UNC Classy as Ever

[rocketeli]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/un...?ocid=BingHp01

[cspan37421]

Not far (enough) from stealing from the crippled children's jar. At least that's the feeling in my Office Space.

[Phredd3]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/un...?ocid=BingHp01

AmeriCorps grants are notoriously difficult to administer, with folks in their teens and 20s having to keep detailed hourly records and keep meticulous books, so I was willing to give the benefit of the doubt. But the accusations are pretty egregious:

The United States specifically contends that UNC-CH and ECU engaged in widespread violations of grant requirements, acted with reckless disregard in causing false claims, failed to maintain proper internal controls, and systematically certified false hours for AmeriCorps Members, including taking mere seconds to electronically approve hours falsely claimed to be worked on holidays and weekends, and excessive hours claimed toward the end of school years. For example, the investigation uncovered certifications of 16-hour days, which were beyond available service site hours that were typically weekdays on school schedules, unless approved by a supervisor.

This is a settlement, so the schools aren't admitting to liability or wrongdoing, but you don't pay $375,000 back to the feds unless you're pretty sure you haven't done what you're supposed to do. Given some of Duke's experiences with other federal sponsors, I'm frankly surprised this trio of schools wriggled off the hook this cheaply. But then, we know who it is, so there's that...

[UrinalCake]

But the non-athletes also received illegal funding, so it’s totally fine.

[miramar]

If a university can’t comply with basic educational requirements in their classes, then you can’t expect them to comply with grant requirements either.

They just can’t help it.

[CameronBornAndBred]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/un...?ocid=BingHp01

I'm allergic to clicking on blind links. What's the premise? (And whatever it is, GTHC)

[rsvman]

But the non-athletes also received illegal funding, so it’s totally fine.

I must spread some comments around, but this is perfect.

[uh_no]

those who live in glass houses... Duke has had at least two major cases of research fraud in the past decade... with settlements orders of magnitude bigger than this (112 million)

so perhaps we should keep our tails between our legs on this one.

[weezie]

But the non-athletes also received illegal funding, so it’s totally fine.

I'd say that the holes are beneath contempt but it's fun to go all contempty on them.

[Phredd3]

those who live in glass houses... Duke has had at least two major cases of research fraud in the past decade... with settlements orders of magnitude bigger than this (112 million)

so perhaps we should keep our tails between our legs on this one.

That's exactly what prompted my comment about the severity. I was pretty familiar with one of those two Duke cases, and NIH came down like a ton of bricks on Duke for what I understand was misconduct by a single person that was very difficult to detect and was self-reported (granted, after a delay) once it was discovered. This case wasn't nearly as difficult to ferret out, and the accusation was that the schools basically just didn't care and certainly didn't self-report. The agency gave them a slap on the wrist.

I'll lower my tail when the playing field is fair.

[dudog84]

That's exactly what prompted my comment about the severity. I was pretty familiar with one of those two Duke cases, and NIH came down like a ton of bricks on Duke for what I understand was misconduct by a single person that was very difficult to detect and was self-reported (granted, after a delay) once it was discovered. This case wasn't nearly as difficult to ferret out, and the accusation was that the schools basically just didn't care and certainly didn't self-report. The agency gave them a slap on the wrist.

I'll lower my tail when the playing field is fair.

Now there's a visual. (spot on, BTW)