Grand Jury hears grade change testimony

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The federal grand jury met Tuesday in Charleston to consider criminal charges regarding the grade controversy at Marshall University involving an elected state official's daughter.

The student was identified by a spokesman for the state treasurer's office as Emily Perdue, daughter of West Virginia State Treasurer John Perdue. 

In May, Emily Perdue received two incompletes from Laura Wyant, professor in the College of Education and Human Services.  Rosalyn Templeton, dean of the college of education, instructed Perdue during the summer and assigned letter grades while Wyant was the only Instructor of Record for the courses, which is a violation of university policy.

Wyant and Templeton received subpoenas to appear at the grand jury.

Wyant said the grand jurors asked a lot of questions, particularly about procedures.

"They were very interested in the May 1 and May 5 meetings," Wyant said. 

John Perdue came to the university and met with Templeton on May 1. Wyant's Office Management course met on May 5. Robin Perdue, Emily's mother, attended.
Britany Thompson took the independent study course with Wyant also.

In the May 5 meeting, professor Darlene Daneker and Robin Perdue took Thompson's notebook and looked through it without asking her, Thompson said.

Wyant came out of the courthouse at 4:20 p.m. and said she testified for more than an hour.  She added that Templeton went into the grand jury as she was leaving.

Wyant told the grand jury her version of the events, and the jurors asked questions to clarify, Wyant said.

The jurors asked Wyant if a student is normally instructed by a dean and if a dean is normally involved with an independent study course, Wyant said.

Wyant took a stack of documentation with her and left it with the grand jury after her testimony, she said.

"I made it very clear to them that I was not and I have never disputed the grade," Wyant said. "I have no personal knowledge of the academic performance of the student, and I let them know that very clearly."My concern was recording the grade under my name as the Instructor of Record," Wyant said.

Templeton exited the courthouse at 4:45 p.m. and declined to comment.

The grand jury will continue its proceedings Wednesday, and if any indictments are given, they will be handed up late in the day, according to the Clerk's Office.

Staci Standiford can be contacted at standiford1@marshall.edu.