Temple University Faces Charges of Submitting Incorrect Data to Improve Rankings

[dropcap]A[/dropcap]fter months of suspicion and uncertainty, Temple University has required that Moshe Porat, dean of its Fox School of Business, leave his position. The decision resulted from supported claims that he allowed years’ worth of incorrect data about the school to be submitted in order to ameliorate its rankings.¹ Fox’s online curriculum previously occupied the first spot in U.S. News and World Report’s rankings.²

In a letter to Temple University President Richard Englert, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro stated his frustration with the situation: “It is especially troubling to learn that an institution entrusted with significant Commonwealth funding to educate our citizens is alleged to have so flagrantly violated the trust of students, families and taxpayers alike.”³

Mr. Shapiro also informed Mr. Englert of an investigation into the situation “to determine whether these practices of falsifying data were limited to Fox or if any relevant laws were broken.”⁴

In addition to the investigation by the Attorney General’s office, the University faces lawsuits from students, “alleging they had been defrauded.”⁵

A report by Jones Day, the international law firm that Temple hired to conduct an internal investigation, stated its findings as follows:

“In January 2018, Temple University learned that the University’s Fox School of Business (“Fox”) had submitted certain inaccurate information to U.S. News & World Report in connection with U.S. News’s 2018 survey of the best Online MBA (“OMBA”) programs. In particular, the University learned that Fox’s survey submission to U.S. News had erroneously indicated that all new entrants to the OMBA program had provided Graduate Management Admission Test (“GMAT”) scores as part of their applications. Fox self-reported to U.S. News that this GMAT data were incorrect.”⁶

It was discovered that approximately 20% of students in the program sent GMAT scores, as opposed to the 100% reported by the school.⁷ In addition to this finding, Jones Day discovered that the University had provided incorrect data regarding “mean undergraduate GPA”, “number of offers of admission”, and “student indebtedness”. These submissions continued in spite of instances of questioning by both Fox employees and U.S. News. The firm indicated that the University’s offenses are likely not limited to these categories.⁸

The firm investigated a significant amount of information: “Jones Day also collected a substantial volume of electronically stored information and hard-copy documents from University and Fox employees, and the investigative team reviewed more than 32,000 documents from this collection. Jones Day also retained a data analytics firm to review, under Jones Day’s direction, certain data submitted by Fox to U.S. News and other related data from University and Fox sources.”⁹

To conclude its report, Jones Day offered eleven recommendations for future action, including “assess relative responsibility of relevant personnel, and determine and take appropriate personnel action” and “promote and reinforce institutional commitment to key values in onboarding orientations; training modules specific to data collection, verification, and reporting; and in employee handbook.”¹⁰

As the school and investigators further examine the situation, Temple had stated its interest in repairing its practices around data. Students will wait to hear about potential monetary compensation.¹¹

1. Snyder, Susan, and Erin Arvedlund. “Temple Business Dean Forced out over Falsified MBA Data Used in Rankings.” Philadelphia Local News, Sports, Jobs, Cars, Homes – Philly.com, Philly.com, 9 July 2018, www.philly.com/philly/education/temple-business-school-dean-resigns-mba-rankings-u-s-news-and-world-report-20180709.html. (“Temple Business Dean”)
2. Snyder, Susan. “AG’s Office Opens Probe into Temple Business School Scandal.” Philadelphia Local News, Sports, Jobs, Cars, Homes – Philly.com, Philly.com, 13 July 2018, www.philly.com/philly/education/temple-ags-office-fox-investigation-business-school-shapiro-probe-20180713.html. (“AG’s Office Opens Probe”)
3. Shapiro, Josh. Received by Richard Englert, 13 July 2018, www.attorneygeneral.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/2018-07-13-Temple-University-AG-Letter.pdf.
4. Ibid.
5. Supra, AG’s Office Opens Probe
6. Findings and Recommendations from Jones Day Investigation into Rankings Information Provided by Fox School to U.S. News. Findings and Recommendations from Jones Day Investigation into Rankings Information Provided by Fox School to U.S. News, news.temple.edu/sites/news/files/images/findings_and_recommendations.pdf. (“Findings and Recommendations”)
7. Supra, Temple Business Dean
8. Supra, Findings and Recommendations
9. Ibid.
10. Ibid.
11. Supra, AG’s Office Opens Probe