West Virginia University M.B.A. controversy: Difference between revisions
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The '''West Virginia University E.M.B.A. controversy''' refers to a controversy regarding the granting of an [[Master_of_Business_Administration#History|Executive MBA]] by [[West Virginia University]] to |
The '''West Virginia University E.M.B.A. controversy''' refers to a controversy regarding the granting of an [[Master_of_Business_Administration#History|Executive MBA]] by [[West Virginia University]] to a person who had not completed the graduation requirements. West Virginia University's president, [[Provost (education)|provost]] and business school dean resigned as a result of the investigation, and the university's general counsel and the president's communications officer relinquished those roles. |
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==Initial Questions== |
==Initial Questions== |
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On October 2, 2007 [[Heather Bresch]], the daughter of then-[[Governor (United States)|governor]] (and subsequently [[United States Senator]]) [[Joe Manchin]] of West Virginia, was promoted to chief operating officer at [[Mylan]], a [[Cecil Township, Pennsylvania]]-based generic drug maker.<ref name="Mystery">{{cite news |
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| last = Sabatini |
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| first = Patricia |
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|author2=Len Boselovi |
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| title = MBA mystery in Morgantown |
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| work = |
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| pages = |
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| language = |
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| publisher = [[Pittsburgh Post Gazette]] |
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| date = 2007-12-21 |
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| url = http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07355/843469-28.stm |
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| accessdate = }} |
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</ref> |
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On October 11, 2007 the ''[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]'' contacted West Virginia University to confirm academic credentials claimed by |
On October 11, 2007 the ''[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]'' contacted West Virginia University to confirm academic credentials claimed by a person, including an EMBA degree.<ref name="Mystery" /> Research done by the ''Post Gazette'' indicated that the person's course work ceased with 22 out of the 48-credit-hour program remaining to be completed.<ref name="Mystery" /> The WVU Registrar told the newspaper that the person had earned an undergraduate degree, but did not finish the graduate degree. On October 15, 2007, a university spokeswoman announced that the person had "completed all the requirements for an executive masters of business administration degree," but did not receive a diploma because of a $50 graduation fee.<ref name="Mystery" /> She attributed the misunderstanding to the business school's failure to transfer records from nearly half of her course work.<ref name="Mystery" /> |
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On October 22, 2007, R. Stephen Sears, the Milan Puskar Dean of WVU's business school, sent a letter to WVU's admissions and records office |
On October 22, 2007, R. Stephen Sears, the Milan Puskar Dean of WVU's business school, sent a letter to WVU's admissions and records office granting the person an EMBA. Six classes were added with letter grades, and two classes with "Incomplete" grades were given letter grades.<ref name="Mystery" /> |
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==Panel== |
==Panel== |
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The University commissioned a [http://www.facultysenate.wvu.edu/panel_report_4-23-08.pdf report] written by a panel of faculty members from WVU and other universities to look into the matter. As covered by the ''Post-Gazette'', the panel discovered the change in |
The University commissioned a [http://www.facultysenate.wvu.edu/panel_report_4-23-08.pdf report] written by a panel of faculty members from WVU and other universities to look into the matter. As covered by the ''Post-Gazette'', the panel discovered the change in the letter grades, and the University announced in April 2008 that it would rescind Bresch's degree.<ref name=postgazette>Boselovic, Len, and Patricia Sabatini, "[http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08115/876164-298.stm University revokes degree after scathing report on M.B.A. awarded to Bresch]", ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'', 24 April 2008, accessed 2008-04-26</ref> WVU Vice-President and Provost Dr. Gerald Lang announced his resignation<ref name=nyt0804>[http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/28/us/28westvirginia.html "Provost Quits Over Degree to Governor’s Child"], ''New York Times'', 28 April 2008, accessed 2008-04-28</ref> and shortly thereafter College of Business & Economics Dean Dr. Stephen Sears announced his resignation as well.<ref>[http://wvgazette.com/latest/200804280173 "WVU dean 2nd to resign in degree scandal"], ''The Charleston Gazette'', 28 April 2008, accessed 2008-04-28</ref> |
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The report's panel found that high-ranking university administrators "cherry-picked" information and that grades were "simply pulled from thin air" to grant Bresch the degree nearly 10 years after |
The report's panel found that high-ranking university administrators "cherry-picked" information and that grades were "simply pulled from thin air" to grant Bresch the degree nearly 10 years after the person was supposed to graduate. The panel concluded administrators lacked documentation to prove Bresch's claims, relied too heavily on verbal assertions and caved to political pressure. The report did not find that the university president directly interfered, but it concluded the presence of his chief of staff in the decision-making meeting created "palpable" pressure. |
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==Aftermath and repercussions== |
==Aftermath and repercussions== |
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Many WVU alumni expressed concern and anger regarding the controversy and fear damage to the university's reputation.<ref name="wrath">{{cite news |
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| last = Sabatini |
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| first = Patricia |
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|author2=Len Boselovic |
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| title = WVU facing alumni wrath over M.B.A. |
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| publisher = [[Pittsburgh Post Gazette]] |
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| date = 2008-03-08 |
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| url = http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08068/863516-28.stm |
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| accessdate = }}</ref> Prominent [[Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania]] attorney and [[WVU]] alum Peter J. Kalis <ref>Kalis is a WVU alum, Rhodes scholar, and chairman of Pittsburgh law firm Kirkpatrick & Lockhart/Gates</ref> called for removal of Steven Goodwin, chairman of WVU's board of directors, as well as Garrison.<ref>{{cite news |
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| last = Sabatini |
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| first = Patricia |
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|author2=Len Boselovic |
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| title = WVU provost to quit over M.B.A. |
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| publisher = [[Pittsburgh Post Gazette]] |
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| date = 2008-04-28 |
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| url = http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08119/877222-85.stm |
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Garrison subsequently resigned and was replaced by interim President C. Peter Magrath. Magrath served for a year before James P. Clements was named to be the next president. |
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In addition, the university's general counsel stepped down as general counsel but remained vice president of legal affairs. The president's communications officer was reassigned to another job in the university.<ref>''Pittsburgh Post Gazette'', "WVU Panelists Stand by report", http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08153/886523-298.stm</ref> |
In addition, the university's general counsel stepped down as general counsel but remained vice president of legal affairs. The president's communications officer was reassigned to another job in the university.<ref>''Pittsburgh Post Gazette'', "WVU Panelists Stand by report", http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08153/886523-298.stm</ref> |
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Revision as of 13:37, 2 February 2015
An editor has nominated this article for deletion. You are welcome to participate in the deletion discussion, which will decide whether or not to retain it. |
 | It has been suggested that this article be merged with Heather Bresch. (Discuss) Proposed since January 2015. |
Template:Disputed title The West Virginia University E.M.B.A. controversy refers to a controversy regarding the granting of an Executive MBA by West Virginia University to a person who had not completed the graduation requirements. West Virginia University's president, provost and business school dean resigned as a result of the investigation, and the university's general counsel and the president's communications officer relinquished those roles.
Initial Questions
On October 11, 2007 the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette contacted West Virginia University to confirm academic credentials claimed by a person, including an EMBA degree.[1] Research done by the Post Gazette indicated that the person's course work ceased with 22 out of the 48-credit-hour program remaining to be completed.[1] The WVU Registrar told the newspaper that the person had earned an undergraduate degree, but did not finish the graduate degree. On October 15, 2007, a university spokeswoman announced that the person had "completed all the requirements for an executive masters of business administration degree," but did not receive a diploma because of a $50 graduation fee.[1] She attributed the misunderstanding to the business school's failure to transfer records from nearly half of her course work.[1]
On October 22, 2007, R. Stephen Sears, the Milan Puskar Dean of WVU's business school, sent a letter to WVU's admissions and records office granting the person an EMBA. Six classes were added with letter grades, and two classes with "Incomplete" grades were given letter grades.[1]
Panel
The University commissioned a report written by a panel of faculty members from WVU and other universities to look into the matter. As covered by the Post-Gazette, the panel discovered the change in the letter grades, and the University announced in April 2008 that it would rescind Bresch's degree.[2] WVU Vice-President and Provost Dr. Gerald Lang announced his resignation[3] and shortly thereafter College of Business & Economics Dean Dr. Stephen Sears announced his resignation as well.[4]
The report's panel found that high-ranking university administrators "cherry-picked" information and that grades were "simply pulled from thin air" to grant Bresch the degree nearly 10 years after the person was supposed to graduate. The panel concluded administrators lacked documentation to prove Bresch's claims, relied too heavily on verbal assertions and caved to political pressure. The report did not find that the university president directly interfered, but it concluded the presence of his chief of staff in the decision-making meeting created "palpable" pressure.
Aftermath and repercussions
On May 1, 2008, the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, which first reported on the controversy, published an editorial calling for the President Michael Garrison's resignation.[5] On the same day, WVU's student newspaper, The Daily Athenaeum held a student forum where some students called for President Michael Garrison's resignation. President Garrison did not attend, and was represented by a member of the executive communications staff.[6]
Resignations and calls for resignations
Chairman of the West Virginia University's Health Sciences Center neurosurgery department organized a faculty letter in support.[7] Some faculty members felt pressured to sign the letter, which had 23 signatures.[7]
On May 5, 2008, WVU's faculty senate passed a non-binding resolution 77-19 that stated: "The Faculty Senate of West Virginia University votes no confidence in President Garrison. For the good of the institution and for the benefit of our students, he must resign or the Board of Governors must require his resignation."[8] One emeritus member of the faculty called the grade alterations by the WVU administration a "serious academic crime" by subverting the faculty's traditional authority.[8]
In addition, the university's general counsel stepped down as general counsel but remained vice president of legal affairs. The president's communications officer was reassigned to another job in the university.[9]
References
- ^ a b c d e Cite error: The named reference
Mysterywas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Boselovic, Len, and Patricia Sabatini, "University revokes degree after scathing report on M.B.A. awarded to Bresch", Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 24 April 2008, accessed 2008-04-26
- ^ "Provost Quits Over Degree to Governor’s Child", New York Times, 28 April 2008, accessed 2008-04-28
- ^ "WVU dean 2nd to resign in degree scandal", The Charleston Gazette, 28 April 2008, accessed 2008-04-28
- ^ Sabatini, Patricia; Len Boselovi (2008-05-01). "WVU's holdout: A tarnished president should step down, too". Pittsburgh Post Gazette.
- ^ Sabatini, Patricia; Len Boselovi (2008-05-02). "WVU speaks out". Pittsburgh Post Gazette.
- ^ a b Sabatini, Patricia; Len Boselovic (2008-05-02). "Some faculty feel pressed to sign letter backing WVU president". Pittsburgh Post Gazette.
- ^ a b Sabatini, Patricia; Len Boselovic (2008-05-05). "WVU faculty senate, in 77-19 vote, says Garrison must go". Pittsburgh Post Gazette.
- ^ Pittsburgh Post Gazette, "WVU Panelists Stand by report", http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08153/886523-298.stm