USA TODAY International Edition
Students in college scandal could face the music
The question would be: What did they know?
Some students actively participated in the cheating: They had test proctors give them answers to college admissions tests and even “gloated” afterward, prosecutors said.
Others knew, or should have known, something was amiss: They were asked to “be stupid” to get diagnosed with a disability, which allowed for extended time on tests. Some flew across the country to take those tests. Or they were asked to show up to college orientations for sports they didn’t play.
Sometimes, parents came up with elaborate ruses to keep their children in the dark about the cheating. They arranged fake proctors to let their children think they took a test actually being taken by a stand-in, or they explained that they used old-fashioned networking instead of six-figure bribes to get them into elite universities.
No students have been charged in the sweeping college admissions scandal, in which CEOs and celebrities are accused of paying up to $6 million to secure slots for their kids in some of the nation’s most selective universi-
ties. Yet the students were the ultimate beneficiaries of the scheme. What should be done with those ill-gotten gains?
There’s no easy answer, says Amy Sepinwall, a University of Pennsylvania professor of law and business ethics. “Your heart goes out to these kids who in some ways seem like innocent pawns of their parents’ machinations.”
But students who actively participated – and were old enough to know better – shouldn’t be able to hide from punishment, she says: “Responsibility isn’t a zero-sum matter.”
The universities involved in the scandal have announced a variety of measures to address those cases. The University of Southern California aid applicants tied to the scheme would be denied admission. Students already admitted would be handled on a case-bycases basis, interim President Wanda Austin said in a written statement.
In all, 50 people have been charged, including 31 parents from 26 wealthy families. They include television actresses, corporate executives, hedge fund managers, a university professor and the chairman of a law firm – all charged with mail and wire fraud.
Prosecutors have not identified the children by name or age.
The accused mastermind of the scheme, Los Angeles college counselor William “Rick” Singer, allegedly boasted to parents that he had gotten nearly 800 students into college through what he called the “side door.”
Not every family that Singer helped committed fraud. Singer worked with students in more conventional college counseling, arranging tutors, advising on colleges and coaching on admissions essays. Some wrote glowing letters of recommendation for Singer, thanking him for his coaching.
USA TODAY tried to contact dozens of students who worked with Singer. None agreed to be interviewed. One recent graduate, whose parents are not accused of wrongdoing, called the allegations “mind-blowing and troubling” but did not want to comment further.
Only one student involved in the case has spoken publicly. Jack Buckingham, son of lifestyle marketer Jane Buckingham, sent a statement to the Hollywood Reporter insisting he didn’t know about the cheating but was sorry that he might have taken a spot over someone more deserving.
“I know there are millions of kids out there both wealthy and less fortunate who grind their ass off just to have a shot at the college of their dreams. I am upset that I was unknowingly involved in a large scheme that helps give kids who may not work as hard as others an advantage over those who truly deserve those spots,” he said.
Beverly Stiles of Midwestern State University in Texas studies what she calls “academic entitlement,” in which students think they’re owed better grades than they deserve. Though it’s a phenomenon commonly associated with millennials – often maligned as the “participation trophy” generation – Stiles says there’s no evidence that cheating is worse than it has been in the past.
She says growing income inequality could make it worse. “Money is power in our society,” she says. “Wealthy families can already afford legal advantages that poorer families can’t: private schools, private tutoring, test preparation classes.
“Here, this is just one step further,” she said. “You’re using that income inequality to cheat.”The student most in the spotlight is Olivia Jade Giannulli, 19, daughter of fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli and actress Lori Laughlin. She was able to get into USC last year as a member of the rowing team despite not having rowing experience.
A social media “influencer” with 1.4 million Instagram followers, Giannulli turned her admission to USC into an endorsement deal for Amazon Prime Student.
“Officially a college student!” she posted in September. “I got everything I needed from Amazon.”