The fact that Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker lacks a college degree is gaining more scrutiny given his splash on the national scene.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s PolitiFact arm does a deep dive into the reasons surrounding Walker’s abrupt departure from Marquette University and truth-squads two central claims.
First, there’s zero tangible evidence Walker was booted from the school, a claim that’s been promoted and recycled by the Wisconsin Democratic Party.
We asked Walker if he was “forced out” of Marquette for any reason.
“I can say unequivocally that isn’t true,” Walker said.
“Gov. Scott Walker was a student at Marquette from fall of 1986 until spring 1990 and was a senior in good standing when he voluntarily withdrew from Marquette,” the university said in a statement.
That means that no conduct issues, academic or otherwise, blocked Walker from continuing in school at the time of his departure, MU spokesman Brian Dorrington told us in early December 2013.
When we asked Dorrington whether any conduct issues were on Walker’s earlier school record, he said Walker would have to permit release of that information. Walker did so in response to our request.
“Governor Walker was in good standing each term while he was enrolled at Marquette University and when he left Marquette University,” Associate Vice Provost Anne Deahl said in a letter.“Governor Walker was not expelled or suspended from the university at any time.”
Statements on-the-record from the university seem to put that bogus claim to bed for good.
On the other hand, it seems Walker has taken some liberty in saying how much more schooling he needs to complete to secure that degree. The Sentinel estimates it is as least a year.
Walker actually has about a year left in school, maybe more, based on Marquette records and available evidence — considerably more than the 15 to 17 credits he mentions to interviewers.
He earned 94 credits and had senior status, accumulating a 2.59 grade point average, Marquette confirmed during the 2010 campaign with Walker’s permission.
His credit total is 34 short of the 128 minimum needed to graduate in one major, a total that requires an average of 16 per semester. Walker told the 1990 yearbook interviewer he was triple majoring in political science, philosophy and economics; that likely would have meant an even heavier load.
Asked now about the apparent discrepancy, Walker told us he wasn’t sure exactly how many credits he needed because he hasn’t looked it up.
Given his eye on the presidency, Walker has told reporters that he has given thought to returning to school to finish his degree “maybe in the next few years” — convenient timing for a graduation ceremony on the eve of a 2016 presidential run.
Follow Dave’s blog at TheRun2016.com
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