An online petition that has more than 15,500 signatures calls on Georgetown University to rescind degrees and admissions of any alumni and students involved in an admissions scandal that has embroiled several high-profile colleges.
Former Georgetown tennis coach Gordon Ernst is among 50 people charged in the scheme involving wealthy parents and elite university coaches. Court documents allege Ernst was paid more than $2.7 million and designated at least 12 applicants as recruits to facilitate their admission. One family paid him $400,000, according to charging documents.
Prosecutors say Ernst would tell the university's admissions office he offered the students a spot on his team, despite knowing the students weren't competitive athletes.
Georgetown alumnus Mickey Lee started the online petition.
"The reputation, honor, and future of our university will remain permanently tarnished unless Georgetown University wipes the stain off by erasing these mistakes from its history, including all who benefited from this scandal and graduated or are currently enrolled in the university as students," Lee says in the petition.
Lee also says that the university's administration should write a public apology to all alumni and students and the applicants who were not admitted due to the scheme.
A spokesperson for Georgetown gave the following statement to News4 Tuesday:
Local
Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information
"Georgetown refrains from commenting on individual students in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). We are reviewing the details of the indictment, examining our records, and will be taking appropriate action.”
