"Dead man can vote, but can he engineer?"

¡Ora, UTEP!

¡Adelante, DESTINO!

¡Ora, MEChA!

¡Ora UTEP's Engineering Department's Materials Handling faculty and University Studies 2350!

While in UTEP's University Studies 2350 (or whatever it's called) classes there really is no limit to pedagogical fraud and just plain 'ole tuition money - grabbing monkey - shines, outside the UTEP campus, in the real world of professional architects and engineers, yes!

There is!

Even in South Texas there's a limit, and an intrepid reporter named Rick Casey found it, over nine years ago...!!

As Rick gives us in this succinct sound bite:

"It is considered common practice in South Texas for dead people to vote, but it would be a breakthrough for them to design jails"

Adapted from: The San Antonio EXPRESS - NEWS, Wednesday, May 19, 1999.

"The Somerset [School District] board Tuesday voted 4 - 2 to formalize the hiring of López and López Architects Inc. to be the district's architects.

"Board president Jimmy Casias pressed for the election even after the board was notified that the state Board of Architectural Examiners last June [1998] took the extraordinary step of placing the firm on probation for one year and fining it $15,000.

"What did López and López do do to earn such punishment?

"According to an agreed order, firm principal José López admitted to some serious misrepresentations in seeking a contract to design a jail for Hidalgo County."

Forged the name of Forest A. Phillips, PE...

"In his statement of qualifications, López forged on the cover letter the name of Forest A. Phillips, PE.

"Those initials stand for professional engineer, and usually means that the person is a licensed engineer in Texas.

"Forest Phillips is not a licensed engineer in Texas.

"Thre's another problem.

"Forest Phillips is dead.

"At the time the letter was written, Forest Phillips had been dead at least two years.

"It is considered common practice in South Texas for dead people to vote, but it would be considered a breakthrough for them to design jails.

"José López, incidentally, referred questions to his lawyer, Roy McClanahan.

"McClanahan stressed López is authorized to practice while on probation.

"He said López just fell in with a bad group of people and made mistakes.

"Like forging the signature of a dead man?

"McClanahan said with a chuckle, I guess that was carelessness.

"If I were choosing an architect to design schools for my children, I would want one who would pay a little more attention to detail"

Right on, Brother Rick! :)