The Spokesman-Review newspaper out in Spokane, Washington has been reporting on a U.S. Department of Justice investigation into a phony diploma mill based in that city that sold fake degrees to almost 10,000 people.

Today, the paper posted a list of buyers and their purported degrees, some of which allegedly invoked the name of real institutions. The list published by the newspaper included what reporter Bill Morlin clarified to me in an email as three “unrecognized” (or fictitious universities): Concordia Bible College; Concordia College & University; and Concordia Graduate Institute, as well as three “legitimate” universities: Concordia; Concordia
College and Concordia University.

While Morlin says federal papers identify the schools in question as Concordia and Concordia College in Minnesota and Concordia University in Wisconsin, I couldn’t help but wonder if our local folks here at Concordia in Bronxville had any concerns about their name being potentially sullied.

School spokesman Charlie Brown sent this response:

Bronxville, NY— Concordia College-New York is very concerned with regard to its name being confused with “diploma mills” of similar title and their “prior learning degrees”.

Founded in 1881, Concordia College–New York is part of the Concordia University System—a national network of ten colleges and universities—and is widely recognized for its programs in education, business, social sciences, liberal studies, and social work, and competes in NCAA Division II athletics.