(WHDH) Harvard University administrators have issued an explanation as to why they secretly searched the e-mails of faculty members to find the source of a leak to the media about a cheating scandal.
Last month dozens of students were forced to leave the Ivy League university over allegations they cheated on an exam. And the university is defending those actions. Harvard administrators admit that they secretly searched the e-mails of 16 deans to find out who leaked the story of the cheating scandal to the media.
The public relations person for Harvard University's president wrote in an e-mail to 7News that she is comfortable with what happened, but goes on to say that it is fair to ask why the deans were not told sooner, and a debate on the matter is healthy.
A statement released Monday read, "The secret email search was made because the leak raised concerns that private student information may be at risk."
So after speaking to attorneys, Harvard conducted what they're calling quote a very narrow, careful and precise subject-line search to find the source. The e-mail content was not looked at.
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