No discipline planned at North Dakota degree mill

By James Macpherson

Associated Press

Published: Saturday, Feb. 11 2012 10:20 a.m. MST

Dickinson State University President D.C. Coston speaks on Friday, Feb. 10, 2012, at the Badlands Activities Center in Dickinson, N.D. According to an audit report, the university awarded hundreds of degrees to foreign students who did not earn them.

The Dickinson Press, Dustin Monke, Associated Press

Enlarge photo»

Summary

The chancellor of North Dakota's university system says no immediate discipline is planned for any Dickinson State University employees in the wake of an audit determining the school awarded hundreds of degrees to foreign students who didn't earn them.

BISMARCK, N.D. — The chancellor of North Dakota's university system says no immediate discipline is planned for any Dickinson State University employees in the wake of an audit determining the school awarded hundreds of degrees to foreign students who didn't earn them.

William Goetz also told The Associated Press on Saturday that he would not speculate whether the apparent suicide of university administrator Doug LaPlante was connected to the audit's Friday release. The audit didn't mention LaPlante but many affected students studied in the business program he led.

The audit found only 10 of the 410 foreign students to receive degrees at Dickinson State since 2003 completed all their requirements.

Goetz says the other students may have their degrees revoked but will receive the opportunity to legitimately earn them.

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