Just as the cheating scandal that recently rocked the Atlanta's Public School system seems to be waning, information is coming out that it may not be over. Recent allegations by students at more than one of Atlanta's Historical Black Colleges and Universities indicate that the culture of intimidation, retaliation and grade manipulation may be spreading beyond the public schools.
Students at The Interdenominational Theological Center and other HBCU's recently complained that their grades or grades of their colleagues have been changed by administrators simply for the asking. It is hardly a coincidence that some of these students have received grade changes in time for graduation. Some faculty members have complained that students who have failed their classes have contacted them to thank them for grade changes for which the Professors were unaware.
Needless to say, these professors and their classes have become popular with the students. When students know that they have recourse beyond the professor, they seem to act and appeal in numbers.
The action of these students and the threat of job security for professors, especially adjunct and non-tenured is a matter of academic integrity for notable accredited educational institutions.
At ITC the brewing scandal of cheating and grade inflation seems to be related to disputes between faculty members and an administration that has undertaken grade manipulation to punish Professors with whom they disagree.
Department heads also benefit as they find this a way, by stealth, to retaliate with whom they disagree. At the center of the brewing ITC storm is its relatively new President, Dr. Ronald Peters and Professor Margaret Aymer, a department head. President Peters is reviewing the complaints to ITC's provost Dr. Temba Mafico. Mafico, who seems to be leaning toward Professor Aymer's retaliatory and harassing tactics on one professor, has passed along several students in spite of their not fulfilling academic requirements or demonstrating academic merit.
The idea is that if enough students make a concerted noise, the administration will buckle and begin to pacify them. This is perhaps all too common in such a tuition driven institution whose current accreditation status is on warning.
In the face of students and faculty complaints include publicly recruiting instructors from other campuses to fill courses of current faculty whose contract renewals are pending.
Aymer is being accused of a number of improprieties and attacks designed to intimidate and damage the reputations of professors whom she allegedly sees as having challenged her authority. President Peters has his hands full as he works to quell the effects of Atlanta public schools' cheating scandals of which now ITC appears to be part.
For information on ITC's accreditation warning status see information provided in this link: http://sacscoc.org/2011%20December%20Actions%20and%20Disclosure%20Statements/Interdenominational%20Theological%20Ctr..pdf.
EXPRESS YOUR THOUGHTS:
