April 4, 2008

Florida Medical Dean Overrules Committee, Admitting Son of Politically Connected Family

The dean of the University of Florida College of Medicine admitted the son of a Republican fund raiser even though the committee charged with making admissions decisions had rejected him, The Gainesville Sun reported on Thursday.

The dean, Bruce C. Kone, said politics had nothing to do with his decision to admit the student, whom the newspaper identified as Benjamin Mendelsohn. His father, Alan Mendelsohn, is a Hollywood ophthalmologist who was a grassroots organizer in the 2006 campaign of Gov. Charlie Crist of Florida.

The governor sent a letter recommending the student to the university’s Junior Honors Medical Program, a highly competitive seven-year program that combines bachelor’s and medical degrees. The letter was sent before Dr. Kone became dean, and he says he never saw it.

The university said it received 2,783 applications for the 135 seats in its entering class.

The Liaison Committee on Medical Education, which accredits medical schools in the United States and Canada, states in its standards that “the final responsibility for selecting students to be admitted for medical study must reside with a duly constituted faculty committee,” and that “the selection of individual students must not be influenced by any political or financial factors.”

“I certainly respected all of the decisions of the admissions committee, up until one,” Dr. Kone told the newspaper. “There was no political influence related to this thing. There never will be. There never has been. This was an exceptional student, and I wish to God I could even tell you about (the student’s) credentials.”

In 2006 the Mendelsohn family gave more than $33,000 to political candidates, mostly Republicans. Benjamin Mendelsohn donated $500 directly to the governor’s campaign, the paper reported. Benjamin Mendelsohn declined to talk to the newspaper. —Katherine Mangan

Comments

1. And do we assume that the same thing doesn’t happen with Democrats? Who’s being naive here?

   — Gwen    Apr 4, 11:13 AM    #

2. NO, these things happen with the wealthy.

   — GL    Apr 4, 12:38 PM    #

3. If $33K can buy an admission to med school in Florida, sign me up!! Here it would cost you at least $250K in unmarked twenty dollar bills.

   — marci    Apr 4, 02:28 PM    #

4. The following three quotes (from the Gainesville Sun article) cast doubt on this Dean’s power (right; authority) to admit a student:
   “Kone said he thought he was within his rights to admit a student absent committee support,”
   (“Dr. Craig Tisher, former dean of UF’s College of Medicine”):“All I can tell you is I didn’t exercise that prerogative (to overrule the committee), if in fact that prerogative exists.”
   “Committee members are then asked to rank the candidate, based on a scale of one to 10 — 10 being the highest — on their assessment of the applicant. The chairman of the committee uses this feedback to determine admissions.”
   Where is the University administration’s comment?
   Has any department dean been allowed to overrule that department’s admission committee’s decision?

   — richard    Apr 4, 04:12 PM    #

5. Yes, Dr. Kone. I’m sure that he was as “exceptional” as many of the 2,647 other students who were rejected. But his being a good student isn’t why you picked him over thousands of others. Floridians should be outraged and should demand that he give a rational answer for his actions. Yes, we all know why he chose that student. But, we should always be shocked by this kind of behavior. And we should always challenge it. Are we that desensitized?

   — kellie    Apr 4, 04:20 PM    #

6. It is interesting how Republicans like Governor Crist rail against affirmative action yet see nothing wrong in pulling strings for politically connected friends and supporters.

   — DPH    Apr 4, 04:23 PM    #

7. I’m a Floridian and I have more important things to worry about than a single student getting a second chance to launch his career. For what it’s worth, who is to say the kid wasn’t penalized by the admissions committee for being the son of a wealthy conservative? Why do you so quickly jump to conclusions about the med school Dean? Odds are pretty good that the Dean is not a Republican anyway … It goes both ways, guys.

   — Zach    Apr 4, 04:25 PM    #

8. Yet another example why I will never work at a Florida institution of “higher learning”

   — JPS    Apr 4, 04:26 PM    #

9. Humm, let’s see was he originally rejected for the same political reasons? We always assume the pressure to accept or reject comes from outside the committee-never, never from inside. —By the way, you think, just maybe, the kid was just as or more qualified to attend more so than some of the others accepted? Don’t know.

   But I tell you what, read the book “The Gatekeepers” and see how some stupid decisions are made in the admissions process.

   The Dean may have been justified in the over-ride.

   Don’t beat the kid up because his dad has been successful.

   — seth    Apr 4, 04:28 PM    #

10. Well W was admitted to Harvard Business after being turned down by many other graduate and professional schools including U. Texas Law School. He needed a full time tutor with him everyday. So if Harvard can do it why not Florida.
    And I goes on both sides. Teddy Kennedy was bumped out of Harvard for cheating but admitted to the University of Virginia Law School.
    And LBJ’s son in law, Robb, had barely a c- average as an undergraduate at Wisconsin but was admitted (again with a tutor) to the UVa. Law School.
    Yawn want to know more.

    — james oakley    Apr 4, 04:33 PM    #

11. for comment #1, think the academic legacy of Al Gore warranted the Ivy league experience either? but Papa Gore was a well-connected Senator.

    — buster    Apr 4, 04:36 PM    #

12. We all want to be financially successful, and then when someone is, we harbor grudges against him because it was him and not us. The wealthy take a lot of flack just because they are wealthy. Although another student may have lost out on a chance for admissions, if this kid can’t cut it, he’ll flunk out or drop out. I’m ok with that.

    — deborah    Apr 4, 04:42 PM    #

13. …. people, people! please, its called affirmative action for the rich.

    — phil    Apr 4, 04:57 PM    #

14. If this kid had come from a single parent home or a below poverty line home with so-so grades, would the Dean have given him a second look???

    — H. Mickey Gill    Apr 4, 04:57 PM    #

15. The majority of deans do not put their institution’s accreditation in jeopardy. As a dean, I explained the accreditor’s requirements to any politico or community leader who tried to pressure me to admit an individual of their choice, and we adhered to the standards.

    — a former dean    Apr 4, 05:00 PM    #

16. For #12, It was reported that Gore’s SAT score was in the high 1300s, which on today’s re-centered mean, would be the equivalent of at least the high 1400s to possibly low 1500s (Critical Reading and Math). I don’t know what his high school GPA was, but if you’re trying to say he wouldn’t have been admitted without his connections, I’m not sure you’re correct. Bush’s SAT was reported as being at least 100-150 points lower than Gore’s. (Perhaps he would have been admitted without his political connections as well.)

    — Ve    Apr 4, 05:02 PM    #

17. For #‘s 1, 11, and 12, what is it with your preoccupation with Bush? Good grief. And who cares whether Gore scored a 1300 on his SAT? Geez. It’s a safe bet that neither one of them had anything to do with Dean Kone’s decision to oeverride the admissions committee. Take a deep breath and lighten up a bit. The kid got a second chance. Good for him. The kid is from a wealthy family. Good for him. Stop trying to make everyone else who didn’t get a second chance or isn’t from a wealthy family out to be some sort of “victim.” There is way too much negativity …

    — Zach    Apr 4, 05:15 PM    #

18. To #18, I think you’re the one who needs to lighten up. I’m just stating what was reported in the news.

    — Ve    Apr 4, 05:43 PM    #

19. To numbers 8 & 10, why would anyone on an admissions committee have any notion whatsoever about someone’s family connections or their political affiliations?

    — Decatur_Gator    Apr 4, 05:46 PM    #

20. If a private school admits the offspring of a wealthy alum, it is most likely because they want to keep the fundraising spigot on, not so much because they are doing some sort of favor. Same for admiting the offspring of a well-connected politician, except for in this case they are looking for money and or favors. To me, that’s a more rational decision than some sort of dubious social engineering policy.

    — J. Ward    Apr 4, 06:15 PM    #

21. As someone who deals with admissions to a prestigious medical program, you definitely do hear about the applicants’ connections.

    — SE    Apr 4, 06:20 PM    #

22. As a long time faculty member, I am shocked at the cynicism that seeks to justify this dean’s violation of principle on the grounds that everyone cheats. This dean violated institutional rules, and this decision should not stand.

    — tb    Apr 4, 09:30 PM    #

23. I have no problem using connections to help get into college. I do have a problem with using connections to get into medical school. That is unacceptable in my book.

    — Meredith    Apr 4, 10:11 PM    #

24. Higher ed has always been riddled with politics and money in Florida and elsewhere. The Med school dean is among peers that often resort to such favors. Heck, just look at some of the current university presidents and their legislative connections.

    Political patronage is class and wealth based. It’s common in most colleges and deep rooted in Florida. It will not change and deeply reflects the character and mores of the culture served. Go Gators!

    — DP    Apr 5, 01:00 AM    #

25. Anyone who has watched Dean Kone work since his appointment should not be surprised. He is arrogant, probably a sociopath and is leading a once fine school to ruination.

    — ann    Apr 5, 12:59 PM    #

26. From the silence of the President of the University of Florida (Bernie Machen), it is apparent that he was also part of this wink-wink-nod-nod admision through the backdoor

    — andy rojon    Apr 5, 04:14 PM    #

27. The fact that a dean needs to “overide” a committee decision speaks to his leadership effectiveness. If he was even half effective, this would never had been an issue: he would have had the committee chair or some members done this for him at the first place.

    — Steve    Apr 5, 11:06 PM    #

28. Excuse me? Given the AAMC’s appropriate emphasis on professionalism and ethics, is this the kind of role model for the future? I feel training physicians is a great honor. Physicians are not politicians; their responsibility is to their patients. I may be naive, but they and their role models should be above this. This is a tragic and sad comment on our priorities if this is widespread. Honesty is one thing that money can’t buy. Someone needs to learn that.

    — A Faculty Member    Apr 6, 02:16 PM    #

29. Its not right but don’t see how his case is different from how admission goes in general. If someone like him needed justification, he could easily get funding and support to organize an activity that will demonstrate his love for human life – whether if its genuine or not – and you would admit him over a premed who only has high grades and experiences that most applicants say they have, regardless of how they worked for them.

    — J    Apr 7, 03:13 PM    #

30. what about the guy or gal who didn’tget the admiision the deserved

    — al    Apr 7, 04:00 PM    #

31. As an accepted applicant for UF’s College of Medicine, let me tell you, the admissions committee at UF’s med school is extremely professional and qualified. If they didn’t accept this student, he doesn’t deserve to be there. It’s a slap in the face to the applicants that devoted countless hours to study, volunteering, physician shadowing, and other activities that this guy gets a pass.

    — Aaron    Apr 7, 04:51 PM    #

32. This kid does not have an MCAT score. He didn’t even register on the admission committee’s scale of 1 to 10. Would you want a student who was given the right into Med School or a student who earned their way into Med School as your family physician?

    — David    Apr 7, 09:40 PM    #

33. The 2000 plus applicants rejected must be incensed about Dean Kone’s action. Dean Kone could have asked the admissions commttee to reconsider by giving reasons why the students should be accepted. He certainly violated an important principle governing the admissions process in the College of Medicine at UFL

    — Emanuel Suter    Apr 11, 11:47 AM    #

34. The admitted student never took the MCAT and did not apply through AMCAS by the usual deadline – instead, he applied by special permission, given by Dr. Kone, in February… UF requires that all materials be submitted by Jan. 15, according to the university’s Web site.
    http://www.gainesville.com/article/20080410/NEWS/804100319/0/news

    — nonsense...    Apr 11, 05:23 PM    #

35. As a premedical student who will be applying to medical schools this coming year, and as a UF undergraduate, I do not think that being from a wealthy family should preclude a qualified individual from gaining admission to medical school. However, part of that qualification has for years been a score on the MCAT, so why not just take it? If you are a good candidate, there should be nothing to fear from this simple test. Why didn’t Mendelsohn just take the MCAT? Then he would have gotten in without all of this controversy.

    — Aaron    Apr 12, 12:57 AM    #

36. Kone’s decision to admit this student so brazenly and without offering any explanations regarding why he thought this kid was exceptional, was wrong. Not to mention l) no MCAT, 2) past deadline. Did you read the e-mail he sent the president’s staff? It was in the Sun’s latest article. Kone comes across as unbelievably rude and arrogant. Maybe he was drinking but he’s a dean and there is no excuse for embarrassing the university and the med school like this. It would be nice to envision him getting humble and admitting he was wrong about something, but that’s not likely to happen. And surely he has some redeeming qualities, but maybe all this power has gone to his head.
    He does give a bad name to former English majors…maybe he should have pursued writing plays…tragedies would be a good start.

    — Spence    Apr 13, 09:26 PM    #

37. What’s amazing to me is that the President did not immediately fire Dr. Kone after being copied on the email that was reprinted in the Sun. If nothing else, it shows that Kone may be right about one thing – the lack of effective leadership on the part of the University administration.

    — jack    Apr 14, 12:45 PM    #

38. Jeez. All I can say is I hope never to have the kid as my doctor. Just what I want. Someone whose chief qualification to get into med school was that his family was wealthy as opposed to his talent lifted him above the other candidates. Maybe this would be ok for a Accounting degree, or Finance or Political Science. But doctor? Shesh. Tell me this isn’t oxymoronic.

    — Lyn    Apr 14, 04:19 PM    #

39. Taxpayers in Florida should stop sending any money to support the University of Florida. It is clearly no longer a public university. All of the University Professors should refuse to grade any of the student’s work or even accept any of his assignments or given him any grades. What is worse is that he has taken the place of a Florida Resident, whose parents have been paying taxes to support the University of Florida. These are Nazi and Communist tactics which give preference to their own, nepotism, … Every State in the Union should ban the guy from ever practicing medicine in their State. He has clearly breached the moral, ethical and social standard it takes to practice medicine in the States. Banned for life for ever practicing medicine, like Nifong has lost his license to practice law, the student should have his ‘ability/future’ license to practice medicine permanently revoked. This is the absolutely ethical, moral and socially responsible thing to do. Do not reward asocial and amoral behavior by the father, the University and the student, for taking the place of the more qualified and hard working student. The tax payers of Florida should not have to subsidize one iota this students education. The tax payers of Florida should file federal civil rights case against the student, the father and the University of Florida. They should be forced to give the name of the young minority lady or chap who lost lost her/his position to this student. Sad, really sad. One student’s gain, is ALWAYS ANOTHER’s Student loss. His/her civil and human rights have clearly been violated by the University of Florida, the father and the student. To take someone’s else place is morally, ethically and socially reprehensible behavior. Who in his right mind would want such a person to be his person physician. Maybe he will only serve his Dad, Mum, and close family members. Actually a very good return on the investment of $500 to the governor’s campaign. Corruption at the top has brought down every civilization, and it looks like it is very fast bringing down the American way of life also. The father and son should both be deported, as they are Anti-American.

    — Karl    Apr 17, 07:40 AM    #

40. For comment #11, “So if Harvard can do it why not Florida.” Why not Florida? Are you serious? Because UF is not a private school; it is state supported.

    — Anonymous    Apr 17, 05:40 PM    #

41. It is tragic to see such actions and behaviors by a dean. He clearly has no impulse control, and needs an in depth psychiatric evaluation. Subsequent articles make it clear that the UF President is an accomplice in this shameful selling of admission to medical school for political gain. In addition, they have ignored the wishes and intent of a loyal donor, taking her money to use as they wish. All while universities fight having to use 5% of foundation earnings to provide scholarships because, “we have to adhere to the wishes o of those who donated the money. What brazen hypocrisy and dishonest. What has happened to integrity at the University of Florida? Isn’t there a level of authority above the president? If so, do they have their heads in the sand, are they involved, or don’t they care about the reputation of the university they are supposed to be overseeing?
    Anonymous

    — anonymous    Apr 20, 07:15 PM    #

42. The rich person affirmative action might be nice for MBA programs and maybe even law school – but this is medical school. There have to be academic standards for life and death. I also would not suggest that med schools would bias against a republican – He just missed the cut, tough break. Re-apply or try another school.

    — anonymous    Apr 21, 11:30 PM    #

43. Has anyone thought that the dean cannot defend why he overruled the committee’s decision because he would violate confidentiality rules by discussing the candidate’s qualifications? And those on the committee who leaked his name should be facing consequences.

    — rachel    Apr 25, 12:36 AM    #

44. He and Ben both need to WITHDRAW. He didn’t even bother apply within the correct timeframe and do what what was necessary to be able to be admitted (neither through the Junior Honors program nor UF’s regular admission), so it follows that he must not really want it like everyone else.

    This is going to RUIN UF’s reputation and it is unfair to those who already go there or will be going there who have worked so hard to make it only to have the quality of their degree decrease because of this situation.

    Even for his own sake and self respect, Ben needs to WITHDRAW (and do something to redeem himself). It’s not fair, it’s not right, and at least have some self respect.

    Like others have said, if he HAS the connections (which he does), the least he could have done was complete the darned application, do the MCAT, and have all of those technical requirements in place.I mean, did he not have ANY confidence in himself at all? From what I hear, everyone was scared to death of the MCAT and they STILL took it.

    Oh, and yes,Machen is to blame but Kone should have said refused or stepped down or something—but he’d rather keep the title of Dean at the expense of the respect for medicine.And why is it that his decision can override that of the committee?

    Who’s to say Ben won’t buy himself some A’s while he’s at it once he decides he is too overwhelmed from any attempt to study or learn?! We’re not too far away from that folks! So, I propose that :

    -Ben LEAVE UF

    -Kone LEAVE UF

    -Machen LEAVE UF

    -UF KEEP IT’S INTEGRITY,REPUTATION, AND QUALITY STUDENT BODY

    — UF student    Apr 27, 07:30 PM    #

45. The admissions committee at uf is a joke. There were only something like 16 people present for the vote, a third were graduating students who hated the dean for sticking to the retirement of the education dean, and they railroaded it. Check how many were in that stupid chapman society. The idea that med students could vote to that degree on an admissions decision for a potential doctor is ridiculous, and kudos to Kone for overruling it. At least he has some balls.

    As for the accreditation risk, that was blown by the fact that the admissions committee broke state and federal privacy laws, much less that they don’t have a committee of “faculty” but with students too.

    If you followed the whole DROP scandal in the st. Pete times, you’d know this is all about double-dippers who got appropriately forced to retire without a second job.

    UF has no integrity. It’s a joke. When that privacy investigation is over and the students and faculty on the admissions committee get outed, let’s see who’s claiming integrity then.

    This is such an old boys network here at UF it’s sickening. Finally someone stood up for what’s right.

    — wendy    Apr 30, 08:57 PM    #

46. Double-dippers —- they’re triple dippers. The watson article showed that not only did he want his retirement after DROP, but he also wanted a job and an endowed professorship. If it’s true that there were chapman society people on the admissions committee and he was buddy’s with the chapman donor, that explains a lot about the real corruption behind this whole mess.

    I saw that st. pete times article and there’s 127 double-dippers at UF’s medical school. They’re like a mafia trying to shake down the dean and machen. The state budghet’s in the toilet and watson, berns, nuss and these other losers think it’s ok to get paid two or three times over. No wonder they rigged the admissions committee then leaked it all to the press.

    — jgator    Apr 30, 09:03 PM    #

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