It’s never the crime — it’s the cover up.
One of the many problems I see with this, is that when asked, Heather Bresch repeatedly told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that she did earn the degree, and even went to graduation — when it’s crystal frickin’ clear that she didn’t do either. You don’t just forget about skipping out on 22 hours of graduate course work. That is not an oversight. She knew what she was doing, and thought she could get away with it.
That’s as stupid as it is wrong. People that stupid don’t deserve $500K+ jobs, plain and simple. Furthermore, when a normal person makes a mistake that dumb, they get their nuts caught in the ringer. But if you’re Joe Manchin’s baby girl, all you have to do is make a few phone calls.
Or so they think.
Tags: Heather Bresch
January 10, 2008 at 8:39 pm
Anyone have the audio or transcript of what Joe said to Hoppy today when asked about this? Something cryptic he said or tripped over about “hearing she graduated,” or something. Like he wanted to say he attended it, but realized he hadn’t.
January 10, 2008 at 8:39 pm
Keeping my fingers crossed that something finally sticks to Teflon Mojo.
January 10, 2008 at 8:42 pm
And who is to say she hasn’t gotten by with it? A little bad press, and she keeps her job, and Joe gets re-elected. Who says she hasn’t gotten by with it?
But we know. We all know:
1. WVU is third tier and a liar (Garrison, Nolan, Goodwin, Lang and Sears)
2. Joe Manchin is a third-rate governor and a liar.
3. Heather Bresch, with a mouth full, is an incompentent liar.
4. The legislative oversight committee is full of shit.
5. And the Gazette…unless they have a trick coming that we do not know about…is full of it too.
So far, the gov and his dumb daughter, are still ahead of the game.
January 10, 2008 at 8:45 pm
>>>3. Heather Bresch, with a mouth full…
Is that a reference to the time she was caught in flagrante delicto with, um, a person not her spouse?
January 10, 2008 at 10:10 pm
cry me a freekn river………. why cant people wait until the report comes out? keep in mind that its innocent until proven guilty in the USA
January 11, 2008 at 1:03 am
Muahahahahahah.
http://postgazette.com/pg/08011/848439-28.stm
January 11, 2008 at 1:04 am
Looks like we got us some liars up there in Motown.
January 11, 2008 at 1:11 am
Oh, you can even read the actual emails.
This is great.
January 11, 2008 at 2:05 am
The Post-Gazette will not give up until the truth comes out.
The more WVU officials manuever and attempt to cover up to avoid taking responsibility the worse it will be for them, for the University, its’ students and for the State of West Virginia.
And, as the Post-Gazette doggedly investigates and exposes lies it positions itself for major awards for investigative journalism.
It is time for the folks ar Stewart Hall to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Otherwise, it will only get worse for them, for Heather Bresch, for Mylan and for Governor Manchin.
President Garrison and Provost Lang must make public statements explaining exactly what occured and who was involved in granting a degree that was never earned. They must also make themselves available to the press and publically answer all questions truthfully as well as publish all relevant documents on the internet.
Having done this they might ask for forgiveness and understanding and hope that they can salvage something before there is nothing left of their reputation and careers.
There undoubtedly will be more documents surfacing soon unless someone in a leadership role puts a stop to this very ugly and totally inept coverup. There are whistleblowers inside for heaven’s sake!
As far as the WVU internal investigation — it is clearly superflous now and could make things much worse for all involved by virtue of the continued delay in revealing what is now a pre-ordained result . Heather Bresh fell 22 credits short and when WVU was asked, University officials made up a story and gave her a degree that she never earned. Of course as HK noted — the coverup is almost always worse than the original crime.
Here is the link to todays’ story:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08011/848439-28.stm
The Post-Gazette also has a link to documents they have obtained,
January 11, 2008 at 2:57 am
I LOVE how the university has to ask Heather for fucking permission to release the letter. Guys, I need you to all stop…and re-read that sentence. They MUST get her fucking permission.
Now, if she has control of that…..don’t you think she has control of her transcripts being changed and her grades and everything else?
She is in control. Every time that third tier school opens its fucking mouth, they tell on themselves.
They need to SHUT UP! But, alas, Heather hasn’t told them to yet.
Mikey Garrison…if you are reading this….and we know you are……
smile baby, you’re on Charleston’s camera :-)
January 11, 2008 at 3:45 am
Common Sense — I prefer not the think of them as whistleblowers but as heroes of the people in waiting. Is Craig Walker one of them?
Economic Friction — post the audio if you get it. An MBA is a milestone for anyone and dad should know and not hesitate to say one way or to the other if his girl achieved hers.
The footnotes when this is all said and done will separate who is remembered for shaming the University and who is remembered for preserving the integrity of WVU.
Can someone in the know render an opinion on what will be categorized as protected under federal privacy laws and what will be avialable via the Freedom of Information Act? This will set expectations on how the lies will continue to be constructed.
January 11, 2008 at 3:53 am
Common Sense, you always sound like you know more than you are telling us. Spill the beans, brother.
January 11, 2008 at 6:55 am
Concerning the audio of Manchin on the subject: I di this once, but here is again. Lang’s audio was there but I’m not sure if it’s still there.
January 11, 2008 at 8:08 am
In WVHEPC Series 20 Rule 3.4, a “degree” means “any earned award conferred by a higher educational institution which represents satisfactory completion of the requirements of a program…” And despite what Garrison says on TV, the degree is the responsibility of the institution and he is the President.
January 11, 2008 at 8:09 am
Tenure is a powerful protection, but I can think of at least 2 ways to dismiss any tenured prof who bent the rules in Heathergate. Sears, Speaker and Lang are tenured; Garrison is not. If a professor or administrator oversaw the falsification of official records (or their reconstruction without due evidence to support them), that offense would be cause for dismissal (losing tenure) under Section 12 of the WVHEPC Series 9 standards for dismissing tenured faculty. Dismissal is permitted for several offenses, including: “Demonstrated incompetence or dishonesty in the performance of professional duties, including but not limited to academic misconduct.”
This same issue could also be considered academic misconduct under the WVU Faculty Handbook:
5.4 Professional Ethics
Scholars, teachers, and researchers seek, explore, and apply knowledge, and, in doing so, they are bound by their professional obligation to be upright in their pursuit of knowledge, honest in its dissemination, and committed to its efficacy. Without such integrity, the University cannot function as a community of scholars. The Senate Academic Integrity Committee reviews questions and grievances concerning research and scholarship. Separate Academic Integrity Committees exist for the each campus of the University. For information on the review of alleged misconduct in research and scholarship, see Policy and Procedures for Responding to Allegations of Misconduct in Research and Scholarship at West Virginia University.
The definition of “misconduct in research and scholarship” is very broad, in the Policy and Procedures for Responding to Allegations of Academic Misconduct at West Virginia University:
Definition of Academic Misconduct
The present policy and procedures are informed largely, but not exclusively, by the federal Office of Research Integrity?s concern with scientific misconduct, which is defined as “fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, or other practices that seriously deviate from those that are commonly accepted within the scientific community for proposing, conducting, or reporting research. It does not include honest error or honest differences in interpretations or judgments of data.” The University?s concern is broader than that of the federal Office of Research Integrity, however, and extends beyond scientific work to all forms of scholarship, including activities classified as research, teaching, learning, or service. This concern is in keeping with the University?s broad missions in research, teaching, and service, and the responsibilities and duties imposed on the University by external agencies and organizations that regulate various aspects of these missions.
The present document, therefore, is concerned with academic misconduct regardless of the specific context in which it occurs. Academic misconduct is defined as fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, or other practices that seriously deviate from those that are commonly accepted within the scholarly community for: (a) proposing, conducting, or reporting research; (b) teaching; (c) learning, and (d) providing institutional, community, or professional service. This definition of misconduct does not include honest error or honest differences of opinion in interpretations or judgments of data, pedagogy, or professional practices. But it does include material failure to comply with federal, state, or institutional requirements related to research, teaching, learning, and service. This includes, but is not limited to, any material failure to meet relevant requirements of the Institutional Review Board for the Protection of Human Subjects, the Animal Care and Use Committee, the Institutional Biohazards Committee, or the Office of Radiation Safety. Also included is retaliation against individuals who in good faith allege misconduct or who cooperate in inquiries or investigations in cases of misconduct.
A second possible charge could be levied against any Heathergate professor with any history of consulting for Mylan Labs. Professors are required to disclose these payments to the University in writing. If the payments were not properly disclosed, they are considered conflicts of interest under the WVU Faculty Handbook, which is a reason for losing tenure:
5.7 Conflict of Interest
Conflict of interest occurs when faculty members furnish goods, services, or anything else, and, in return, receive money in addition to their contracted salaries or wages. Conflict exists if any member of the family of the faculty member is part of a corporation, has an interest in it, or owns a majority of its stock, and that corporation furnishes to the University goods, services, or anything else. Conflict of interest, however, does not apply when a faculty member receives money for services performed under the University’s consulting policy and the funds are supplied to the University by another agency through a grant, contract, or other arrangement.
The examples of conflict of interest given here are not meant to be the only possibilities. Situations may arise in which other examples of conflict of interest occur. Conduct by a faculty member constituted to be a conflict of interest is grounds for suspension or dismissal from the University for cause. Through this policy, the University carries the provisions of the Constitution of West Virginia, Section 9, Article 12, adopted on March 15, 1969. In addition, faculty should consult Series 31 and WV Code 6B-1-1 of the West Virginia Governmental Ethics Act.
All of these processed normally are overseen by the Provost’s Office, which in the present situation would be a direct conflict of interest.
January 11, 2008 at 8:17 am
The actual text of the emails appears to have been taken off the PPG site now. Anyone capture it before the takedown?
January 11, 2008 at 8:28 am
A long FOIA analysis is pretty boring, but I’ve litigated WAY more than my fair share of FOIA issues and, well, let’s just say that if West Virginia released emails like that, I’d LOVE to see what they held back because they think it’s privileged. In fact, were I counsel for West Virginia, I’d use 29B-1-4(2) and refuse to turn over anything with her name on it. Either that, or I’d use so much black ink the PPG would think they were reading that Onion piece about the CIA being surprised to learn they’ve been using black highlighters all these years.
January 11, 2008 at 9:22 am
I’m really getting tired of WV Metronews referring to the PPG story that occurred “last year.” While that may be technically true, the story broke last month. Either on accident or on purpose, Metronews is trying to make this story look like it is old news. Gov. Manchin talked to them about the case.
http://wvmetronews.com/index.cfm?func=displayfullstory&storyid=22946
January 11, 2008 at 10:34 am
Craig Walker’s wife is president of the Mon County BOE where one Becky Mattern, wife of Jon “Ted” Mattern (WVU BOG) is an assitant superintendent. Becky and Gayle used to work together at RESA 7 in Clarksburg during the Manchin’s diaspora…..let the “dot connecting” begin in earnest!!!
January 11, 2008 at 10:40 am
Anyone at WVU who doesn’t have a clue how the email system works is going to have a rude lesson taught to them in the next few days. Blackberry users aren’t exempt from the vacuum.
January 11, 2008 at 10:46 am
Latest P-G story ( http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08011/848439-28.stm ) addresses Garrison’s involvement in the fiasco via his chief of staff.
Excerpt from P-G story: >>>>>>>>>
The revisions included retroactively adding six classes, including grades, to Ms. Bresch’s records, the Post-Gazette found. In addition, two classes that had been marked “incomplete” were changed to show letter grades. Together, the revisions were worth 22 credits in the 48-credit-hour program. The newspaper’s research determined that officials made the changes without evidence that Ms. Bresch registered or paid for the classes, and without consulting the professors who taught the classes.
The e-mails also show how the university’s explanation of the discrepancy evolved. WVU officials initially told the Post-Gazette that Ms. Bresch earned the degree but it wasn’t recorded with admissions and records because she had failed to pay a $50 graduation fee and did not receive a diploma. The school subsequently said there was no record of a degree because of the business school’s failure to transfer her course work to the records office. It gave no explanation of why there had been no apparent problem with admissions and records receiving the first half of her course work.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Didn’t Heather say she attended graduation? Without paying the $50 fee? Which is it?
LOL
January 11, 2008 at 10:55 am
Well, Metro News, and Hoppy in particular make a lot of money from their dealings with WVU. Is anyone really shocked to see them protecting their cash cow?
January 11, 2008 at 10:57 am
You can attend graduation without paying the $50 fee. In fact in December graduations, graduates haven’t even been certfied for graduation yet. No diplomas are handed out - they’re mailed. I believe that graduation is actually either right before finals or immediately after finals are over. No grades are posted until well after graduation.
January 11, 2008 at 11:00 am
I’m not surprised, but Jesus I wish they’d try. It’s not like WVU has another WV radio network to chose from.
January 11, 2008 at 11:03 am
Funny diversion. Carry on.
January 11, 2008 at 11:12 am
Jay, that is f-ing hilarious.
January 11, 2008 at 11:28 am
Almost as thought provoking as McKensie Phillips sitting on a giant hamburger lip-syncing “Junk Food Junkie” with the Jackson 5.
January 11, 2008 at 11:34 am
I hope it doesn’t develop the Stigmata.
January 11, 2008 at 11:56 am
Like a good Catholic, I think Heather Manchin will develop a stigmata that depicts Mother Mary spelling out MBA (sort of like in the Exorcist). Then, the Inquisitor Generals will determine that it is the hand of GOD who wants to grant her the degree. And then the Inqusition of BOG will convene to rubber stamp it. Then Mike Pushkar will give everyone involved a raise and they will live happily ever after. And the Pittsburgh Post Gazette will be blown to smithereens by an “act of God” with “weapons of mass destruction.”
January 11, 2008 at 12:22 pm
um…maybe. More likely people will get their panties twisted up in a bunch about American Idol. Like everyone else, I’m hopeful our lord and savior Jesus Christ sits in as a celebrity judge. Maybe he could help some pimply faced transexual find his/her voice during Metal week so they can cover a White Lion tune and crack the top ten.
What I love about this blog is while it is almost always thought provoking, it is proof ritalin should be available in vending machines along with peanut M&Ms and pop tarts.
January 11, 2008 at 12:37 pm
No, it’s Lorazepam. One more thing, reading back through these “illuminated manuscripts” on this site. Garrison says, “Presidents don’t grant degrees.” Apparently, their Chiefs of Staff do.
January 11, 2008 at 1:50 pm
Ok, Bill, since one funny picture of a dog’s ass constitutes a major digression, I’ll attempt to steer things back: I think the investigating committee should be called The Flacktones.
January 11, 2008 at 2:12 pm
I don’t think HK ever had a headline that said, BILL LYNCH PLEASE JOIN US. You don’t have to be here.
January 11, 2008 at 2:24 pm
Eh. You should see this place without Bill. It’s pretty boring.
January 11, 2008 at 2:42 pm
Bill’s alright, MD. A little mopey sometimes, but that’s OK.
January 11, 2008 at 3:23 pm
I loves you, Mountain Daddy, even if you beats me. I loves you through it all.
January 11, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Mmm…Ativan.
January 11, 2008 at 3:50 pm
At the top of this thread “Electronic Friction” asked for a transcript of the MetroNews radio interview with Manchin.
For what it is worth, here is a verbatim transcript:
Interviewer:
Do you specifically recall when Heather got the masters and said to you, Dad, I got the masters, I finished all the work?
Governor Manchin:
Yeah, she went through the whole program what was it ten or more years ago and then she went through the ceremonies of it also, I understand. With all that being done, Heather . . . first let me just say her mother and I are extremely proud of a girl that worked as hard and as dedicated . . . anyone who knows Heather . . . integrity and honor are just her strong points. With that being said . . . we are anxiously wanting all of this to come to conclusion. Now, I didn’t know about it until Laura came and told me about it . . .
Interviewer interjects:
Your press secretary?
Governor Manchin:
Yeah, they just said there’s going to be something and I just said, well whatever, . . . I had no clue . . . it is just ah . . . from a parent’s standpoint with your children it is a different situation, but you know what, we’re a public . . . I’m a public person, I says Dad’s. . . Dad’s fair game. That being said, but you should give a child the benefit of the doubt until the facts come out.
Interviewer:
Do you think she’s not getting the benefit of the doubt?
Governor Manchin:
Well, there’s been seven or eight pages, front page stories about it. I was kidding her. I said to her, “Honey, you are going to knock me completely off. . . you’re getting all the attention now.” But that being said, we are all anxious for the facts to come out.
I told them to bring in Scotland Yards . . . Do whatever you have to, investigate, do it all, do it as quickly as possible . . . and if there’s errors from whatever . . . from the transfer of paper to electronics, if other children and other students getting caught in this, there’s got to be something to be cleaned up.
Interviewer:
But, as a father, you have no doubt that she had done all the class work required of her?
Governor Manchin:
Oh, I would think that basically if a school tells me that come and prepared and I passed everything that I’m suppose to pass. . . I would ask you if you still remember someone had to tell you to come to a ceremony? I remember when I went through it in 1970. Heather was told the same thing . . . she went through everything. . . they signed off everything, that I know about . . . but I don’t know much about it. . . That’s the problem and I’m as anxious as everybody out there to get it corrected. The only thing that I’m concerned about it when will it be finished, how quickly will it be done, and when it is concluded will the attention be put to the story.
Interviewer:
Well, Governor thanks for coming by I know you’ve got to run.
January 11, 2008 at 3:57 pm
How probing.
January 11, 2008 at 4:20 pm
Heather was told the same thing . . . she went through everything. . . they signed off everything, that I know about . . . but I don’t know much about it. . That’s the problem…
My favorite part.
January 11, 2008 at 4:31 pm
That’s such bullshit….and at certain intervals, he was ready to throw Heather under the bus.
He is a world class liar. I am disappointed he didn’t lie better during that interview.
And as for Hoppy, I wouldn’t wipe my ass with him. I will never listen to Hoppy again. He is a joke.
January 11, 2008 at 4:42 pm
Well, Hoppy wasn’t in today. We had SSSHHHhhhhauna Johnsonnnnnnnnn.
Man, there’s nothing like hearing the Friday steam release to make me loose all faith in humanity.
January 11, 2008 at 5:14 pm
His recall of his daughter getting her MBA is laughable. He could have at least come across with a little more conviction. Somebody should ask him if he’s marrried or has grandchildren to see if and how he recalls those milestone events in his life.
This thread would be a lot more interesting too if someone from Mylan would weigh in anonymously from home and give us all perspective on how this morass is playing out inside the company.
Come on folks, give it up.
January 11, 2008 at 5:15 pm
WVU’s response to today’s P P-G article: http://wvutoday.wvu.edu/news/page/6435/
Read for the rebranding of this panel as “outside” (ludicrous) and independent.
January 11, 2008 at 5:32 pm
You guys are mean. Absolutely mean.
You think HK will ever run for political office?
January 11, 2008 at 5:32 pm
She’s not a child, she’s a grown woman who is COO of a major corporation.
I’m with lawbot — how probing. I want someone to just ask him point blank whether he attended her graduation ceremony. Asking him whether or not as her father he has any doubt that she completed all of her coursework is stupid. My parents couldn’t answer that question. But they could say, well, I haven’t seen her transcript, but I went to her graduation, I saw her walk across the stage and get her diploma.
January 11, 2008 at 5:35 pm
And I realize that parents don’t always attend graduations, especially for something like an MBA program, so whether or not he went isn’t the issue. I just want him to have to answer the question.
January 11, 2008 at 5:38 pm
Notice in WVU’s press release they refer to cheeky HEATHER as “the student.” Walker said he treated this the way he would with “any” student.
Oh?
Do you run the press release by every “student” for approval before you release it, Mr. Walker?
Let’s get real…the purpose of the release was to lay the blame on Walker and off Garrison.
We’re coming, Mikey. We’re on our way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
January 11, 2008 at 6:52 pm
Yeah, HK, that version of Steam Release was something, wasn’t it? Verbally abusing a young mother with a disabled child makes ‘em morally superior, doesn’t it.
Then we have Surber at Pajamas Media with this:
When Pajamas Media asked me to analyze the South Carolina debate, I thought they confused Charleston, W.Va., where I write for the Daily Mail, with Charleston, S.C.
Then I learned it was in Myrtle Beach. Shoot. Myrtle is as West Virginian as having a truck in the yard on blocks.
Yessir, all-in-all, it’s a fine day to be a West Virginian.
January 11, 2008 at 7:03 pm
By the way, Sears will be on Decision Makers and they have a preview here. h/t Somnabulist Emancipator
January 11, 2008 at 7:26 pm
Mountain Daddy, Bresch was a student. I don’t know the particulars here, but I suppose that when you’re discussing a student’s grades, transcript, graduation, etc. you do have to be very careful about what you release, and make sure you have all the i’s dotted and the t’s crossed. As someone who has dealt with FERPA issues, admittedly not with the media, we are given very, very tight rules that we must follow with the potential for dire consequences if we don’t follow them.
The Morgantown media (the local radio stations, Metro News, the Dominion Post) have been very quiet about this. The last story on this was yesterday in the Dominion Post, which was a light examination of the committee and the Provost’s charge. Beyond that, there had been no stories since 12/22. There are faculty who were completely unaware of the PG story today.
January 11, 2008 at 8:42 pm
Dubvee, I bet you that WVU doesn’t run a single press release by any other student or athlete before it is released.
As for the local media up there - I again say, follow the money. WVU spends a ton of cash on the local media. The cowardly media up there (and here) are afraid to touch this issue.
You know what is so sad about the entire thing? It isn’t Heather lying. It isn’t the governor lying. It isn’t the school lying. It isn’t Mylan trying to make all the money it can.
It boils down to the fact that if it weren’t for some out-of-state newspaper, we wouldn’t be having this discussion, because all of our media…and I mean all of it…is chicken shit.
Ask yourself this question: What else has this governor and his family done, in our name, with our tax dollars, that we don’t know about?
I guess we have to wait on the Charlotte Observer to answer that one.
January 11, 2008 at 10:15 pm
Correct me if I’m wrong, but don’t they usually videotape commencement ceremonies? Seems like someone could find the tape for that year, chuck it in the VCR, and see who showed up. Even if they don’t announce the names for MBA candidates (it seems like maybe they only do that for doctoral degrees), it might be possible to find her in the crowd (assuming she was there), especially if they filmed the processional.
Failing that, the university prints out a nice bulletin for each year’s ceremony - I figure these are kept in the archives somewhere, don’t you think? While clerical errors can and do occur, it would be highly unlikely that she would be entirely left out of the program if she did in fact earn the degree. At least where I went to school , I remember the people in charge doing multiple checks to make sure everyone’s name was there and that it was spelled correctly.
Better call in “Scotland Yards,” as the governor calls it.
January 11, 2008 at 10:52 pm
Everyone is against corruption… until they get a ‘lil taste.
January 11, 2008 at 10:56 pm
I partially disagree with Mountain Daddy’s statement about how we wouldn’t be having this conversation if it wasn’t for an out of state newspaper. We’ve known for years that this is what Mike Garrison’s WVU would look like.
January 11, 2008 at 11:17 pm
But, HK, how would we have known? If it wasn’t for the Pittsburgh paper..even if they had a tip…doing the routine follow-up, and..DON’T forget this part - NOT letting the issue die, we wouldn’t be having this particular conversation.
I am not a WVU grad, but I really do want it succeed. It not succeeding won’t enrich my life.
January 12, 2008 at 12:01 am
Here is the Post-Gazette link to 4 of the emails they got, the link is on the front page of the online edition
http://www.post-gazette.com/downloads/20080111wvu_bresch_email.pdf
January 12, 2008 at 12:15 am
RoMexico, if I’m remembering it correctly, the very first Post-Gazette story said that her name was in the graduation program, and some of the students they contacted said that they remember it because they were wondering why her name was in the program since she had stopped coming to classes.
January 12, 2008 at 9:01 am
Thanks Moody for putting the text of the emails up. It’s clear that only Sears has complied (even partially) with the email FOIA. We haven’t seen any of the emails within Stewart Hall, or with Heather. Those will shed more light.
January 12, 2008 at 9:18 am
First, WVU has plenty of cover for the part about getting “Heather’s” permission to release any public information regarding her academic status. As some of you claim to be lawyer’s I’d have thought you would be aware of the the Privacy Act.
That you people focus on that and not the obvious absurdity of WVU officials claiming this matter being handled as would any other student’s inquuiry and request is amusing. not only is thge matter immediately being personally handled by the top assistant to the President, people are being summoned to emergency meetings on extemely short notice. Does anyone really believe that if Heather Smith from Dunbar called to claim she had an MBA that the response would be remotely similar and that the matter would be “resolved” in days?
What you people would be doing if you got it, is pointing out how duplicitous Ms. Bresch is being by waiving Privacy rights with regard to the news she was awarded a degree but hiding behind them with regard to the particulars.
January 12, 2008 at 9:44 am
At least the Gazette is acting a bit more skeptical today.
January 12, 2008 at 9:46 am
A few things, Why couldn’t you just point out a new (you think) aspect without attempting to school us people? If you want to make fun of Bill Lynch that’s one thing, but coming in here all “you people” ’cause nobody has stated the obvious is a whole nother bag of worms. I’ll bet you were shocked to find out Heather got the Mylan gig because she was gasp!!… The Governor’s Daughter!!!
Heather Smith from Dunbar is not news because she is not getting favorable treatment that comes from the governor and a wealthy benefactor. We know this.
January 12, 2008 at 9:56 am
Sears looked awwwwwwwwwwwful fidgety on Bray’s show this morning. Lots of lack of eye contact. Watch his hands on his knees, and how many times he isn’t looking at Bray when he answers the questions.
Funny how he can talk to Bray, but can’t find the time to talk to the PPG.
But in all honesty, Bray did go at him harder than Hoppy would have, and even suggested in his commentary that a truly outside group should be looking into this, not the Flacktones.
January 12, 2008 at 10:15 am
Bray is in a better position to dig because he is neither under contract with WVU nor is he reliant on the good will of the powers that be for his entree. Bray has the added incentive of beating on a Democratic governor. (I know. I know - Manchin’s not really a Democrat.)
January 12, 2008 at 11:37 am
Oh my God. Are we actually rooting FOR Bray Cary on this site?
January 12, 2008 at 11:39 am
I have a degree from WVU and I lost my diploma. There was no question about my transcript, both the school and I had copies that showed every class I took and my grades, but I wanted a duplicate diploma. I called and was told to submit a written request and that there was, of course a charge for diploma. I did so and about six months later I received my diploma in the mail.
So, I’m supposed to believe that no special treatment is involved in the governor’s daughter having a major transcript revision and a degee awarded accomplished in a few days when there is apparently not a single document that existed then or exists now showing she even enrolledin let alone passed at least 6 different classes that were never reported to A&R.
It’s the dumb, unnecessary lies that make the hole deeper. Why make the absurd claim this was handled in the normal way it would be for any student? If they had said that yes it was made a priority of because she’s the Governor’s daughter and employed by a major benefactor of the school but that the only preference was the rapid response it would be at least slightly more believeable. If they’re willing to lie about the special attention though, that makes it even more likely they’d lie about everything else.
January 12, 2008 at 12:03 pm
I agree, Grad. They were acting in response to a media inquiry about the governor’s daughter, so, prima facie, she’s not an ordinary student. If the issue was simply that they worked more quickly because of that, then it wouldn’t really be a big deal (as long as they had otherwise handled it correctly). Their absurd claim that they handled it just like they would for any other student is like a kid with his hand in the cookie jar saying he didn’t take any cookies.
Apparently “A few things” hasn’t bothered to read all of the comments, because people have indeed mentioned the privacy of academic records. (I’m not sure if they were “lawyer’s” or not.) The other issues mentioned in that comment have also been discussed here. Please — read before you condemn.
January 12, 2008 at 12:16 pm
After watching the whole interview I’m wondering if Bray (or whoever mapped the interview beforehand) knew that he would be providing a baseline of body language leading up to the question “Has there been any political pressure applied to you in this?”, because Sears’ eye movement and delay in answering in response to that question are singular. That was the money shot.
January 12, 2008 at 12:20 pm
“Prof urges Bresch probe: Asks county prosecutor to investigate” is the lead headline in this morning’s Morgantown Dominion Post.
WVU physiology professor Paul Brown emailed Mon county prosecutor Marcia Ashdown in December, asking her to investigate under the authority of a law prohibiting the tapering with state records. Apparently, Prof Brown also asked the Attorney General’s office to take up this matter, but Frances Hughes, chief deputy of the AG “confirmed the matter is not under that office’s jurisdiction because the office handles only statutory law and not original jurisdiction.”
“In the e-mail Brown wrote to Ashdown, obtained by the Dominion Post, he requested an investigation of “Michael Garrison, R. Stephen Sears, Gerald Lang, Milan Puskar, Heather Bresch and other invidivuals who may be culpable.”
Ashdown confirmed receipt of this email and indivated “if anything concerning the matter was in her jurisdiction she would look into it, but was unable to determine at this time whether anything was.”
fwiw
January 12, 2008 at 12:32 pm
Well, I bet all the lawyers pretending to look into this all went to WVU law school. What that will portend, who knows. Probably will sink the law school to 5th tier. Watching everyone skirt the issues of responsibility are hilarious. Speaking of skirts, ah, Fran Hughes. Whatever you think of the AG office doling out $ from the tobacco settlement……….Fran is hot.
January 12, 2008 at 12:54 pm
Did Sears remind anyone else of this character?
January 12, 2008 at 12:57 pm
“all of our media…and I mean all of it…is chicken shit.”
Too be fair, I’ve been running the story on all six Results Radio stations in the Parkersburg area. Obviously I don’t quite have the ability to investigate, but I’m trying to let the people around here know. I even made it the topic of my weekly radio editorial.
January 12, 2008 at 1:00 pm
Some say Sears is the fall guy in all of this - except that he won’t go quietly if it comes back to bite him.
January 12, 2008 at 1:04 pm
“If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop digging.”
January 12, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Okay, I justed watched the entire interview with Sears on Decisionmakers. My thoughts:
1. Dean Sears was absolutely clear that the ultimate decision was HIS, and that the decision to grant a degree in this situation rests with the dean of the college.
2. Sears mentioned that there was one other student in the same program whose records had similar inconsistencies. The student was awarded his diploma. All of this happened before the Bresch situation, but sometime within the past year. BUT, Sears said that he was UNAWARE of that student’s case, and that all he knows is that something was decided, but he doesn’t know how it was decided.
3. If the decision to award a degree was ultimately his in Bresch’s case, how could he be entirely unaware of the same type of situation with another student?
4. Sears clearly stated that professors/instructors WERE consulted during the inquiry, though not by him personally. He said he was provided with information from profs by other people. Yet in the PG’s initial article, it clearly states that professors for 5 of the 6 missing classes told the PG that they were not consulted. (The 6th didn’t respond.)
5. Sears said that of the 22 hours that were missing from Bresch’s transcript, he (or others) recovered about half of those. For those hours, the grades had not been transferred from the business college to the university. That certainly implies that they found actual records for those classes (but Bray Cary didn’t ask that specifically). Let’s keep this in mind when the results of the investigative panel come out. If Sears is telling the truth, there should be some actual evidence for about 1/2 of the missing hours, including evidence of the grades for those courses.
6. He kept saying that this is a “cold case,” which made the inquiry difficult. It happened nine years ago. When did the other student he mentioned complete his degree?
7. He said there are students who remember Bresch attending classes through the fall of 1998. The PG article didn’t mention any students who remembered. Who are they and why hasn’t the PG been able to report on those students’ recollections?
8. When asked whether anyone had sat down and spoken personally with Heather Bresch about this, Sears said that he hadn’t, but that the Chief of Staff to Garrison had and that the info was passed on to Sears. If Sears is the one who was ultimately responsible for making the decision, why on Earth wouldn’t it be he who would speak to her personally? Why on Earth would this be something the Chief of Staff to the president would do?
9. Sears said that the evidence was more supportive of Bresch having earned the degree than of her not earning the degree. Let’s check for this in the investigative panel’s results. He also said that part of his mindset was to err in favor of the student’s word.
10. Sears said that his inquiry probably took 6-7 days, though he would say it was longer than that, but it was definitely less than two weeks. The PG article clearly stated that they initially contacted WVU on October 11th, a Thursday, and were told that she hadn’t finished her MBA. On the following Monday, October 15th, Amy Neil, university spokeswoman, said that officials had verified that Bresch HAD completed all of the course work necessary to graduate, but had not paid the $50 graduation fee. So, how could Neil have said only FOUR DAYS later (which includes a weekend — was Sears working on this over the weekend?) that this had been verified when Sears said his inquiry probably took more than 6-7 days? The letter he sent to the admissions & records department was dated October 22 — so presumably the time period Sears is talking about is from Oct. 11 to Oct. 22. So again, how could Amy Neil have said what she said on Oct. 15th?
January 12, 2008 at 2:21 pm
To answer some of my own questions, after re-reading the emails obtained by the PG:
Sears sent an email on Oct. 13, a Sunday, asking the Chief of Staff and Provost Lang whether there was any information or assistance he could provide. Two days later the spokeswoman said they had verified Bresch had completed all of the necessary coursework.
On Oct. 15th — the very day that Amy Neil told the PG that they had verified that Bresch had completed all of the coursework and just hadn’t paid the $50 fee — Sears sends an email to “Gentleman” telling them that Walker & Lang want to see all of them that morning in Stewart Hall.
January 12, 2008 at 2:32 pm
Raging Red, the emails show Sears & Stewart Hall working on Heathergate from Friday Oct. 12th to Monday Oct. 22 (see the Oct. 19th email where Sears saying they would “have everything completed on Monday”, ie. Oct. 22).
So, my dear committee, request all emails, voicemails (WVU is on a digital system, stored centrally) and documents to or from (including cc and bcc) all of the primary actors: Garrison, Lang, Sears, Speaker, Walker, Logar, Blakely, Case, and Macia; starting on Thursday Oct. 11 and running to the present, with special attention to Oct. 11 - 22.
And on the previous post on Marcia Ashdown, she takes no shit from anyone, and is married to the original biker hippie in the law school. If there is a state law violated here, she will look into it. I just don’t know what that would be.
January 12, 2008 at 2:39 pm
Raging Red, we were reading the emails at the same time - you’re totally right that the decision was made over a weekend with minimal input from Sears. A decision was made at the meeting in Stewart Hall on Monday Oct. 15 to grant the degree, and Amy Neal was telling it to the PPG the same day. Sears and crew spent the balance of the time papering the trail, with drafts vetted by Stewart Hall while the PPG left messages asking for documentation.
Classic.
January 12, 2008 at 2:54 pm
I don’t buy it for a minute.
As if they are going to (over a weekend) track down the profs, and say, “hey man, do you have your class roster and gradebook from 10 years ago handy?”
As if the prof doesn’t keep that at the office. And I’m SURE the prof’s answer is, “I’ll check when I get back on monday.”
Yet, they amazingly found “all” the information they needed to confer the degree, over the weekend.
I smell something, and it’s not the dumpster outside.
January 12, 2008 at 3:39 pm
You are assuming all the profs involved are still on campus. Is that true?
January 12, 2008 at 4:21 pm
No, that’s part of it. Even if they WERE still at wvu, I don’t think they could round them up, over a weekend, and have them all check their grades and stuff.
And if they are NOT at wvu any more, it’d take even LONGER, imo to track them down and get in touch with them.
That’s why I don’t buy they managed to get all the stuff they needed to verify her degree, over just a weekend.
Maybe, just maybe, their theory is this (and I don’t remember if the profs are still at wvu - i think the PPG mentioned how many were still there, but I don’t feel like tracking it down), they “tried” to track down the profs, and couldn’t, soooooooooo, like Sears said, they used what they had (ie, Heather’s protestations that she graduated, and her name on the graduation program, AND the “lack” of evidence to the contrary, and as Sears said, “gave the student the benefit of the doubt.”
January 12, 2008 at 4:24 pm
In other words, “a half-assed job”.
January 12, 2008 at 5:18 pm
Calling it a “half assed” job, would be to give it more credit than it actually has.
January 12, 2008 at 7:46 pm
They’re not even keeping their stories straight (unsurprisingly). Sears said in the interview that he spent more than 6-7 days to complete his inquiry. In today’s Charleston Gazette article, they report that Craig Walker said Sears had concluded on Oct. 15th or 16th that Bresch had completed all of her academic requirements.
Also, in re-reading the first PPG article, the sequence of events on October 11th was:
1. PPG contacted WVU registrar Steve Taylor, and Taylor told PPG that Bresch didn’t get her MBA
2. PPG called Bresch, who insisted she did earn the MBA
3. PPG called the registrar back to tell them what Bresch said, and the registrar said that he understood that the president’s office was checking into the matter and “would entertain a call”
Anything jump out at you? By the time the PPG called the registrar back to tell them that Bresch said she did earn the MBA, the registrar already knew that the president’s office was checking into it. If things happened that quickly, Bresch (or someone on her behalf) must have picked up the phone and called Garrison (or somebody who relayed the info to Garrison) as soon as she got off the phone with the PPG when they called to tell her that the registrar said she hadn’t earned her MBA. There’s really no other explanation.
January 13, 2008 at 12:30 am
I have never been more excited in my life for midnight to come each day. Yea for freedom and whatnot!
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08013/848526-85.stm
January 13, 2008 at 1:01 am
It’s like every day has the potential to be another Christmas.
January 13, 2008 at 1:28 am
I hope the faculty and student body react to this story with the same passion that they give to the football team. It will be interesting to see the breadth and depth of the coverage in the Daily Athenaeum. This could make a career for a budding investigative journalist.
I am still waiting on someone from Mylan to weigh in. When (not if) the conclusion is that Ms. Bresch did not receive her EMBA from WVU, then does she resign in disgrace and the full shame reflects on her and her family? The sooner Ms. Bresch resigns in shame the sooner that company can move forward. I am still in shock that as soon as the story broke her boss didn’t call her into his office immediately and looked her in the eye and asked if she had the degree. If she did and could prove it then that would be the end of it. If she didn’t then she should have been given the option to resign immediately or be fired. As it has been pointed out already Mylan is taking on more problems with regard to future HR situations the longer this plays out not to mention the bad PR that will inevitably come from having to rescind their previous statement of support. This has got to be the most scandalous thing to happen at Mylan since the company was founded in 1961.
Overall the house of cards appears now to be fully built. Looks like Mr. Sears is in the cross hairs. Question is; how does it unfold?
A N T I C I P A T I O N
January 13, 2008 at 9:52 am
From Bingmanch’s post “AND the “lack” of evidence to the contrary, and as Sears said, “gave the student the benefit of the doubt.” There was a rumor that the investigation was to find out “Can you prove she was not there?” Don’t know whether they gathered evidence that people may have presented so it could be “lost”, or were just satisfied that after 10 years people might not have kept their records.
January 13, 2008 at 10:12 am
Who needs the University of Phoenix?
Synthesizing all the various remarks it now seems that WVU will award you the degree of your choice unless it can be proven beyond reasonable doubt by documentary evidence that you did not earn it. As the records to do disprove you earned it are not in existence, I encourage everyone to contact Mr. Garrison and ask for whatever degree[s] you desire.
The only question is whether those degrees will be worth the $50. That’s pretty expensive wallpaper for the basement bathroom.
January 13, 2008 at 11:43 am
the book: “Afflicting the Comfortable” by Thomas Stafford (ironically published by WVU Press) should be required reading at this moment. For those not familiar with he work; Stafford was a former Gazzette reporter investigating the Barron admonistration led directly to criminal investigations and convictions….starting with a rather innocuous tip over an invoice…
“…how does it unfold?”
from my perch here in Morgantown:
1) Dean Sears, with a prepared letter of resignation already at Stewart Hall, falls on the sword and ends up with a position in a Mylan funded company. His academic career is taking so many hits right now. Does anyone homnestly belive that the 100 yards seperating B&E and Stewrat Hall prevented communicating about this situation other than the emails released? Sears reasons to bethe person taking the fall since he has been at WVU the shortest and has had less political ties/dealings with parties….consequently has less knowledge of other dealings and less leverage;
2)Lang isn’t going to take the fall….been around way too long and has quietly been collecting chits over the years….besdies….who else would be inline to be interim if Boss hogg becomes expendable?
3)Case,Walker-both expendable but Walker has more “protection” than Case….see other posts;
4) Jen Fisher is solid and stand-up, but her father has been at the Law School for a number of years and her connections with Hardesty makes her the real wild card in this whole bunch;
5) Macia- Interesting that his name isn’t seen on any of the emails….he has this real Maciavellian view of the world….quietly heading up the search at the Law School….always kept favor with all sides during his days in Charleston…I have often wondered just what his role with the undoing of Wise was exactly….he and Garrison leave the impression that they have pricked their thumbs and taken that little boy blood oath…..reminds me of the guy thatw as snet in to pinch run at third base and thought he hit a triple.
6) Manchin Inc- here’s where it gets a bit fuzzy for me. Reporters always dream of a Pulitizer Prize….so do publishers and editors…this is the first chink in the Manchin armor…don’t be surprised to see the PPG camp out here and in Charleston….Puccio should duck.
Tons of other players and actors in this little drama…lots of chain smoking….huddled conversations…there are still a number of players at Mylan that I would be interested in hearing from….Leah Summres, former Heather BFF comes to mind….
If you think the rumors and innuendos are flying on this blog…..it pales in comparison to certain circles in Morgantown…some are still wondering just how this got started…
January 13, 2008 at 2:12 pm
I’m surprised no one’s connected the Bresch story with the larger stories of resume padding everywhere in contemporary business, academic, etc., cultures.
http://www.hrmguide.net/usa/recruitment/resume_padding.htm
http://www.cheatingculture.com/resumepadding.htm
http://money.cnn.com/2004/11/22/pf/resume_lies/index.htm
http://www.forbes.com/2006/05/20/resume-lies-work_cx_kdt_06work_0523lies.html
http://hr.blr.com/news.aspx?id=8266
January 13, 2008 at 2:16 pm
It got started because some leaked it to the PPG. How many people would have known that she didn’t have a degree? It came out of the College of Business or the Office of Records. It shouldn’t be too hard to figure it out.
January 13, 2008 at 3:07 pm
First of all “Afflicting The Comfortable” should be required reading, period. Secondly, this is nowhere near as bad as the formation of out of state corporations solely for the purpose of laundering state contract kickbacks as was the case with the Barron bunch. (Or the bribing of a juror which is what Wally actually did prison time for.)
I’m sure there are some people who see the Bresch mess as a chance to stick it to the man, but I’m not one of them. All I want is the absolute truth and for politically connected people to know in the future that they cannot easily get away with trampling the process. If it takes Bray’s zeal to kneecap a Democratic governor to shed light on this then so be it. But unless the SEC gets involved, I can’t see anything illegal in this.
If Bresch falsely inflated her credentials, she is not the first nor will she be the last and really that is not the biggest sin here. That would go to the officials of WVU who are supposed to not enable someone who is attempting to get over, if that is what happened.
January 13, 2008 at 5:09 pm
I was a faculty member at WVU for a number of years and left because the upper administration can not be trusted and because the faculty has been totally intimidated into silence on all issues. Regarding the committee appointed by Provost Lang to investigate himself, I have this to say: The minute a faculty member accepts an appointment to investigate the situation internally, that faculty member looses all his credibility; clear academic ethics and traditions mandate that there must be an external investigation by parties with NO connection to any one — those suspected and those who are suspicious — otherwise the outcome will not be trusted.
January 13, 2008 at 5:09 pm
“Lurking in the Grass” - So if Sears does the seppuku will the University come clean and admit Ms. Bresch does not have the degree? In this particular case it is black and white. I don’t care who takes the fall. I want the wrong to be righted.
Further, to your comment…”some are still wondering just how this got started…”. I look back to the call from the PPG to Ms. Bresch. If she would have simply said to them “I have completed coursework towards earning my EMBA and intend to finish as time permits” then that would have introduced grey into the situation that likely would have made this a non-issue. In her subsequent calls to the University she could have simply said “tell the truth” and all these people wouldn’t be caught up in this mess. Mylan could have then said her promotions were based on merit and they could have gone back and amended SEC forms with an asterisk on her degree status. Everyone would be spared, the PPG would be looking for another story and this blog would be unknown to most.
She wasn’t smart enough to think on her feet at the time which leads one to question if she’s smart enough to be COO of a multi-billion company.
January 13, 2008 at 6:26 pm
I just got a call from a circuit judge in Las Vegas; O.J. Simpson is currently coordinating and interviewing the jurors he want to be on his trial. He spent all day Saturday selecting the detectives who are to complete the investigation in this matter. O.J.’s mother’s best friend’s son is being appointed as the prosecutor.
Sounds silly doesn’t it? Who would believe something as goofy as that could happen anywhere? Who indeed.
January 13, 2008 at 6:29 pm
It just really, really, really, sucks that this crap happens.
SUCKS I SAY.
What will happen? Nothing.
What should happen?
January 13, 2008 at 6:36 pm
Even if Heather would have said that, it’s been 10 years. Most programs won’t let you take a full decade off between semesters. But then again, this is Mike Garrison’s WVU we’re talking about…
January 13, 2008 at 7:20 pm
“I wanted you to hear it from the horse’s mouth”, Heather Bresch, October, 2007
I think what we heard came from the other end of the horse.
January 13, 2008 at 9:42 pm
I’ll bet the guy who SHOULD have been named president of WVU is really, really glad he wasn’t found to be political puppet material! I knew Garrison would be found out, but I didn’t think he’d manage to undo himself within the first six months (actually, he did it within the first month but just got found out).
January 13, 2008 at 11:43 pm
Left Shadow:
Garrison/Macia aren’t going to come clean…but this whole situation has gotten so far from “containment” that there has to be a beating heart on the altar to sooth the gods….
In terms of how this started…do you honestly think that the PPG just happend to get a phone call from a “friend” and they decided to investigate? It would have to be a well-placed friend for that to happen and therein lies the rub….who might that have been and what are the motivations.
Now I am not suggesting that ultimately we should really care what those motivations are/where….just that a wrong is righted…but…
Jay:
I agree that Wally-Wally’s crime was what it was….the analogy i am suggesting is that once Stafford started digging around…interlocking pieces started to make a puzzle and eventually a picture…
The PPG is not going to let go of what they see as a much bigger story….favoritism within a university?….surely you jest!! If that is all the were licking their chops over was that…..the could have stayed in Allegheny County.
…I have no direct connection to any dog in this fight….and take no particular glee in someone else’s misery (well, there is this ex-wife….)….but I will tell you, it is quite amusing to watch the deck awash with rodents….locally, this is a big deal and perhaps signals a change in the way business is done.
January 14, 2008 at 12:42 am
The Post-Gazette call to the WVU registrar’s office was “routine.” There was no internal whistleblower that got this story started. After all, Heather Bresch had just been named the COO of a six billion dollar company and she was only 38 years old — having started with the company in the early 1990s as a file clerk.
That was a good story without any embellishment. However, the continuously evolving story accompanied by the lies and coverup insure that the story will not go away until the whole truth is out.
This is a national story that has drawn the attention of Wall Street investors, the Securities and Exchange Commission as well as the higher education community across the country. The reputation of WVU will continue to plunge until a truly independent investigation occurs, all the facts are disclosed to the public and all the liars resign in disgrace.
Also, fyi, the most obvious crime committed here, although not the only one is falsification of government records.
January 14, 2008 at 1:04 am
You are probably correct….there wasn’t a whistelblower…
Investors have been frustrated with Mylan management for some time ….with Coury taking the brunt of the criticism (until now)…the Merck buyout hasn’t helped at all either…and you are right, the “cover-up” has led to asking”what else are they not telling us?”; not only at WVU but in the Mylan circles as well…
January 14, 2008 at 2:04 am
It will be interesting to see how the DA handles this. Like I think I said one time, this is how journalism careers are made. I wonder if there are any budding Woodward or Bersteins at the PIR J school.
http://www.da.wvu.edu/show_article.php?&story_id=31868&archive_date=2008-01-14
January 14, 2008 at 2:07 am
I KNEW it. I posted a comment some time ago about lastinger, being sort of “forced” to vote against garrison, when his own personal vote, would have been “for” him.
From the DA link above….
“The third member, associate French professor Lastinger, was the only member of the WVU Board of Governors to vote against selecting Garrison as president.
It was not clear at the time, last April, if this was his personal opinion or merely an obligation as the board’s lone faculty representative.”
Maybe I wasn’t imagining things after all…..
January 14, 2008 at 2:37 am
I really do believe that the Fifth Column is keeping the heat on the process.
January 14, 2008 at 8:06 am
Lang was on Public Radio this morning.
January 14, 2008 at 8:06 am
Watch the buck get passed! Today it sits in Paul Speaker’s lap, if you believe the interview Sears gave the DA Friday (see the link above). That is completely inappropriate - Paul Speaker is a good guy, and absolutely should not be the fall guy for this debacle.
Mike & Roy - hire a forensic tech person (any big accounting firm will do) to tell you exactly who opened and edited electronic versions of documents. Insist on true electronic copies, not just xeroxes. That will show, for example, that Lang and Garrison’s personal university computers or university home computers edited the letter. It will also show exactly what text they edited, and the exact time. This forensic tech person should have access to all of the University network, as well as the personal machines of all the key players.
Nice to see some paper in Morgantown actually holding interviews and writing stories on this. It’s Monday morning, everyone is back at WVU, and no story on the front page of the DP.
January 14, 2008 at 8:36 am
Here’s a novel idea for the investigating committee. Pick up the phone and call Ms. Heather Bresch who works at Mylan. I’ll even spot you the number. It’s 724-514-1800.
If the University has to ask her permission for release of information related to this issue then they obviously have a direct line and can bypass the operator. One of the things the committee should do is call her and get her on record as a part of this investigation saying she has her EMBA. They should then also ask her to produce her documents that prove this to be true.
January 14, 2008 at 8:58 am
Finn did a pretty good job with a very twitchy Lang this morning.
January 14, 2008 at 9:06 am
A couple of weeks old, but a good suggestion.
http://www.huntingtonnews.net/editor/080103-ed.html
January 14, 2008 at 9:26 am
Ray, forget the cancelled checks from daddy. Mylan pays for several people to take the EMBA each cohort. Paying money doesn’t equal graduation, you actually have to go to class and pass the finals.
But that reminds me of an interesting conflict of interest - Mylan is the largest paying user of the EMBA program (which costs an amazing $28,560 for in-state tuition in 2008). If Mylan stopped sending people to the EMBA program, it would take a huge financial hit.
January 14, 2008 at 9:44 am
The WV NPR transcript from Lang’s interview this morning (http://www.wvpbmedia.com/docs/news/lang0114.pdf) makes it pretty clear that Heather was awarded the degree based on ‘life credits’ rather than actual records.
Sharpen the pitchforks.
January 14, 2008 at 9:50 am
Obviously paying doesn’t equal graduation.
But not paying means not attending.
January 14, 2008 at 10:07 am
It was Greg Collard, not Finn. Did you notice Lang’s heavy breathing? Maybe he always sounds like that on the phone, but he sounded nervous. They keep saying it took two weeks for the business school to conclude that she had completed all of her requirements. When is somebody going to ask them why the university spokeswoman made the statement on Oct. 15th that they had concluded she finished all her requirements except for paying the $50 fee?
January 14, 2008 at 11:19 am
Common Sense - The PG does not make routine inquiries to check the academic credentials of executive such as Ms. Bresch. I know a number of reporters who work at the paper. This story resulted from a tip. They were given the story. No one will ever tell you who the source was, but it was not a routine inquiry that kicked this off.
January 14, 2008 at 11:48 am
in the DA story above why in the world does Sears say something to the effect that because he is a “diversity hire,” he’s not guilty? Also, is who is Ry Rivard? Any relation to Ric (the Native American flute player) and Betty Rivard (the photographer?)
January 14, 2008 at 2:26 pm
>>>>Here’s a novel idea for the investigating committee. Pick up the phone and call Ms. Heather Bresch who works at Mylan. I’ll even spot you the number. It’s 724-514-1800.
I understand Heather hasn’t been to work for the past month or so.
January 14, 2008 at 6:02 pm
Ferd — That signals the end is nye.
From the interview with Lang; “Well, first of all, I think it’s very interesting from our perspective that the Post-Gazette decided to investigate this, and I think initially on, clearly was suggesting that there was some alteration that was being precipitated by the administration.”
Why do you think it’s interesting the PPG decided to investigate? Are you suggesting they were tipped off? Doe’s it matter? The story is the story regardless. Even it were true they were tipped off it can be assumed that the person was smart enough to know this would have been swept under the rug by local outlets. The in-state newspapers have been derelict in their responsibilities in covering this to the point of journalistic insubordination. History will show that the PPG is doing you and everyone else associated witht this sad story a huge favor.
January 14, 2008 at 6:12 pm
Of course it matters that the PPG was tipped off and by whom and what the motivation was/is…..if your concern is power and control; and that ultimately is what we are talking about here. Integrety would simply be a by-product.
January 14, 2008 at 7:55 pm
Ah, Ry Rivard is an editor with the DA. Not sure to whom he’s related, but a family member tells me he’s extremely sharp, and his past editorials bear this out. I’m fairly confident he’s an independent thinker.
January 21, 2008 at 11:23 am
PPG did some wonderful work on these articles, and I wouldnt be surprised if they’d been working on this story since mid November, it takes a long time to put all these facts together. As for who leaked the story, why does it have to be someone in administration, what if it was a proffesor? Either way, the PPG did some great work, my hats off to them. Corruption, at any level, should not be allowed.