Cornell academic program coordinator may have played role in UNC scandal . . .

[George64]

"Former head football coach John Bunting admitted that he knew of the paper classes and said that former Director of Football Cynthia Reynolds told him they were part of her strategy to keep players eligible. Reynolds, who is now an academic program coordinator at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, was one of four employees who refused to cooperate with Wainstein's investigation."

CNN report

[Jim Hyla]

"Former head football coach John Bunting admitted that he knew of the paper classes and said that former Director of Football Cynthia Reynolds told him they were part of her strategy to keep players eligible. Reynolds, who is now an academic program coordinator at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, was one of four employees who refused to cooperate with Wainstein's investigation."

CNN report

If true, she should be fired.

[scoop85]

"Former head football coach John Bunting admitted that he knew of the paper classes and said that former Director of Football Cynthia Reynolds told him they were part of her strategy to keep players eligible. Reynolds, who is now an academic program coordinator at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, was one of four employees who refused to cooperate with Wainstein's investigation."

CNN report

If true, she should be fired.

My thought as well. The fact that she refused to cooperate in the investigation, given her key position at UNC as it relates to the scandal, does not bode well for her, except perhaps from a legal standpoint. But from the article, it's not much of a leap to assume she was knee deep in it.

[George64]

The Cynthia Reynolds at Cornell is the academic programs administrator for the School of Applied and Engineering Physics, so nothing to do with athletics.  Any paper classes in AEP, Jim?

More

[scoop85]

Given that I'm laid up at home a couple of days, I took the time to read the full report.  Reynolds had good reason not to agree to be interviewed, as the evidence in the report -- including emails sent by her and to her from others at UNC -- makes clear that she steered UNC football players to these phony paper-only "courses" solely as a way for the players to boost their GPA's and maintain their eligibility.  

Most damning is her email to a UNC football operations coordinator sent in the summer of 2009 after Debby Crowder, the staff member at UNC who was responsible for the phony courses (and graded seemingly every paper submitted as an A or high B regardless of the quality), announced her retirement.  Reynolds wrote, "Ms. Crowder is retiring at the end of July ... if the guys papers are not in ... I would expect D's or C's at best. Most need better than that. ALL WORK FROM THE AFAM DEPARTMENT MUST BE DONE AND TURNED IN ON THE LAST DAY OF CLASS."

I assume her lawyer has advised her that speaking to the investigators could only expose her to possible criminal liability.

Based on what I read in that report, Reynolds has no business working at Cornell or in any other academic environment.

[Jim Hyla]

The Cynthia Reynolds at Cornell is the academic programs administrator for the School of Applied and Engineering Physics, so nothing to do with athletics.  Any paper classes in AEP, Jim?

More

Let's see, I don't think so, but maybe the physics department course with Prof Hans Bethe. Remembering some of my Prelim grades from that course, I wish it had been paper.::nut::

[Al DeFlorio]

Article in Ithaca Journal: http://www.ithacajournal.com/story/news/local/2014/10/23/cornell-employee-unc-scandal/17785791/

[scoop85]

Article in Ithaca Journal: http://www.ithacajournal.com/story/news/local/2014/10/23/cornell-employee-unc-scandal/17785791/

Based on the IJ article it appears as if Cornell could care less about her active participation in academic fraud, as long as it doesn't happen at Cornell.

Shameful.

[scoop85]

In an interesting twist, in 2010, after Reynolds was let go by UNC, she filed an age discrimination complaint with the EEOC: http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/11/14/801764/ex-academic-coordinator-files.html  In the article, she is quoted as saying, ironically, that "[t]here are policies, and you have to follow them."

If nothing else the woman has chutzpah.

[Jim Hyla]

Article in Ithaca Journal: http://www.ithacajournal.com/story/news/local/2014/10/23/cornell-employee-unc-scandal/17785791/

Based on the IJ article it appears as if Cornell could care less about her active participation in academic fraud, as long as it doesn't happen at Cornell.

Shameful.

So tell me, what should Cornell do, fire her? If so ,why? If not, then what should they do?

They have said they have nothing to do with what happened at UNC, and thus nothing to say about the report, at this time (my addition).

I said, "If true, they should fire her." So, rightfully I think, they are letting the process work through. I hope you wouldn't punish someone just because something is reported in the press.

[Trotsky]

I'm sure Cornell is doing what their extremely expensive lawyers are telling them to do.  At that level, there are no principles, there are only outcomes.

[scoop85]

Article in Ithaca Journal: http://www.ithacajournal.com/story/news/local/2014/10/23/cornell-employee-unc-scandal/17785791/

Based on the IJ article it appears as if Cornell could care less about her active participation in academic fraud, as long as it doesn't happen at Cornell.

Shameful.

So tell me, what should Cornell do, fire her? If so ,why? If not, then what should they do?

They have said they have nothing to do with what happened at UNC, and thus nothing to say about the report, at this time (my addition).

I said, "If true, they should fire her." So, rightfully I think, they are letting the process work through. I hope you wouldn't punish someone just because something is reported in the press.

Jim, I'm on the same page -- as an attorney I do believe in due process.  But certainly I don't want Cornell simply saying "it's UNC's problem" and washing their hands of the entire situation.  If there is sufficient proof that Reynolds did what the report said she did -- and her own e-mail is rather damning evidence -- then she should be fired.

[Jim Hyla]

Article in Ithaca Journal: http://www.ithacajournal.com/story/news/local/2014/10/23/cornell-employee-unc-scandal/17785791/

Based on the IJ article it appears as if Cornell could care less about her active participation in academic fraud, as long as it doesn't happen at Cornell.

Shameful.

So tell me, what should Cornell do, fire her? If so ,why? If not, then what should they do?

They have said they have nothing to do with what happened at UNC, and thus nothing to say about the report, at this time (my addition).

I said, "If true, they should fire her." So, rightfully I think, they are letting the process work through. I hope you wouldn't punish someone just because something is reported in the press.

Jim, I'm on the same page -- as an attorney I do believe in due process.  But certainly I don't want Cornell simply saying "it's UNC's problem" and washing their hands of the entire situation.  If there is sufficient proof that Reynolds did what the report said she did -- and her own e-mail is rather damning evidence -- then she should be fired.

This post is certainly of a different tone than your first. Let the process unwind before you condemn Cornell.

[scoop85]

Article in Ithaca Journal: http://www.ithacajournal.com/story/news/local/2014/10/23/cornell-employee-unc-scandal/17785791/

Based on the IJ article it appears as if Cornell could care less about her active participation in academic fraud, as long as it doesn't happen at Cornell.

Shameful.

So tell me, what should Cornell do, fire her? If so ,why? If not, then what should they do?

They have said they have nothing to do with what happened at UNC, and thus nothing to say about the report, at this time (my addition).

I said, "If true, they should fire her." So, rightfully I think, they are letting the process work through. I hope you wouldn't punish someone just because something is reported in the press.

Jim, I'm on the same page -- as an attorney I do believe in due process.  But certainly I don't want Cornell simply saying "it's UNC's problem" and washing their hands of the entire situation.  If there is sufficient proof that Reynolds did what the report said she did -- and her own e-mail is rather damning evidence -- then she should be fired.

This post is certainly of a different tone than your first. Let the process unwind before you condemn Cornell.

Yeah, in hindsight my initial post was a bit more forceful than intended.

[TimV]

I think she should at least be suspended while this process unfolds.  If this situation had materialized and reached this point while she was in the application stage, would she even have been considered for the job at Cornell?  Isn't this allegation at least as serious as the situation that burned Ben Deluca?