An excellent editorial calling for an independent investigation of the “MBA Mystery” can be found at this link:

http://www.wvnstv.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=33136&catid=160&email=1

Today’s Morgantown Dominion Post and Charleson Gazette also call for such an investigation. All three editorials emphasize that the investigation commissioned by WVU President Garrison and University provost Lang is irrevocable tainted because the 3 appointed investigators have ties to the University.

The editorials also make a most important point: a truly independent investigation must be conducted by individuals with no ties to WVU or West Virginia governmental, corporate or political interests will be credible.

WVU president Garrison should immediately pull the plug on the internal investigation he announced a few days ago ask a credible higher education organization such as the AAUP (American Association of University Professors) to conduct the investigation.

Moreover, Garrison should immediately disclose to the public all relevant documents relating to the retroactive MBA recipient Heather Bresch’s participation in the MBA program (with grades redacted) as well as all records relating to the Post-Gazette’s October 2007 initial inquiry and all communications and records relating to WVU’s subsequent response and investigation of the matter.

The publically disclosed documents should include those that identify the individual or individuals who retroactively assigned letter grades to Ms. Bresch nine years after she was supposed to have attended graduation ceremonies for her MBA degree.

These documents should be posted on a new (specially created to deal with the matter) WVU website which should be updated with new information as it becomes available. Only by full public transparency will WVU recover from the growing scandal.

If the WVU President and the University administration have acted appropriately such a course of action will quickly restore confidence in the University and its leadership. Failing to do so will only cause public and media interest in the scandal to continue to grow.

These comments make sense.

Inside job: WVU needs to name an out-of-state panel
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08006/846843-35.stm

Do the good people of West Virginia deserve this?

1. Follow the money is a troll. For most Mylan EMBA students, the company pays. Plus, as Karen points out, what the $ buys is a seat in the class not a grade. We can assume the credits were paid for, and this guy works for Mylan.

2. The rumpus post is clearly misleading, as raging red notes. As a faculty member I can say without a doubt that this is not the type of special circumstances described in the handbook. This was not a grade appeal, or a legal discrimination/sexual harassment claim, or a faculty member who was derelict and failed to record grades. THE FACULTY SENATE MUST SPEAK ON THE ISSUE OF CHANGING GRADES WITHOUT TALKING TO THE PROFESSORS. It should never happen even once.

3. Saying “Flack is a stand up guy” is sounding troll-like. I’ve seen it a couple of times over the past week. Flack works for heather’s dad. I don’t care if he’s Snow White.

Other points:

1. Most of these WVU EMBA cohorts are quite small - 20 - 40 students in Morgantown who see each other for 3 hours in the evening, two days a week, for 4 semesters. It’s not a secret if you stop going to class. Some EMBA cohort classes are videotaped for distance learning - who knows if any evidence remains?

2. Garrison is setting Lang up for the fall here. Notice how the Pres doesn’t award degrees? Perhaps Lang and Sears acted without explicit direction; if so, they are toast. no love lost between the 1st and 2nd floors in Stewart Hall, so hanging Lang out to dry would actually help Mike. Flack for Provost?

3. Garrison knows Heather very well. More than just keeping track of her career. That is a clearly misleading minimization of the truth. When Garrison was a lobbyist, one of his biggest clients was Mylan Labs, at the very moment when heather was the head Mylan gov relations person. In other words, Mike worked for Heather around 2003. Billing records abound. Does any mole at Spillman have the 2003 & 2004 yearend summaries showing what Garrison billed Mylan Labs?

4. Who directed EMBA at that time? Paul Speaker?

5. Did Lastinger, Nutter and Flack fly down to the game? Can someone confirm whether they went as guests of the University?

The call for impartial review is out there…who would have the authority and clout to get it done? Obviously a lot of stakeholders who have a self-interest who are not politically involved…any ideas?

Keep on em.