Theology Student Reported to Police

The case started earlier this year when the rector at the Norwegian School of Theology (MF) discovered that someone had written emails in his name, requesting that several marks be changed. A male student had broken into the rector’s office, and changed marks manually. Having done this, he sent the changes via email to another member of staff at the faculty.

A unique case

Rector at MF, Vidar Leif Haanes, says that he was very surprised by these actions.

– It was done in such an ingenious and daring way, I can safely say that I have never seen or heard of anything like this, he states to Universitas.

The student was reported to the police by MF this spring, and was later charged, after a police investigation concluded that the reported actions had indeed been carried out.

– I can confirm that a person has committed acts under the guise of being a member of staff at the Norwegian School of Theology. The person in question has changed marks, sent emails under another person’s name, and registered an account on an online shop using somebody else’s name, says police attorney Morten Reppen.

Universitas has learnt that the individual who has been changed had been temporarily employed as a student assistant. When asked whether the student had any reason to be in the rector’s office, director at MF Beate Pettersen replied that his position gave him no reason to be there.

Had keys

Rector Haanes informs that the student was not thrown out of MF, but left voluntarily after his actions were discovered. He emphasizes that MF do not view this as a case of cheating, as it has been reported to the police.

– The way in which this has happened comes under criminal law, rather than rules for cheating and plagiarism.

– How could this happen?

– The person in question has, thanks to their position, had access to keys during his working hours. I don’t know whether one can ever fully protect oneself against disloyal employees; this could have happened in any workplace.

– Students at MF may be concerned that unwelcome people are able to get in and change marks, what would you like to tell them?

– The positive thing is that in this case there were three separate incidents within the space of a couple of days, and all three incidents were discovered independently of one another through internal checks, before there were any consequences for anyone else. This shows that we have checks in place that reveal wrongdoings.

No trial

Rector Haanes wishes to emphasize that the student did not gain access to any computer system in which marks could be changed, but that he changed marks manually on paper, before sending an email in which he purported to be the rector.

The prosecuting authority, represented by police attorney Morten Reppen, has chosen not to issue an indictment, but has instead sent the case to the Norwegian Mediation Board, where it will be processed shortly. This has been done with the approval of both MF and the person who has been charged.

– Why will there not be a trial?

– This is a decision we must make on a case-by-case basis. These actions could have ended in an indictment, but as both parties wanted a mediation service, this was a good solution. We try to choose the best and most correct process in every individual case, with both general deterrence and individual deterrence in mind, Reppen says.

The student in question does not wish to comment on this case to Universitas. Student council leader at MF, Ida Krogstad, also declined to comment.