as program director and Hogue as curriculum coordinator.
Canyon’s Web site also has Pasquerilla and Hogue listed as instructors for 23 and 13 courses, respectively, with its education department.
Braun said the men “provide services” for the institution.
“I wouldn’t use the word employed,” he said. “That’s a word we have to be careful about.”
Braun wouldn’t comment when asked if Pasquerilla and Hogue were paid for recruiting students. He said the work doesn’t interfere with their full-time jobs elsewhere.
“They work with us as needed for the students,” Braun said, adding he couldn’t estimate the hours each spends mentoring Canyon’s students.
Another Web site away from Canyon’s domain last modified in 2004 outlines faculty opportunities with Canyon.
Faculty are compensated in the amount of $175 per student and considered independent contractors, it says. Those interested in writing or teaching courses can call Dr. Dale Mueller, dean of health services administration degree programs, at a number with a southern California area code.
Pasquerilla, whose father is Brookfield school board President Joseph Pasquerilla, left West Middlesex this summer to take a principal’s position with North Hills School District, Ross Township, Pa.
The affiliation with Canyon brought a question of the younger Pasquerilla’s doctorate, which he maintained was earned through the University of Pittsburgh.
Records in Pitt’s registrar office confirmed on Monday he received a doctorate April 26 in administration and policy studies from the university, said Joey Smith, an administrative support worker in the office.
Pasquerilla also has certificates of advanced studies in both educational administration and educational supervision from Pitt, Ms. Smith said.
Hogue and Pasquerilla also helped design the Canyon courses they teach, Braun said.
A message left for Hogue wasn’t returned and Pasquerilla declined to comment on anything to do with Canyon.
The institution’s classes are comparable to those taught at other universities, said Braun, who spoke on behalf of President Michael Storrs who was unavailable.
“Our students must work to earn their grades,” he added.
Superintendent Alan Baldarelli authorized teachers to take the courses after researching Canyon for two days, he said.
Baldarelli said he spoke with teachers and checked Canyon’s accreditation.
One of the reasons Baldarelli allowed the coursework was because Hogue and Pasquerilla also taught classes for college credit in the high school’s dual enrollment program, he said.
The program allows selected high school classes to count for postsecondary credit at some Pennsylvania universities.
Hubert told Baldarelli his research of the online college failed.
Eleven teachers in all have either been reimbursed or sought payment from the district for classes taken through Canyon, business manager Kim Buchanan clarified on Tuesday.
She said she misspoke at Monday’s board meeting when she said an additional 11 requests for reimbursement were made this month.
Pending reimbursements tabled by school directors Monday included payments to Terry Burger, Michael Janusko and Gerri L. Stitt, Mrs. Buchanan said.
Teachers Brenda Brooks, Brad Mild, Chad Mild, Nicole Nych, Edward Pikna and Mike Williams were each reimbursed $2,400 in June and Shannon Abbott and Jerry Novosel were reimbursed the same amount a month earlier, records show.