It kinda amazes me that intelligent individuals planning on studying law would try to defend a sham like Novus. A little research on the Internet shows that Natalie Handy, the purveyor of Novus University has a very questionable past.
Here is the Wiki link to her ex-husband, James Kirk of LaSalle Diploma mill fame. Natalie is listed in the History section.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Kirk_diploma_millsNatalie married James Kirk while he was in Federal Prison serving time for running a diploma mill. Other articles on the Internet accuse her of running off with some of the money. Wiki describes some of her additional actions below:
“After he went to prison his wife, Natalie Handy, opened Edison University, an unaccredited distance education institution operated from a rented mail box at a Mail Boxes Etc. in Honolulu. Edison later used the name Acton University.”
For those who may not know, Acton is a small town just south of Palmdale, CA. where Novus is currently “located” at the Mail & More mailbox. Edison is the electric company in Southern California.
Individuals who try to defend Novus as a legitimate use of your money would have you believe that in spite of all the articles about her repeated deceptive and dishonest actions in the past, Natalie has somehow has had an awakening is as now capable of providing a legitimate educational service. Remember that the predictor of future behavior is past behavior. Natalie’s past behavior appears very dishonest and is well documented all over the Internet.
Before spending a single cent on this Novus diploma mill, ask yourself the following questions:
• Can Novus produce an Organizational Chart of individuals involved with the running of the “University”, each having a separate office phone number and individual email address such as what you see with accredited universities?
• When you read names on responses from Novus such as:
Scott Andrews
Community Services
Novus Law School
Jay Thomas
General Counsel
Novus Law School
Do they have an individual contact email or phone number under their names like a legitimate school? Why not? Could this just be Natalie sitting at her computer making up names to respond with?
• Is there a single website ANYWHERE on the Internet that lists Novus as having any form of legitimate accreditation from a respected accrediting agency? No!
• Are there numerous legitimate websites that list Novus as a Diploma Mill? Yes!
Novus was actually being operated out of Mississippi until that state passed a law that you had to provide proof of legitimate accreditation to operate in the state, or something like that. I believe that was around 2006. It appears Novus relocated to California at that time. Imagine that!
I have personally never met Natalie and don’t have a desire to meet any individual with her documented history of dishonesty and deception. Do a little research and you will find that her past history points to her being a person that really likes to run diploma mills, from her involvement with James Kirk and LaSalle to Edison, to Acton, and now Novus “Universities” that were and are ALL diploma mills.
If you plan to be a lawyer, and still think Novus is a good place for your money, may I recommend choosing a different career path?
If you still choose to give Natalie your money for a worthless piece of paper, buyer beware.
50 Replies
53546 Views