UI finds more inaccurate data on law school admissions
By The News-Gazette
CHAMPAIGN — In an investigation into the past 10 years of College of Law test scores and grade point averages, the University of Illinois has determined that inaccurate data were reported for four of those years.
The findings indicate inaccurate data were entered that improved the Law School Admissions Test and GPA information describing the enrolled classes of 2011 through 2014.
Upon receiving reports of inaccuracies in data for the current year, UI President Michael J. Hogan immediately launched an investigation, which is ongoing and is probing the circumstances that resulted in the inaccuracies.
"Reporting erroneous data is absolutely unacceptable. The University, the campus and the College of Law place the highest priority on accuracy and integrity, and we will take measures to ensure that this never happens again," Hogan said in a press release Wednesday.
The UI said first learned of the possible inaccuracies in class profile data last month and immediately began an inquiry with the assistance of outside legal counsel, the law firm Jones Day, and forensic analysts Duff & Phelps.
Paul Pless, assistant dean for admissions in the law school, has been place on administrative leave.
MoreThe data seem manipulated to show an INCREASING TREND in both the GPA and test score numbers. This falsely indicates that University of Illinois' Law School quality is increasing and more selective, thereby rising in the rankings. Actual numbers show a DECREASING TREND in test scores from 165 to 163. It's hard to believe Paul Pless is the only guilty party here.
When will the other professional schools at U of I (e.g., Business, Engineering) receive similar scrutiny? It would be interesting to see what other Colleges at University of Illinois falsified admissions data to gain an unfair advantage with the reporting agencies and prospective students. Is any program including the test scores and grade point averages of students who applied but never actually enrolled? Is somebody else inflating their numbers using creative accounting?
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