Three former undergraduates at the University of Mississippi will have to start their college educations all over again at another institution, as the State of Mississippi has stripped their degrees following an investigation into an alleged cheating ring. The state’s Board of Trustees for Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) voted to take away the three degrees during their annual fall meeting in Columbus on Oct. 17. Dr. Pamela Smith, assistant commissioner of public affairs and development for the IHL, says the matter was “thoroughly decided by the board in executive session.”
According to IHL Board President Bryce Griffis, the body consulted its attorneys in the matter.
“The board was thoroughly briefed by (UM) Chancellor Khayat,” Smith said, “and they had the opportunity to ask him questions in a hour-long session in which other matters were discussed.”
The IHL Board is the only body with the power to give and revoke academic degrees granted by Mississippi public universities, according to Smith. “Candidates for graduation are brought for approval by each of the university presidents, and so are candidates for revocation.”
Smith said that the students involved were not given the opportunity to make their case to the IHL board, but that they should have been during the investigation at UM.
Jeff Alford, a spokesman for UM, said, “the university conducted a full, thorough investigation and the accused students were given ample opportunity to make their case.”
According to Alford, eight students and one instructor were involved in cheating that started in 1995 and ended when university officials discovered it in August 1999. The cheating involved “distance learning” classed taken from several departments in the College of Liberal Arts and were done via computer, independent study or correspondence work.
“No class (physically) met,” Alford said. In addition to the three students who had their degrees taken, three others were expelled in 2000, one will be allowed to keep a degree but lose additional credits, and another was exonerated and was able to receive a degree. The expelled students are forbidden from re-entering Ole Miss.
The full-time staff member involved in the case was fired in August 1999. According to Alford, that staffer had computer access to students’ grades and “entered phony grades.” The students were given improper credit and grades for work they did not do.
A possible family connection was discovered during the investigation, according to Alford. He said the former instructor and at least a couple of the students involved appear to be related.
Alford said the matter is now closed and that no further investigation will be conducted. He also said the university will not pursue the matter in court. “We took steps to keep this from happening again as soon as we discovered it in August 1999,” Alford said, “Ole Miss is continuing to review all of its grading procedures.”
Smith said the IHL also has no plans for further investigation. “The board does have executive officers to handle academic dishonesty, but when it comes up, it’s the responsibility of the individual universities to handle it. Cheating is not a widespread, rampant issue, and the board isn’t that concerned about it.”
Smith said that both Ole Miss and Mississippi State have both been in the news for cheating scandals recently, and that “both universities handled it admirably.”
“Academic honesty is at the basis of any university’s integrity,” Smith said. “Unfortunately, some people in this world just cheat.”
Alford said that other students should learn from this situation. “We hope this sends a message that academic misconduct doesn’t pay. The question of academic dishonesty goes to the heart of an academic degree from the University of Mississippi.”
Editor’s Note: The Associated Press contributed to this story.