In November of 2004, CBS' Sixty Minutes did a feature on "Diplomas for Sale." Reporter Vicki Mabrey reported on online diploma mills, focusing specifically on "Hamilton University." According to the story:
"How do you get a degree from Hamilton? You start by filling out a form on a site that claims to be an independent referral service. But it really was set up to funnel business to Hamilton. You’ll then be offered dozens of degrees. If you’re accepted, and chances are good you will be, it can take as little as a week or two to get a diploma. Your main assignments are to write a short paper and a big check."
When Pelton became CESSNA CEO, his official bio stated:
"Pelton holds BS and MS degrees in Aerospace Engineering from Hamilton University. He is a resident of Wichita and currently serves on the board of directors for the General Aviation Manufacturers Association and Wichita’s Habitat for Humanity. A commercial, instrument-rated pilot, he is Citation rated and flies regularly as pilot in command."
The Hamilton "degrees" have since been removed from Pelton's bio on the website of Textron, CESSNA's parent company. When hiring Pelton as CESSNA CEO in December of 2003, Textron's news release included the Hamiton "degree" credentials. After the Sixty Minutes story, CESSNA issued a statement sweeping Pelton's deception under the rug. To my knowledge Pelton has never offered a compelling explanation for why he obtained the Hamilton "degrees."
Pelton hails from Kansas. Students from that area attending Independence Community College and working hard for their diplomas said that Pelton's appointment as CEO should produce anger because: "Some of us actually work to obtain a degree. People like Pelton, who have not earned their credentials, should make us feel cheated. Some of us study hard to get through school; all he did was write a big check."
The city of Oshkosh and EAA should withdraw Pelton's receipt of the Key to the City Award. Allowing him to receive the award will represent a slap in the face to all the hard working students in our community. Our city government needs to establish the principle that the Key to the City can only go to citizens who have upheld the highest standards of honor and integrity in their professional, community, and civic lives. In trying to pass himself off as a degreed professional when all he did was purchase a piece of paper from a diploma mill, Jack Pelton did not uphold such standards.
Contact the City Council and tell them the Key to the City needs to be awarded to a more deserving individual.
2 comments:
If EAA wants to recognize someone who pads his resume, fine. (EAA pads its attendance figures so I suppose it's appropriate they would want to recognize a resume padder). For the city of Oshkosh to do the same is a different story. The person receiving the "Key to the City" gets his name inscribed on a permanent plaque that hangs in city hall. Especially in a university town, to recognize permanently in city hall someone who bought "degrees" is unconscionable. What a terrible message to send college students.
The key to the city was the idea of Paul Esslinger and Stan Kline in 2002. At the time, Esslinger said, “Because we have the Mayor’s Breakfast downtown, I thought it would be a good idea for the citizens to meet that person and give a Key to the City to show the respect that person deserved.”
Does a person deserve respect if they buy college "degrees" and only have them removed from their official biography after a damning Sixty Minutes report? I don't think so, especially if they have not offered any explanation of or apology for their actions.
What actually has pelton contributed to aviation?
I'll tell you... NOTHING!
Not one single thing.
But what he has done is disgrace everyone in aviation by continuing to live his fraud. The trust and respect that other hardworking men and women have won suffered a little the day the 60-Minutes story was aired, and it continues to suffer each and everyday.
pelton should however get an award for living his charade. Maybe the city can give his a key to the port-a-potty next year. It might help us all from wallowing in pelton-spewed BS.
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