University of the People claims that Simone Biles is one of their students

[Jonathan Whatley]

She started an online program at the school. She doesn't appear to have completed a program at the school.

Neither are big deals, and neither say much either for or against her or the school, who each have ample public records in other matters.

And here on DegreeForum we're all about lifelong higher education which is often full of stops, shifts, and restarts.

[cozykamura]

For example, this page (which I've found on the first page of Google) says that according to the National Student Clearinghouse, which does have legal value, Simone Biles never studied at the University of the People: https://www.onlinescams.uk/simone-biles

That site was made for the sole reason to hate on UoPeople as well as spread fake news. It's not credible. If you look it up on uopeople Reddit, you will find the whole lore behind the owner of that site and how he got kicked from uopeople. Again, I would expect an intellectual like yourself, who claims to have graduated from a real brick-and-mortar university to do more research into this matter, rather than cite obviously biased and non-credible sources.

I would say it's extremely suspicious that you have joined this forum with the sole reason to create distrust. Being honest, Uopeople isn't the best of universities, but it is a regionally accredited institution, claiming anyone can just "buy" a Uopeople degree not only discredits Uopeople but also WASC and every institution they have given their accreditation to.

[question]

That site was made for the sole reason to hate on UoPeople as well as spread fake news. It's not credible.

The National Student Clearinghouse is an authoritative source. It spreads legal documents, not "fake news". It's definitely credible and has legal value. If anything, the fake news is actually coming from uopeople.edu itself, with its undocumented claims and misleading advertisements.

If you look it up on uopeople Reddit, you will find the whole lore behind the owner of that site and how he got kicked from uopeople. Again, I would expect an intellectual like yourself, who claims to have graduated from a real brick-and-mortar university to do more research into this matter, rather than cite obviously biased and non-credible sources.

You should support your arguments by presenting documents with legal value, not by writing anonymous nonsense on Reddit. Anyone can write anything on Reddit. Also, I took a look at the forum you mentioned, and it's run by people who promote this online school: like you said, it's "obviously biased and non-credible".

I would say it's extremely suspicious that you have joined this forum with the sole reason to create distrust.

"distrust" is being created by this online school and the deceptive advertising in its website, and it's extremely suspicious that you've joined this forum with the sole reason to promote uopeople.edu. Are they paying you or not?

Being honest, Uopeople isn't the best of universities, but it is a regionally accredited institution, claiming anyone can just "buy" a Uopeople degree not only discredits Uopeople but also WASC and every institution they have given their accreditation to.

I looked for legal documents. Meanwhile, you haven't searched for anything so far, apart from Reddit (ROTFL ). I couldn't care less about WASC: we are discussing about some claims about Simone Biles. The fact that you are accredited doesn't mean you can fool people, nor does it mean all people will be easily fooled by you.

When you're confronted with clear contradictions or falsehoods from this organization, your answer is always the same: "It's true because we're accredited by WASC". Do you realize the more you respond like this, the more ridiculous you look? Your reasoning seems to be this: since I am now accredited, I can go ahead and deceive people.

So, the moral of the story is that this ridiculous school is spreading the false claim that Simone Biles and her mother are studying there. Aren't you ashamed of telling such nonsense?

---

She started an online program at the school. She doesn't appear to have completed a program at the school.

Are you sure she started the online program? I don't get the same impression.

[durain]

That site was made for the sole reason to hate on UoPeople as well as spread fake news. It's not credible.

The National Student Clearinghouse is an authoritative source. It spreads legal documents, not "fake news". It's definitely credible and has legal value.

That site claims: “We conducted research through the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC), and found that Simone Biles has never enrolled in any UoPeople.edu classes. However, NSC added that, hypothetically, ‘the individual may have chosen to keep it private’ or ‘the school may have blocked this information.’” 

This framing is deceptive because NSC does not—and cannot—release enrollment details without the student’s consent. It is obvious that this website you rely upon is spreading misinformation with malicious intent. To rely on it to attack UoPeople only undermines your own credibility.

[question]

This framing is deceptive because NSC does not—and cannot—release enrollment details without the student’s consent.

That's not true: there's no need to ask for "the student's consent" It's clear that you've never actually conducted a search through the National Student Clearinghouse. When someone conducts a background check on you, no one is going to ask for your permission.

If what you're saying were true, then any scammer could just make up their credentials and deny consent to hide the truth But the point of the Clearinghouse is exactly the opposite: to verify credentials.

NSC added that, hypothetically, ‘the individual may have chosen to keep it private’ or ‘the school may have blocked this information.’

This is true: the individual may have chosen to keep it private or the school may have blocked this information …which is the exact opposite of what uopeople.edu claims If Simone Biles were truly an "ambassador" of the school, a "symbol" and so on, why are they hiding her in a public archive? It's quite unusual for an "ambassador" to go into hiding.

In fact, being in that database would be a legitimate and unquestionable way to prove that Simone Biles studied there.

However, there's no legal trace of Simone Biles anywhere. And the reason is very simple: she was never there.

Even the statements from Simone Biles, which you yourselves pointed to, don't say at all that she's studying there: they're simply invitations to listen to old promotional messages, most likely paid endorsements. I even came across an "interview" where the Shai Reshef is spouting his typical promotional nonsense about the school. In other words, the image of the girl was, and still is, being used as bait to get people to listen to his interview. Anyone can tell it's a scripted interview: plain and simple (misleading) advertising.

Moral of the story: uopeople.edu is not telling the truth.

To rely on it to attack UoPeople only undermines your own credibility.

Listen, this so-called "university of the people" is ridiculous anyway. There's no need to rely on anything.

And on top of that, this isn't the only fake news found on uopeople.edu! There are fake addresses and so on,
but in my view, the most serious and morally dishonest claim is the underlying narrative that the organization exists "to help Africa".

If the University of the people truly wanted to help Africa, it would build real schools, real hospitals, real food programs.
However, the University of the people does none of this.

[cozykamura]

Listen, this so-called "university of the people" is ridiculous anyway. There's no need to rely on anything.

And on top of that, this isn't the only fake news found on uopeople.edu! There are fake addresses and so on,
but in my view, the most serious and morally dishonest claim is the underlying narrative that the organization exists "to help Africa".

If the University of the people truly wanted to help Africa, it would build real schools, real hospitals, real food programs.
However, the University of the people does none of this.

Sure, You do you buddy, hope you have a good day .

I would request other members of this forum to not engage with this person anymore. It's clear that they have a clear agenda and are just here to troll this university instead of adding anything of value to the whole discussion.

[ShotoJuku]

PLAY NICE PEOPLE…..

[lisarox]

Did she learn how to be a quitter studying at UoPeople?

She dropped out of Tokyo and still has 11 Olympic medals. How many do you have?

[NotJoeBiden]

It is always the same people causing problem around here…