The degree farm really IS a businesss...not an ethical one...but a business...

Well, so long as you know the right people.  For instance, if your close relative is a dean, and you yourself are employed by the university, it doesn't stop you from making a bunch of extra money!  You, too, can start a student recruitment business in a country from which we get the vast majority of our foreign students.  Basically, at the degree farm, departments have no say on the quality of the students that get accepted to our courses; that's handled in another section of the degree farm.  This section works with foreign recruiters who get the students to pay them to find them a course in the UK.  Since you also work at the degree farm, you place them at the degree farm...and then the degree farm ALSO then  pays your company a fee per student for FINDING them!  This, all on top of the salary you're earning from the degree farm, AND all with the approval of a dean.  Who says that economics and entrepreneurship aren't alive and well in academia!  Besides, who does it hurt if these students aren't actually academically qualified...your disgruntled lecturer will make sure they pass...we have to.