Mired By College Admissions Scandal, Stanford Responds

PALO ALTO, CA -- With Stanford under fire for its involvement in the college admissions bribery scandal embroiling the prestigious university, one Palo Alto-based tutoring company executive indicated this could be just the tip of the iceberg in a worldwide scandal that has gone on for decades.

Stanford's renowned sailing program received up to $770,000 in three gifts accepted by the university's former sailing coach John Vandemoer. The university is still reviewing how to proceed with ethically and properly releasing or dispensing that money, after its disgraced coach pleaded guilty last week to conspiracy allegations for improperly tying up two spots for students inflating their sailing credentials in exchange for money for admission.

The federal bribery case originating in Boston has entangled a number of university coaches and administrators as well as wealthy, famous parents paying millions of dollars to secure spots in the nation's finest colleges through the ringleader, William "Rick" Singer of Newport Beach, in the charitable scam.

Without naming Stanford specifically, Shan Zhao -- who runs a tutoring company in the Silicon Valley university town - said she's been aware of the far-reaching problem for decades. And, it's not reserved to the United States. Zhao hails from China, where she received a bachelor's degree in Beijing in management information systems before moving to Monaco to obtain her master's in business administration.

To Zhao, the scandal is symbolic of a bigger picture that the offspring of powerful parents have expectations that don't match their knowledge. She has seen the attitudes among well-off students first hand.

"I don't believe it's just an issue of money. Everywhere you have power, you have corruption," she said.

In the United States, wealthy parents may use their fame or fortune to advance their children beyond their means. In China, the state-run system may use government favors. It goes on everywhere, and it's been going on for quite some time, she insisted.

"I think it's been going on for a long time. There just hasn't been any evidence. The evidence is what got the exposure. We all know about it. It's just unspoken," she said. Many of Zhao's classmates have discussed the matter.

As for her business, she illustrated problems in which she tries to tutor her student clientele, and "they don't listen." When she tries to assess the situation with parents, they side with their children who "don't do the fundamentals and want shortcuts."

In China, the issue was accelerated when the government mandated one child per family. That child became "spoiled," she said.

The U.S. controversy has rocked Stanford to its core, prompting the university to establish a website dedicated to its reaction to the scandal and subsequent questions the public may have.

As the university notes it is complying and cooperating with the U.S. Department of Justice in the case, Stanford has pledged to take the following steps to right the ship:

• It has launched a process to confirm that no other Stanford staff members, whether administrative or associated with any other Stanford teams, were involved in this kind of activity.
• Regarding the financial contributions that were made to the sailing team, the university is working to determine the most appropriate way to redirect the funds to an entity unaffiliated with Stanford, consistent with the regulations concerning such gifts.
• The university is also reviewing all points learned in the case to determine additional steps to take regarding policies and processes.

University President Marc Tessier Lavigne and Provost Persis Drell labeled the revelations involving its sailing coach currying favor in exchange for money as "nothing short of appalling."

"Let us be clear: The conduct reported in this case is absolutely contrary to Stanford’s values and to the norms this university has lived by for decades. The charges brought by the Justice Department pertain to our former head sailing coach. But clearly, the case will prompt questions about our processes more broadly," the Lavigne and Drell admitted in a joint statement.

They indicated that the system is set up for the admissions office to conduct a holistic review of each applicant, focused on academic excellence, intellectual vitality, extracurricular activity and personal context.

Students with special talents as in artistic, athletic, musical or other endeavors are factored into the process. In the case of athletics, there's a process by which coaches can identify the most promising athletic recruits for consideration of admission.

"But such talents, athletic or otherwise, by themselves never ensure admission to Stanford," the statement continued, promising an even stricter resolve now.

Stanford declared the buck stopped with its former sailing coach working on his own, with the DOJ investigation "providing no evidence or indication that the conduct involved anyone (else)."

Stanford will continue to support student-athletes who are members of the Stanford sailing team. Clinton Hayes, who is in his ninth year as an assistant coach at Stanford, is serving as interim head coach.

No allegations have pointed to any students who are members of the Stanford sailing team, and the university has confirmed the legitimate sailing credentials of all members who received an athletic recommendation during the admission process dating back to 2011.

Despite tainted perceptions, Stanford stands by its process for reviewing gifts, which involves "rigorous checks and balances to prevent abuse." Still, the case is causing the school to carefully reconsider the process.

Under normal circumstances, every student admitted to Stanford must meet the university’s high academic standards - without exception, it claims.

Even donations from distinguished alumni does not purchase a place at Stanford, it added, while further recognizing admission is stringent and tough.

As far as the perception that Stanford caters to the elite, it countered that nearly 20 percent of admitted students each year represent "the first generation in their family to attend college," the news service noted.

Applicants to Stanford sign a statement verifying that the information they are providing is accurate. If it is found to be inaccurate, their enrollment from the university could be nullified or admission cancelled.

The controversy of the probe named Varsity Blues and subsequent review of Stanford's policies will not delay next year's admissions process.

The alleged conspiracy led to arrests last Tuesday by federal agents in multiple states, Patch reported. Athletic coaches from USC, UCLA, Yale, Stanford, Wake Forest and Georgetown, among others, were implicated, as well as parents and entrance-exam administrators.

No indication has been made that the schools themselves were involved in the scheme.