Univ of Illinois scandal touches California

June 23, 4:24 PMLA Grad School ExaminerJanelle Jalbert

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(AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)

In recent weeks, the University of Illinois has been fighting the bad press involved in an admissions scandal that mirrors the dramas surrounding Gov. Rod Blagojevich. As a part of the scandal it has been noted that among the beneficiaries of special consideration in admissions is a relative of Antoin “Tony” Rezko who has been tied to both Blagojevich and President Obama, according to a Chicago Tribune piece. The overall scandal involves the use of a “clout list” that allowed the admission of at least 800 students based on powerful connections rather than academic merit.

Now the University of Illinois Provist, Linda Katehi, has been named the chancellor of UC Davis. In an email to UC Davis officials, Katehi denied any involvement in Category I (the “Clout List”) even though she was responsible for the admissions department since 2006. In a June 19th article, the Chicago Tribune stated, “Documents obtained by the Tribune show that Katehi was copied on at least 14 Category I-related e-mails over the last five years, and her name appears on a spreadsheet of offices inquiring about clouted students. However, records do not suggest that she overruled any admissions decision, pushed for a subpar applicant or played a key role in the shadow system.”

Even as state senators, such as Sen. Leland Yee (D-San Francisco), question the veracity of claims of ignorance, UC President Mark Yudof expressed “full confidence” in Dr. Katehi

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Janelle Jalbert is the founder of Edusistance and the creator of the Race to College Success program. She has been an educator and advisor for more than a decade. You can reach Janelle, who welcomes suggestions for topics of interest for future articles, via email.