Post and Courier25%
SC technical college president says her departure isn’t connected to grade inflation probe 35%
By Charles D. Perry35%
7/28/2026, 6:50:00 AM
BS Summary: This article contains 17 faulty reasoning types, including Post Hoc (False Cause), Halo Effect, and Framing Effect, with Self-Serving Bias as the most egregious example at 23.2% saturation with 188 hits. Analysis detected 719 faulty-reasoning hits from 809 analyzed words, generating a BS Score of 36.6% and a BS Rank of 35% (18,016 of 27,714 articles). This article is better (less manipulative) than 65.00% of the article peer group.
CONWAY — Horry-Georgetown Technical College's outgoing president maintains a state probe into grade inflation did not factor into her decision to leave the institution where she has worked for more than half a century.
Marilyn "Murph" Fore, who steps down this week after nearly 52 years at HGTC, told The Post and Courier that the State Technical College System's investigation had nothing to do with her leaving to become interim president of Florence-Darlington Technical College.
"It was really my decision, along with the board mutually, to leave Horry-Georgetown Tech," she said.
"I knew I would continue working.
I wanted to work. ...
Because that's been my whole life, and particularly my love for technical education.
And this just happened to be almost like a godsend that this position came open."
Fore says she didn't know about grade changes
Fore's April 23 retirement announcement came around the same time that the technical college system was completing an academic integrity investigation, which ultimately found that more than 80 grades in 2024 had been changed without professors' consent.
HGTC officials have said the May 1 report confirmed their own findings from an internal investigation that was completed after they learned of the grade changes in 2025.
Fore told The Post and Courier that the college swiftly disciplined those responsible for inflating grades, and she said some of those people are no longer at HGTC because of that manipulation.
Those responsible have not been named, with college officials saying they won’t discuss individual personnel matters.
"I can tell you unequivocally they were disciplined," Fore said.
"And it's unfortunate that that was not really stated in the (technical college system's) documentation."
The state probe began this year after a professor filed a complaint with the Office of the State Inspector General alleging mismanagement by HGTC employees, according to public records.
The college fired that professor on July 27, three days after she was quoted in a Post and Courier story about the investigation.
The college has since said it doesn't terminate employees for exercising their lawful rights.
An announcement made and a job opens
When HGTC announced Fore's retirement, the news surprised many.
Fore is viewed as an institution at the school.
She began her career as a professor of economics before serving as academic dean and senior vice president of academic and student affairs.
She became the first woman to serve as president of the college in 2017.
Fore said she always intended to stay at HGTC for about 10 years.
Well into her ninth, she said she and the college's governing commission agreed it was time for new leadership, transitioning over the summer with her assistance.
Robert Hucks, who chairs the Horry-Georgetown Technical College Area Commission, also said Fore's exit is not related to the grade investigation.
"She had a great career at HGTC and we are thankful for her service and (the) impact she made," he wrote in an email.
Fore called it a coincidence that several events happened around the same time: she was preparing to leave HGTC and the Florence-Darlington job opened up when former FDTC President Jermaine Ford resigned.
"I felt that it was time for the wand to be given over to someone else," Fore said.
"It's a good strong board and it's a good strong cabinet. ...
It was a good time for a change."
To Fore, the new position has personal significance.
Her late husband, Fred Fore, was the first president of FDTC.
Her stepdaughters live in Hartsville, and Fore said the job will bring her closer to them.
She also sees an opportunity at the Pee Dee institution.
Her goals for FDTC include expanding program offerings and increasing enrollment.
"My goal is to be an integral part of the Florence and Darlington community," she said.
Disclosing the state probe to her new bosses
As for the grade inflation probe, she said she disclosed that information to Florence-Darlington Technical College leadership and discussed the situation during her interview there.
"They had a copy of the report," she said.
"Between myself and the state tech office, we didn't want to hide anything from them. ...
They were fully aware of it.
They understand it."
Clint Moore, who chairs the Florence-Darlington Technical College Area Commission, did not respond to requests for comment.
When asked about the grade inflation investigation, an FDTC spokesman said in an email that the school's commission "consulted the South Carolina Technical College System during its search for an acting President."
"We are confident in Dr.
Fore's integrity, professionalism, and leadership, and we look forward to welcoming her to Florence-Darlington Technical College," wrote Andrew Golden, FDTC's director of marketing and strategic communications.
Fore will officially assume her duties as president of the Pee Dee college following her retirement on July 31.
Speakers
7speakers66%attributed speech279writer words
Selected voice
100%flagged-word coverageRobert Hucks
45 attributed words8.5% of attributed speech80% writer coverage
Attribution is sentence-level. Pattern percentages are calculated only from words assigned to that voice.
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