Have we heard anything on more layoffs at DeVry? There is very little info circulating right now, which can either be good because it means there will be no layoffs any time soon, or it can be really bad because it is the quiet before the storm.
It would be nice to know which of the two it is.
95% of the students at DeVry are functionally illiterate - even after graduation - and cannot write more than one or two mistake-free sentences. If adjuncts graded realistically they would fail almost everyone, so most simply act in their own self interest and pass everyone through. If an adjunct failed 90% of their students then either (a) the adjunct would be asked to tutor every student individually which would reduce their pay to about $2.00/hour, or (b) the adjunct would simply not be assigned any more classes. DeVry is completely lacking in academic integrity.
@SpFxHHz-8tzy Evan fired them or laid off? Seemed pretty difficult to get fired at devry at least when I was there. Why were they fired?
...why, what was wrong? Makes no sense. Were you supposed to be grading, or were these not fully enrolled students?
8gbz---no because if you actually grade the work it is so bad they would all fail. Thus you just give full credit if they turn something in. The students at DeVry are atrocious. Most can barely read and even those that can read the words can't comprehend the words. And you still have students failing because they do absolutely nothing.
Nothing beats last fall when Evan fired a bunch o people in registrar then rehired them two weeks later
When I worked for DeVry I went through a period of four years when I did not grade a single paper or discussion
...why, what was wrong? Makes no sense. Were you supposed to be grading, or were these not fully enrolled students?
7dcw: did you get fired or laid-off?
SpFxHHz-7dcw you have provided a very good summary of the crash and burn path of DeVry. When I worked for DeVry I went through a period of four years when I did not grade a single paper or discussion - if the student did something they received full credit, and it did not matter what they did. Even with this approach some 20% of the students managed to fail the classes.
A long time ago, DeVry showed that ALL decisions made upheld profit first (only). Education was always secondary. As enrollments declined and profit diminished, ANY quality associated with education diminished as well.
The first step was to reduce classes from 15 weeks down to 8. The DeVry population, characterized by remedial needs, had enough trouble acquiring skills in 15 weeks. But, it was more profitable to add sessions and condense timelines--quality was not a consideration. And enrollments rose because the promise was for a fast, easy degree with a great job waiting...
They hybridized classes. But there was NO MEANING or content in discussion forums, and faculty could not teach meaningfully in an online environment. Again, predominantly remedial populations do not cope well with written instructions, rules, policies, procedures, time management, and the acquisition of any real skills was constrained. The courses were ladled with assignments enough--usually something due for grade each week. But time-to-task for students to produce and faculty to guide or assess work, as well as a meaningful learning environment in which a true exchange of ideas and elevated discussion occurred were not possible. No quality. No time. The best students could not achieve any real depth of understanding; the worst students could not achieve anything. All "lawyered" their way through when pressed.
As one forum participant commented: the predatory student seeks a short-term fiduciary goal--living expenses, VA funds and performs minimally--just enough to ensure continued funding. Nearly all students seek a "convenient" credential--no education required or sought.
With declining enrollments came an even wider net of recruitment of an even lower-skilled population. And meeting after meeting focused on "persistence"--getting a predatory student population, often rough, often remedial, unskilled, with an array of social, personal, sometimes emotional challenges through to graduation.
The few, very bright students were often lost in this mix, folding into the generally unfulfilling, ethically troubling job of working in an institutionally predatory environment. Faculty were beaten down by hatchet-men managers, who protect students as dollars; and by students who, in the absence of skill, invoke other pressures--complaints, unjust and untrue end-course evaluations (which don't matter, but do matter--as suits management), lawyer tactics, unpleasantness, anger, sadness, appeals to pity, tears, recriminations...
When I believed we were working to build values and educate students, I was on board. But, as the reality sunk in, that DeVry was a business first (only), and that education was nothing more than lip service, I left. I am not independently wealthy, so it's a struggle. But, I cannot regret the decision, and was able to make it.
Best wishes to those who remain, who understand the moral tensions in which they must work, but who must also have jobs to pay bills and mortgages. I don't fault you. I empathize with you.
they don't care. they are after home allowance and va money. their topmost priority is to negotiate the class requirements and assignments deadlines down to a joke so they could pass them.
Don't the students wonder where their instructors are? What do they tell the admin? They'd certainly know if there is only one teacher in the school to teach them!
In my group, I'm the only FT faculty member in my field. Thus they make ridiculous demands of me and my time. Fool hardy inititaives that have no chance of succeeding.
Are there still enough faculty members to layoff, that is, more than one per subject area?
My guess is quiet before storm. DeVry will not survive. It's just a matter of when it will close, not if. Prepare yourself. I have several interviews lined up. I won't get caught off guard.