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The Maroon Tiger Work

Fired admissions director files $2 million lawsuit against college

By SAEED AHMED

Morehouse College frequently inflates its freshman class test scores, and employs an admissions director who spends months away from work refereeing basketball games using college funds.

The claims are made by former Director of Admissions, Dr. Milford Greene, in a $2 million lawsuit filed against the institution earlier this year.

Greene, who served as Director during the '94-'95 school year, alleges he was fired when he refused to manipulate SAT and ACT scores, and confronted his associate -- and current Admissions Director -- Andre Patillo for abuse of funds.

A lawyer for the college disputes the claims and said Greene was let go for non-performance.

"The facts clearly indicate he was not doing his job," said Attorney Jefferey Thompkins. "The year Dr. Greene was Admissions Director, there were fewer applications and acceptances than [Morehouse] has had before. We were running the risk of not having a freshman class at all."

But Greene says he is not to blame for that.

"Morehouse said I was the person directly responsible for the size of the class. And because the class was small, they couldn't find adequate funding for the school and so couldn't give people raises," said Greene."That is simply not true.

What he found, Greene says, were scores not much different from the ones he was criticized for.

Greene claims the scores of '92-'93 did not reflect the much publicized average SAT score of 1012 and ACT score of 24. They were actually 981 and 22 respectively. Similarly, the 1026 SAT and 24 ACT scores of '93 and '94 were also erroneous, the correct figures being 990 and 23 respectively. During his tenure, the SAT scores were 960 and 985 for '94 and '95 respectively.

"The college has consistently been claiming higher scores, which enables it to recruit better students ensuring higher tuition and funding," said Greene. "But let's just say that no amount of calculations I did got me the kind of numbers they were claiming."

When asked about the differences, Attorney Thompkins said the school is without sufficient knowledge to [address] these allegations."

In the lawsuit, Greene claims he then met with Vice President for Academic Affairs, Weldon Jackson, to discuss his findings but was told, "Well, you know all schools cook the score," implying he should do the same. Jackson, who is now Provost of Manhattan College, "strenuously denies" saying so.

"Patillo is a professional referee for the NCAA, and between October and April every year, he's essentially gone refereeing games using college funds," Greene said. "I told him this can't continue. Since he was the chief recruiter, his absenteeism was affecting recruitment."

Soon after, Patillo resigned, and almost immediately, Greene says he began to be hassled by Dean of Admissions, William Dease. In March 1995, he was transferred to a "less prestigious position" with no office, telephone, personnel or desk, and two months later was fired for inability to perform his job.

"My new title was Research Associate, but that didn't mean anything because Morehouse is not a research institute," Greene said.

Meanwhile, Patillo, who Greene claims does not possess the educational requirement for the position, was brought back to replace him as Director of Admissions. "They brought him right back," Greene said. "And he still referees 5- 6 months a year."

Patillo admits he possesses only a Bachelor's degree, but says neither that nor his refereeing interferes with his work as Director.

"I have been with Morehouse since 1972. I was a student here, I served as coach and as Admissions Director and I have been officiating throughout," Patillo said. "At no time did a conflict arise."

Patillo says his stint "actually helps the college because it allows me to go to cities which the schools resources would not cover."

Sterling Hudson, Vice-Provost for Admissions and Enrollment Management, agrees. "If Mr. Greene claims Andre Patillo was responsible for the smaller class, then the outcome of last year's recruitment flies in the face of his allegations," Hudson said. This year, the entering class at Morehouse boasts 1000-plus freshmen.

Milford Greene's civil suit is not expected to go to trial soon, although both the college and his attorney are trying to negotiate a settlement. Greene, however, does not see one forthcoming.

"This whole thing could have been settled in one month," Greene said. "But the College refuses to talk to me." "I am not trying to break Morehouse by any means," Greene added. "I have been damaged significantly and it is unlikely that I will be able to work in my field again."

"I only want Morehouse to give me what it owes me."