House Speaker Wade Mark has satisfied all the requirements for the award of his Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) degree from the University of the West Indies (UWI) Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business, UWI said yesterday. “A review of our records indicates that in the instant case the requirements for the award of the degree have been satisfied,” UWI said in a release on the issue.
“The university would like to point out that special arrangements are often put in place for students in various circumstances, for example, students who require one course to complete the requirements for the award of the degree.” It added: “It is unfortunate that information relating to the confidential matter of examination grades at The University of the West Indies Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business was released to the public, contrary to the regulations of The UWI.”
The release came after an all-day meeting between principal and pro vice chancellor of the St Augustine Campus, Professor Clement Sankat, and other officials of the institution, the T&T Guardian was told. The meeting came after questions were raised in the media over whether Mark had met the requirements for the degree. The article claimed that school officials alleged Mark was allowed to graduate on October 26 although he did not do the course work component of the degree which accounted for 40 per cent of the marks.
The course work comprised a mid-term exam, a group project and class participation. It was alleged that Mark applied for concessions to UWI on a Parliament letterhead and was allowed to sit a special exam. The release said the matter had been brought to the attention of senior UWI officials and the matter received their fullest attention.
Saying the examination process at undergraduate and post-graduate level is a very closely managed one, governed by specific regulations, UWI said:
“The University of the West Indies wishes to advise that the institution has specific regulations and policies that govern students’ tenure from matriculation through examination to graduation. “More particularly, the regulations ensure that all procedures for the award of degrees are strictly confidential. Examination marks are only communicated to appropriate officers of the university and are only made public after they have been duly approved by the Board of Examiners.”
UWI said it remained committed to maintaining the high standards it had established over more than 65 years of service to the region. The T&T Guardian contacted Mark last evening but he declined comment, saying he wanted to talk to his lawyers first. Efforts to reach PNM PRO Faris Al-Rawi for a response were unsuccessful. Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley had called for an explanation from UWI, saying the incident would devalue degrees coming from the institution.