Tulane dismisses instructor with Lacrosse degree

Tulane decides degree no stamp of approval

MAILBOX U.

 

Interesting.

So here's my question: If del Corral now took his LSU PhD coursework either back to LSU or to any other accredited university, put himself together a new committee, submitted and defended his dissertation, and was finally granted a bona fide, accredited PhD (and, of course, substituted same on his resume for the bogus one from LaCrosse), where would he be in the scheme of things?

 

While I’m not defending him, would he really be any better “educated” or any better equipped to teach (assuming, that his dissertation was in fact up to snuff) if he did that? Would his original contribution to the body of human knowledge suddenly become more significant? Or would this just be an exercise in making his existing work and contributions more palatable for academia?

I’m no fan of Lacrosse, but it sounds like this gentleman has undertaken significant and meaningful study. I hope that he is able to remedy things.

Cheers,
Tony

 

Tulane had the option of not listing his Lacrosse degree. In Canada, unfair dismissal lawsuits are big business, but apparently not in the US.

 

Under other legal systems (Canada, Germany, France, etc.), he would probably have recourse, as the article states that he was originally hired on the basis of his two legitimate masters degrees. Given, however, that he was hired as a contract instructor, I don’t think that he has much recourse. I’m sure that the legal minds on the board can give better insight into that.

Cheers,
Tony

 

What I meant was, in the article everyone kept referring to what he did as a huge mistake of career-ending proportions; so if he converted his coursework and dissertation, finally, into a legit, accredited PhD, and replaced the LaCrosse PhD with it on his resume and/or CV and/or wherever else, would he suddenly be redeemed and restored to respectability? Or is redemption, generally, now a pipe dream for him? Is this now something of a scarlet letter forever?

 

Gregg: I think the answer is yes. If he finished at LSU all would be well, since he was not fired so much as not renewed from Tulane. While I don't think his contribution to his field would be greater if he re-circulated his dissertation through LSU, the dissertation would have greater exposure as a doctoral research report from a recognized university. it is very difficult, I think, for an unaccredited school to muster respect as a research institution. Now, as a real world reality, LSU would most likely make him do a few courses again--perhaps execute a mini-doctoral exam, and make him revise the dissertation three or four times--if not require an entirely new dissertation. How could an accredited major university with a national champion football team accept a Lacrosse dissertation no matter how good it is?

 

Let's see: A person serving in a profession used a fake credential relevant to service in that profession. In this case, it was a degree from a fake school used in performing his duties at a real school. What aspect of this is at all confusing or in dispute?

If a physician with a real MD was practicing at a hospital when it was found out that he did not have a professional fellowship he claimed in his credentials, wouldn't he be subject to dismissal? Having or not having the additional credential may not have been a factor in meeting the minimum requirements for the job, but the ruse is both relevant and damning.

It doesn't matter whether or not the fake degree was required for the job. And educational professional lied about his education (by listing a degree from a diploma mill). That's enough.

 

Irrespective of the football team, it couldn't. And it wouldn't.

Legitimate schools don't accept dissertations done elsewhere, outside of their supervision. "Shopping" around your dissertation isn't done because schools won't accept it. Only total phonies like Knightsbridge University would allow a student who got a doctorate from a diploma mill (like Trinity C&U) to bring it to them for such a "conversion." It is academic fraud, something Tulane seems to want to eliminate in this case.

 

Are we forgetting from the SAME Chronicle article:

The Dean of an AACSB accredited school at Valdosta State U made that statement.

And they referred to Mr. Malehorn as Ph D and continued to until the flap from the article. IMHO admin at Tulane U knew all along. But many schools like to brag that X amount of instructors hold doctorates in their field and bogus or not it did increase the percentage.

Anyone know what the offical AACSB reaction is to this situation?

Just my opinion

 

I would agree with Rich that this would be out of bounds… one could not simply replace the cover sheet of their dissertation and have it accepted at any other respectable university. However, the research that underlies the dissertation (at least much of it), may in fact be salvageable, unless it is particularly time sensitive (or flawed). This can and does happen all of the time in academia. If a student for whatever reason washes out of a program after having completed a significant portion of their dissertation research, it is possible to find a supportive advisor/committee at another institution that will go along with a similar line of research. Will aspects of the inquiry, protocol, and focus change… most likely, but it would be possible in theory to save at least some bit of what has already been invested, I would think.

Just my humble opinion.

Cheers,
Tony Maranto

 

Unfortunately, Rich, it is often not enough. I am with you 100% on this concept. However, when I recently made a vice provost of a small RA accredited Christian university aware that a person they were looking to hire to provide some online teaching was claiming not one, but two bogus doctoral degrees, she told me that since his MS was RA, they would make sure and not allow him top use the fake PhDs in reference to his work for them.

Now, to me, this issue is a no brainer. If you are an educator, passing judgement on potential student cheating and plagiarism, you better be squeaky clean with your own academic ethics. Sadly, I believe what this vice provost was planning on doing is what happens as a norm at many accredited universities.

 

I feel sorry for del Corral, but his actions just seem so asinine! Why do all of that work and then at the 11th hour get lazy and elect not to take the proper, logical course of action? For that matter, wouldn't having an "LSU" PhD on the CV vis-a-vis "LaCrosse" more than offset any difficulties involved in obtaining the former? It may not have been particularly easy for him to finish up at LSU and cobble together a committee, but this sort of thing happens all the time, and people deal with it. Surely a person who's demonstrated the intestinal fortitude and hustle to open a couple successful restaurants while pursuing an academic career at a prestigious university like Tulane could have orchestrated the academic thing masterfully. Just a brain glitch, like the administrator said "a bad day".

This sort of thing always fascinates me, makes me wonder what's going on. My father-in-law, for example, is a full tenured prof at a highly-regarded private college, has two Masters and finished all of his coursework for the PhD and his dissertation, just never got around to submitting and defending it. By all accounts, it would've passed through with flying colors. The Valedictirian of my H.S. got to her final semester of undergrad with solid grades then decided "Ah, foget it, I don't wanna be a college grad", and dropped out. Never have understood that line of thinking, makes you wonder what's going on.

 

ABD forever

It is strange, and a little hard to explain, but there are few traps in life easier to fall into than perpetual ABD. Grad divisions, the world over, are set up in some profoundly diabolical way to make sure that about a third of the people who finish their exams never "dissertate." The University of california even has a degree for ABD (C.Phil). To add insult to injury, the C.Phil is the only degree on earth that expires!

Craig Hargis, C.Phil (expired)

 

Agh, sorry to hear about the expiration! Like my bar membership, I still have to finish some CLEs (which are two months late, I'm on an extension now) or it too will soon "expire".

Word of advice: don't take that PhD coursework and whatever you've done towards the dissertation to LaCrosse, I've heard it can be hazardous to the career! (attempt at levity)

By the way, remember how I mentioned my father-in-law? Well, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree: my wife came one course short of her ABD in a hard science field at a top 40 university, then quit. At least she had some rationale: she decided that she didn't want to pursue an academic career any more, and 10 years later, other than the odd adjunct class taught here or there, she's been true to her word (she's now the best-educated mommy in town). She stopped just short for one reason only: BURN OUT!

Perhaps that's what goes on, you only have so much in reserve, and when it's expended, whether you're 30 credits from your goal or 3, 2 years from finishing the dissertation or 2 hours, it's over. Reminds me of Dorando Pietri, the famous Olympic marathoner. He entered the stadium with the 1908 race in hand; but just yards from the finish he collapsed in utter exhaustion. They had to carry him across the line still in the lead but semi-delerious--he was later disqualified. I suppose there are thousands in your position, my father-in law's, my wife's etc. who can relate to the star-crossed marathoner.