Federal Investigation of Admissions Bribery Scheme
March 12, 2019
To the Yale Community,
I am writing to inform you of a criminal investigation involving an admissions scheme targeting universities nationwide, including Yale. Today the Department of Justice revealed that dozens of individuals have been charged with federal crimes during an ongoing FBI investigation of cheating in college admissions. Individuals allegedly involved in this conspiracy bribed athletic coaches and standardized testing officials to deceive the admissions offices of universities across the country.
As the indictment makes clear, the Department of Justice believes that Yale has been the victim of a crime perpetrated by a former coach who no longer works at the university. We do not believe that any member of the Yale administration or staff other than the charged coach knew about the conspiracy. The university has cooperated fully in the investigation and will continue to cooperate as the case moves forward.
The corrupt behavior alleged by the Department of Justice is an affront to our university’s deeply held values of inclusion and fairness. I want to assure our community that I am committed to making certain the integrity of the admissions and athletic recruitment processes is not undermined again.
As the investigation unfolds, the university may take further actions. I will work closely with our athletics director and dean of undergraduate admissions to make any necessary changes to protect the university from the kind of criminal behavior the Department of Justice described today.
I am profoundly dismayed and disturbed by what we have learned this morning about the alleged actions of a former Yale coach, but these actions do not detract from my pride in the accomplishments and hard work of our student-athletes, athletics program, and admissions staff.
Sincerely,
Peter Salovey
President
Chris Argyris Professor of Psychology
Federal Investigation of Admissions Bribery Scheme
To the Yale Community,
I am writing to inform you of a criminal investigation involving an admissions scheme targeting universities nationwide, including Yale. Today the Department of Justice revealed that dozens of individuals have been charged with federal crimes during an ongoing FBI investigation of cheating in college admissions. Individuals allegedly involved in this conspiracy bribed athletic coaches and standardized testing officials to deceive the admissions offices of universities across the country.
As the indictment makes clear, the Department of Justice believes that Yale has been the victim of a crime perpetrated by a former coach who no longer works at the university. We do not believe that any member of the Yale administration or staff other than the charged coach knew about the conspiracy. The university has cooperated fully in the investigation and will continue to cooperate as the case moves forward.
The corrupt behavior alleged by the Department of Justice is an affront to our university’s deeply held values of inclusion and fairness. I want to assure our community that I am committed to making certain the integrity of the admissions and athletic recruitment processes is not undermined again.
As the investigation unfolds, the university may take further actions. I will work closely with our athletics director and dean of undergraduate admissions to make any necessary changes to protect the university from the kind of criminal behavior the Department of Justice described today.
I am profoundly dismayed and disturbed by what we have learned this morning about the alleged actions of a former Yale coach, but these actions do not detract from my pride in the accomplishments and hard work of our student-athletes, athletics program, and admissions staff.
Sincerely,
Peter Salovey
President
Chris Argyris Professor of Psychology