GMIT no comment on embarrassing €250k cheating report
Galway Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) is refusing to answer questions in relation to the status of the unprecedented external investigation into a cheating incident and alleged cover-up at the college.
The ‘cheating and cover-up’ probe was launched in the spring of 2011 following a series of revelations in this newspaper, yet more than two years on and there’s still no sign of the report, although its content was discussed at the highest level within the college yesterday. Its publication is said to be imminent.
Nine days ago, the Galway City Tribune submitted a series of questions to GMIT in relation to the status of the investigation. It still hasn’t replied.
It is understood that the probe, carried out by independent investigators Professor Bairbre Redmond of UCD and Mr Ed Madden, an industrial relations specialist, is complete.
According to the terms of reference, “the investigation team will furnish the report as quickly as practicable with an expected time frame of three weeks after the investigation team confirms that the investigative stage of the process has concluded.”
The Governing Body of GMIT convened yesterday in Letterfrack and, among other issues, discussed how the institute would handle the report, the conclusions of which could have wide-reaching, potentially embarrassing, repercussions.
It was previously revealed that almost €225,000 was spent by GMIT on the investigation following a Freedom of Information request by the Tribune.
The bulk of that money was for fees to the investigators and legal advice between May 2011 and October last year. The college would not be drawn on how much more of taxpayers’ money has been spent on the probe in the last eight months since October.
The investigation was launched following a series of revelations in this newspaper about plagiarism at GMIT, and discontent among teaching staff about standards.
The incident involves a Masters student in the School of Business who obtained an instructor’s manual – which contained model answers to assessment questions – and used the material to cheat. The instructor manual was legitimately accessible by academic staff online only and is protected by a password. It is alleged the password was passed by a lecturer to the student, who then graduated and is now teaching.
This is the fourth investigation into the incident. The external probe was charged with finding out if the matter was “suppressed, concealed or covered up” by staff.
For more on this story, see the Galway City Tribune.