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Grade Changing Scandal at Miami HBCU
I post good news all the time. Now it's time for a good, old-fashioned scandal.
HERALD EXCLUSIVE
Two FMU employees accused of changing grades
By SUSANNAH A. NESMITH
snesmith@herald.com
Florida Memorial University student Tricia Lockhart wanted to raise her grades and turned to a sorority sister whose boyfriend was more than willing to help.
Some $600 later, 14 of Lockhart's grades magically went up.
But there was no magic involved, according to Miami-Dade police, who say Lockhart was one of 122 students who paid to have their grades changed in a long-running, grade-fixing operation at the small university in Miami Gardens.
A pair of Florida Memorial employees and five students, using employee passwords to break into the school's computer system, bolstered grades for basketball players, friends and fraternity brothers. Four of the seven were arrested last month; police are still looking for the others. They all face racketeering charges.
Students wanting better grades paid anywhere from $150 to $2,000 to improve their report cards. One woman twice had sex with an employee in exchange for raising seven of her grades enough to allow her to graduate, according to court records.
REGISTRAR'S DISCOVERY
The scam began to unravel three years ago when the school's registrar noticed that some grades had been changed after 5 p.m., according to the school's vice president, Harold Clarke. ''The registrar brought the matter up to senior leadership and we determined that yes, indeed, something was certainly going wrong,'' he said.
After interviewing several students and employees, the school brought in an independent auditor, Robert Leopold, to investigate in October 2002. The audit found the 122 students who had grades fixed and identified the two employees who were responsible, Clarke said.
Ellis Peet, 37, a former Florida Memorial student who worked in the admissions office and the campus computer center, was fired by the university, Clarke said. Clifton Franklin, 22, also an alumnus who worked in the registrar's office, resigned during the investigation, Clarke said.
Peet changed a total of 580 grades, including seven of his own, according to court documents. Franklin changed 73, including three of his own.
Peet and Franklin acted independently, Clarke said, although police said that both were members of a campus fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha. Two other fraternity members William King, 25, and Terrance Bell, 28, were also charged in the case for allegedly finding students willing to pay for better grades.
Ben Simmons, 22; Eric Marshall, 24, and Quabinor Campbell, 25, all students but not members of the fraternity, were also charged with allegedly rounding up students who wanted better grades.
Peet, Simmons, Marshall and Bell have all been arrested. Police are still looking for Franklin, Campbell and King, police spokesman Juan DelCastillo said.
None of the seven could be reached for comment, nor could any of the students who had their grades changed.
Simmons had 12 of his own grades changed, King had 19, Campbell had 20 and Bell had nine, according to court records, which do not say whether Marshall had any of his own grades changed.
After the school discovered the problem, officials suspended some of the worst offenders and set up a system to discipline all students involved, Clarke said.
Clarke said school officials at the historically black university were extremely dismayed by the scam, especially since the two employees are Florida Memorial graduates.
''I think disappointing is an understatement,'' he said. ``We were very disappointed that folks that we entrusted with that level of responsibility decided to take this course of action.''
`INVOLVED YOUNG MAN'
Peet was once featured in The Herald for his work in a Florida Memorial role-model program for young black men.
''He was a very involved young man when he was here as a student,'' Clarke said. ``And a very accomplished young man I might add. That's why when he graduated, he was able to get a job in our [information technology] office.''
Clarke said the information technology office set up a series of safeguards, seven steps in all, to make sure no one can get into the system to change grades in the future.
''I think we were all taken by surprise that a student would take advantage of something like this. Whether it was nine or 109 it would still be a shocker and a surprise to us,'' he said. ``Keep in mind it was 122 and we're talking about a student body of 2,100 to 2,200. But yes, we were very disappointed that the 122 would be involved.''
Herald staff writer Scott Hiaasen contributed to this report.
Posted by Rashid on August 18, 2005 10:27 AM
Comments
*clutches pearls*
NOT ALPHAS!
Commented by martha on August 18, 2005 12:21 PM
WHY??? Come one we have to do better
Commented by my truth on August 20, 2005 6:28 AM
That is unbeleivable! I'm not sure why the emphasis on the fraternity membership was needed, but whatever. How would Alpha Phi Omega members feel if the Clinton scandal had emphasised his membership?? (BTW: I am a brother) Just because people know each other through an organization does not mean it is the organization's fault they did something stupid. Nice site!
Commented by Amanda on August 20, 2005 4:05 PM
I am an alumnus of Florida Memorial University and this scandal comes as a huge surprise to everyone. However, we should not lose sight that Florida Memorial University is a good school. This scandal is a reflection on those irresponsible students not the school. FMU has worked hard to progress into a University of high moral standards and academic excellence. I also do not think emphasis should be placed on this being a black college. It should be recognized that whether these students were white, black, hispanic, or other it was wrong. I am proud to be a graduate of FMU and I roar proudly.
Commented by Erica on August 26, 2005 9:00 AM
HA! I know them all and I know the school. You would be surprised at what else went on there. Yes i went there.....it was a good school but the choices are your own.
Commented by FMC on September 25, 2005 11:11 PM
The school is a joke. Last week tuition just increased tremendously. The administration over there is trying to compensate for its lack of retaining students by punishing the handful it has now. And by the way...the worst is yet to come...we have not heard the last of the "Flo-Mo-Woes." BTW: The "school of education" is a joke, the faculty and staff play it up to be something it really isnt. I mean come on...anyone who graduates from there in the next few years have to be completely insane. If their application comes across my desk...file 86 it will go!!!
Commented by StillStanding on March 25, 2006 10:02 PM