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W. Va. College's President Quits

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The Washington Post

Published: June 7, 2008

West Virginia University President Michael Garrison announced his resignation Friday, seeking to end a scandal stemming from the university's awarding of an unearned degree to the governor's daughter.

Garrison said he hoped his resignation, effective in September, would end the turmoil at the university, where in recent months faculty members have passed a resolution of no confidence in him, alumni have withdrawn millions of dollars in gifts, and students have expressed fear that their degrees have been devalued.

Stephen Goodwin, the chairman of the Board of Governors, said he understood why Garrison resigned. "It was just that there never seemed to be an end to it," he said.

In April, a panel of independent investigators released a report saying that university officials showed "seriously flawed judgment" in retroactively granting an unearned executive master of business administration degree to Heather Bresch, the daughter of Gov. Joe Manchin.

Garrison is Bresch's former classmate. He once worked as a lobbyist for Mylan Inc., where she is an executive.

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