Striking U-M grad student instructors sound off on alleged grade scandal to regents
Striking University of Michigan graduate students confront Board of Regents
U of M is under investigation by a key accreditation board looking into allegations that administrators forced the heads of departments to falsify grades at a time when graduate-level teachers were walking the picket lines in a battle over pay and other sticking points.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (FOX 2) - University of Michigan grad students sounded off at a Board of Regents meeting over a fake grades scandal that’s rocked the major institution of higher education.
"Regardless I got to say that the fact that you systematically faked thousands and thousands of grades is wild," said one graduate student at the podium. "People are going to be telling their grandkids about this and of course, you’re the villains of the story. But you don’t care.
"So let me level with you. For the sake of our students, for the sake of each other, for the sake of our professors and lecturers, and most importantly for the sake of thousands and thousands of our colleagues and comrades around the country and around the world, we cannot let you get away with it."
U-M is under investigation by a key accreditation board looking into allegations that administrators forced the heads of departments to falsify grades. It allegedly happened when graduate-level teachers were walking the picket lines in a battle over pay and other sticking points.
The Higher Learning Commission told the grad student union it’s deepening its probe into claims recently submitted.
"Academic deans pressured department chairs to effectively hide the strike’s disruption by producing thousands of illegitimate grades," said Michael Mueller, Math PhD students. "Some departments like English and Romance Languages required non-instructional staff to enter all As. In other cases, we know that non-instructors unfairly entered low or failing grades for students."
Some University officials responded…by appearing to talk more about the ongoing labor dispute itself.
"The third speaker today was supposed to, Bailey was supposed to, talk about compensation," said one official. "There was nothing about compensation that she spoke about."
"Who cares?" someone in the crowd shouted.
"Just sort of intellectual honesty other than that, it might not be a big deal to you but you’ve demanded 60 percent," he said.
"Do you care about abuse at your own university?" someone yelled.
The university says they will respond to the complaints received by the accreditation review firm and will respond within 30 days.
