The dean of UF's College of Medicine has apologized for divisive comments he made after his decision to overrule the admissions committee became public more than a month ago.
The dean, Dr. Bruce Kone, continues to defend the student's credentials while UF tries to find who leaked the student's name to the media.
In April, Kone admitted Benjamin Mendelsohn, the son of a major Republican contributor, into UF's medical school despite the student's rejection by the admissions committee. On April 4, the day after Kone's decision made the news, he met with UF officials. Later that day, he sent them what he now deems a "hurtful e-mail."
In the e-mail, he criticized their response to the situation and wrote, "It's a small town. There are small minds. But for crap's sakes, and speaking strictly as an alumnus, wake up. You are talented. Start leading."
On May 6, Kone apologized for the comments at a College of Medicine Faculty Council meeting. He summarized his apology in an e-mail sent afterward.
"It was disrespectful and demeaning to our leaders, our university and our community, and it was just plain wrong," he wrote of his earlier comments.
For the first time, Kone also described Mendelsohn's qualifications, including an SAT score of 1535 and a record of civic service, in the e-mail.
Privacy laws kept Kone from going into more detail and were supposed to keep Mendelsohn's name from getting out into the media, but several anonymous members of the school's selections committee identified Mendelsohn in news reports and said he had not taken the MCAT.
Janine Sikes, UF spokeswoman, said UF's privacy officer has mounted an investigation to learn which committee members may have violated federal privacy laws by sharing that information.
Sikes said the investigation has consisted of interviews with about 30 of the 50 committee members, including some students. Faculty e-mails are public record, but student e-mails are generally private. UF's Acceptable Use Policy states that it can look through a student's e-mail account if that student may have broken any laws.
