Vickie Cook, Capella University's Poster
Child . . .
. . .and Tattletale!
Read on - you'll soon find out how good 'ole "Ms. Vickie"
participates with Capella University in the harassment of students,
makes false claims regarding her "status" as a student,
and displays gross ignorance of the rights of those with disabilities!
To skip ahead and start reading the dirt on Capella's
Poster Child, Vickie Cook, click on the following:
Vickie Cook, is currently the "Dean of Community Education/University
Alliance" at the illustrious Kaskaskia College - a junior
college located at Centralia, Illinois. In addition, she serves
on the Alumni Board of Directors for Capella University. As Capella's
Poster Child, she assists the " University" in abusing students
by sticking her big nose in places where it doesn't belong in
the first place. Vickie Cook, who holds Ph.D., Higher Education
Leadership (is that a triple-oxymoron?) from Capella and yet she
demonstrates that she is ignorant of the laws that not only protect
Capella students, but also those at Kaskaskia College. These include
some of the most important Federal laws that protect the rights
of students with disabilities from being discriminated and harassed
by school officials. Then, just for fun, Vickie Cook displays
what an unethical passive-aggressive coward she by attacking
a student!
Vickie Cook has served as Capella University's official poster
child for quite some time and seems to be willing to say just
about anything in order to, apparently, promote her own selfish
goals. A simple
Google search reveals quite a bit. Her "success story,"
posted on Capella University's web site provides some interesting
warm fuzzies about her - it describes her illustrious career as
a WalMart employee (which, we might add, recently made an agreement
with Capella University) prior to catapulting to the top of the
heap at Kaskaskia College:
"After seventeen years at Wal-Mart, Cook took a job
as Director of Family Literacy Programs at Kaskaskia College
in Centralia, Illinois. Following a rapid succession of promotions,
Cook became Dean of Community Education. "
Vickie Cook's Quest for Recognition
Vickie Cook's regular appearances on the Internet touting the
wonders of Capella University are enlightening; some examples include:
- From
Wal-Mart to College Dean - This article, that was recently
published (May 2005) on an AOL site, is so funny you'll probably
die from laughter! In addition to all of the information that
demonstrates just what a hypocrite Vickie Cook really is, her
alleged "passion for improving the quality of adult education
lead to her developing a partnership between Kaskaskia and
Capella University" certainly tells all! The fact is,
Vickie Cook certainly appears more concerned with making big
bucks for Capella and a name for herself while she helps other
shelf-stockers and cashiers climb the higher education ladder
of incompetence!
- An article published by the Chronicle of Higher Education on "Battling
the Stigma of Nontraditional Credentials" (August
2003)
- Higher
Education in the Computer Age (alert - this link has
a lot of pop ups) where Ms. Cook describes her difficulties with
installing a software program (hmmmm...)
- Cook
Earns Her Doctorate (July 2004)
- Western
Illinois University Newsletter (July 2004)
- Kaskaskia
College Newsletter (October 2004)
- Vickie
Cook's bio at Antioch College, McGregor notes that she
holds the following degrees and certificates:
- 1980 - Kaskaskia College, A.A., Liberal Studies
- 1987 - Retail Management - Walton Institute, University
of Arkansas
- 1996 - Western Illinois University, B.A., Liberal Studies
- 1999 - Capella University, M.S., Education - Emphasis Adult
Education, Thesis: Cultural Impact on a Mexican Family Literacy
Project
- 1999 - English as a Second Language Teaching Certificate,
Winfield College
- 2001 - Career Specialist, University of Illinois - Springfield
- 2004 - Capella University, Ph.D., Higher Education
Leadership, Dissertation: Exploration of Leadership Competencies
Needed by Future Illinois Community College Presidents
- Cook also lists a few of her "specializations" in:
- Higher Education leadership
- Community College Management
- Educational
program planning specifically in adult basic, continuing,
and community education
- Teaching and learning of adult
students
- Adjunct faculty development
Impressed? After you read the following, we doubt it! While the
above documents Vickie Cook's stellar climb up the corporate ladder
- from WalMart employee to Dean at a junior college and all within
an extraordinarily short amount of time (heck, so much for experience),
let's continue with some more, very enlightening, information
about Vickie Cook:
A Little Background on Vickie Cook
As will be noted below, Vickie Cook attacked another student,
on Capella University's General Discussion Board, when that
student announced he had filed a complaint against Capella
University for their incompetent implementation of WebCT
- a on-line course room that discriminates against students
with disabilities.
The following is a portion of a final project that was
submitted by that student in one of his classes that documented
Vickie Cook's attack and arrogance. Readers will be interested
in learning that the instructor for the course this was
submitted in strongly urged that student to have this
project published!
|
. . .Many people
might have a difficult time accepting that bigotry exists
in the field of education - one that is, more often
than not, criticized for being too liberal and forward
thinking than most other professions. That; however,
is not the case. In fact, the shocking reality is that
the inverse may be true. In another post related to
the one just provided, Vickie Cook states in a response
to a student who has filed a complaint against the university
for implementing an application that denies access to
those with identified learning disabilities that:
"I really must protest your filing on behalf
of all learning and physically disabled learners in
this regard. As a fellow learner, I feel I am the
one who has the right to file on my own behalf, if
I so choose. You certainly have the right to file
a complaint for yourself, but please do not attest
to filing on behalf of others unless you have specifically
communicated with them" (Cook, 2004).
On the surface, it may appear as if Ms. Cook is merely
an uniformed student who has little, if any knowledge
regarding accessibility issues. Unfortunately, a little
research has uncovered a very frightening situation
that not only demonstrates that ignorance plays a
strong component in the uninformed but also in those
who have a significant role in allegedly protecting
the rights of others, particularly those who are entitled
to equal access. In this specific case, it turns out
that Ms. Cook has had relatively little experience
in the field of education (having received her bachelor's
degree in 1996 and a teaching certificate in 1999)
but has also only recently completed both a master's
and a doctorate through an online university (Cook,
2004). Even more disturbing is the fact that Cook
is the Dean of Community/Continuing Education at Kaskaskia
College, IL and speaks on topics such as: "Adult
Literacy and Adult Education",
"Distance Learning Opportunities", "Human
Resources/Employability topics", "Learning
modalities/learning styles/teaching styles",
and
"Student Services - Special Services" (Kaskaskia
College, 2004). The point of this is that there are
many individuals with little or no genuine experience
who are in positions of authority, that require familiarity
with the role of access in an environment created
entirely by a software application, and yet are completely
oblivious to the rights of users with special needs.
It also brings to mind the motivation of such individuals,
especially considering their alleged claim to have
sufficient qualifications to speak on topics such
as Student Services - Special Services, to grumble
when end users exercise their legal rights. In the
case of the individual just mentioned, it should be
noted that both of her places of employment, Kaskaskia
College and Antioch University use WebCT, the CMS
in question, and that both schools also fail to provide
any information regarding the rights of students with
disabilities on their respective web sites. |
|
▲ Return to Top
Vickie Cook Attacks Student
The follow message, obtained under the Freedom of Information
Act from the United States Department of Education, Office
for Civil Rights, shows Vickie Cook's first attack of a student.
It is important to note that:
- It is believed that Vickie Cook had already completed
her Ph.D., Higher Education Leadership from Capella at
the time this was written.
- Vickie Cook was not enrolled in any program that had
been subjected to WebCT - for some samples of complaints
from students that Vickie Cook did not attack, be sure
to take a look at our student complaints
page.
- Vickie Cook is completely ignorant of the legal right
of anyone to file such complaints. As someone who has
JUST completed a Ph.D. in Higher Education Leadership
and is also serving as the Dean of Community Education/University
Alliance at a public junior college (Kaskaskia College),
we believe that the following demonstrates gross incompetence.
As anyone in an administrative post ion in "education" should
know:
"Any person may file a complaint with the OCR if he
or she believes someone has suffered discrimination due
to race, color, national origin, sex, disability or age
in a federally funded education program or activity.
The person who files the complaint does not have to be
the one who experienced discrimination; for example,
parents often file complaints on behalf of their elementary-
or secondary-school children. In fact, anyone may file
a complaint on behalf of any other person or group of
people." (United
States Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights)
If you think this is bad...keep reading and find out what
a worm Vickie Cook really is!
|
|
Student Response to Vickie
Cook
At the time the following was written, Vickie
Cook's esteemed background and atmospheric
rise from a Wal-Mart employee to expert on "higher
education leadership," wasn't
yet known. Even so, the student was justified in his
response.
|
|
▲ Return
to Top
Vickie Cook: Hypocrite
Vickie Cook was too gutless to respond directly to the
student who wrote the above and, instead, took the passive
aggressive route. In responding to one of Capella's cheerleaders
(Shawn Ambrose) - another student
who was not enrolled in any courses that used WebCT at
the time - Cook wrote the message posted below.
It needs to be pointed out that her buddy, Shawn
Ambrose has ceaselessly
harassed and badgered the student who wrote the above for
well over a year. It didn't matter that many,
many other students were also vigorously complaining
about Capella's incompetent implementation of WebCT,
Vickie Cook and her buddies (including Shawn
Ambrose)
focused their vicious attacks on just one student - the
one who filed the complaint against Capella University
for discriminating against students with disabilities.
Vickie Cook's rant, listed below, about the freedom to "disagree
with each other and to state that disagreement publicly" is
of great significance. Not only is Vickie Cook completely
ignorant of the law but, as will soon be demonstrated, Vickie
Cook is also a liar and a hypocrite! The fact
is, Vickie
Cook sends anonymous complaints in order
to maliciously attack those who disagree with her!
|
|
▲ Return to Top
Vickie Cook Goes "Underground"
As with passive aggressive bullies and liars everywhere, Vickie
Cook - who was not a student at Capella any longer (as she had
already graduated) - continued her vicious attacks against the
student. Again, Vickie Cook had never been in any of that student's
courses, had never been in a Capella program that used WebCT,
and wasn't even enrolled in the same "school" as her
target - she was; however, actively involved in Capella University's
retaliation against that student. Ever heard of the term "ethics," Vickie?
What is so disturbing is that Vickie apparently serves as one
of Capella University's Thought Police and monitors their so-called
"un-moderated General Discussion Board." In other words,
Vickie Cook acts as one of Capella's censors - now that displays
a LOT of leadership!
Vickie Cook - Tattletale!
The following document was obtained from the United States
Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights under the
Freedom of Information Act. It should be noted that the
student that posted it (note that all it contains is a simple
link to our sister-site, Capella
University Sucks) had already been locked out of Capella
for nearly a week when Vickie Cook provided this to Capella
University. This document merely supports our contention
that Vickie Cook is one of Capella's censors who regularly
monitors their so-called "unmonitored general discussion
board." Of course, this also shows that Vickie Cook
is a hypocrite and a liar, in addition to her role as
a tattletale - not bad for someone with a Ph.D. in Higher
Education Leadership from Capella!
Hang on, though, the saga of Vickie Cook's continued vendetta
and harassment of a Capella student only gets better!
|
Double-click on the graphic for a larger view of Vickie
Cook's Name!
|
▲ Return to Top
Capella's Abuse
and Retaliation Against a Student
Aided and Abetted by Vickie
Cook!
Of all the despicable and unprofessional deeds (that have
now been documented above), none show Vickie Cook's true
colors better than her "secret complaint" against
the student. In documents obtained from the United States
Department of Education, Capella University claimed that
one (1) complaint had been received against the student
who had been locked out. Well, in all of the materials so
far reviewed for this site from Capella University, as well
as from OCR, the only
"complaint" received appears to have come from
good 'ole Vickie Cook - the unprofessional liar who was
no longer a student at Capella! By now, it should be clear
that:
- Vickie Cook never directly responded to that student
regarding anything (she is too much of a coward)
- Vickie Cook was not enrolled as a student and; therefore,
had no business sticking her unprofessional nose
in something that didn't concern her
- Vickie Cook wasn't enrolled in any Capella programs
that used WebCT and was, therefore, completely clueless
as to what others students were
experiencing
- Vickie Cook wasn't even enrolled in any of the "schools" that
were subjected to WebCT
- Vickie Cook played an ongoing role in retaliation against
a student for lawfully filing a discrimination complaint
In light of all of that (and more) the following complaint
is believed to have been written by Vickie Cook. It certainly
displays many of the characteristics of someone who is
allegedly an expert on "Higher Education
Leadership."
Just for fun, let's take a look at the last sentence in
this "complaint" were Vickie Cook states:
"I would appreciate you not revealing my
name or my personal information to others, except Capella
administrative staff, on a need-to-know basis, regarding
this issue."
Well, Vickie, it looks like you were not only engaged
in retaliation against a student, but that Capella "administrative
staff" were also discussing that student with you
- in direct violation of the Family Educational Rights
and Privacy Act (FERPA). As the "Dean of Community
Education" at Kaskasia Junior College, you're also
going to enjoy the fact that yet another FERPA complaint
has been filed against Capella University - with your name
on it. Enjoy!
|
|
▲ Return to Top
|
Our Favorite Links! |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Visit Some Of
Our Friends! |
 |
 |
|
