Dean at M.I.T. Resigns, Ending a 28-Year Lie

[kach22i]

Dean at M.I.T. Resigns, Ending a 28-Year Lie
http://carnuts.us/viewtopic.php?p=8340#8340

[Jeff Higgins]

Sounds like she did an outstanding job and was much admired in her field. There is something deeply wrong with an institution that cannot recognize that, and focuses instead on her "lack of credentials". I would say her record of exemplary service over the last 30 years are indeed her "credentials". She lied, yes. She should appoligize and make ammends. Destroying what is left of the career of a seemingly caring, bright, innovate leader in her field is just wrong. Is this what we have come to? The credentials are more important than what she accomplished without them?

[Tobra]

To some, the paper in the hand is more important than the hand carrying it. If she did lie, she should be punished in some way though.

[nostatic]

If she fabricated credentials to get the position, you would do nothing about that? What message does that send to the students?

On her resume, Massachusetts Institute of Technology officials said yesterday, Jones said she had degrees from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Union College, and Albany Medical College, all in New York State. She does not have a degree from any of them.

Rensselaer said yesterday that Jones was a part-time student in a nondegree program from September 1974 to June 1975. Albany Medical and Union said they had no records that she had ever attended.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/04/27/mit_dean_quits_over_fabricated_credentials/

[TheMentat]

Originally posted by Jeff Higgins
Sounds like she did an outstanding job and was much admired in her field. There is something deeply wrong with an institution that cannot recognize that, and focuses instead on her "lack of credentials". I would say her record of exemplary service over the last 30 years are indeed her "credentials". She lied, yes. She should appoligize and make ammends. Destroying what is left of the career of a seemingly caring, bright, innovate leader in her field is just wrong. Is this what we have come to? The credentials are more important than what she accomplished without them?

While I agree that at some point, the job you do is much more important than credentials, she basically made up her own credentials to get a job as the sales manager at a credentials store. That kinda de-values the product they're selling, and is extremely unethical.

[kach22i]

There are scores of college drop-outs that do better than the graduates. Some think it's because they have something to prove to themselves and to others, like they are not failures afterall.

From what I've read she is one of those people.

[URY914]

I went to a community college....

[ewave]

Wayne, you crack me up...

I'm pretty sure you are a MIT graduate right?

Your quote:

"I don't care if she's done a great job - it sends a very poor message if there is no action taken."

Well the message has already been sent- It turns out that very often a college degree has nothing to do with a persons ability to do a job.

Personally I think the whole notion of having to spend $100K to get a degree a totally antiquated concept. Any person, motivated, with a $20 per month Internet connection and a $600 laptop can learn anything on their own, often much better than being taught by a professor with tenure who hasn't been in the real world work force for 20+ years.

I graduated with a BS mechanical engineering school from a *****ty state school. I went on to teach myself programming, circuit design, and ultimately RF engineering and modulation theory. I founded a RF modem company, and still to this day have a design that is price competitive even though is was designed 8 years ago...

I think people who are saving now to send their six year old to college twelve years from now just don't get the modern world.

By that time, for about $300 you will be able to buy an interactive DVD: Four year BS degree in a box.

Spending time teaching your kids how to learn, the joys of deferred gratification, creativity and motivation is FAR MORE IMPORTANT than spending time at work putting money in their $300K college fund thinking you're doing a great job as a parent...

[kach22i]

Originally posted by ewave
Wayne, you crack me up...

I'm pretty sure you are a MIT graduate right?

Been here long?

Of course he is, and he's the boss here too.

And I think she let him in the school, small world.

[nostatic]

The message is integrity. And she didn't have it. Each time she progressed through the ranks she had an opportunity to make right her fabrication. Each time she sent someone her resume, she had a chance to make it right. And she never did.

You want performance sans ethics? I don't. This story isn't about whether you need a college degree to do well...we know that is not the case. It is about something bigger.

[Seahawk]

Originally posted by nostatic
You want performance sans ethics...

Never.

Oddly, I bet she feels relieved that the lie is over.

[red-beard]

Originally posted by ewave
By that time, for about $300 you will be able to buy an interactive DVD: Four year BS degree in a box.

I'm waiting for the pills. It's far easier to take a degree course orally.

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally posted by nostatic
You want performance sans ethics?

Hmm... seems like a 180 degree shift from the stance on Bubba.

[M.D. Holloway]

She lied - plain and simple and should be held accountable.

Reference Holloway's Axioms of Human Condition which I think you all should know by now (Afterall, I am a know-it-all remember!).
In case anyone forget them:
1) People for the most part do not change. Do not expect it because it most likely will not happen.
2) People are most often motivated by self-interests, which also may act as defense mechanism. They may not be well understood by any outsider but the individual has structured them into a personality maze that often they are captive.
3) People rarely take advice rather they formulated rationalizations and rebuttals to cement Axioms #1 and/or #2.
4) Character flaws and "quarks of manner" transcend - just because someone is crazy, dishonest, or disingenuous in one aspect of their life, do not make the mistake it does not carry over into other aspects - it does.
5) For the majority of comfortable people, food, sleep/escape, sex and warmth are still the most important things in life – behind admiration and acknowledgement. This will be the driving force behind all Axioms.

[red-beard]

Originally posted by LubeMaster77
5) For the majority of comfortable people, food, sleep/escape, sex and warmth are still the most important things in life – behind admiration and acknowledgement. This will be the driving force behind all Axioms.

food, sleep/escape, sex and warmth - mmmmmmm

[nostatic]

Originally posted by Jeff Higgins
Hmm... seems like a 180 degree shift from the stance on Bubba.

Nope. In fact, I've argued that it was sexual harassment as given the nature of the working relationship, there is no such thing as "consensual sex." It was a bonehead move and he should have been punished.

[nostatic]

Originally posted by red-beard
I'm waiting for the pills. It's far easier to take a degree course orally.

we're working on an early alpha version, but it currently is suppository only. And rather hefty.

[M.D. Holloway]

nothing some good lube can't take care of...

[tabs]

So what is a Degree from MIT worth these days, if the Dean of Admissions was dishonest? That does make every MIT Grad under her tenure suspicious?

[ewave]

Originally posted by tabs
So what is a Degree from MIT worth these days, if the Dean of Admissions was dishonest? That does make every MIT Grad under her tenure suspicious?

Yeah- To maintain integrity of an MIT degree, they should revoke all of the degrees granted to students while Jones was Dean.