Earlier this year, a successful and popular administrator at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) lost her job after twenty-eight years when it was discovered that she had falsified her academic credentials on her resume thirty years before. Although she had earned an undergraduate degree from one college, she listed a different institution on her resume, and she included two other academic degrees that she had never earned. However, she was nationally recognized for her work and had risen to a senior position based on her extensive experience and ability. In response to her forced resignation, some have claimed that any falsification of academic credentials, no matter how old or inconsequential should be punished as unethical and fraudulent. Others, though, have suggested that if someone has proven her abilities through years of experience, success, and recognition, then the discovery of a misrepresentation of academic credentials from years ago is actually a minor matter.
What is the appropriate response to this situation or other similar situations? How should employers and the public respond to a discovery of misrepresentation or falsification of academic credentials after years of successful achievement?