THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT  
              Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Friday, October 7, 1994                TAG: 9410070634
SECTION: LOCAL                    PAGE: B3   EDITION: FINAL  
SOURCE: BY ELIZABETH THIEL, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH                     LENGTH: Medium:   71 lines

CORRECTION/CLARIFICATION: ***************************************************************** Charles W. Vincent, a Virginia Beach School Board member who faces criminal ethics charges and inquiries about a doctorate degree, did not use the degree to qualify for his job as an education specialist and counselor with the U.S. Army at Fort Story. An Army investigation into whether Vincent made a false statement about his degree is ongoing, an Army spokeswoman said. Due to an editing error, a story Friday contained incorrect information. Correction published Saturday, October 8, 1994 on page A2. ***************************************************************** INDICTED BOARD MEMBER'S DEGREE NOT AUTHORIZED

Charles W. Vincent, the School Board member indicted this week on nine ethics violations, claims title to a doctorate degree from a California religious college not authorized to issue one, California state officials have confirmed.

Vincent advertised his degree during his campaign for the board last spring, and used it to qualify for his job as an adult education counselor for the Army at Fort Story. The Army is investigating the validity of Vincent's degree, a spokeswoman said Wednesday.

Vincent, who faces fines, jail time and loss of his seat if convicted of ethics violations, turned himself into police Thursday afternoon. He was released on the promise that he would return to court. His first court appearance is set for Tuesday.

Vincent declined to comment on the charges Thursday.

Over the summer, the father of a rival School Board candidate complained publicly about Vincent's use of the title of doctor. Now, education officials are also questioning the degree's legitimacy.

Vincent is charged with soliciting campaign contributions from businesses seeking building contracts from the School Board. He is the first elected official in city history to be indicted on charges of public misconduct.

During his campaign, which ended with his election May 3, Vincent cited among his credentials a doctorate of philosophy in counseling psychology from Harmony College of Applied Science in Los Altos, Calif. Vincent, who has provided documentation, said his degree was conferred during the summer of 1993.

But George P. Ritter, staff attorney for the California Council on Postsecondary and Private Institutions, said that although Harmony was at one time authorized to confer religious degrees, it was never allowed to issue secular degrees, including degrees in counseling psychology.

Doctorate degrees are not required to serve on the city School Board.

Vincent also is not required to hold a doctorate for his work with the Army, although his job includes counseling adults who are continuing their education.

Vincent, however, has made an issue of the degree. He has called himself ``doctor,'' and has listed himself in school system literature as the holder of a doctorate.

John E. Molnar, senior academic coordinator for the State Council of Higher Education, said it is against state law for anyone to use a bogus degree in any trade or job.

``The question is whether the degree is being fraudulently used,'' Molnar said.

Vincent has said that he believed his degree to be legitimate when he received it. He also has said that he holds another, earlier doctorate degree, although he has declined to say what the degree was in, where it was from or when it was conferred. by CNB