SAGE Lecture Spark March 19, 2019

Department of Justice Issues Dozens of Indictments in Nationwide College Admission Scheme On March 12th, federal prosecutors charged 50 people in the largest college admissions scheme ever prosecuted by the Department of Justice. Those that were indicted included wealthy parents, actresses, coaches, SAT/ACT administrators, and others. According to the Department of Justice, the individuals indicted committed a series of crimes in order to ensure that their children were granted admission into top schools, such as Yale, UCLA, and USC, etc. William Rick Singer, the man who orchestrated the scheme under the guise of a college admissions prep company and a nonprofit foundation and who is said to have earned a total of $25 million from the scheme, has plead guilty to all charges brought against him. Do you think that the affluent status of those charged will have an impact in how they are punished for the crimes they committed? Here are a few sources regarding the college admissions scandal: Actresses charged in college admissions cheating scheme By: Meg Wagner, Brian Ries, and Veronica Rocha CNN 03/14/19 https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/college-admissions-cheating-felicity-huffman-lori-loughlin/index.html   READ: The full indictment charging actors, CEOs and others in a nationwide college admission scheme 03/12/19 https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/12/us/indictment-college-admissions-scheme/index.html Expert on college admissions on how the system enabled scandal CBS News 03/13/19 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zs_E7BYjRyQ

Key Concepts According to the Los Angeles Times, the fallout of the scheme has been widespread. Parents and students have filed civil suits against universities and those indicted, citing the rigged and unfair system. Legislation elimination tax breaks for charitable contributions is also being considered, given that some of those charged wrote off their bribes as a donation. How do the issues of inequality highlighted in the scheme compare to those prevalent in the criminal justice system? The following sources provide some information regarding the impact of the college admissions scheme: No winners in college admissions scandal By: Julie Grohovsky The Hill 03/16/19 https://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/education/434381-no-winners-in-college-admissions-scandal Fallout from college admissions scandal worsening for accused parents, school By: Richard Winton and Hannah Fry Los Angeles Times 03/17/19 https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-college-cheating-parents-fallout20190316-story.html Yale’s president says policy is to rescind admission for anyone who falsified applications CBS News https://www.cbsnews.com/news/yale-president-peter-salovey-after-college-admission-scandal-former-head-soccer-coach-ruby-meredith/

Key Concepts What is white-collar crime? According to the FBI, white-collar crimes are “characterized by deceit, concealment, or violation of trust and are not dependent on the application or threat of physical force or violence” The motivating factor behind these crimes is financial. Why is the college admission scheme considered white-collar crime? The following sources provide some information regarding white-collar crime White-Collar Crime https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/white-collar-crime

Assessment Writing: How does the college admission scandal highlight inequality in social institutions? Debate: Universities should hold all of the students who were involved responsible for the actions of their parents. Poll: Do you believe that the class status of those involved will play a role in how the individuals charged are punished? Short Answer: What is white collar crime? Identify some of the crimes that were committed by the individuals who have been charged or indicted by federal prosecutors. Current Events Quiz 1. According to news reports, Rick Singer, was paid as much as _____ by parents. A. 10 million B. 15 million C. 25 million D. 50 million   2. How many indictments were handed down in the college cheating scandal? A. 10 B. 20 C. 25 D. 50 3. The founder of the organization responsible for orchestrating the cheating, William Singer, entered a guilty plea for which of the following crimes? A. tax fraud and forgery B. racketeering conspiracy and money laundering C. corporate espionage and insider trading D. extortion and identity theft 4. The investigation into the cheating scandal was referred to as Operation Varsity Blues. (T/F) 5. The individuals indicted in the college scheme are only facing criminal charges. (T/F) 6. Despite the indictments and the allegations made against the individuals involved, they are not likely to face serious time in prison. (T/F) Answers 1) C 2) D 3) B 4) T 5) F 6) F