West Virginia University President Mike Garrison says he is very supportive of the investigation charge issued by WVU Provost Gerald Lang (Jan. 8) to the panel of independent educators who are reviewing the records of WVU s Executive MBA program.

I am extremely pleased that Provost Langs charge includes an invitation for the panel to bring in individuals from other institutions and accrediting agencies,said Garrison.The only currency a university has is the value of its degree. This issue is not just a student issue; it is a university issue.

Lang cited the public concerns regarding the issuance of an Executive MBA degree to a student where WVU had a discrepancy in the historical records as the reason for his request of an independent audit.

In response to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazettes recent accusations that the presidents office, through WVU s Chief of Staff Craig Walker, was involved, Walker wants the issue to be perfectly clear.

The Post-Gazette story does not accurately reflect what went on in those meetings,he said.The Post-Gazettes accusation that I led the rewriting of Ms. Breschs transcript is categorically wrong.

Walker said the presidents office received a media call and a call from the affected student after the student received differing reports of her degree status from the University.

This situation was handled, and we responded like we would with any other student inquiry,said Walker.In the normal course of University issues, these matters fall to the chief of staff as it is my responsibility to determine which area of the University should most appropriately resolve each individual circumstance. This situation was no different.

He said that he also discussed with Steven Sears, dean of the College of Business and Economics, and Lang the facts of the situation and how and what information could be released to media.

This is an issue that involves a students records, which are protected by privacy laws. We had to be conscientious of the rights of the student,said Walker.

Provost Lang asked for the College of Business and Economics to look into the discrepancies,said Sears.Neither Craig Walker or the presidents office was involved in revising or suggesting the revision of the transcript in question. The transcript was not in our meetings nor was it reviewed by Craig Walker before or after the records were submitted to the registrar.

Added Lang,Her transcript was not reviewed or discussed in any detail by or with the presidents office. The College of Business and Economics was charged with conducting the review of the records and resolving the questions regarding the transcript. That is what the College didand without any influence from myself or the Office of the President.