Last week, Ohio University caught the attention of The New York Times. And no, it wasn't because of VisionOhio. Instead, what interested one of the nation's premier newspapers, one that is read by millions around the world, is the sheer number and scope of problems OU has faced within the past year.
Let us review: Since the leaves on College Green changed color last fall, OU has endured a plagiarism scandal in the College of Engineering; computer security breaches; last spring's no-confidence vote in President Roderick McDavis and Provost Kathy Krendl; and most recently, the allegations that OU's M.B.A. program in India sells degrees for cash and College of Business Dean Glenn Corlett uses an endowment funds to illicitly reward his friends with half a million dollars. And we can't forget football coach Frank Solich's DUI and subsequent slap on the wrist.
These problems in and of themselves are certainly major causes for concern, but what makes them worse is that the university and President McDavis have often failed to handle them quickly, carefully and openly.
It took far too long for a graduate student's accusations of plagiarism in engineering masters' theses to be taken seriously and for provisions to be put in place to deal with possibly plagiarizing alumni.
It took far too long for the university to realize that its computer security was inadequate ' though the university should be applauded for swiftly alerting students of the problem.
And it was far too poorly handled when Solich's crime earned him merely participation in alcohol education programs as punishment.
Luckily for the university, such problems do not yet seem to have damaged OU's esteem in the eyes of students on campus or hurt the number of freshmen enrolling. The Scripps Howard Foundation wasn't scared from making a $15 million donation ' the largest in university history.
But if problems persist, high-achieving students might look elsewhere for their undergraduate educations ' and graduate educations, in the case of engineering. Alumni, as well as philanthropic organizations, might shy away from sending their cash here. Even professors might hesitate before sending in their resumes.
And university officials thought we were in trouble when The Princeton Review ranked OU the No. 2 party school.
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