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"Measuring graduation rates is indeed a charade. Yes, some programs have a “respectable” rate of graduating athletes, but these grads often take gut courses, major in fields that have little academic rigor (coaching, general studies), and are placed in courses taught by profs who wouldn’t recognize an academic standard if it slept in their bed. The whole enterprise ought to be called academic gerrymandering."
—Gary
NCAA Imposes Stiffer Penalties for Academic Performance of Midlevel Division I Teams
U. of Nevada at Reno, Facing Dozens of Lawsuits, Spends Big on Outside Legal Help
The university, which says most of the complaints are meritless, has spent about $1.7-million on lawyers to help in just four of the cases.
Canadian Panel to Investigate University's Halting of Controversial Research
The university had approved a study of assisted suicides, but changed its mind after getting legal opinions.
Dispute Over Academic Freedom Roils Turkish-Studies Institute
Some scholars say the Turkish government, which supports the center, forced a former board chairman to resign because of his published views on the massacre of Armenians in 1915.
U. of Evansville President Arrested on Drunken-Driving Charges
In a statement released today by the university, Stephen G. Jennings acknowledged making “a very serious mistake” and apologized.
Petitions Are Filed for Arizona and Nebraska Referenda on Affirmative Action
The backers of a similar measure in Colorado filed petitions months ago, but legal challenges may complicate such campaigns.
Darwin Defeated in the Bayou: Louisiana Encourages 'Critical Thinking' About Evolution | 88
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January 28, 2008
West Virginia U. Expands Panel Investigating Degree Awarded to Governor's Daughter
The Faculty Senate at West Virginia University chose three academics from other states today to join a university-appointed panel that will investigate whether the daughter of Gov. Joe Manchin III was granted a master’s degree she didn’t earn, the Associated Press reported.
The faculty had pressed for outsiders to be added to an investigative panel chosen this month by the university’s provost to look into the developing scandal. That panel consisted of two university professors and an official with the state’s Higher Education Policy Commission. The state official agreed to step down after some educators worried that he was too close to the Manchin administration.
The newcomers to the panel are Arthur L. Centonze, an associate professor of finance and economics and a former dean at Pace University; Lori S. Franz, a business professor and former associate provost at the University of Missouri at Columbia; and John M. Burkoff, a law professor at the University of Pittsburgh. The previously appointed West Virginia faculty members are Michael Lastinger, an associate professor of French, and Roy S. Nutter Jr., a professor of electrical engineering.
The panel will examine allegations, first reported in December in an article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, that raised questions about how the university granted an M.B.A. degree to the governor’s daughter, Heather M. Bresch, even though university records showed that she had completed only about half of the credits required. Ms. Bresch, a top executive at a West Virginia pharmaceutical company, says she earned the degree in 1998. —Charles Huckabee
Posted on Monday January 28, 2008 | Permalink |Comments
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Three months from now, the panel will confirm what we already know—records do not exist to prove Ms. Bresch earned an MBA.
Ms. Bresch will continue to stonewall since the panel can’t prove she is lying. In the end, she will bring the whole house down, including her father, the governor.
— Buy a vowel and 2 consonants Jan 29, 12:20 AM #
I’ll wait to see the final decision, but this is a good example of those that aren’t willing to put in the time or money to EARN the degree like that rest of us. If this is true – shame on you.
— nalawala Jan 29, 06:58 AM #
Let us see here. She claimed to have the MBA for almost ten years. Then the Pittsburgh Gaz called the University registrar who said there was no record of her earnng a degree. Then as the question was pursuued it went to Mike Garrison a local lawyer and friend of the governor’s daughter who had just been appointed president of WVU by the governor. Then she was quickly given the diploma while records of 22 missing semester hours were recreated. Looks like Garrison who used to date her when they were in HS together and owed his appointment to Govenor Machin paid all back and a mess was created. The question is what did Garrison know and when and what did he do.
— russ james Jan 29, 07:09 AM #
no wonder Rick wanted out——sounds like a REAL mess to me!
— gerald Jan 29, 10:01 AM #
This scandal will hurt honest students who have worked hard to earn a WVU advanced degree. Employers must now ask, ‘are they bogus or real’.
— DUGA Jan 29, 10:24 AM #
Incidents such as this wrongly overshadow all of the good that is done by the millions of other worthy, hardworking WVU grads.
— RJM Jan 29, 11:00 AM #
I agree. And where is Heather Bresch in all of this? Citing privacy issues, she’s managed to avoid interviews. The student newspaper reports that the committee members “may” talk with her. Am I missing something here?
— Karen Jan 29, 11:32 AM #
WVU has millions of graduates? Who knew? If Ms. Bresch is among those being counted, we shouldn’t trust the total.
— Peter Jan 29, 11:45 AM #
Dang. Peter beat me to the punchline.
— CU Alum Jan 29, 12:26 PM #
Given that our education system is becoming a “cash and carry” system, I am not surprised by this situation. I am only surprised that we have not heard more about such occurrences.
— Marie Nubia-Feliciano, M.S. Jan 29, 12:49 PM #
OMG, this is better than Alice in Wonderland. A panel to invesitgate this? One would think a Space Shuttle blew up! Hey, this isn’t rocket science. It’s something that a couple of people from the registrar’s office could solve in a couple of days.
— marci Jan 29, 12:53 PM #
Marci (No. 11):
They could, but they didn’t. Given that they are subordinate to the people who have said there has been no wrongdoing, it would not make sense to entrust the inquiry to them at this stage.
— CU Alum Jan 29, 01:20 PM #
It is a shame. Why would she lie because she already had a big job her daddy got for her with a big wvu booster?
Now it comes out the governor was trying to run the football program and everything blew up. Then he selected both the basketball coach and the new football coach. The BB coach had been fired at UCinn and the football coach had been fired at VMI for a racial incident in which he, as head coach, called players N…..ers. Now it will get worse because these two are only the half of it.
— doug fredrick Jan 29, 02:21 PM #
doug (# 13)
>> why would she lie?
Maybe because as the COO of a major drug company, the position (company) required an advanced degree. And maybe she lied by telling her employer that she had that degree. Then the company put out a big Wall Street press release trumpting her promotion and her (supposed) credentials.
To my mind, this entire incident REEKS of nepotism and “good ole boy” backroom shenanigans and is a black mark against an otherwise outstanding institution. Unfortunately that’s what happens when politicians involve themselves in education rather than allowing educators to direct policy, etc.
— Gary Jan 29, 06:25 PM #
WVU, an outstanding institution? I think not….having taught there for 5 years before finally having the opportunity to get out, this is par for the course. The place is a joke. I hope this hurts the institution. The sheep called faculty deserve it
— rml Jan 29, 06:32 PM #
I graduated with a masters degree from WVU in 1970 and became the first Director of Student Acitivities at the University of Louisville on July 1, 1970. I worked for Robert F. McWhorter who was the Director of the Mountainlair and was the force behind the Mouontainlair being built in the latter 1960’s. I learned a great deal from Robert F. McWhorter and my 5 year experience at WVU from 1965 to 1970 helped me a great deal at U of L where I have worked in Student Affairs for the past 37 1/2 years. I wish only the best for the students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends of WVU.
— George J. Howe Jan 29, 06:35 PM #
We haven’t seen the half of it. Now the rats are jumping off the sinking WVU ship. The subordinates whom the B-school Dean claimed provided information supporting his decision to grant Heather her fake degree now have said they did no such thing.
As reported in the student newspaper this morning.
— Skeptic Jan 30, 04:12 AM #
We haven’t seen the half of it. Now the rats are jumping off the sinking WVU ship. The subordinates whom the B-school Dean claimed provided information supporting his decision to grant Heather her fake degree now have said they did no such thing.
As reported in the student newspaper this morning.
“R. Steven Sears, the dean of the College of Business and Economics, said he consulted with and relied on Professor Paul Speaker and Gerald Blakely, the current MBA programs director, to decide that Bresch had met the requirements for the degree.
““As it pertains to Heather Bresch, Dean Sears has not asked me to provide any information regarding anything in his investigation,” Speaker said.
“Blakely said he did provide a summary of the evidence, not all developed in his office, to Dean Sears.
““It was prepared to support his conclusion that she had met all the requirements,” Blakely said.”
Details at www.da.wvu.edu
— Skeptic Jan 30, 04:14 AM #
For years my beloved West Virginia University stayed out of the corrupt politics of the gangs down in Charleston…but with the nephew of A.J. firmly in power the second-rater garrison got his job…it makes me very very sad…i worked very hard for my graduate degree there…many many dollars…and to think if u dated the prez in high school…and your daddy is the boss…why “it’s time to cook the books, and give out a phony degree.” I urge President Garrison, and his entire staff step-down until the investigation is completed. WVU demands nothing less…I also urge that Federal Authorities head this investigation, hopefully the SEC...
— bruce j. deadmonz III Jan 30, 06:40 AM #