Academic Credentials Falsification

798 Words2 Pages

The case of the academic credentials falsification of the administrator at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Marilee Jones, is one of those stories that we often hear and can be more memorable for long time. Marilee Jones resigns after admitting she “misrepresented” credentials on her resume, according to Reuters. But we need first to understand when falsification or misrepresentation of academic credentials occurs. Falsification or misrepresentation of academic credentials happens “when someone falsely represents to anyone that he or she received credits, grades, a degree, certificate or other credentials that the person never received or earned” (“UW Registrar”, n.d.). According to Reuters article, Ms. Jones admitted her Second, it violates the integrity of the academic process, as the loss of education integrity will impact the social and cultural identity. Finally, it creates an issue of public safety. Do you know where your doctor, lawyer, or clergyman earned his or her degree? In 1986, a congressional committee report concluded, “more than 500,000 working Americans have a fraudulent degree… In a recent case, a man with a fake medical degree was put on trial for manslaughter after a patient died from incorrect medication” (Ezell, 2005). The academic credentials falsification can have serious consequences such as influencing others to commit the same misconduct, especially, the young generation. In addition, this issue leads to a loss of respect and confidence since we can no longer trust someone who lies According to the state Attorney General's Office, he was found guilty on the charge of larceny under $250. Middlesex Superior Court Judge Dennis J. Curran sentenced McDonough to serve two years of probation, and ordered him to pay $20,000 in restitution. McDonough was also ordered to perform 50 hours of community service. (“Bolton man convicted”, 2008) As we can see, when it was discovered that the MIT administrator had falsified her academic credentials on her resume, her resignation is an appropriate punishment for her unethical conduct and is only fair to her peers and the students of MIT. Additional punishments for this fraudulent act may also be evaluated and should be discretionary to her employer for deliberately deceiving them. Whether the MIT should seek legal proceedings or not, this can be based on the consequences this misconduct may have caused the MIT as the

Open Document