Disputes continue between Yale and a South Korean university over fake degree

Dongguk University in South Korea filed a lawsuit in March against Yale for incorrectly assuming art history professor Shin Jeong-ah graduated with a doctorate, which according to Yale, was the result of an administrative error. Yale is rebutting with details of a sex scandal between Shin and Byeon Yang-kyoon, the past aid of former President Roh Moo-hyun.

Representatives from Dongguk University, which filed the lawsuit seeking $50 million, said that the false degree “severely tarnished” the South Korean university’s reputation and decreased the number of donations, grants and student applications, according to an article from The Hartford Courant.

Yale is arguing that Shin was fired by Dongguk after her false degree was discovered, and that Dongguk University failed to take necessary action after the Korean College Art Association came across the finding,

According to Yale, Dongguk’s involvement in Shin’s fraud, and reaction to it and Byeon’s convictions, will be central to dismissing Dongguk’s case.

Shin, 36, was sentenced to 18 months in prison. Byeon, who allegedly used his influence to get Shin hired at Dongguk, was removed from his position as presidential aid and handed a suspended one-year jail term.

Underground music at Punjab University

Despite the fact that graduation is inching near, the first group of graduating music students at the Punjab University in Pakistan have still not had a single class on campus.

Since the music program launched two years ago, classes have been held in the basement of the Alhamra Art Council because the student-group Islami Jamiat Talaba (IJT) believed music to be ‘un-Islamic and vulgar,’ according to the Daily Times, a Pakistani news source.

Although classical singers thought that launching the new music program promoted traditional music, IJT said it was a waste of time and resources, calling the Art and Design Department the “house of sin.”

The IJT has protested several times against the new music program.

Badrul Zaman, winner of the President’s Pride of Performance Award, believed the program would promote peace and allow musicians access to a formal education and a master’s degree.

“They will also revive classical music, which is Pakistan’s identity abroad,” he said.

Despite problems, experts encourage the system of fraternities

Earlier this week, six San Diego State University fraternities were suspended for dealing drugs to students, which added to growing concerns about having fraternities on college campuses.

Despite the growing list of hazing stories, Greek life experts continue to support the system of fraternities, according to ABC News.

“Fraternities shouldn’t be shut down, because they have the potential of doing some really good things,” said Alan DeSantis, author of Inside Greek U: Fraternities, Sororities and the Pursuit of Pleasure, Power and Prestige. “The problem of course is that many times these organizations do not live up to their potential.”

Others believe that hazing stories, such as the ones from San Diego and Tulane University, where two older fraternity members burned two students with boiling water, are simply isolated events.

“It’s very important that we distinguish [the incidents at Tulane and San Diego] as not the norm, but as exceptions to the rules,” said Peter Smithhisler, CEO of the North-American Interfraternity Conference.

Some current fraternity members and alumni believe that hazing, while not a good thing, is worth it.

“I have a special bond with [my fraternity brothers] that I can assume is akin to what people experience in the military,” said Nathan, a recent graduate who did not disclose his last name to protect his identity.