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Well.....this is interesting.
http://www.military.com/news/articl...s-on-accreditation.html?ESRC=sm_todayinmil.nl
http://www.military.com/news/articl...s-on-accreditation.html?ESRC=sm_todayinmil.nl
Air Force Academy investigation
- Thread starter LineInTheSand
- Start date
"The complaint that triggered the investigation alleges that about 60 percent of academy cadets who took introductory calculus classes between 1996 and 2006 were taught by instructors who did not have master's degrees in mathematics, statistics or mathematics education."
Who taught these cadets, then?
Who taught these cadets, then?
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I think instructors without masters degrees....if I'm reading that correctly.
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UH OHHHHHHH....
All those nightmares alumni have where they find themselves cadets again may come true!
Next headline:
"AIR FORCE OFFICERS RETURN TO ACADEMY AS CADETS AGAIN TO TAKE CALCULUS OVER"
Or maybe instructors with a graduate degree in something other than math. Like an MBA or something? Seems weird that they would let an instructor with only a BS teach.
Pima
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Actually, I think they had masters degrees, but NOT in Math.
We have had a couple of friends who taught there as AD officers, and they all had Masters degrees, but to be honest I think the majority of them had MBA's, not a masters in a specific academic field. However, I also know one that retired out of there and he had to get his Ph.D in a specific field prior to being hired.
xposted with sprog.
Pima
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I would assume that since this dean has been there since 04, their career was already over, and just biding time to retire.
Looking at her bio, she came in 1983, and as an O7 she can stick it out to 30, so she probably will retire in 13, especially since she has not gotten a 2nd star by this point. What is interesting in her bio, is she never attended PME in residence, and to make an O7 without at least ACSC or AWC in residence is rare.
The interesting thing will be to see if they now PCS her. The rule of thumb is they can pcs you up to 1 yr prior to retiring. She has 21 months left, this may force her to 7 day opt and retire prior to 30, but as an O7.
Fullerton has been there since 05 as an 06, so he too could be forced to pcs or 7 day opt since he already has 20 + in.
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Okay...
Dana is a friend of mine; a classmate, and someone who's career I know very well.
Let's dispel some things here and now to keep this from going all over the field.
First...Dana was, unless my memory fails me, the first female graduate to make flag rank. She was DEEP selected for her position. Short version: she was an early-on rising star, got her "international exchange" tour as a Lt, several impressive positions, then her PhD later on and was sent to USAFA to teach, more impressive positions, and then back to USAFA.
She rose rapidly in the DF (faculty) department, to become head of her section and then was DEEP selected to be "Permanent Professor and Head of Department." Permanent Professors are "Nominated by the President and must be confirmed by the senate." Okay, let's be real here...USAFA picks them and submits them to USAF/HQ and their names are sent over...and the senate approves, I would "assume" during one of their voice votes.
BUT...that position carries the grade of Colonel (0-6) and is permanent; the officer can serve until they reach mandatory FEDERAL retirement age. In other words, they could go past age 60. That has been done in my career. It takes special approval from the US Senate and if I remember correctly, it had to be reviewed every 2 years.
The Dean is also a Permanent Professor, in the grade of Brigadier General, and as such, can serve beyond 30 years with Senate approval. In theory, they can serve to age 68 with the approval of the President. I can't think of one that's served that long though; I think they're pretty much set on nobody going past age 64.
PME in residence is NOT something common for "tracked academics" at USAFA. I can't speak for any other SA but the ones that are kept there...their world is academia. That's why they bring in so many new, young officers, to keep it "fresh."
Dana served as Permanent Professor for only 2 years. When the previous Dean was removed, the USAF conducted a global search for a Dean. Dana was told by MANY very senior officers that she should apply. She did...met all the panels, boards, interviewers, etc. In the end, she was selected for the job and was promoted to Brigadier General. She pinned on just after her 21st year in service, Oct '04. (FYI...the "SUPER FAST BURNERS of my class, MGen John Hesterman and LtGen Dave Goldfein, both pinned on in 2007.)
Rich Fullerton...another classmate of mine and a superb guy. I won't go into all his history...suffice it to say it's superb. And yes, he also has his PhD. Neither he or Dana considered their careers "over" as they were/are doing that which they love: teaching and mentoring cadets.
This hurts...the reputations of two superb officers and people are now tarnished, whether this is a "real issue" or not. And I'm not discounting it. If it IS a problem, then this must be corrected and in the military that means heads will roll. If it turns out to be a simple misunderstanding that's being blown out of proportion, which none of us knows, it will still damage Dana and Rich professionally.
And that makes this a sad day for me.
Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
Dana is a friend of mine; a classmate, and someone who's career I know very well.
Let's dispel some things here and now to keep this from going all over the field.
First...Dana was, unless my memory fails me, the first female graduate to make flag rank. She was DEEP selected for her position. Short version: she was an early-on rising star, got her "international exchange" tour as a Lt, several impressive positions, then her PhD later on and was sent to USAFA to teach, more impressive positions, and then back to USAFA.
She rose rapidly in the DF (faculty) department, to become head of her section and then was DEEP selected to be "Permanent Professor and Head of Department." Permanent Professors are "Nominated by the President and must be confirmed by the senate." Okay, let's be real here...USAFA picks them and submits them to USAF/HQ and their names are sent over...and the senate approves, I would "assume" during one of their voice votes.
BUT...that position carries the grade of Colonel (0-6) and is permanent; the officer can serve until they reach mandatory FEDERAL retirement age. In other words, they could go past age 60. That has been done in my career. It takes special approval from the US Senate and if I remember correctly, it had to be reviewed every 2 years.
The Dean is also a Permanent Professor, in the grade of Brigadier General, and as such, can serve beyond 30 years with Senate approval. In theory, they can serve to age 68 with the approval of the President. I can't think of one that's served that long though; I think they're pretty much set on nobody going past age 64.
PME in residence is NOT something common for "tracked academics" at USAFA. I can't speak for any other SA but the ones that are kept there...their world is academia. That's why they bring in so many new, young officers, to keep it "fresh."
Dana served as Permanent Professor for only 2 years. When the previous Dean was removed, the USAF conducted a global search for a Dean. Dana was told by MANY very senior officers that she should apply. She did...met all the panels, boards, interviewers, etc. In the end, she was selected for the job and was promoted to Brigadier General. She pinned on just after her 21st year in service, Oct '04. (FYI...the "SUPER FAST BURNERS of my class, MGen John Hesterman and LtGen Dave Goldfein, both pinned on in 2007.)
Rich Fullerton...another classmate of mine and a superb guy. I won't go into all his history...suffice it to say it's superb. And yes, he also has his PhD. Neither he or Dana considered their careers "over" as they were/are doing that which they love: teaching and mentoring cadets.
This hurts...the reputations of two superb officers and people are now tarnished, whether this is a "real issue" or not. And I'm not discounting it. If it IS a problem, then this must be corrected and in the military that means heads will roll. If it turns out to be a simple misunderstanding that's being blown out of proportion, which none of us knows, it will still damage Dana and Rich professionally.
And that makes this a sad day for me.
Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
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Pima
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Flieger,
I was not trying to tarnish their careers at all, and if it appeared that way, my apologies.
I was just stating to respond to Luigi about career ender, that both had met their 20 yrs and because they made rank, they had the ability to remain, BUT if the AFA wanted to clean house, they could PCS them since they have been there for yrs.
The PME issue shocked me because she didn't even go to either one as an O4 or an O5.
Let's be brutally honest, the AFA is dealing with this as we speak and trying to get the correct info out there.
As even seen on this forum, some people incorrectly assumed that they didn't have a Masters degree at all, when in reality what it will most likely turn out to be that their Masters is not per se Math, but the requirements for that Masters included Math classes and they used that as a lateral entry.
I was not trying to tarnish their careers at all, and if it appeared that way, my apologies.
I was just stating to respond to Luigi about career ender, that both had met their 20 yrs and because they made rank, they had the ability to remain, BUT if the AFA wanted to clean house, they could PCS them since they have been there for yrs.
The PME issue shocked me because she didn't even go to either one as an O4 or an O5.
Let's be brutally honest, the AFA is dealing with this as we speak and trying to get the correct info out there.
As even seen on this forum, some people incorrectly assumed that they didn't have a Masters degree at all, when in reality what it will most likely turn out to be that their Masters is not per se Math, but the requirements for that Masters included Math classes and they used that as a lateral entry.
hornetguy
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To reiterate with Flieger said, her career (among many USAFA military professors) cannot be compared realistically to almost any other field when we discuss promotion, PME, PCS, etc.
Also, having been taught by BGen Born, she's pretty amazing, to say the least. She was very supportive.
Pima
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No way am I trying to infer that she is incompetent or not deserving to be in that position.
HOWEVER, I am not naive, and unfortunately the AFA will have to demonstrate/illustrate that they have 0 tolerance for anything regarding the accusation of this nature. Their position will place them in the direct line of fire.
This is more about the AFA and they can be collateral damage.
Sorry, but that is my opinion.
I have seen it with other great leaders. The worse thing about the military is that members forget that at the end of the day the military is no different than a corporate organization. When blood is in the water, it is hard to keep the sharks at bay regardless how well you swim.
HOWEVER, I am not naive, and unfortunately the AFA will have to demonstrate/illustrate that they have 0 tolerance for anything regarding the accusation of this nature. Their position will place them in the direct line of fire.
This is more about the AFA and they can be collateral damage.
Sorry, but that is my opinion.
I have seen it with other great leaders. The worse thing about the military is that members forget that at the end of the day the military is no different than a corporate organization. When blood is in the water, it is hard to keep the sharks at bay regardless how well you swim.