A New Jersey superintendent criticized for a pay raise garnered with a degree from an unaccredited provider said he would give up the $2,500 annual increase.
H. James Wasser, the superintendent of the 12,000-student Freehold Regional High School District, had been the center of attention after a report this past summer revealed that he and other Freehold administrators got the raises after obtaining doctorate of education degrees from Breyer State University, which has been labeled a diploma mill by national accreditation experts. The school district also paid for the degrees. (“‘Diploma Mill’ Issue Roils Pay Debate in New Jersey,” Sept. 10, 2008.)
Mr. Wasser said he and Assistant Superintendent Donna Evangelista would stop using their doctoral titles. They were ordered to do so by the state’s commission on higher education, which said using doctoral titles earned with unaccredited degrees is illegal.
