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Photo of the new “UT” logo on the Human Performance Center Photo by Dixie State University, St. George News
ST. george – At a sentencing hearing last week, a Utah Tech University professor admitted to embezzling tens of thousands of dollars from Utah State University, where he served as a professor for more than two decades.
According to Cache County Deputy Prosecutor Andrew Crane, 58-year-old David Olsen, Ph.D., a 21-year veteran professor and MIT department head at Utah State University in Logan, stole $76,766 in computer equipment from the school in four courses. Years – January 2016 to March 2020. Defendant took the device to a local electronics business and returned it for cash.
After more than two decades at the university, the veteran professor, Olson left Utah State in March 2020, according to court records.
Two months after the defendant left Utah State, he was appointed an assistant professor at Utah Tech University in St. George.
At a sentencing hearing last week, Olsen pleaded guilty to the second-degree felony charge and was ordered to pay the full amount to Utah State University. He was also placed on three years of probation, and according to the plea agreement, if he successfully completes the probation period, the charge will be reduced by two levels – meaning the theft charge will be reduced to a misdemeanor.
During his 21-year tenure at Utah State, Olsen served as a professor and department chair at the university’s John M. Huntsman School of Business. In fact, as of 2010, it had an overall score of 4.6 out of 5 on the “Rate My Professor” site.
A survey of student feedback rated Olson “excellent,” with more than half saying “USU is one of the best professors I’ve ever had,” and more than one student said Olson’s class was “the best class I’ve ever had.” Ever taken by USU.
Utah State recognizes the Undergraduate Teaching Fellow of the Year as well as the award-winning faculty mentor, and university records show Olson was recognized for his teaching efforts in three award years between 2009 and 2014.
Similar comments and an overall rating of 4.6 were found during evaluations by Utah Tech students, with 11 out of 12 students saying they would take the class again. Many students described Olson as always there to help his students, many described him as “very nice,” and one user described his classes as “one of the best classes I’ve ever seen at Dixie State University.”
The professor weighs in.
In a phone interview on Friday, Olson told St. George News he pleaded guilty to the charges and agreed to pay full restitution, which he did when he entered court shortly after his arraignment date — Sept. 21. In the afternoon, he handed over a check for $76,700.
He then said that he took the equipment they had taken from the school to an electronics store and sold it for money.
When the thefts came to light, Olson said, the university completed an inventory of the equipment in the MIT department, assessed the value of each of the missing items and established a combined value before the information was turned over to the county attorney’s office.
Olson also said the thefts came to light in March 2020, when he chose to retire from his position at Utah State after several discussions with university administrators about his efforts to “make things right.”
He said he was approached by Utah Tech a few months later and was promoted to full professor in June 2020. It wasn’t until two years later that he began receiving spam from various attorney’s offices that he learned of the 1st Circuit Court filing.
He said he is reaching out to Utah Tech University administrators and the college’s provost regarding the lawsuit filed by North.
He went on to say that he chose not to fight the case and agreed to pay the full fee because he regretted his actions and most importantly, it was the right thing to do.
He also stated that he was going through some personal problems at the time, but regardless, he took full responsibility for his actions and paid the full amount. Court records show that on Sept. 21, Olsen paid a $78,766.72 court bond.
“The same day as the hearing, I walked into the courthouse and gave them a check for the full amount,” Olson said.
At this time, Olsen is focused on his work and teaching at Utah Tech, which is what he loves to do. To the advanced level of the place.
St. George News reached out to Utah State University for comment, and Assistant Vice President Amanda DeRito responded in a written email, saying, “We will not be commenting on this situation.
Utah Tech University Public Relations Director Jill Hall also responded to a request for comment via email that the university hired Olson in 2020 and followed standard hiring practices and procedures.
“At the time of hire, the background check came back clean,” Hall said, adding that the university will continue to follow its personnel policy based on the information currently available.
This report is based on statements from court records, police or other respondents and may not contain the full scope of findings. Those arrested or charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Copyright Saint George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.
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