MetaChat - Scandal! Intrigue! What will happen?

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15 October 2011

Scandal! Intrigue! What will happen? So today I found out about this situation and I want all the opinions I can get on it. It involves psychopaths, universities and fraud→[More:]
There is this sociology professor who gave her students the option of doing a five week project or buying an e-book for nook that was not on the syllabus and listening to the speaker. An introductory course filled with freshmen, they of course went for the e-book option, which at first was free, but then ended up costing money. It turned out the book as about the local criminal activity of the author and was barely readable. The author, when asked about his crimes, was completely remorseless and said he would do it all again and had no regrets and presented pretty much as an antisocial personality disorder, if not an outright psychopath. It turns out the author is the professor's son and the only thing she wants from the students is a receipt for purchasing the book. Apparently, the teacher is incredibly intimidating and confrontational and her students are all too afraid to say anything to her directly, but they are confused and not getting anything out of the course besides that they are reading in the text, which is not the sum of what they are being graded on. She demands two presentations but has decided not to award the full amount of points for them, subject to an unknown grading strategy she has not revealed. None of the students feel capable of confronting her and it is only the brother of one of the students who is studying fraud who brought these issues to anyone's attention, because the case of the receipt for the son's book and that whole situation is clearly by the textbook fraud for personal gain. His mother, whose information would be on the receipt, brought up the issue with the head of the department, who admonished her for it. Following the chain of command, as they plan to, they will end up taking two weeks to lead up to the top of the university chain to see if they will do anything about this situation. Then they plan to go to the FBI because it is clearly a case of fraud, which they are only so acutely aware of because of the brother's focus in it.
Do you think anything will actually happen as far as repercussions or will the university close ranks and minimize the situation into nothingness?
What do you think should happen?

post by: ethylene at: 18:44 | 15 comments

I am not so sure that what you present here amounts to fraud. Also, the FBI? I don't see that at all.

It's a crappy situation all around, but what will actually happen probably depends most on whether this is a state university or a community college. I would be surprised if this even gets into a civil court.

posted by Ardiril 15 October | 19:03

Anyway, no need to confront the prof; take it to the dean.

posted by Ardiril 15 October | 19:05

I'm definite that this will result in disciplinary action by the university. It may not be a classic definition of fraud, but it's definitely a breach of academic ethics.

Start with the Dean; if no action, take to the Provost. And call some newspapers, including the campus paper. It needs some sunshine.

Definitely crazy and beyond the bounds. Not cool, not OK. I agree that it's probably not FBI material, but don't despair, there are plenty of other interested parties who have responsibility for dealing with this, starting within the institution. And yes, what kind of college makes a big difference (ie, if it's a private college, you'll have a much harder time getting anywhere).

posted by Miko 15 October | 21:15

the campus paper - Good one!

posted by Ardiril 15 October | 21:25

The head of the department already dressed down their mother. They are working their way up the chain of command before approaching the FBI with anything, and the only reason it's the FBI is because it is by definition a fraud case.
I think the university may clamp down and protect itself and minimize the whole thing. I plan to ask my professor what he thinks to gauge his reaction, to see if he would be outraged or think the school would do anything. After they work their way up the chain, I'm going to ask my sociology professor. Someone on the campus paper wants to write about it, but will it make it past a faculty advisor?

posted by ethylene 16 October | 03:39

But where is the fraud? If there was no attempt to cover the identities up, and I don't see how there could be if it's all listed on the e-book listing, then there's no intent to decieve which is a necessary condition.

Yes, campus newspapers should have total freedom of the press, unless this is a whacko religious college or something.

It seems to me like it's an entirely intra-college issue about breach of ethics (and lousy teaching), but not a federal case. (Ha, that reminds me of the old saying "ya don't have to make a federal case out of it!)

posted by Miko 16 October | 07:09

By the technical definition there is fraud because of the personal gains of a family member and there are many things that violate general rules, like the book not being on the syllabus, being told it was free and then ending up costing money. I'm not sure how it was revealed that he was her son. The only reason they are trying the fraud angle is because they are aware of it and they have issue with turning in receipts with information within access of a remorseless criminal. And the book has nothing to do with the course.
Personally, I think someone needs to punish the professor for clear ethical violations and being a bad teacher, but I have no idea how likely that is, and there is half a semester left of three sections of this intro class.
This school is very conservative and administration has increased by 80% to the professors 10% and apparently they use to only want a copy of a diploma as qualifications, but that was over a year ago.
I really want to know if anything will happen or if they will close ranks.

posted by ethylene 16 October | 07:27

I don't think so, because the legal definition requires "intent to decieve." As long as all this was information clearly available, they couldn't have been deceiving. That's why I don't think it's a court matter, but a university matter.

posted by Miko 16 October | 08:00

"ya don't have to make a federal case out of it!"

That's awesome; thanks Miko, now I can stop biting my tongue.

posted by Hugh Janus 16 October | 09:14

All I know is it does to the degree that the guy knows about it, but he specializes in fraud. I believe he thinks not revealing the fact that this is her son and getting everyone to buy a book that has nothing to do with what they are studying, all outside the syllabus, is deception.
What I'm interested in is whether or not the university will actually do something or just try to protect itself. Also, I think they are thinking, outside the university, who could possibly do anything at all?
I was saying to get the information out there so they have to deal with it.

posted by ethylene 16 October | 10:03

Also, I think they are thinking, outside the university, who could possibly do anything at all?

This might really be the case legally, so it makes sense to focus on how the university will be accountable to the students and other faculty and alumni. That's really the stakeholder here.

I was saying to get the information out there so they have to deal with it.

So definitely, call or send info to any newspapers that cover university matters.

posted by Miko 16 October | 10:12

On the whole, it would be difficult to prove fraud, as most professors could get away with arguing that materials, no matter how tangential, are relevant to some learning outcome.
Most Universities have a conflict of interest policy, which requiring the students to buy this book would clearly violate. However, I have known professors get away with requiring the purchase of their own books for a course. So this might not be seen as more than a minor infraction of the policy.
As for the lack of clarity on the grading scheme/course evaluation, this is bad teaching practice, but I have seen worse. It would probably be put down to incompetence rather than deliberate fraud, by any internal investigation.

posted by Susurration 16 October | 21:20

This doesn't seem like fraud to me - apart from a lack of intent to deceive, any benefit accrues to a different person than the one setting the requirement, which makes the 'must receive a benefit from the deception' test hard to prove.

It's pretty shitty behaviour on the part of the professor, but hardly fraud. More like professional misconduct and that's most likely how the university will deal with it. They'll do anything they can to keep it contained to an internal matter, if only because a fraud case would potentially expose the university to civil liability.

posted by dg 16 October | 23:07

Many universities require that the professor post a syllabus, stating the course requirements, including how grades are calculated. Call the department, and ask about policies, and/or call the Dean's office. Requiring her son's book sounds like conflict of interest. There is likely a conflict of interest policy on the University web site.

Does the Uni have a Dean of Students? Even better, an Ombudsman(Ombudsperson) who can help the students seek some redress, like refunds on the book?

Going to the FBI is overkill; go through channels. I'll bet it's not a full (tenured) prof. Universities often wimp out, so it's most likely that an adjunct faculty member will not be offered more classes. If it's a tenured faculty member, they have to pretty much have carnal knowledge of a chicken, in class, while mis-quoting Shakespeare, to get disciplined. Or insult the Uni President's choice in neckwear.

Do not underestimate the power of ratemyprofessor.com

posted by theora55 17 October | 16:43

My professor seemed to think it might be this person who'd they might have tried to get rid of or was refused something. He seemed to think it might result in a reprimand. I think everyone is way optimistic in thinking they will do anything when the head of the department's reaction was to just yell at the person bringing it up.

posted by ethylene 17 October | 18:52

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