IU hiring of diving coach raises degree questions

Bloomington, Ind. • Indiana University's hiring of a decorated diving coach to help lead its renowned aquatics program is drawing fire from critics who say his bachelor's degree is bogus and that his selection sends the wrong message to students.

Drew Johansen will start work at IU in July after racking up six ACC titles at Duke University and four Olympic medals as coach of the 2012 U.S. team in London.

IU officials say Johansen is a cutting-edge coach who's a welcome addition to the storied program, which has the fifth-most swimming and diving championships in NCAA history and 24 Big Ten titles.

But others say he shouldn't be eligible for the job because his bachelor's degree in physical education was issued by Rochville University, a diploma mill that has come under fire in Texas and Oregon and in 2009 reportedly issued a master's of business administration degree to a dog in Vermont.

The Indianapolis Star reported Thursday that Johansen's Rochville degree is mentioned in Duke media guides and programs as far back as 2007. IU made no mention of it in his hiring announcement, saying instead that he attended Arizona State.

Athletic director Fred Glass said Johansen listed the Rochville degree on his resume.

"He represented that he had a degree from Rochville, which he does. There's no misrepresentation there. It just turns out it's not accredited, and we understood and dealt with it appropriately," Glass said.