WVU probes governor's daughter's MBA

MORGANTOWN, W.Va., Jan. 14 (UPI) -- West Virginia University will investigate why the daughter of West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin received a graduate degree 10 years after she left the school.

Those calling for the investigation say it is clear that 38-year-old Heather Bresch was given her M.B.A. for political and financial reasons, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported Sunday. In addition to her relationship to the governor, Bresch is chief operating officer of Mylan, Inc. -- and therefore is an employee of Mylan Chairman Milan Puskar, the school's largest benefactor.

When her degree was granted last year, her official transcript showed her completing only 26 of the program's required 48 credits, the newspaper said.

Bresch insists she had earned the degree when she left the school in December 1998, and blames the university for poor record-keeping, the newspaper said.

The university first said she had not earned a degree, then said she had the credits but had failed to pay a $50 fee and did not officially graduate. Later, the university blamed the business school for not transferring Bresch's complete records to the Office of Admissions and Records.

Eventually her transcript was revised to show her completing the necessary coursework.

Provost Gerald Lang has appointed a three-member panel to investigate.