I cannot express in strong enough terms my outrage over Tuck Dean Paul Danos' decision on the ApplyYourself scandal ("Danos: Tuck may admit early viewers in online admissions scandal," Mar. 21). Some situations are complex and the decisions difficult. This was not one of those situations. This was an easy decision, and one that Tuck got completely wrong.
The actions of the applicants involved were clearly and unambiguously wrong. Every person of integrity and good moral character would have known in their heart and mind what he or she was doing was wrong. Had they been students at the time, their actions would have been clear violations of the Tuck Honor Code and they would have risked censure and possible expulsion. Therefore to even consider a candidate for admission after such an act signals the Tuck Honor Code is meaningless and degrades this important code. Tuck represents the highest of all standards, including personal integrity. To degrade the Honor Code is to degrade Tuck itself.
One simple question highlights the absurdity of Tuck's decision: If an MBA student were caught hacking into a company's website to check the status of their job application, would the company continue to consider his or her application for employment? Of course not, yet Tuck is choosing to do just that.
All the "investigation" and "consideration" in the world will not change the simple truth that the applicants involved in this incident knowingly committed an unethical and wrongful act. In addition to poor judgment, these applicants displayed a wanton lack of integrity and personal character. Immediate and definitive disqualification from admission into Tuck is the only acceptable action.
