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November 9, 2011 By News Staff
One day after Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback announced that Jim Mann was appointed as the state’s chief IT officer, Mann abruptly resigned after controversy arose about his academic credentials.
Mann was officially appointed during a news conference on Monday, Nov. 7. Brownback said Mann would oversee and improve IT efficiency in Kansas — a position paying $150,000 a year. A press release from the governor announcing Mann’s appointment — which has since been pulled from the state website — stated that Mann had received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Devonshire in the United Kingdom.
The Topeka Capital-Journal reported Monday that the University of Devonshire isn’t accredited by the Council of Higher Education Accreditation in the United States or the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education in the United Kingdom. The University of Devonshire is linked to a “diploma mill,” the newspaper reported.
By Tuesday, Nov. 8, Mann had submitted his resignation via a letter to the governor’s office, according to the newspaper.
A spokesperson from Brownback’s office told Government Technology on Wednesday that the search for Mann’s replacement will begin immediately.
According to the Capital-Journal, the Kansas governor and his staff weren’t aware that the University of Devonshire was not an accredited institution prior to hiring Mann. “The education was not a factor in his hiring,” Brownback said in a statement.
According to the Brownback’s office, Mann formerly served as the CTO at Service Brands International where he managed a Microsoft “Gold Partner” development team. He previously owned Irishmann Enterprises Inc., where he was responsible for overseeing administration, sales and operation activities for a business-to-business franchise.
Mann previously also served as the global vice president and CIO of Havi Foodservice Worldwide. He also served for four years as vice president and CIO of Lawson Products Inc.
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Maybe he should run for president instead? There's a whole bunch of dunces running with academic credentials, including the incumbent. Goes to show that academic credentials don't mean much anymore.
This isn't the first appointment by the gov. The state has minimum requirements for all managerial appointments and the report is the DOC had appointed someone who did not meet the minimum requirements and that appointment has been covered up.
Interesting that the article did not mention whether or not the man was competent, just that he had a questionable degree. Makes one wonder why we insist on a degree in the first place. Why not evaluate an applicant based on his/her talent and experience instead? A degree isn't what is used to be anyway.
It doesn't matter whether he had the experience or competence to do the job. It's the fact that he had acquired credentials in this manner that brings his character and integrity in to question.
Wow, I'll bet the "University" of Phoenix, Capella, Walden "degree" crowd is cringing right now!
Yes, KDOC does this all the time. There are several people in positions that they are not qualified for based on qualifications set forth by the department itself. I am very aware of multiple instances at El Dorado Correctional and the Central Office. Some staff were denied the ability to apply and be considered for the Warden position, yet the person appointed lacked the same and in some cases more education than those who were declined an interview. I would encourage any media group to take a close look. You would be amazed... Visit with the Warden at El Dorado, it will make you chuckle as his lack of education is so evident, better yet, read something he has typed or written. Very proud they must be.
The schools you have listed are all accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, The Higher Learning Commission as per the US Dept of Education's website data on 8/1/2011. See for yourself at http: // ope.ed.gov / accreditation So, why would this "crowd" be cringing right now?
@Joe Knows in Denver: Because those are "accredited" diploma mills...
Hey, University of Devonshire? That's where I got my PhD. Jim Mann and I probably lived in the same dorm. Man, I have some crazy memories of my time there. Go Shirecats! - Peter O'Liar, PhD, Astrophysics, 2003, University of Devonshire
We have the same problem in the White House. Only worse. Not only are the degrees fake, but so are the birth certificates (2 and counting). If Mann can be fired for such falsehoods, why not the guy in the W.H.? Well, we know why don't we. The guy in the W.H. has some 435 co-conspirators in D.C. & who knows how many at each State's Election Board. NC has already decided to ignore evidence & put him back on the ballot. Jan Brewer vetoed an AZ bill that would have required proof of qualifications BEFORE being again placed on the AZ ballot. (Why the veto, Jan?) (Jan also allowed SB1070 to be stopped by a federal court w/o jurisdiction - I'm beginning to see a pattern here.)
@John in the Real World...The Higher Educational Opportunity Act enacted in 2008 and effective July 1, 2010 defines diploma mills as, "an entity that--``(A)(i) offers, for a fee, degrees, diplomas, or certificates, that may be used to represent to the general public that the individual possessing such a degree, diploma, or certificate has completed a program of postsecondary education or training; and ``(ii) requires such individual to complete little or no education or coursework to obtain such degree, diploma, or certificate; and ``(B) lacks accreditation by an accrediting agency or association that is recognized as an accrediting agency or association of institutions of higher education (as such term is defined in section 102) by-``(i) the Secretary pursuant to subpart 2 of part H of title IV; or ``(ii) a Federal agency, State government, or other organization or association that recognizes accrediting agencies or associations. By this definition, UoP, Capella & Walden are NOT diploma mills. False accreditation is an indicator of a diploma mill and is frequently used to dupe (or not) some people into spending money on a non-recognizable degree.
I don't have a degree, but I KNOW I could perform the job better than this guy (I have over 15 years of real world experience in the IT industry). A degree doesn't mean anything other than a person paid a lot of money to read books and take tests. So truth be known, no degree is worth any more than the paper it's printed on.