Harris withdraws as Dartmouth Director of Athletics and Recreation

HANOVER, NH -- Charles S. Harris has withdrawn his acceptance of Dartmouth's offer of the position of Director of Athletics and Recreation.

Charles Harris

Dartmouth Dean of the College James A. Larimore said he received a call late Monday from one of Harris' previous employers, who said Harris had claimed on his resume to have a master's degree in journalism from the University of Michigan. In fact, he enrolled in the program but never completed it.

Larimore said he then spoke with Harris, who quickly offered to resign.

"I respect the decision he made,'' Larimore said Tuesday.

Larimore said Harris was frank with Dartmouth officials about his lack of a master's degree, although it was still listed on his resume. However, Harris admitted in his resignation letter that he had not been honest when applying for the earlier job.

Harris said he took full responsibility for "a failure to correct the record of years ago. I offer no defense. Notwithstanding my youthful exuberance to manipulate the facts in a very competitive market 24 years ago, the facts are what they are.''

"I very much regret, both for Charles's sake and for that of the College, that this is the case. He has compiled an outstanding professional record in 25 years as an athletic administrator and I believe he would have brought many strengths to the position of Director of Athletics and Recreation at Dartmouth. All of us at Dartmouth wish him the very best."

Harris' resignation is the latest in a series that began in December, when George O'Leary, the former football coach at Georgia Tech, lost his job at Notre Dame within a week of his hiring. He falsely claimed on his resume that he had a master's degree in education and had earned three letters as a University of New Hampshire football player. He attended UNH only two years and didn't play in any games.

Last month, U.S. Olympic Committee president Sandra Baldwin resigned after admitting she lied about her academic credentials.

Harris, who had been commissioner of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference since 1996, was hired as Dartmouth's athletic director last Thursday after a nationwide search.

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