<p>Interesting story.
And the admissions officer is still working in Wharton admissions.</p>
<p>I wonder how many more cases there are like this.</p>
<p>A lot of people have been wondering why Lee Stetson of Penn suddenly resigned at the beginning of this school year, after originally announcing that he would retire at the end of the school year. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.dailypennsylvanian.com/stetson/%5B/url%5D">http://www.dailypennsylvanian.com/stetson/</a></p>
<p>bearpooh, the article is also in the Phila Inquirer today. My guess there are others at other schools.</p>
<p>The Pennsylvanian's article shows how strange was the resignation of Stetson from being admissions dean:</p>
<p>" Equally bizarre is that Stetson's colleagues and co-workers in the Admissions office found out about his resignation from a voicemail left by him the morning that he left -- the only goodbye to an office that he headed for almost three decades.</p>
<p>The University's handling of the issue has upset nearly the entire community, including students, staff, administrators, faculty, alumni, and donors. Even the majority of the University trustees have been kept in the dark as to what caused Stetson to leave. ..."</p>
<p>And check this out:</p>
<p>"Three senior admissions officials of prominent American universities sit on an advisory board of a Japanese company that helps applicants in Japan get into top M.B.A. programs in the United States — including programs at their universities....</p>
<p>The officials confirmed their involvement and that they receive a free annual trip to meetings in Japan for their services, which are boasted about on the Japanese company’s Web site. One of the officials said that there is also pay involved, but declined to say how much....</p>
<p>The three officials are Judith Hodara, associate director of M.B.A. admissions at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania; Donald C. Martin, associate dean for enrollment and student services at Teachers College, Columbia University, and formerly an admissions official at the business school of the University of Chicago; and Sherry Wallace, director of M.B.A. admissions at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill...."
<a href="http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2008/01/30/agos%5B/url%5D">http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2008/01/30/agos</a></p>
<p>Isn't this worse than the MIT Marilee Jones incident? I mean, falsification of resume done by Jones is alarming and unethical, but she has no record where money transaction could have occured between herself and a 'client' applicant, since she wasn't an admission consultant. However, this Wharton officer has received money as an admissions consultant, and thus would have readily provided some kind of a esoteric info, or special boost for admissions that only money could buy.
Even if the admissions consultant can prove that the help was 'fair' in the sense that he or she only provided help that is commonly availalbe (like how college board sells its blue books), it is impossible to prove that he or she helping only her business clients is fair for all students since not all students have equal opportunity to receive this kinda aid. Her position as an admissions officer kills it.</p>
<p>There are certainly different degrees of ethics, and I think this incident is one of the worst cases that was ever found from an admissions officer.</p>
<p>If they are so brazen with a company, imagine what goes on behind the scenes</p>
<p>I don't see how this is blatantly "wrong," but it is certainly alarming and unethical
they should save consulting till after they've retired from the admission office, like how politicians and Washington insiders become lobbyists after retiring from public office</p>
<p>Lets see, you work with admissions, and then you consult with people seeking admission to your employer and you are paid by both...hmmmm</p>
<p>so when the "applicant' comes through the pile, the person who was paid to help them is part of the process that picks the students....</p>
<p>Yea, let's see how the powers attempt to deep 6 this report.</p>
<p>Similar to the Provost of WVU handpicking a committee to review how a key female exec at the U's major corporate donor ... Mylan Labs ... was awarded an MBA that she'd never been fully registered for all the classes and had not attended the U in something like a decade. </p>
<p>Needless to say, his overseers determined that would not fly. Stay tuned, and not intended to hijack this thread. It's big business, this university gig, and way too many seem to think that because they are supposed to be, they are in fact, above the law and its letter.</p>
<p>My daughter's friend, who is in a public high school, is paying $150 an hour to receive private college counseling from a guidance counselor at a neighboring school district. That also seems kind of unethical of the GC. Or is it like a physics teacher taking on tutoring students after hours?</p>
<p>How so? I'm not sure I get why this situation would be unethical. Where's the rub? :confused:</p>
<p>Muffy, I don't see it as unethical at all. The GC has no more pull at colleges than any other GC. I believe that it's similar to the physics teacher taking tutoring students. </p>
<p>Now, if the GC were an admissions counselor at the college, or if the physics teacher were tutoring kids in his class, whom he graded, that would be a breach of ethics.</p>
<p>As someone who views any paid college counseling as border-line immoral, this simply crosses the line.</p>
<p>Since it's mostly the richer, more competitive students who would pay for this kind of service, have you guys considered the strong possibility that she has reviewed and decided upon applications for Wharton that have come from her "clients"?</p>
<p>Once again, Penn fails to keep tabs on anything, specifically Wharton. What is wrong with the administration there?? What a DISGRACE!!!! </p>
<p>How can you not know about this - her work is so blatantly riddled with conflicts of interest... moreover, and most importantly: HOW IS SHE STILL EMPLOYED AT PENN?</p>
<p>To put a face to her name: <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/11/fashion/weddings/11silv.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/11/fashion/weddings/11silv.html</a></p>
<p>Nice work if you can get it, as the song says...</p>
<p>So let us list the ways to "buy"-pa$$ the admissions system.</p>
<ol>
<li>"Consultancy" admit ie: hire one of the admissions staff to be your "consultant"</li>
<li>"Developmental" admit ie: donate money to develop the university</li>
<li>Legacy admit ie: parents are alumni and will donate money</li>
<li>"Athletic admit" ie: get in because people will pay money to see you perform in sporting events.</li>
</ol>
<p>Sure looks like merit comes last.</p>
<p>bearpooh:</p>
<p>Money, name, and fame... that's how the world seems to work, yes.</p>
<p>well she does work at Wharton, if you catch my drift.</p>