Since the first panel determined that university officials acted improperly, there needs to be an investigation of the questions that that panel evidently believed were beyond its charge — specifically, who told whom to do what.
The senate should constitute a commission, with outside representatives, to determine the exact details of the involvement of President Garrison, General Counsel Macia, Chief of Staff Walker, and the rest of the President’s Office staff in these events. The commission should also determine the extent of any involvement by individuals outside the university, including those in the Governor’s Office.
If any university official refuses to cooperate with the commission or refuses to provide the commission with adequate funding and staff, the senate should immediately pass a resolution demanding that official’s resignation.
Dream a little dream…
April 28, 2008 at 6:06 am
HK, you have been on Garrisons case since day one.
Thank You!
You were right, and continue to be right about his character.
Now, if he will just be a MAN and resign, WVU can hire someone to start the healing from the wounds that Garrison has created.
Wounds I am a little familiar with:
1. Turning the Presidents job at WVU into a political appointment.
2. Spending 100K for his Welcome to the job Party.
3. Whispering with Rich Rod about his contract and causing tremendous harm.
4. Appearing on the Sideline at WVU games. (Ok, that might be a plus, he wasn’t fix grades or giving favors when on the sideline.)
5. Granting an unearned degree to the Governors Daughter.
Are there more?
April 28, 2008 at 8:18 am
No need for an investigation, HK – just fire Garrison. No new president is going to come in there and keep the rest of that staff. He/She will fire the lot of them immediately.
A university is ran by deans. You can fire the whole lot of them, and the school won’t miss a beat. Bring back Hardesty in the interim.
Fire Mike Garrison.
WVCouch, I think you get it wrong – HK was not on Garrison’s back…he…like all of us…are on the backs of those who degrease the poll so that folks like all the Goodwins (a rather talentlentless family), Garrison, Brian Noland, etc., can get jobs and serve their own interests and not our………the tax paying public.
What has happened here is the unravelling of a corrupt infrastructure that ultimately lays at the feet of one Joe Manchin, Earl Ray Tomblin and the Speaker of the House.
We really should be calling for MoJo’s resignation.
April 28, 2008 at 8:22 am
The sacrificial lamb is kilt.
No Manchin-bless-ed blood is spilt.
A space is freed for one more shill
Who bends to Mojo’s mighty will.
If this is all, then we have lost.
The candle was not worth the cost.
The powerful have not confessed
Their wickedness, and won’t unless
The noise and light are now renewed.
Twill be more twists till we’re unscrewed!
April 28, 2008 at 8:26 am
Garrison – through his underlings Sears, Case, Macia, Walker, et al. – only has done what Mojo demanded of him. As mountain daddy says, the corruption here starts at the top and that means Manchin.
April 28, 2008 at 9:13 am
HK’s right. Garrison will survive unless more evidence emerges about his role in the Bresch scandal. We may all know he was driving it, but right now there’s not enough proof to force out someone so shameless. The Legislature’s not going to investigate. A criminal investigation, although desperately needed, seems unlikely. Any push for a further investigation, then, has to come from the senate.
HK’s proposal is the best available next move. And yes, this is a game—a vitally important one, but still a game. That’s certainly how the bad guys see it. One of the many reasons WV never improves is that people of good will naively seek results by making outraged demands for someone to do the right thing. Doesn’t work. We have to play smarter than that.
April 28, 2008 at 9:52 am
Sears has followed. He submitted his resignation effective June 30. Two down, one to go.
April 28, 2008 at 9:56 am
Without overstating the obvious, Garrison’s fate is in the hands of the doners. if and when it becomes clear that the university’s ability to attract private contributions is seriously impaired, Garrison will be gone.
April 28, 2008 at 10:02 am
Just read Chad Wilcox ed. in the DA:”West Virginia University and the Politics of Impunity”
http://www.da.wvu.edu
April 28, 2008 at 10:20 am
And as Brannan Lahoda writes in the DA”
“This fine University is neither a prize nor some cheap prostitute to be used for the personal pleasure of a privileged few who have been tasked with taking care of her”.
“This University belongs to noone but to everyone at the same time”.
April 28, 2008 at 10:36 am
Mountain Laurel:
Not 2 down 1 to go — Garrison and at least Goodwin from the Board of Governors must also go.
As many have suggested here, Goodwin presided over and facilitated the preposterous selection of Garrison and defended Garrison from the time of the first Post Gazette story. It would not be unreasonable to demand resignations from all of the others on the Board who voted for Garrison and who also sat by for months before the panel report without demanding Garrison be immediately accountable.
April 28, 2008 at 10:46 am
Arthur Adkins, maybe those phone records will tell a little more about Garrison’s involvement. You need a smoking gun to get rid of the President.
April 28, 2008 at 11:16 am
WVState:
You have a smoking gun already.
The investigators report says that Bresch admitted she did not take courses in the summer and fall semesters of 1998. garrison and his staff knew this but stayed silent after the Pittsburg paper reported that made-up letter grades and courses had been added to her transcript.
Garrison presided over the WVU response to the December news article which repeatedly informed the public that Bresch earned the degree and that record keeping errors were responsible. never once did garrison or his staff acknowledge that she was not claiming to have earned the degree through graded course work.
Why, if they believed her story that Speaker had agreed to give her the degree based on life experience, did they give her grades for courses she admitted she didn’t take?
Garrison knew all this, denied any knowledge of how “the academic unit” handled the matter and never stepped in to put a stop to the phony public statements by WVU about the graduation fee and lost student records.
Garrison has been identified by the report as holding the smoking gun. All one has to do is open one’s eyes to see it.
April 28, 2008 at 11:41 am
Just wondering … when the press files FOIA for cell phone records, do they necessarily have to know if the person in question has more than one cell phone? Or, are all phones associated with that person the subject of FOIA? Because, you know, some people have more than one cell phone.
April 28, 2008 at 11:45 am
It would only be for cell phones paid for by the state. If they have multiple paid for the by the state, then yes. The FOIA would blanket cover all of the records no matter the phone. Private phone = no FOIA
April 28, 2008 at 11:55 am
Generic, while I disagree heartily with Goodwin’s choice for this post, Goodwin has no connection (to my knowledge) with this case. Until he’s proven to have a connection, technically he’s done nothing wrong. So my one is for MG.
April 28, 2008 at 12:02 pm
While I’m not holding my breath for anything bad to happen to Steve Goodwin, It’s important to realize the roll he played in getting Garrison appointed in the first place.
It was Steve Goodwin who rigged the search to favor Garrison, and it was Steve Goodwin who greased the rails by selecting tomato-can finalists for the job.
But you can’t really say that it starts with Steve Goodwin — because Goodwin was appointed by — Mike Garrison.
It’s that twisted.
April 28, 2008 at 12:39 pm
Conventional wisdom has Joe with national ambitions…How can he be looked upon as a candidate for leading any national party position when he has this dirt on his hands? Garrison’s his boy, Heather is his daughter that he has know from birth…Ultimately the gov has to take responsibility for this mess…
April 28, 2008 at 12:39 pm
I just heard a report that transcripts of interviews conducted by the panel will be posted on the faculty senate website this afternoon. If the report is true, as soon as someone finds the link, please send it to HK!
April 28, 2008 at 12:56 pm
If you’re referring to Manchin as a VP running-mate this year or any year, it will never happen. I’m not so sure about running for Senate, because, well, only West Virginians will have a say.
Also, for anyone who hasn’t read Chad Wilcox’s editorial, cited above by I think Karen, please read it. It’s excellent.
April 28, 2008 at 1:01 pm
It is exactly Papa Joe’s national ambitions that may ultimately result in the resignation of Garrison. Theory is this — Lang and Sears resign, but will not go away quietly as they know what happened — Garrison has some phone records that he will not turn over, calls perhaps from the Governor, but definitely from the Governor’s daughter, either way embarrassing and evidence of pressure from above. At the moment Garrison is trying to hold on as best he can, hoping that a couple of resignations will push the story to the back burner and those resigning will not be seen as credible as they have already lied in an attempted cover up. Problem is NY Times and Washington Post are now showing some interest, so the story is growing some national legs. Pappa Joe must be protected at all costs, if this story runs much longer it will ultimately begin to take a toll of the governor and become an issue in the election, probably not enough for him to lose in WV, but enough to quash national ambitions. Thus, Garrison may have to take the fall to keep from going further up the food chain. Perhaps this is all a little crazy, but makes for a good Grisham novel.
April 28, 2008 at 1:08 pm
Whatever happens, hopefully this will derail Garrison’s chances at running for governor in 2012.
April 28, 2008 at 1:10 pm
Also, what may seem like a minor 4 million dollar issue now is how are Coach Rod’s lawyers going to jump on the creditabilty and integrity of Boss Garrison in that matter…
April 28, 2008 at 1:43 pm
panel interview link:
http://www.facultysenate.wvu.edu/report/special_investigative_panel.html
April 28, 2008 at 1:59 pm
http://www.facultysenate.wvu.edu/report/special_investigative_panel.html
April 28, 2008 at 2:07 pm
Smeathen hit the nail on the head.
April 28, 2008 at 2:14 pm
Bresch not only ruined the integrity of my degree, but likely cost WVU $4 million. If WVU doesn’t think RR and his lawyers aren’t sitting back waiting to pounce on Garrison’s LACK OF CREDIBILITY we are fooling ourselves. I fear the ramifications have just begun.
April 28, 2008 at 2:37 pm
MOUNTAINEER E-NEWS
April 28, 2008
Statement from WVU President Mike Garrison
My responsibility as President extends to the entire University, and I
accept full and total responsibility for failures that led to the award
of unearned credits and grades to a former student. I am personally
very sorry that this situation has occurred.
Over the past several days, I have had the opportunity to thoroughly
review the report of the panel that investigated this matter. I have
also read the notes of the statements given by individuals to the panel;
I have spoken with each of the individuals in the President’s Office
who are noted in the report; and have spoken with the Chairman of the
panel. As I stated last week, I take both the panel findings and
recommendations, as well as my charge from the Board of Governors, very
seriously. I agree with the panel’s findings and accept the report in
its entirety.
I have also accepted the resignations of Provost Gerald Lang and Dean
Stephen Sears. Both of these individuals are honorable men, and both
have taken responsibility for their decisions in this matter.
I want to state unequivocally that I did not ask any person, either
directly or indirectly, to award any credit, grades, or degree in this
case or any other case. I will never do so and would not accept
interference from others in the evaluation of the students that I teach.
I do not believe that it is acceptable to assign credit or grades to a
student without consultation with the faculty member assigned to a
class.
Like the members of the panel, I believe that the decision that was
made in this in this matter was wrong. Like every member of the
University community, I reject the idea that we should award any degree
or credit not earned by the student.
Let me say again: My responsibility as President extends to the entire
University. I accept full and total responsibility for this matter. I
am personally very sorry that this situation has occurred during my
tenure as President, and I apologize to the entire University
community.
April 28, 2008 at 2:40 pm
just trying to head off the vote later this afternoon to have a no-confidence motion place on the Faculty Senate agenda–don’t fall for it senators!
April 28, 2008 at 2:53 pm
then please do the right thing and resign
April 28, 2008 at 2:54 pm
The Faculty Senate’s “no confidence” vote would be an important signal. I do hope, however, that others are lining up to take additional measures. Altho my experience was not at WVU, I served on a faculty that overwhelmingly approved such a measure. It had absolutely no impact on the board’s decision to extend contract/raise compensation. Stronger actions are called for.
April 28, 2008 at 2:55 pm
Let me say again: My responsibility as President extends to the entire
University. I accept full and total responsibility for this matter. I
am personally very sorry that this situation has occurred during my
tenure as President, and I apologize to the entire University
community.
THEN GIVE YOUR RESIGNATION!!!!!!!
April 28, 2008 at 2:58 pm
Come on Senate – Do the right thing – as Concerned has already posted:
Specifically, the Senate should establish a commission (which would include outside representatives) to determine the precise details of the involvement of President Garrison, Chief of Staff Walker, General Counsel Macia, Mr. Case, and every other individual involved in this crime. If any university official refuses to cooperate with (or fully fund and staff) this commission, the Senate should immediately pass a resolution demanding that official’s resignation. The resolution should include an upward ratchet—if the commission’s requests are not met within two weeks, then the faculty will sue the school. If they’re not met within four weeks, then the faculty will stop teaching. If they’re not met within six weeks, then some other step would be taken. The purpose of the upward ratchet would be to give the story legs, so Garrison can’t just hunker down and ride it out—which is 75% of his current strategy (finding a workable scapegoat being the rest). Can you imagine the national press coverage this would garner if the faculty went on strike because the university’s president was stonewalling an independent investigation into criminal activity in his office?
And if Garrison capitulates and hands over the evidence, the Senate would be in a position to demand his resignation with authority. They could back up that demand with the same “or-else” tactics.
April 28, 2008 at 3:11 pm
Did you know you could find the transcripts of the interviews the panel did with President Garrison and the other players in the Heather Bresch investigation?
http://wvpubcastnews.wordpress.com/2008/04/28/interview-transcripts-from-heather-bresch-mba-investigation/
April 28, 2008 at 3:13 pm
Here are the transcripts of the interviews the panel did with President Garrison and the other players in the Heather Bresch investigation?
http://wvpubcastnews.wordpress.com/2008/04/28/interview-transcripts-from-heather-bresch-mba-investigation/
April 28, 2008 at 3:17 pm
Garrison knew Heather’s story didn’t match-up with the story his henchmen on the front line cooked up and announced to the media, but he did NOTHING to stop it, even as the henchmen defended it publically. He was the one who could have stepped in and put the kibosh on the whole thing from the first PPG reports in December onward.
But maybe Garrison was not the only one who could have stepped in: Some of those BOG members surely must have some knowledge … Of the telephone calls that the PPG has records of (but wait: there may well be more if the PPG succeeds in the FOIA litigation), there were about 20 telephone calls in the Oct 11 to Oct 23 time period between (i) Walker and Garrison, and (ii) Walker and Goodwin or some other BOG member. It’s hard to believe that Walker didn’t tell each of them in these calls what Heather said had happened in ‘98 and the fiction that the Provost and the deans had written-up for the public’s consumption.
April 28, 2008 at 3:20 pm
So how much are the paying Steven Kite to say this BS??
http://www.wvmetronews.com/index.cfm?func=displayfullstory&storyid=24566
April 28, 2008 at 3:21 pm
Interview transcripts from the Bresch investigation:
http://wvpubcastnews.wordpress.com/2008/04/28/interview-transcripts-from-heather-bresch-mba-investigation/
April 28, 2008 at 3:37 pm
Garrison’s new statement about his responsibility:
http://wvpubcastnews.wordpress.com/2008/04/28/garrison-statement-on-heather-bresch-mba/
April 28, 2008 at 3:38 pm
I feel sad that my original assertion looks to be true–that someone (i.e. Lang) would get a sweetened retirement deal to resign, and someone else (i.e. Sears) would be handled similarly. Now everyone truly guilty can simultaneously tsk, tsk, and say what wonderful people they are to step up, and insist we move on past this “painful” chapter in the history of the school.
The very fact that these two guys–prickly in their personalities or otherwise–are generally regarded to at least have been competent, and maybe even more than such over the years, speaks to the idea that if they have offered themselves up as sacrifices to squelch some of the calls for blood, there must be SIGNIFICANT quid pro quo. If anyone wants to do the FOIA thing now, it would be interesting to see if we can find out any details of the severance for those two guys.
April 28, 2008 at 4:25 pm
Release your phone records …
April 28, 2008 at 4:35 pm
If you read the Garrison interview befor the panel and did not know that he is a UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT, would you believe for one moment that he actually holds that position?
April 28, 2008 at 4:42 pm
HK,
You have become a political body as a result of this story and the momentum of your blog. Consider using it in a more constructure way than purely allowing people to post. On-line petition, email campaign and / or a rally in front of Stewart Hall come to mind.
April 28, 2008 at 4:46 pm
Karen, I thought the same thing–articulate he is not. Also, the Garrison interview reveals that Leah Summers, the co-worker whom Heather Bresch says was at the meeting with Speaker, is also a former co-worker of Garrison’s. The Circle of Life!
April 28, 2008 at 5:00 pm
Looks like Mylan is experiencing a major operations issue. Please remind who their Chief Operating Officer is?
Actavis Totowa LLC notified healthcare professionals of a Class I nationwide recall of all strengths of Digitek, a drug used to treat heart failure and abnormal heart rhythms. The products are distributed by Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc., under a “Bertek” label and by UDL Laboratories, Inc. under a “UDL” label. The product is being recalled due to the possibility that tablets with double the appropriate thickness may contain twice the approved level of active ingredient. The existence of double strength tablets poses a risk of digitalis toxicity in patents with renal failure. Digitalis toxicity can cause nausea, vomiting, dizziness, low blood pressure, cardiac instability and bradycardia. Several reports of illnesses and injuries have been reported. Patients should contact their healthcare professional with questions.
Read the entire 2008 MedWatch Safety Summary, including a link to the manufacturer’s press release regarding this issue at:
http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2008/safety08.htm#Digitek
April 28, 2008 at 5:02 pm
That sucks. My coworkers at Fazoli’s in the mid-90s do nothing for me.
April 28, 2008 at 5:05 pm
Mylan’s stock is around 12, off a 52 week high of almost 23. That has to smart.
April 28, 2008 at 6:14 pm
maybe when they eliminate the pop tax which will cripple the HSC for good, they can put in a drug tax and give the money to Mylan to bail them out. The HSC has three interim leaders (the VP, and Deans of Med and Dent). They are in a really weak position right now. If we do not save them, no one will be able to get any local health care.
April 28, 2008 at 8:13 pm
Garrison says he takes full responsibility, but what does that mean? It sure doesn’t mean simply watching Sears and Lang falling on their swords while standing far enough away not to get spattered by the blood.
Of course, Mike knows he couldn’t have denied Heather her phoney baloney degree at any point, because saying no to Mojo is like “going against the family,” in Godfather vernacular. In W.Va. vernacular, it means doing whatever the Manchin/Goodwin coven wants, because you owe them big time. Garrison probably would be a $10 an hour hack lawyer in any other state, but with the Manchin/Goodwin patronage, he’s a university president – and he knows it.
April 28, 2008 at 8:27 pm
Speaking of Mylan, is it true Mike Garrison used to be a lobbyist for the company, as reported on Gary Abernathy’s blog – a lobbying job now held by W.Va. Democratic Party head (and Mojo minion) Nick Casey? Mylan and Manchin have more tentacles than an ocean full of octopi.
April 28, 2008 at 10:14 pm
wvpublicbroadcasting,
The panel transcripts are amazing. What a bunch of idiots. How about a ranking of which buffoon out buffoons the other. What did they do to earn a phd? Sears sounds positively stupid, but a bright bulb when you read Logar. Garrison is so very presidential-not. No wonder they believed Speaker. He speaks in complete sentences. What did he do to piss off these fools?
April 28, 2008 at 10:23 pm
Tell the truth.
April 28, 2008 at 10:43 pm
My new favorite word day is “Minimalize.”
Watch Garrison’s press conference today on metronews.com
April 28, 2008 at 10:43 pm
Bleh. My new favorite word OF THE day …….
April 29, 2008 at 8:07 pm
For DD – Neither Sears nor Garrison have a PhD
April 29, 2008 at 8:28 pm
Can you believe that they’ll be teaching next semester? Is that slapping one wrist or two?
April 29, 2008 at 10:45 pm
I cannot believe for a minute that any self-respecting student would enroll for — or any student’s parent making tuition payments would pay for — ANY course taught by these malfeasors who stay on the payroll (even if they resign from their adminsitaive positions). It’s amazing that they will remain on the faculty after what they’ve done and the fraud they committed.
And that goes for you too, Mr. President: You were the first to know about the lame “life experience-for-class room-nonattendance” excuse Ms. Bresch was peddling: But you did not stop your administration from publishing, and then defending in the media, the falsified transcripts and grades for the semesters in question. This despite the fact they were completely at odds with Ms. Bresch’s story that peddled to you.
If you had any honor — and revered your University as you say you do — you too woud take responsibity for your acts (to be generous, your omissions) and resign so that WVU can start anew to try and repair the damage that you and your adminstration have managed to accomplish in such a short period of time.
P.S. This author would much prefer to send this to Mr. President’s blog, but knows it will never see the light of day unless posted here.
May 2, 2008 at 7:08 am
Med. School MESS– story today:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08123/878485-85.stm
It all looks SO bad–and perception is……..
An editorial in yesterday’s DP asked this question–Would Heather Bresch have called any other President other than Garrison? Great point!