Former temporary employee at university charged with grade-fixing

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- A former temporary employee at the University of Central Oklahoma has been charged with computer fraud for allegedly altering student's grades.

Reginald Don McGarrity, 23, faces 18 felony counts of unlawfully using a computer network. There is a warrant for his arrest.

McGarrity, a former employee in the university's enrollment center, is accused of changing grades for five students between Feb. 2, 1999, and Aug. 2, 1999, according to Oklahoma County District Court records.

Court records show one failing grade was changed to an A and another student's transcript was altered to add the student to the Dean's Honor Roll. One student had six grades changed on June 14, 1999. Five of the grades were changed from Cs and Ds to As.

In May, university officials reported the computerized records of 16 students had been altered and more than 100 grades had been changed, according to a court affidavit.

Five students told campus police they paid money to have their grades changed. They gave a name and physical description of the person who had solicited each of them, the affidavit states.

Assistant District Attorney Peter Haddock would not say how much money the students were paying to have their grades altered or if anything besides money was exchanged.

University officials have initiated disciplinary action against more than five students, but spokesman Bill Wiseman would not say exactly how many students could face punishment.

None of the students were identified in court documents.

Wiseman said the school has tightened computer security after discovering the grade-changing scheme. He would not describe the security measures, saying only that the changes are strenuous.

If convicted, McGarrity faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000 on each count.