USC has launched an investigation into allegations that Wal-Mart heiress Elizabeth Paige Laurie, who graduated in May 2004, paid a former roommate $20,000 over the span of three and a half years to do Laurie's homework for nearly every class.
Laurie's roommate Elena Martinez alleged that Laurie paid her to do work during a broadcast of ABC's "20/20" that aired on Friday, Nov. 19.
USC's investigation will be led by Denzil Suite, associate dean for Student Affairs, and Raquel Torres-Retana, director of Student Judicial Affairs and Community Standards, said Michael Jackson, vice president of Student Affairs.
The university began contacting individuals to begin the investigation early last week, Jackson said. Jackson said it is hard to say when the university will come to a decision, but it will take at least a few weeks since the people involved are no longer at USC.
Laurie graduated from USC with a degree in communication in May 2004.
The Annenberg School for Communication could not comment since every student's academic records are a private matter, said Geoffrey Baum, assistant dean of public affairs for Annenberg.
Jackson said he had not heard of any accusations of this sort of serial cheating either in his 15 years at Stanford University or his 10 years at USC.
"This is extremely rare. I've just never heard of it," Jackson said. "I'm not saying people don't do it, but I've never heard of it."
Jackson also said that he is not worried that the incident will hurt USC's reputation.
"This is very unusual and I have talked to a lot of people since this has come to light ... and everyone sees this as an extreme case and it in no way reflects on USC. If the allegations turn out to be true, it reflects on the individuals, not USC," Jackson said.
The investigation will look into the conduct of both Laurie and her roommate Martinez, Jackson said.
Days after the accusations were broadcast on ABC, Laurie's parents, Nancy and Bill Laurie, agreed to remove Paige's name from the University of Missouri's basketball arena. On Friday, Nov. 26 the university re-named the arena from Paige Sports Arena to Mizzou Arena.
The Lauries donated $25 million in 2001 to help build the arena, which cost $75 million.
The naming caused a stir of controversy from the beginning because Paige Laurie did not attend MU and had no affiliations with the university.
Even though neither of her parents attended the university, Nancy and Bill Laurie have long been financial supporters of the university.
Paige's namesake still persists around MU in the form of the E. Paige Laurie Professorship at the university's veterinary school.
The Lauries also own a holding company called Paige Sports Entertainment, which controls their ownership of the NHL team, the St. Louis Blues.
Nancy Laurie is the daughter of Bud Walton, who was the co-founder of Wal-Mart.
