Did Illinois Inflate LSAT (168), GPA (3.81) Medians to Goose U.S. News Ranking?

The University of Illinois College of Law has placed its assistant dean of admissions on administrative leave and hired Jones Day to investigate allegations that the school reported inflated median LSAT (168) and GPA (3.81) medians for the current 1L class.

• Illinois press release
• ABA Journal, University of Illinois Removes Website Data on Incoming Law Class, Probes Possible Inaccuracies
• Above the Law, Another Law School Caught in a Lie
• Champaign News-Gazette, Assistant Dean at UI Law School Put on Leave
• Champaign News-Gazette, UI Withdraws Inaccurate Info About Incoming Law School Class
• Chicago Sun-Times, U. of I. Law Assistant Dean Put on Leave Over Test Result Questions
• Chicago Tribune, U of Ill. Puts Law School Dean on Leave Over Data
• Constitutional Daily, Illinois Law Admits to Inflating LSAT/GPA
• Inside Higher Ed, U. of Illinois Probes Possibly Inaccurate Law School Data
• National Law Journal, University of Illinois Investigating Whether College of Law Fudged Figures
• NBC Chicago, U of I Asst. Dean Busted for Inflating Scores

This is not the first scandal of its kind at Illinois. In 2005, the New York Times reported that the law school goosed its U.S. News ranking by reporting the "fair market value" of the Lexis and Westlaw on-line services provided to its students ($8.78 million), rather than the amount Illinois actually paid to Lexis and Westlaw ($75k - $100k). In 2009, a state commission concluded that the former law school dean "personally and extensively participated in admissions applications in a manner inconsistent with University-sanctioned principles of ethical conduct and fair dealing" (more here).