There's quite a scandal brewing in the University of Georgia's College of Pharmacy. Or is there?

According to an e-mail circulated back in November, issues ranging from cheating on coursework to sharing controlled substances are causing school officials considerably anxiety.

Cheating is bad, of course, but it isn't quite as serious as the sharing of controlled substances. That kind of conduct, of course, would probably amount to a drug crime. Out of concern that there was misbehavior going on, school officials set up a locker to serve as sort of an anonymous comment box where students can report misconduct without identifying themselves.

What is interesting, however, is that school officials have since backed away from the e-mail. In an interview with the campus newspaper, the associate dean of student affairs said he was merely discussing "rumors" in the email and that he does not know of any specific incidents of cheating or drug abuse at the school. He said no one has used the anonymous tip box and that the email was sent out merely to make staff aware of what students were saying.

The associate dean's current message is at odds with the tone of the email, which said the misconduct was "cause for concern at many different levels."

So, at this point, when we have two different versions of the same story, it is safe to say we haven't heard the last of it. It is interesting to see how this all shakes out and whether there really is any unethical or illegal conduct going on.

Source: The Athens Red and Black, "Pharmacy school email says college 'plagued by ethical problems,' Dean insists otherwise," Julia Carpenter, Feb. 6, 2012