Lab Director at U. of Kansas Draws Attention for Dubious Doctorate

December 7, 2011, 1:04 pm

A researcher and laboratory director at the University of Kansas Medical Center’s brain-imaging center claims a doctorate from an institution that sold degrees but was not recognized by a legitimate accreditor, according to The Topeka Capital-Journal. University officials were aware that Kathleen Gustafson’s Ph.D. had been awarded by Eurotechnical Research University, an institution that had no academic prerequisites (Ms. Gustafson, according to the article, does not have a bachelor’s degree) and was accredited by the World Association of Universities and Colleges, which has also accredited diploma mills. In 2007 a faculty committee looked into Ms. Gustafson’s qualifications and found them to be adequate. She told the Capital-Journal that it was “not my intention to mislead anyone or get a fraudulent degree.”

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A bogus degree is a bogus degree. If a real PhD was not necessary, then say so.More startling is the Center’s director’s statement quoted here from the news story.It certainly implies that there is real world consideration associated with a PhD and that it helps provide a competitive edge in grants, research reports, etc. Is KU knowingly engaging in research fraud?”Brooks said her research before and after securing the diploma
provided abundant evidence of her command of pertinent science. The
doctorate is useful because it carries weight in academic circles and
makes it easier to secure research grants, he said.
“There is a certain credibility with having a Ph.D. degree in
academic research,” said Brooks, who earned three degrees, including a
doctorate, at Griffith University in Australia. “It’s like having a
license.”
Upon obtaining the Ph.D., Gustafson was hired as assistant professor
of pediatrics in the School of Medicine at University of Missouri-Kansas
City. She has been at the KU Medical Center since 2000.”
vdolgopolov

Love this story! Ms. Gustafson – who holds an Associate’s degree in veterinary technology – buys herself a doctorate from a diploma mill and gets hired as an assistant professor of pediatrics! I am worried about mental health of the KU officials who “affirmed” her degree.
archman

Great.. more fodder for Kansas jokes…

I would be keen to see Dr. Gustafson’s doctoral thesis. I would also love to see her course transcripts.
rpm13

Well, it’s not brain surgery! But close.
collegeeducator

From the article: “University officials were aware that Kathleen Gustafson’s Ph.D. had been awarded by Eurotechnical Research University, an institution that had no academic prerequisites (Ms. Gustafson, according to the article, does not have a bachelor’s degree) and was accredited by the World Association of Universities and Colleges, which has also accredited diploma mills”

Who hired this person? That person and the rest up the food chain need to be fired immediately for stupidity. Regarding the person, seems they should spend prolonged time in the brain imaging center to detect mental activity. Seriously, as another noted, what sort of terrible health care is being provided to patients? How many people have been misdiagosed? How many died? I smell a large law suit against the University.
renellin

I hope we are not taking this person’s word for ‘intentions’. How did she obtain the degree? With her checkbook? Did she take/teach classes/submit a dissertation, what academic performance characterizes her achievement?
Secondly, if a person who has achieved only an Associates Degree is capable of fulfilling the requirements of Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, then the listed requirements for the position should be changed to reflect actual requisite skills.