Smart Mom Jewelry teething bling giveaway

**CLOSED**
**WINNER: random.org #81, congrats CJ! Winner has been emailed and has 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen. Thanks to all who entered and thanks again to Smart Mom Jewelry!**

Smart Mom Jewelry was started in 2002 to create pretty and practical ideas for real moms. Their teething bling line of pendants and bracelets are non-toxic, latex-free, food-safe AND dishwasher friendly! These products are designed for teething and grab-happy babies. They’re even a hit among celebs:

Ryan is not teething yet and he doesn’t quite grab things to shove in his mouth either… but he does grab! And boy, is his grip and pull strong! I always wear my diamond necklace from the hubby and since 8 months of pregnancy, the chain has also included my wedding rings because my fingers were too swollen. I’m afraid Ryan will grab on and pull it right off!

The teething bling necklace is perfect — the pendant hangs on a black, silky cord with a breakaway clasp, so baby can’t break it! Plus, when he starts putting things in his mouth and begins teething, this pendant will be wonderful. It’s safe for baby and will also keep him occupied (= QUIET!)

Here’s Ryan checking out his new bling (moonstone color) — adorable!

Want to WIN? One lucky reader will win the teething bling pendant of their choice! They have patterned and solid-colored ones and heart-shaped ones. Value of $19.10

Mandatory first entry: Visit Smart Mom Jewelry and leave a comment telling me which pendant you’d pick if you won!

Extra Entries: Please leave a separate comment for each additional entry.

1 entry – follow me on twitter
1 entry – follow Smart Mom on twitter
1 entry – tweet about this giveaway: “I want to win some @TeethingBling from Smart Mom Jewelry & @babydickey! http://bit.ly/dytm8e” (can tweet once a day)
1 entry — become a fan of Smart Mom on facebook
1 entry – sign up for the Smart Mom Newsletter (left side of page)
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1 entry – vote for us on Top Baby Blogs just by clicking this link (no other action needed)
3 entries (leave 3 separate comments) – put my blog button on your site
3 entries (leave 3 separate comments) - blog about this giveaway, leave a link to it
1 entry – enter any of my other current giveaways (one entry per giveaway)

**Giveaway ends February 8^th 2010, at 11:59 pm CST. Random.org will be used to choose the winner who will have 48 hours to respond to my email before a new winner is chosen. Good luck!**

AAUP expresses dismay at accreditation of online university

Academe May 1, 1999 | Anonymous IN EARLY MARCH, THE COMMISSION on Colleges of the North Central Association of Colleges and Universities accredited Jones International University, a self-described “cyberuniversity” that offers its courses entirely online.

Responding to this development, James Perley, chair of the AAUP’s Committee D on Accrediting of Colleges and Universities, expressed the Association’s “shock and dismay.” “By all public accounts,” Perley wrote to Steven D. Crow, the executive director of the North Central commission, “this virtual institution presents a very weak case for accreditation. Indeed, it embodies most of our major worries about the denigration of quality that will follow the inexorable march toward online education.” Perley argued that although a commitment to quality higher education does not necessarily conflict with the possibility that college-level courses might be taken online, “only a truly remarkable program could duplicate in a virtual world the mind-expanding experiences of a student on a university campus.” Crow replied in detail to the AAUP’s objections; correspondence continues, and a meeting between North Central and Committee D is anticipated. web site jones international university

Jones International University, based in Englewood, Colorado, is a for-profit subsidiary of Jones International, a company owned by the cable-television tycoon Glenn R. Jones. The university, launched in 1995, offers specialized certificates and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business communication. It directs its efforts at working adults who want to complete a degree or get additional training. Since 1995, nearly a thousand students have enrolled in courses at Jones. As of March, ten students were pursuing B.A.‘s at the university, and sixty-seven were seeking M.A.‘s.

The university relies on two kinds of faculty members: “content experts” and online instructors. The content experts develop courses that the online faculty members deliver. The university now employs fifty-four adjunct instructors and two full-time faculty members.

One of the university’s most serious problems, Perley stated in his letter to Crow, is its lack of a full-time faculty. North Central’s own criteria for accreditation require that a “sufficient number of the faculty are full-time employees of the institution.” “The criteria further imply,” says Perley, “that those faculty members should be invested in the academic program of the institution, help guide and shape the entire curriculum, set standards for assessment of students, and maintain the quality of teaching and scholarship among their faculty colleagues.” According to Jones president Pamela S. Pease, the university’s two fulltime faculty members spend much of their time right now in training Jones teachers in methods of online pedagogy. “That kind of activity,” says Perley, “does not meet the standards set forth by North Central for full-time faculty members.” Other major problems with Jones include its lack of an adequate libraryit has an online librarian who helps students locate resources, mostly on the Web-its dearth of students enrolled in degree programs, and the absence of faculty governance. As Perley pointed out in his letter to North Central, Jones lacks “educational programs appropriate to an institution of higher education,” a key requirement for accreditation. “Continuing education or training of adults,” says Perley, “is certainly a marketable service, but is it the same thing as accredited higher education?” Predictably, the university is pleased by the accreditation. Pease, whose headquarters staff consists of nine people, reports that Jones views the accreditation as “absolutely fantastic.” “It gives us a stamp of quality assurance and approval,” Pease says. “We are looking forward to expanding our program offerings and increasing our student enrollments with this announcement.” Anonymous go to web site jones international university