Ex-Grad Wins $435K Suits against UPenn in Degree Flap

Maybe you can’t put a value on education, but a federal jury says a degree from the University of Pennsylvania’s prestigious Wharton School of Business is worth $435,000.

The Philadelphia jury last week awarded the money to an executive who thought his technology management degree would come from Wharton. Instead, it came from Penn’s engineering school.

Frank Reynolds says he wasn’t told that that until 2003, a year after he enrolled. He declined the degree until earlier this year and sued for breach of contract.

Reynolds is now CEO of a Cambridge, Mass., biotech company. He says the verdict compensates him for tuition, student-loan interest and other costs.

Penn says Wharton co-sponsored the program and students could use Wharton resources. It plans to appeal.