Ten degrees snatched after audit probe

An investigation, initiated in March 2003 after university officials were notified that a student presented false credentials to the graduate school, has resulted in the university revoking 10 degrees from former students.
A year later, Southern University-Baton Rouge Chancellor Edward R. Jackson announced at least 541 current and former Southern students had been involved with a grade-changing scheme. He, along with Frances Smith, legal counsel to the SU System president, and Winston Decuir, system legal counsel, gave details on how the university was going to begin a due process of interrogating individuals after an auditor’s report stated at least 2,500 questionable transactions were made.
Now, over a year and a half later, Jackson, who also serves as interim president of the system, announced 10 degrees were invalidated from students who were found to improperly earn their grades or degrees.
“As indicated in our press conference in March, Southern University will not tolerate any illegal or unethical behavior of any of its operations,” Jackson said in a released statement. “Where we find such behavior, we will stop it, correct it, and report it to the proper authorities.”
Academically, the students’ degrees are no longer valid. However, criminal indictments could be made by the East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney’s Office.
“This makes it harder for the people who work for it, ” said Semeko Cox, a mental health graduate student from New Orleans. “When you tell people you go to Southern University, they second- guess you and your degree.”
Former assistant registrar Cleo Carroll, who was terminated during the preliminary investigation, allegedly did the initial unauthorized grade entries.
“It’s not fair for the people who work for their degrees, ” said Karen Sims, tutor supervisor and orientation coordinator at Southern. “There must be some type of breakdown in the system. The school needs to identify the problem.”
The university attempted to correct the discrepancies by first conducting personnel changes. Marvin Allen, the former registrar was removed and reassigned to another office, while Brenda K. Williams became the new registrar. Since her arrival in the office, state of the art monitoring mechanisms have been installed in the office, along with other staff changes.
“With the new internal control systems, along with other changes in the registrar’s office, there is no reason for anyone to question the integrity of the records maintained at Southern University,” Williams said. “The lapses that happened were in the past. We are an institution with integrity.”