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Opinion

August 30, 2008

Audit reflects lengthy history of trouble with WVU eMBA program

Anonymous The Register-Herald Sat Aug 30, 2008, 10:24 PM EDT

After all the finger-pointing, accusations of cronyism and media frenzy surrounding an eMBA degree which was awarded, undeservedly, to Heather Bresch, daughter of Gov. Joe Manchin, we are now learning the real depth of the problem at West Virginia University, and indeed, as we long suspected, it wasn’t just an isolated case.

Early on it was our belief that mismanagement of the program itself, within the College of Business and Economics, was at the heart of the matter.

Interim business college dean William Trumbull said last week an internal audit reflects that 70 to 80 degrees awarded over the last several years have problems associated with them. He went on to say he “thinks” that’s the right number.

Trumbull said he was confident the awarding of these advanced degrees now in question was done out of good faith, in the spirit of accommodating the needs of students, and that corruption and/or bending to influence wasn’t involved. All while acknowledging mistakes may have been made because of sloppy procedures and inadequate resources being available.

“It is purely a professional degree program for professionals who are working full-time and have needs the typical student doesn’t have.

“I think it is a slippery slope, and we went too far down that slope,” Trumbull added.

Just like an out-of-control bobsled ride down Paint Creek hollow.

In trying to digest all of this, it seems like it really comes back to a situation where the rules and guidelines which were followed were about as flexible as a glob of Silly Putty.

And it has made the state’s land grant institution of higher learning look silly. For everything that’s so good about WVU, this continues to be an embarrassment.

We expect the problem is being fixed; it’s just so disappointing that it has gone on for as long as it has without being checked.

Heads rolled, all the way to the top of the university, when a high-profile person obtained an eMBA without earning it. But the results of this audit demonstrate that the housecleaning can’t nearly be over.

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