Originally Posted by
gumbomoop
Several distinct issues here, all of them important.
[1] Although this scam did happen in an AFAM studies department, it could have happened in other departments. The level of vigorous and rigorous undergraduate teaching among departments in all universities varies widely, very, very widely. In most instances it varies significantly within departments.
[2] In this instance, I have seen no evidence, and doubt, that the entire department is filled with scam-artists. IMO, backed by some minimal research into course listings, what we have here [better be careful, over there] is a rogue prof. I'm guessing the prof in question was at one time - and in some ways even now - a scholar and at least a decent classroom teacher, teaching real courses. I'm guessing he drifted into sin, somehow got the notion that this was do-able, that this was a legitimate way to "help the kids," and, at least, not horrible. Not a very high standard, to be sure.
[3] Can't yet tell how he and the administrative assistant [title?] got away with it. Perhaps those junior colleagues who themselves were victims here [forged signatures, changed grades] only belatedly discovered what the chairman had done [or had allowed to be done]. Perhaps one or two protested, weakly, but didn't quite know what the hell was going on, or were intimidated. In the event, of course, now their presumably good names have been dragged into this slime.
[4] One or two UNC faculty have in fact come to their defense, and to the defense of the department overall. I'm convinced - and with some more research might be able to construct a persuasive case - that there are any number of very good courses in that department. To be clear on this, I recommend that we not assume the entire department is populated by charlatans. The chairman, yes, but others, I doubt it.
[5] I'm still waiting for more from the UNC faculty on this outrage. I'd want more to speak out in defense of their colleagues whose reputations have been muddied by the chairman's behavior. Now, one might say, "Right, and the fact that the faculty haven't en masse come to the department's defense, that speaks volumes." I don't think that's it. Rather, I suspect the faculty, generally and individually, are torn between airing all this very embarrassing dirty laundry in public and just wanting it to go away soon.
[6] The self-respecting, academically and intellectually honest, thing to do would be to insist on full, chips-fall-where-they-may [bball team, whatever] disclosure. Among the positive results of getting out the full story would, I'm convinced, be the important first step in restoring the academic bona fides of a valuable department.
[7] Not to mention the reputation of what was - and still is, mostly, I think, I think, but .... - a great university. To hell with Roy Williams, the ACC, and even the Duke-Carolina rivalry. What happened in the AFAM department is a outrage against academic/intellectual honestly and collegial trust.