I noted just last week, over at Forbes, the bizarre fact that influence-peddling and profiteering by college officials seems to draw far less attention and outrage than the attempts of wealthy parents to get their kids into those colleges. Well, just days after I made that observation regarding the high-profile “Varsity Blues” conviction of two parents, another scandalous turn by a campus official elicited mostly yawns.
Last Wednesday, Marilyn Flynn, who had served as dean of the School of Social Work at the University of Southern California for 21 years, until 2018, was indicted on federal charges of conspiracy, bribery, and 15 counts of wire fraud. Flynn had enjoyed a high profile in her field, collecting numerous awards in social work education, including being honored for volunteerism by President Obama.
As explained in Inside Higher Ed, the alleged scheme entailed “Flynn arrang[ing] for the son of a politician to be admitted to a graduate program, [and] awarded the son a full-tuition scholarship.” Flynn “eventually got the son a job at USC.” Oh, “And the son was at the time accused of sexual harassment, which she allegedly covered up.”
In return, the
Justice Department alleges, Flynn received contracts that delivered to “the
school millions of dollars in new revenue.”
Scandalous, right? And yet mainstream media coverage suggests that
a campus official shaking down an elected official isn’t deemed nearly as
significant as a parent cheating the admissions system. For instance, “Varsity
Blues” parent Gamal Abdelaziz, convicted of engaging in bribery to gain his
child admission to USC, has appeared in at least eight New York Times stories.
Flynn has garnered mention only in the Los Angeles Times and other local
outlets.
Perhaps Flynn has gotten the kid gloves treatment because academic corruption is deemed more excusable in college circles. As Flynn’s lawyer explained to the Los Angeles Times, Flynn is a veteran scholar who “worked tirelessly for the improvement and betterment of the social welfare network in Los Angeles and around the country.”
A parent buying his kid’s way into school draws sweeping diatribes about privilege. Fair enough. But it’s hard to square that outrage with the disinterest that greets a campus shakedown artist selling access to elected officials. Perhaps, between their self-assured condemnations of the inequities in American culture, campus leaders might spare a moment to ponder whether their own institutions bear some responsibilities for the state of things.
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