For your information:


UNION INSTITUTE & UNIVERSITY

VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY RELATIONS

AND DEVELOPMENT


January 8, 2005

Stephen Barrett, M.D.
Quack Watch


Dear Dr. Barrett:

I am writing to correct inaccuracies and misinformation published on 
your Quack Watch Website and to express Union Institute & 
University's pride in its 18,000 alumni.

Union Institute & University provides educational programs and 
services of exemplary quality to adults. Established in 1964, it was 
first known as the Union for Research and Experimentation in Higher 
Education. The ten founding liberal arts college consortium members 
were Antioch University, Bard College, Goddard College, Hofstra 
University, Monteith College of Wayne State University, Nasson 
College, Northeastern Illinois University, Sarah Lawrence College, 
Shimer College, and Stephens College.

Since 1985, Union is accredited by the North Central Association of 
Colleges and Schools, a commission of The Higher Learning Commission. 
The national standard for each academic degree is the same for 
institutions accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and our 
status of accreditation acknowledges that the university's degrees 
meet the standards required. Therefore, your statement in "Some Notes 
on Gary Null" regarding degree requirements at Union Institute & 
University is unfounded and I request that you retract your false statement.

Further, every doctoral student in higher education in the United 
States has the responsibility for choosing their field of study. It 
is misleading and a disservice to all doctoral programs across the 
county to say otherwise.

Among the university's many distinctions: Ul&U is ranked 10th among 
U.S. colleges and universities for conferring doctoral degrees in all 
disciplines to African Americans, according to Black Issues in Higher 
Education (July 3, 2003); UI&U is classified by the Carnegie 
Foundation as a doctoral/research university intensive; and UI&U is 
ranked first among national doctoral universities in the category 
"highest proportion of classes with under 20" in U.S. News & World 
Report's "America Best Colleges," 2004 edition.

Union graduates have always been leaders. Currently, sixty-seven 
doctoral alumni are sitting or former presidents of colleges and 
universities around the world. Some stellar examples of alumni 
working in other fields are:

Robert K. Cooper Ph.D. 1990: Chair of Advanced Excellence Systems 
LLC., a leadership consulting firm, and Fellow at the Silicon Valley 
World Internet Center, a global center point for the collaborative 
advancement of the Internet Economy.

Sidney Harman Ph.D, 1973: Co founder and chairman of Hannan International.

Rita Mae Brown Ph.D. 1976: Best selling author of Rubyfruit Jungle; 
Alma Mater; Six of One; Southern Discomfort; Sudden Death; Starting 
from Scratch; Outfoxed; Loose Lips; and the Sneaky Pie Brown series.

The Honorable Danny K. Davis Ph.D. 1977: Five term, Democratic 
Congressman from Chicago.

Clarissa Pinkola Estes Ph.D. 1981: Best selling author of Women Who 
Run With the Wolves: and The Faithful Gardner; social activist, and 
Jungian psychologist.

The university considers Dr. Gary Null as one of its stellar alumni 
and he exemplifies learners and alumni who are independent thinkers 
with the courage to challenge convention, break new ground, and find 
new paths of inquiry.


Kristine Howland
Vice President for University Relations & Development
Union Institute & University