Let’s talk about that “group.”
Of the 1800 or so faculty members, 200 to 300 are off-campus — many of them hundreds of miles away. And WVU’s administration made it very clear that no concessions would be made to allow them to attend the Assembly.
About 500 more of the faculty are clinicians with patient care responsibilities — which is a fancy way of pointing out that most of them weren’t allowed to attend the Assembly either.
So of the faculty members who were realistically able to attend the Assembly — a vast majority of them showed up. And all but a handful of them demanded Garrison’s resignation. Again: 565 in favor of resignation, 39 against and 11 abstentions.
This can’t be repeated enough: even if a full quorum of 900 had showed up, and the same 565 faculty members voted in favor of Garrison’s resignation — the motion would have passed by 63%.
THE FACULTY HAVE SPOKEN.
Hell — so has Hoppy.
It’s over, Mike. You lost.
(Thanks to the commenters who basically wrote this post for me.)
Tags: Mike Garrison
May 15, 2008 at 2:21 am
Not to be overly nitpicky but I believe it was 565 votes for “no-confidence”
May 15, 2008 at 5:47 am
Just to let you know, the people who signed the Bailes letter are privately feeling shame.
May 15, 2008 at 5:50 am
this whole issue has been about INTEGRITY,which at the end of the day is all each of us is supposed to have………….Mr Garrison (and i dont know him personally) appears to have none in an ACADEMIC world…….for an entire faculty to vote this way,means that there is either a “witchhunt” (doubtful!!!), or the ACADEMIC process has truly spoken……….move aside Mr President and let these kids have the type of education that hardworking parents are paying for,so that years to come they can be proud of their University………you have the opportunity to do the right thing………remember lying becomes part of your future and telling the truth becomes part of your past……do you have the INTEGRITY to do the right thing?…….
May 15, 2008 at 6:14 am
Why would you show up at the meeting just to abstain on the vote?
May 15, 2008 at 6:22 am
the bailes letter signers are feeling shameful? then why did they sign the letter? are the rumors of intimidation true? are they willing to sign a retraction or a letter indicating they changed their minds?
May 15, 2008 at 6:22 am
Deepthroat-
Just to let you know, the people who signed the Bailes letter are GUTLESS
May 15, 2008 at 6:51 am
In the statement he released yesterday following the no-confidence vote, MG said, “I strongly agree that there is no place for intimidation of any kind on our campus.”
Shouldn’t people like Bailes, who apparently abused his power by intimidating subordinates into signing a letter of support for MG, be called on the carpet? And what about MG’s people who sat in on that important degree meeting? Did their presence intimidate anyone?
May 15, 2008 at 7:02 am
Now on to graduation. Each graduating medical student should request that Dr. Prescott perform his/her hooding. A nice respectful way to make a point and not interrupt the ceremony in any way. What do you say, med graduates? Can you take time out from filling out country club applications to get involved in this very important issue?
May 15, 2008 at 7:07 am
Now to honor one of the heros by a former student:
http://www.wvgazette.com/Opinion/Letters/200805140748
May 15, 2008 at 7:23 am
FYI, the Pittsburgh-Post Gazette article today is excellent:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08136/882009-85.stm
May 15, 2008 at 7:40 am
The 11 abstainers probably signed the Bailes letter and felt some second thoughts, but couldn’t quite vote yes.
We need one of them to come forward and tell the story of intimidation by Bailes. Dr. Morano is one possibility – other members of his family are publicly calling for Garrison’s resignation.
May 15, 2008 at 7:51 am
Can Bailes be ousted , who would replace him? Are any of the docs in his dept. supporting him?
May 15, 2008 at 8:10 am
It would help to know what form the silent protests will take, particularly from faculty. Or is it totally out of the question in a ceremony? Don’t speak ill of the dead at the funeral? Many are required to attend . . . many fear disruption and crackpots . . .
May 15, 2008 at 8:24 am
I don’t think faculty are planning any protest, silent or otherwise. For faculty, the purpose of graduation is to recognize the students and their accomplishments. The faculty I know would not disrupt the sanctity of this event. Remember, this is why faculty are outraged in the first place–Bresch didn’t EARN her degree. Thus, disrupting the proceedings that recongnize that others did earn degrees goes against the ideals for which faculty are fighting. Protests are are up to the students. From what I have heard, they will be in the form of msgs placed on mortarboards (something besides the usual, hi mom!)
May 15, 2008 at 8:34 am
It’s the 21st Century, and our flagship institution of higher education can’t organize, or permit, teleconferencing for teachers? Don’t they do distance learning?
May 15, 2008 at 8:41 am
The Chronicle of Higher Education has an article today, but nothing new or interesting, just straight reporting.
May 15, 2008 at 8:42 am
From today’s New York Times online:
Resign, Faculty Tells University President
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — The West Virginia University faculty demanded on Wednesday that the president of the university, Mike Garrison, quit over the awarding of a degree to Gov. Joe Manchin III’s daughter, the second call for his resignation in 10 days.
The nonbinding resolution, was approved, 565 to 39, at a meeting for all faculty members.
Last week, the 114-member Faculty Senate voted overwhelmingly to demand that Mr. Garrison resign. Mr. Garrison has refused, and Mr. Manchin and the university board of governors, appointed by the governor, have continued to support him.
“W.V.U. cannot recover from this crisis under the leadership that created it,” Prof. Boyd Edwards said at the University Assembly, which had not met since 1977.
In a statement, Mr. Garrison restated his intention to remain, adding, “I am dismayed that it happened under my administration, and I’m committed to making sure nothing of this sort happens here again.”
In April, an independent panel found that the university gave Mr. Manchin’s daughter, Heather Bresch, an executive M.B.A. degree that she had not earned.
May 15, 2008 at 8:49 am
No such thing as bad publicity
This morning, here in DC, Mike made the NPR 8am newsbreak. So the Chinese wall has been breached and we have made the big time!
Out here in the real world where degrees usually mean a little more than the photons they are printed with, this may register with a few of the major employers and others who are looking for one more reason to question the quality (sanity?) of those from the Mountain State.
Does any one wonder what MG will say down here when he presents the state of the U? When will that be, BTW? And, can anyone protest — I mean, attend?
May 15, 2008 at 9:57 am
garrison just announced that Hank Barnette will chair the HSC VP search committee, replacing Lang. Mr. Barnette is a BOG member and former chair of that group.
May 15, 2008 at 10:42 am
I recalled that on July 30, 1974 Art Buchwald used a Dr. Seuss story, “Marvin K. Mooney Will You Please Go Now”, to ask Nixon to leave an office where his presence was no longer needed. Nixon resigned on August 8, 1974. It worked once… with apologies to bpoth Dr. Seuss and Peregrinous here goes…
” Mike Garrison will you please go now!
The time has come.
The time has come.
The time is now.
Just go.
Go.
Go!
I don’t care how.
You can go by foot.
You can go by cow.
Mike Garrison will you please go now!
You can go on skates.
You can go on skis.
You can go in a hat.
But
Please go.
Please!
I don’t care.
You can go
By bike.
You can go
On a Zike-Bike Mike
If you like.
If you like
You can go
In an old blue shoe.
Just go, go, GO!
Please do, do, do, DO!
Mike Garrison
I don’t care how.
Mike Garrison
Will you please
GO NOW!
You can go on stilts.
You can go by fish.
You can go in a Crunk-Car
If you wish.
If you wish
You may go
By lion’s tale.
Or stamp yourself
And go by mail.
Mike Garrison
Don’t you know
The time has come
To go, go, GO!
Get on your way!
Please Mike Garrison!
You might like going in a Zumble-Zay.
You can go by balloon . . .
Or broomstick.
Or
You can go by camel
In a bureau drawer.
You can go by bumble-boat
. . . or jet.
I don’t care how you go.
Just get!
Mike Garrison!
I don’t care how.
Mike Garrison Will you please
GO NOW!
I said
GO
And
GO
I meant . . .
The time had come
So . . .
Mikey WENT.”
May 15, 2008 at 10:46 am
WVState: the word on no teleconferencing was that the only room big enough to accommodate the live attendance with acceptable acoustics (The Clay Theatre at the CAC), wasn’t equipped for this sort of broadcast, though mention was made of addressing this in faculty senate in the future.
And wvchucklehead raises an interesting question. When do we start talking about MG being bad not just for the reputation of the university, but the reputation of the entire state? If anyone saw Jon Stewart last night on the Daily Show, you know we as a state already have public image problems. MG seems to be making them worse.
May 15, 2008 at 10:57 am
Garrison – pack up your bags skippy and leave Stewart Hall. You have tarnished the WVU brand beyond repair and it will be your childrens children before the damage you have inflicted is righted. I’m curious what you see when you look in the mirror these days, always a test of character.
deepthroat – I am disgusted by your last post. How can anyone sleep at night feeling shame when they were given the opportunity to voice their sentiments? The complacency of those that signed the “Bailes letter” puts them in the same camp as Garrison, Lang, Sears, Walker, Macia, et. al. (ie. “I felt pressured”). Wasn’t that how we got into this mess in the first place? Sad, sad, sad!
The end game is not yours Mikey. The power is with the people in this, the age of the Internet.
May 15, 2008 at 11:16 am
That Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article identifies what the grades were that they pulled out of thin air. That’s the first time they’ve been published (that I’m aware of). They gave her two A’s in classes that had been marked as incompletes and six B’s in classes that she did not take, by her own admission (and everyone else’s).
May 15, 2008 at 11:28 am
My recent WVU PhD friend from PA just phoned: while in the grocery store in his WVU sweatshirt (not even near the PPG display with the WVU headline), other shoppers were looking, laughing, and asking if he had his transcript. No kidding . . . how sad. He took it off and finished in his dirty undershirt.
WVU Faculty, thanks for the response on silent protest. I agree. But if there is a Garrison speech, I think more “stone faced silence” is called for.
May 15, 2008 at 11:29 am
Raging –
And Lang and Sears said they would make the same deciscion again?
They’ve got to go too (after I pad my vitae with an MBA, PhD and JD). I *would not* want my children to be taught by these scoundrels.
May 15, 2008 at 11:39 am
Hey Steph — I’ll call and raise you an embarrassment.
Last night I was GMT +8 having a cocktail in the executive lounge of a Hyatt hotel and the three gentlemen at the table next to me were talking about Heather Bresch and the unfortunate situation at WVU.
No kidding.
May 15, 2008 at 11:48 am
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/15/education/15university.html?_r=1&ref=education&oref=slogin
It is the AP piece, but they picked it up.
May 15, 2008 at 12:18 pm
Want to bet whether the State of the University comes off as scheduled?
Maybe we should buy a table?
May 15, 2008 at 12:28 pm
I took note of those grades also, Red. Nothing less than a B. Well done, well done.
May 15, 2008 at 12:32 pm
DP has a couple of statements that let me know the Garrison spin machine is in motion.
Statement 1 by our favorite faculty senator: Parviz: “I was not surprised we did not have a faculty quorum at the faculty assembly, even though the issues are important to the faculty- but not important enough to bring a score of faulty to make a quorum.”
Statement 2 by Kristina Olson: What we heard today was basically the opinion of a minority of the faculty.” “I am glad these people were able to express themselves, but we can’t give these unverified results any more credence than that. We heard from less than a third of the faculty. The majority of the faculty voted by not attending.”
This is truly a pitiful and sad state of being when the spinsters come out with this type of rationalization. As it has been pointed out earlier, even if we had the 50% + 1 to make a quorum and ALL voted “no” to the first motion, over 60% of the faculty would have still voted “yes”. This still would not have been good enough for Ms. Olson though as that would only represent 50% of the faculty. Remember after the 2nd senate vote, we had the spin that these senators were bitter and on a “witch hunt” for what happened with the first no-confidence vote and the faculty senate does not represent the true feelings of the faculty as a whole. So we give all of the Garrison supporters the chance to come out and show that they support him. 600 faculty come out and by a 9 to 1 margin admonish the President once again and now the spin changes. Where are the mass letters from faculty in favor of Garrison. The only one I’ve seen was the Bailes’ letter and now approx 4 weeks later the letter still has the same number of signees and no new letters are existent. Garrison’s support among the faculty is virtually non-exisitent and the spin will not change that.
May 15, 2008 at 12:47 pm
Ann-
Reminds me of that old saw: “Pay your fee, and take your ‘B’.”
Oh, waitaminnit…
May 15, 2008 at 12:57 pm
Kristina Olson is a really bright person and a great teacher, but she makes shit pay for the number of years she’s put in — BECAUSE SHE DOESN’T HAVE A Ph.D.
Gee, I wonder what Garrison promised her?
May 15, 2008 at 1:16 pm
Who is Kristina Olson?
May 15, 2008 at 1:18 pm
One of Garrison’s most vocal apologists.
May 15, 2008 at 1:26 pm
Art collection babysitter and nominally an author……
May 15, 2008 at 1:31 pm
Red – the transcripts from the Report say that Heather was “on the bubble” in terms of GPA. The EMBA required 3.0 to graduate. She probably needed the two A’s.
If a student did this, we’d have their ass on the street in a minute.
May 15, 2008 at 1:32 pm
Kristina apparently is an assistant professor (DP), and puts on art shows in the small galleries at the CAC. Sorine, who claimed “business leaders” support Garrison, is listed as a lecturer in engineering in the 2006-07 faculty directory.
According to the DP’s front page story this morning, Garrison WILL speak at graduation. Does anyone know if the graduation grand marshal is the same person every year or not? The woman who will be walking around with a mace before Garrison is an associate librarian — a name I did not recognize.
May 15, 2008 at 1:37 pm
Graduation is a time to recognize those who have EARNED their degree. We should NOT do anything to subtract from that fact, especially if it is all about someone who DID NOT earn her degree!
Please do not encourage student or faculty or parent activity which would tarnish the graduating students’ grand day.
An alternate idea, which would deliver a message, and not disrupt graduation ceremonies…
Package up some excrement (cow manure, horse dung, etc) and mail it to Garrison at his university office in Stewart Hall.
No letter or note necessary, he will get it. He is smart enough to recognize shit, it is all he produces!
Garrison, you must go!
Manchin, you go right after your ass-buddy Garrison.
May 15, 2008 at 1:45 pm
Facultymember, I agree with you about preserving the dignity of the ceremonies — but I find it hard to believe that Garrison is even able to face the students and the faculty after all that has transpired. I cannot imagine anyone wanting to applaud him. . . lack of applause would not detract from the dignity of the ceremonies.
May 15, 2008 at 1:53 pm
Maybe the faculty members should now withhold all grades for all students unless Garrison resigns. They could suggest that, so long as Garrison is in office, he can supply the grades for students.
May 15, 2008 at 2:09 pm
I’ve been looking at the statements of Lawrence Summers, former President of Harvard during the ‘no confidence’ vote of 2005.
”My hope now is that our faculty will be in a position to move forward strongly and in a united way in the important issues that we are facing,” he told reporters gathered outside the Loeb Drama Center, where the meeting had been moved to accommodate more than 550 participants.
I really hope WVU isn’t paying a PR firm to steal these quotes for Mike.
May 15, 2008 at 2:11 pm
i suspect that Kristina Olson will have her PhD by Monday, i think Garrison is calling a dean and a provost today(it is thursday)…….they’ll probably have it worked out by monday
May 15, 2008 at 2:11 pm
i know that is terribly tacky
May 15, 2008 at 2:15 pm
I had forgotten about that. Every time I play this thing over in my mind, I’m still amazed. Based on all of the involved parties’ OWN ADMISSIONS, they knowingly fabricated a transcript. Even if you accept Bresch’s story about the meeting with Speaker, what they did was completely outrageous. Garrison KNEW that Bresch’s claim was that she got credits for work experience, he KNEW that she didn’t take the classes (or pay for them), HE KNEW that she didn’t earn the grades, yet he still ALLOWED people who directly report to him to fabricate a transcript. I know I’m just repeating what everyone already knows, but it still makes me shake my head in disbelief. Even Garrison’s own claims that he didn’t actually direct anyone or pressure anyone to fabricate the transcript don’t absolve him of responsibility. He’s the president, and the people involved report to HIM. He LET IT HAPPEN with full knowledge that it was all a complete LIE, which in my book is called LYING. Just because he let others lie for him doesn’t mean he’s not fully implicated with the rest of them. (And we all know this never would have happened if someone else had been president.) It all happened in his first week or two on the freaking job! Sorry for the rant & the all caps, but sheesh I’m still amazed at how screwed up this is.
May 15, 2008 at 2:27 pm
I’ve heard that Professor Olson is related to President Garrison by marriage. I’m not precisely sure how, but…
May 15, 2008 at 2:29 pm
Former proud, we live in tacky times. :)
May 15, 2008 at 3:13 pm
RR,
Thanks for concisely laying all of that out. It really does show how brazen an attempt this was. Imagine if they had pulled it off, and Bresch had academic street cred, and was on the BOG now. Dear God, dear God…..
May 15, 2008 at 3:53 pm
Little Bird-I’ve heard the same thing that she is related to Garrison somehow.
May 15, 2008 at 4:05 pm
Raging —
That’s why this story has legs….the utter disbelief that it unfolded the way it did and yet still not a single person has been dismissed.
I still think this would be great for 60 Minutes.
May 15, 2008 at 4:10 pm
Here is a link to a photo of MG and Kristina Olson having lunch.
http://galleries.wvu.edu/r/images/gallery/garrison_photos/2589
May 15, 2008 at 4:11 pm
you know he does look like a cast member from the SOPRANOS……..
May 15, 2008 at 4:13 pm
Kevin Leyden is also in that photo — I’m 100% sure that’s the back of his head.
May 15, 2008 at 4:37 pm
I confirm that is Kevin Leyden
May 15, 2008 at 4:59 pm
HK it is—if you hover over the photo, the photo caption appears identifying Leyden. Hmmm, speaking of which, he was conspicuously quiet (was he absent) from yesterdays assembly?
May 15, 2008 at 5:06 pm
WOWK TV in Charleston is asking for comments about the “Climate of Fear” at WVU
http://wowktv.com/survey.cfm?surveyid=40
May 15, 2008 at 5:36 pm
One of the faculty who signed Bailes’ letter has reversed his position, he told me personally one hour ago. He said he is making this known to Garrison.
May 15, 2008 at 5:37 pm
Left Shadow 11:39am – I’ll fold, you get the pot this time. It’s a small world after all.
Raging’s summary: my favorite is how 2 being interviewed concocted the same story word for word: “It was a mental flip of a coin.” I think I’ll put that in my next syllabus for a grading policy.
May 15, 2008 at 5:52 pm
As COO of Mylan, Bresch deals with The Securities and Exchange Commission. Isn’t there some legal repercussion to Mylan as a company if their COO misrepresents her qualifications?
May 15, 2008 at 6:15 pm
Deepthroat – is this faculty member going to make his retraction public?
May 15, 2008 at 6:19 pm
it sure is a lot easier to retract that signature once you’ve seen the way the wind is blowing. Although I am willing to believe that one or more individuals who signed that letter actually did support Garrison, I am quite disappointed that our leaders didn’t have the intestinal fortitude to kick bailes out of their offices on his ass and not be so worried about positioning themselves for whatever role he (bailes) may have next. Let’s hope it is something is a far away, dark corner of the universe.
May 15, 2008 at 6:36 pm
I asked him if he told Bailes. Answer, not yet.
I asked him if he would sign the MIR petition. No answer.
May 15, 2008 at 6:47 pm
Mike Garrison, Board of Governors, and other “supposed” leaders of this State and University.
Remember this when you are deciding what to do next:
“To whom much is given, much is expected.”
May 15, 2008 at 6:54 pm
Some who were asked to sign Bailes letter did refuse. I know of one for sure. He is a low level administrative Doc in a department that had no one sign the letter.
He said that although he things Garrison needs to go, and he refused to sign the letter that Bailes wrote, he was also remaining silent about his position because of fear of political repercussions.
I informed him that people like him who were not speaking out so as not to hurt themselves were as guilty as the rest of the bunch who are only out for their personal gain.
May 15, 2008 at 6:56 pm
let’s think this through….I’m think this is a “when” not an “if” of his resignation. He’s appointed a decent provost to get WVU through commencement with some sort of dignity. And all good executives know to make an exit plan – I would surmise that they are looking for a soft landing right now. I would guess they would be looking to announce it sometime tomorrow evening, or Saturday AM either to miss the evening news and catch reporters flatfooted for Saturday editions. The only thing I can’t work out is commencement. I can’t imagine Garrison wanting to go through the indignities of commencement protests, which would surely happen. Maybe he announces prior to the first event, effective June 30?
Anyone got connections in the print shop? They would be re-printing some of the programs right now if he’s outta here by close of business tomorrow…
May 15, 2008 at 7:01 pm
I was informed today that before the faculty assembly, a Professor in the College of Arts & Sciences sent an email to colleagues urging them to “attend” the assembly, not to vote a particular way, just to attend the meeting. Today, that Professor received a phone call from the Chief of the University Police Department. The Chief mentioned to the Professor that he should refrain from sending an future emails that attempt to stir up the pot.
May 15, 2008 at 7:03 pm
Jesus.
Give us as much information on that as you can.
May 15, 2008 at 7:13 pm
Chief of University Police?
I would have told him to fuck off.
If he wants to talk to me, he can bring his fellow Nazis down and we can do it in person.
Fuck these people. I’m sorry. Resignation is too fucking good for these clowns.
May 15, 2008 at 7:16 pm
From what I hear, he’s out. It’s all deal making now.
May 15, 2008 at 7:17 pm
deepthroat #2, do whatever it takes to get that professor to call the Post-Gazette. If what you say is true, it will be the tipping point in forcing Garrison out.
If a university president is using campus police to intimidate the faculty and suppress dissent over his misconduct, this goes from being page 5 national news to big headlines on page 1 of the NYT, 60 minutes, evening news, etc.
This wouldn’t be the first time Garrison has used the police to attack his political enemies. If he hangs on to his job, those of you who think he’s a big, WVU-loving teddy bear who’s just lost his way are in for a rude awakening. The man’s an animal.
May 15, 2008 at 7:23 pm
I also heard (maybe buried in some post here?) that the Friday after the report came out, the BoG began making contingency plans for a “soft landing” and that a “deal” was already in place.
So, lawbot may very well be correct.
And I’m sure MG’s buddy buddy with Leyden so that if/when the poly sci chair opens up, he’ll get the slot, or some other appointed post. I bet Garrison was actually a student of Leyden’s.
Leyden used to be ok back in the day. Then he lost his way.
May 15, 2008 at 7:30 pm
Can we get Garrisoin to pay WVU $4 million if/when he leaves? Hell, I’d settle for $400. Just go.
May 15, 2008 at 7:45 pm
Hell. I’d pay HIM 400 bucks to leave.
May 15, 2008 at 7:48 pm
my friend works at HSC and heard a rumor that Prof Judy Sedgman who spoke out at the senate meeting and the assembly against MG was asked to clean out her office before the start of the fall semester. But there is no intimidation out there. Does anyone wonder why people at the HSC are afraid to speak out ? can anyone out there confirm this latest rumor of HSC firings ?
May 15, 2008 at 7:52 pm
as far as replacing Bailes it would be easy. Joe Voelker (another Neurosurgeon) has been here forever and while not a big personality he is an excellent surgeon, and would be a good leader if given the chance – he wouldn’t purposely try to overload the system (anaestesia) just to make himself look good. he also makes 1/6th of what Bailes makes – the department would instantly stop sapping funds from all of the other departments by saving the 1,500,000-250,000=1,250,000 in salary difference.
Rosen would be another obvious choice – although obnoxious and full of himself- he does appear to be ethical and is the only person in the department doing any acedemic research.
May 15, 2008 at 7:54 pm
Voelker is also one of the only docs in that department that had the balls not to sign that letter – wish I could say the same for Rosen
May 15, 2008 at 7:55 pm
I was told, I understand fear of repercussions. WVU employees have much to lose. Most staff I worked with at WVU were afraid to speak out. I should have been. I stood up to a political appointee and was bullied for years.
After 12 years, I had advanced to a senior level in my field. Management tried to demote me. I refused a demotion and spent my last three years at WVU answering phones, despite a terminal master’s degree. Appeals to “social justice” and WVU Human Resources were useless. Eventually, I resigned, humiliated.
If I still had dependent kids, I’d have had to keep working even if it was killing me. WVU, Mylan and the service industry are the major employers in Morgantown. I planned to retire here but I may have to sell my house and move for work.
May 15, 2008 at 7:58 pm
A fun sidebet averted on how long it takes the below to happen, if he’s outta here……was wondering how quickly the angry alums/donors/etc. could get a billboard program going statewide, or even just in Mon County. Somebody could own the news cycle with one billboard or fifty. You can get cheap outdoor signage for a grand or under……probably have it up by Tuesday if you had the art ready in the morning.
May 15, 2008 at 8:00 pm
[...] “The group that met at WVU today” Let’s talk about that “group.” Of the 1800 or so faculty members, 200 to 300 are off-campus — [...] [...]
May 15, 2008 at 8:06 pm
have any of you even met rosen? his ego is bigger than texas. he is a clone of bailes only much larger.
May 15, 2008 at 8:13 pm
all Neurosurgeons have some type of personality disorder
May 15, 2008 at 8:14 pm
What is the next step in getting this president to resign? The powers that be have now moved forward, garrison’s named an interim provost, and just how is he still permitted to make these kinds of decisions??? Is there no accountability to anyone, is this president permitted to just “do as he pleases”? Instead of merely venting, a lawyer or two should take the step that’s needed here and move this forward to a grand conclusion – garrison’s resignation, BOG overhaul. If not, then time will go on, and this will continue….and that’s what THEY are waiting on….time, thinking this will go away with time…..I wonder, are they correct?
May 15, 2008 at 8:18 pm
http://www.wvumir.org/petition.html
Sign it.
May 15, 2008 at 8:20 pm
Everyone should respond to Mr. Hank Barnette, I believe he might be a very strong angle in this crux of a poorly fitted president, an angle of persuasion…..in the right direction. Inundate this man with letters, e-mails, phone calls, and demand responses.
May 15, 2008 at 8:29 pm
How often is the MIR petition updated with the new signers?
May 15, 2008 at 8:36 pm
Seriously. Moving someone out of a position like Pres of a university takes a little time, esp considering they (I know, “they”) have to find spots for his staffers as well. A couple of days, maybe even tomorrow afternoon, and he’s done. Friday around four would be a good time, but I think it could be next Friday.
The key: Alex Macia. He’s a badass and has a bright future. I imagine the folks engineering this departure are being v, v careful to make sure he does well.
And I hope so, because he’s a good kid caught up in some seriously fucked up stuff.
May 15, 2008 at 8:36 pm
I did NOT mean to code an emoticon.
May 15, 2008 at 8:37 pm
A scenario…a businessman owns a company, naturally he’s the CEO, one of his employees forges documents, these same documents come before him for “signing off”, whatever that form might be. Another employee blows the whistle, the papers report the story, there’s an outside investigation, phone calls are documented, the CEO’s board is involved, the CEO’s right handers are involved, the CEO grew up with the same one who falsified the documents, the CEO spoke on the phone with the same one who falsified the documents, who just so happens to be the Governor’s child, the CEO worked for the Governor, stories don’t jive, the investigative panel comes to the conclusion of gross misconduct, falsifying of documents has occurred, the CEO claims responsiblity, and rightfully so, he’s the CEO, his company is taken to court, he’s sued, he pays the price, he’s the CEO–he claimed responsiblity, he had to, he was the one in charge of the business…he steps down, he has to, he’s commited fraud, he’s responsible. And, it doesn’t end there. The CEO is charged…with fraud…why?….well, here you go….fraud is against the law! Difference in this scenario??? There’s no law in West Virginia, I guess. If this is truly the case, then why do we have lawyers practicing in West Virginia??? And last I checked, we are all citizens of this state, we who reside here, and are we not all then bound by the same laws???
May 15, 2008 at 8:38 pm
One question mark suffices, you know?
May 15, 2008 at 8:42 pm
Bing:
I think the blurb about Garrison’s parachute was on Gary Abernathy’s blog.
http://www.getelephantwars.com/repubgazette4-29-08garrisonsdefenseexitstarcherstays.html
May 15, 2008 at 8:43 pm
HK – I have a copy of the email from prof. that generated heat from the university police. What should I do with it?
May 15, 2008 at 8:43 pm
The MIR petition is updated twice a day – I’ll do it again later tonight. I wish it was more often: I set it up quickly and in retrospect should have set it up to update automatically, but now it’s hard to change over. We’re getting about 100 names/day.
Also, I was the one contacted by the police yesterday. While it didn’t feel as intimidating as it might sound – I do honestly mean that – I also believe it is utterly wrong to call it “stirring the pot” when a faculty member encourages other faculty to attend a meeting, a meeting that faculty called for and that is for faculty. That was all my email said and nothing more, i.e. I didn’t ask for voting in a certain way or anything of that sort. I implored people to attend, and I did this because many faculty were not informed that it was an important meeting; that was all my email said.
I did inform the newspapers of the incident. We’ll see…
May 15, 2008 at 8:43 pm
Lawbot,
Alex Macia is “a good kid caught up in some seriously fucked up stuff[?]”
He’s not a good kid, he’s a big boy, who used to work with, guess who, Steve Goodwin and Company at Goodwin & Goodwin before he was Wise’s counsel. So he got a load of all these guys, Goodwin, Garrison, et al., up close.
So what does he do after he leaves Wise’s administration? Goes to the same firm, Spilman, as Garrison. Then when Garrison is crowned as president of WVU, Alec becomes general counsel. Macia knows exactly who he’s dealing with and he’s thrown his lot in with them. And I hope he’s one of the first ones to get thrown out on his ass.
May 15, 2008 at 8:47 pm
must resign – just curious – did the rent a cops say they had received a complaint?
May 15, 2008 at 8:48 pm
Hi, Anon 843. Two words: fuck you. You don’t have the slightest fucking idea what you’re talking about. This stupid affair aside, this state would be a fuck of a lot better off with, like, 20 more Alex Macias trying to help out.
And trust me: he’s a fuck of a lot more charitable than I am. If I were governor of this state, I’d institute reading tests for voting as my first measure.
May 15, 2008 at 8:48 pm
ditto on Macia. Live by the sword, die by the sword. He’s a very big boy and knew exactly what he was doing. my bet is he’ll go to Farmer, Cline and Arnold since Steve farmer is up to his ass in this as well.
May 15, 2008 at 8:51 pm
Why is there a need for that particular language? Who would post something like that!
May 15, 2008 at 8:52 pm
Well, shit, WVU MA CRW: Farmer comes w a capital “F.” No voting for you, I suppose.
May 15, 2008 at 8:53 pm
Well, no doubt your reading tests would be a breeze – one word would be all we’d need to know!
May 15, 2008 at 8:55 pm
But you’d fail with all of those retarded exclamation points!
May 15, 2008 at 8:55 pm
I think Lawbot is trying to intimidate us. Shall I report him ? hmmmm….maybe it’s Garrison himself!
May 15, 2008 at 8:55 pm
You’re right!
May 15, 2008 at 8:56 pm
No, I should clarify because while the event is important, it didn’t exactly occur as related above (not deepthroat #2’s fault, a lot of accounts of things are swirling around). Basically, I sent the email and the asst. police chief hit reply rather than forward and sent to me an email intended for his superior. So, that was the contact, not a phone call. Basically, it indicated that they wanted to keep an eye on me, and that I was “stirring the pot.”
More Orwellian/1984 in a way (they’re watching/reading the email) and also less so, in the sense that it was rather silly mistake that delivered it to me.
May 15, 2008 at 8:56 pm
Sweet mother of Christ. He weighs enough for three of me.
May 15, 2008 at 8:57 pm
Yeah, I agree, Fuck Macia. He’s a political hack like the rest of them. Everyone involved has to go.
May 15, 2008 at 8:57 pm
It’s working….veering off the main road here – who cares about exclamation points…they’re good, got us right off the main road, didn’t they – might as well forget this ever occurred and conduct business as usual, a new norm as been set in place
May 15, 2008 at 8:59 pm
Or ellipses.
Or dashes.
I’m just saying, he’s not the evil person you want to think he is. He’s a smart guy and God knows we have a dearth of them in this state.
Heading you off: I include myself in that analysis.
May 15, 2008 at 9:00 pm
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 15, 2008 at 9:00 pm
sorry, couldn’t resist
May 15, 2008 at 9:01 pm
No, thank GOD someone else is making a joke. Where’s Jay, for Christ’s sake?
May 15, 2008 at 9:03 pm
I just read Abernathy’s blog. Why would anyone assume Mike Garrison DID NOT know Heather Bresch had her MBA? Come on! The way their history has been documented I would believe that Garrison; as a longtime friend, business acquaintance and groupie of the Manchin’s, was following her every move and likely would have congratulated her when she received this milestone academic accomplishment.
He knew she did not have the degree when she called him on this issue for the first time in October. To think otherwise is foolish.
In hindsight he should have said, “Heather, let’s get you into the program immediately to finish your degree and I’ll support your position that you are working to complete your MBA.” Update the Mylan website, change the SEC filings and this is a non-story. But, it’s too late now.
May 15, 2008 at 9:05 pm
Good work, must resign.
May 15, 2008 at 9:05 pm
How’s it too late!!!!!!!! Ok, I’ll quit – really, he’s still in stewart hall, last time I checked
May 15, 2008 at 9:07 pm
Right, LS. And that’s the fucking point: Heather, don’t lie about your credentials. If you do, admit it, clean it up, end of story. The thing that’s getting all of our goats, at bottom, is that this was so sloppy, so clunky. I half expect the Mystery Machine to show up and clean this shit up.
May 15, 2008 at 9:08 pm
If Anne of 7:48 is correct, there is no planned exit. It is full speed ahead with intimidation.
May 15, 2008 at 9:12 pm
She’d have gotten away with it too, if it wasn’t for you darn kids!
May 15, 2008 at 9:12 pm
Maybe we should drink this off. Anyone up for Charleston Sam’s around fourish tomorrow? I’ll be the one in the white polo, collar appropriately popped. My wife might be the girl struggling to hang onto the bar.
May 15, 2008 at 9:14 pm
Everyone press on, and keep applying pressure.
Manchin is running in an election to keep HIS job.
If the heat rises enough,Manchin will get rid of Garrison, to keep HIS skin.
May 15, 2008 at 9:15 pm
“The girls and I will go this way, Shaggy, you and Scooby check out the basement of Stewart Hall. Beware Boreman South, though. I heard there are some real toughs there.”
May 15, 2008 at 9:18 pm
I stumbled across this post and it’s subsequent comments on the main dashboard (lead blog, by the way), and thought I’d ask a question. Is there any jurisdiction held by the organization that accredits higher education institutions? My wife and I were discussing this as a former WVU students/employee’s, and wondered if there was any possibility that an outside voice of the state could lean on MG and the BoG for academic integrity infringement. I.e., there needs to be a change, or accreditation will be revoked…
May 15, 2008 at 9:20 pm
Lawbot,
Since you feel that Macia is just a good kid who got mixed up with the wrong gang at school, is there anyone else you’d like to give a pass to?
Maybe Craig Walker? Even though he’s Garrison’s COS and was Garrison’s proxy for the whole affair, I’m sure he’s a really solid guy otherwise.
What about Bill Case? Even though he’s Garrison’s mouthpiece, I’m sure he’s terribly conflicted about the whole situation.
And why leave out Garrison? He’s just a guy who wanted to do the best for WVU and got in over his head, right?
In all seriousness, maybe Macia is as good a guy as you claim. I know him and I don’t think so. But in a situation like this (which you describe, incidentally, as this stupid situation), your integrity is all you have left at the end of the day. And I don’t know how you can expect Macia to have any left.
May 15, 2008 at 9:23 pm
Brian,
My understanding is that the accreditors have said that they would only need to get involved if this were a pattern, not an isolated incident, as the report indicates. Honestly, were accreditation tog et involved, the whole U. system could crumble pretty badly. That’s be a much bigger black mark than MG is causing on his own.
May 15, 2008 at 9:23 pm
Lawbot, are you hittin the Sierra Nevada tonight or what? :)
(not talking about AM, just talking about your little rants about punctuation)
May 15, 2008 at 9:24 pm
Trust me, Anon 920, if there’s anything I trade on, it is NOT my integrity.
I said, give a pass to one worthy guy. Extrapolate all you want, but you’re just wearing your little, boozy fingers out typing.
And if you actually knew him, ANONYMOUS 920, you’d think differently.
May 15, 2008 at 9:26 pm
Yes, moneytastesbad. I’ve billed almost 70 hours this week I’m worn out and tired of dumb comments.
And I know you aren’t judging.
May 15, 2008 at 9:27 pm
Lawbot,
I’m sure Heather Bresch would say the same thing about Mike Garrison.
So you’re in excellent company.
May 15, 2008 at 9:30 pm
LB, if I were not stuck here in MorganHole then I would be down for a session at Sams, but it is not to be.
May 15, 2008 at 9:31 pm
Truer words were never spoken 927. I’m with my beautiful wife on the couch on Edgewood enjoying a fantastic Oregon beer, watching television. Our Corgi Beverly is asleep on the floor. That is excellent fucking company.
May 15, 2008 at 9:33 pm
We’ll drink again, I’m sure, moneytastesbad.
May 15, 2008 at 9:34 pm
Someone earlier today asked about Garrison’s State of the Union luncheon in Washington, DC in June. Here is the announcement and my reply to the organizers..
Invitation —
The National Capital Area Chapter of the WVU Alumni Association
State of the University Address in Washington, DC
Monday, June 16, 2008
11:00 am Reception
12:00 pm Lunch
The Newseum
555 Pennsylvania Ave.
Washington, DC
http://www.newseum.org/
For three decades, the National Capital Area Chapter and the West Virginia University Alumni Association have proudly sponsored the State of the University Address in Washington, DC. This annual luncheon celebrates West Virginia University’s achievements in academics, research, and athletics.
If you are interested in attending, please contact Mike Fulton at (703) 741-7500, ext. 5575 or mfulton@golinharris.com. Sponsorship Tables: $2,000 for a table of 10 or $1000 for a table of 5; Individuals: $75/attendee. Free admission to the Newseum for all guests. Signage, media and event recognition for table sponsors and event sponsors.
Corporate Sponsors to Date:
Bailey & Glasser
Chesapeake Energy
Foundation Coal
GolinHarris
Toyota
Join your NCAC chapter today: http://www.wvualumni.org
My reply —
Holly,
I have been a frequent supporter of these events in the past but my conscience will not allow me to attend this event as long as Mike Garrison remains President of WVU. His comments and actions over the past several months have clearly shown to me that he places his personal interests above those of the university. It will take the university and the state over 10 years to recover from the damage he has done.
I wish you the best with this event. But, as long as Mike Garrison remains president, I can not support any function that he attends.
All the best,
David Mitchell
BSEE ‘71
Member and former chair, Industry Advisory Committee, Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering
Member, Academy of Distinguished Alumni, Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering
May 15, 2008 at 9:35 pm
And so the story goes…I guess this has just all been a terrible mistake, this forging, this fraud, skip all the comments otherwise, everyone needs to stick with the facts, not all the inuendo attached. It really is a sad day that’s lasted entirely too long. Will he resign and do the right thing? Not hardly. He should have been straightforward at the getgo, sad thing is now he still can’t be truthful, even at the cost of other’s livelihoods. He really is a piece of work.
May 15, 2008 at 9:37 pm
Right, Revolutionary. The point right now is, though, that it’s late and it’s time for a bit of chilling the fuck out. You keep up that kind of intensity, admirable as it might be, and you’ll be on the same drugs the rest of us are just to be sure you can get up in the morning.
May 15, 2008 at 9:40 pm
Surely there is but one administrator out there, with just an ounce of integrity, surely. Really think about this, not one has told the truth, not one.
May 15, 2008 at 9:43 pm
WVU is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, and the business school is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, but neither is likely to get involved in a matter like this.
In all fairness, we have received more help than we had any right to expect from people in other states. Specifically, I refer to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, without which Heather Bresch would be proudly claiming an eMBA today.
We need to look within for answers.
May 15, 2008 at 9:47 pm
And my Lucky Lab EIPAs, smuggled by a great friend from Portland, have run out. ‘Night.
May 15, 2008 at 9:47 pm
Lawbot – need to take the prefix out of your name – or – add less rather than bot, but then again, you have been bought, at my, at what price. I’m convinced the whole lot of you has fallen prey to their own lies, after awhile, one tends to believe it’s actually the truth. Remember, history repeats itself, and a house divided will surely fall…
May 15, 2008 at 9:51 pm
Radio Stations all over the state need to receive as many creative chronologies of HEATHERGATE AS POSSIBLE…LIKE THE ONE AIRING ON 58WCHS in Charleston. It is a very effective way of telling the story through sound bytes qnd music….get busy and submit all you tqlented Mountqineers..it gets peoples attention and informs those who need to be reminded of this nightmare so as to incite. WE NEED TO KEEP THIS GOING!!!!! If we do, ther will be more national attention and perhaps someone will get to the real bottom of things. Manchin is as much to blame as anyone. As much as I have disliked RODRIGUES, he has been shedding light on the bold, superior attitudes of Manchin and his muscle men.
May 15, 2008 at 9:57 pm
Follow the money trail…hippity, hoppity, all the way to med corp we go…
May 15, 2008 at 10:00 pm
the med corp does not have any money cause they gave it all to bailes, remember ?
May 15, 2008 at 10:02 pm
I don’t know, Revoultionary. That was a whole basket of cliches.
May 15, 2008 at 10:18 pm
Lawbot is right, if you knew Macia you wouldn’t lump him in with everyone else. My mother always said ‘you are the company you keep’ – I’m sure he’s kicking himself for being in this mess. Hindsight is 20/20, and everyone has great friends that are idiots, that they have stuck with and regret it.
May 15, 2008 at 10:22 pm
I really like some of the ideas that have been shared on how to keep this issue alive while the BOG and Garrison try to wait us out.
Another idea >>> protest or speak at legislative meetings on Sunday Monday or Tuesday. Looks like the commission on special investigations is meeting at 3 p.m. on Sunday, and it’s followed by the legislative oversight commission on education accountability meeting at 4 p.m. What more important topic could a commission on education accountabilty discuss than this? Looks like this commission meets again on Monday at 4 p.m. and earlier in the day at 1 p.m. there’s a higher education subcommittee meeting. How do you get on one of these agendas?
We elected these people >>> they should listen to us.
May 15, 2008 at 10:41 pm
Read Macia’s interview, crap. He was in the room, he knows exactly what went on. By his history he is more of a confidant than Walker. If he wasn’t totally complicit with the cover-up he would have found an excuse to move to another position.
May 15, 2008 at 10:41 pm
Deep Throat – regarding SEC, Mylan and credentials it would seem they would want to pursue an action based on misrepresentation. So far it appears no action has been taken nor has there been any action taken by the Company or its BOD. All we have heard is that Coury, Puskar and the BOD stands behind her and that as far as they are concerned the case is closed. I find this hard to understand given SEC rules. I also wonder how Mylan would deal with any employee misrepresenting credentials in the future. How could any action be taken with this case as a precedent?
May 15, 2008 at 10:43 pm
“deepthroat” – You are full of shit. I hate Mike Garrison and everything about him but everything you claim to have “insider” information about is bullshit. You probably have Garrison’s cock deep in your throat and are using this blog to stroke yourself while Macia is biting your pillow.
May 15, 2008 at 10:48 pm
Obviously, everyone is giddy. Focus. Keep the heat on.
May 15, 2008 at 10:49 pm
She spun it as a misunderstanding. Garrison’s posturing about not knowing whether she really had the degree or not is to support that position, give it just enough plausibility (though it makes him look stupid).
Doubt that people at the SEC would read the report to know better.
May 15, 2008 at 10:53 pm
Brian: Yes there is an acreditation board. That angle is being explored. However, the report of the independent review panel was clear that the Bresch matter was an isolated incident so it is unclear whether this will prove useful. In the meantime, please sign the petition if you have not already done so.
http://www.wvumir.org/petition.html
May 15, 2008 at 10:55 pm
Heather is certainly keeping a low profile. When will the heat be put on her? How is Mylan’s stock doing by the way?
May 15, 2008 at 11:02 pm
Heather should make liberal use of the Mylan corporate jet because if I ever see her in the Pittsburgh Airport I am going to make sure everyone in ear shot knows who she is and what she did.
May 15, 2008 at 11:11 pm
http://www.legis.state.wv.us/Joint/Special_Investigations/csi_main
This is the URL for the comission on special investigations
May 15, 2008 at 11:12 pm
Jesus. I assume the Free Alex! contingent here is aware of the hypocrisy of their position and just don’t give a damn. Macia is in this up to his eyeballs and has been for years. According to the report, he was the man in the smoke-filled room who made the call to give Heather the degree despite any evidence that she’d earned it. But you want to give him a pass because he’s your buddy—and the rest of us would understand if we only knew firsthand what a swell guy he is. To explicitly state the obvious, that’s exactly the approach that got us into this situation.
May 15, 2008 at 11:25 pm
What are the next steps to keep the pressure on? Graduation is a high pressure/high stress event for Garrison. Keep pushing him hard at this critical time. Letters to the editor; silent protests at graduation (the non-applause option if he dares to speak); big donors turning their backs. Will MIR hold a press conference to make it clear that faculty will not disrupt graduation b/c Garrison has already disrupted it enough handing out unearned degrees? Will MIR ask Garrison to step down now so that focus of graduation will be on the students who earned their degrees? Ask yourself, what you can do to keep the pressure on. He is cornered.
May 15, 2008 at 11:31 pm
http://www.wvumir.org/petition.html
May 15, 2008 at 11:32 pm
circulate the MIR petition to everyone you know, and include the names in contacts to the BOG and press… it’s about 750
May 15, 2008 at 11:34 pm
Garrison will “resign” when he becomes a serious political liability to Governor Joseph Manchin, III who is reportedly running for re-election.
May 16, 2008 at 12:00 am
To Whom Retribution has been assigned,
“Do not go gentle into that good night,
Rage Rage against the dying of the light.”
May 16, 2008 at 12:22 am
New PPG editorial
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08137/882279-192.stm
May 16, 2008 at 12:24 am
Message for WVU: The board of governors must restore credibility
Friday, May 16, 2008
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
On Wednesday the faculty of West Virginia University sent a message. It was loud. It was clear. It was embarrassing.
The message was not so much to the university’s embattled president, Mike Garrison. He has shown himself to be tone-deaf on academic integrity and institutional credibility– exactly what the message was about.
•
The message was sent to Hank Barnette, Ellen Cappellanti, Thomas Clark, James Dailey, Linda Dickirson, Steve Farmer, Steve Goodwin, Steve Kite, Carolyn Long, Paul Martinelli, Ted Mattern, William Nutting, Jason Parsons, Drew Payne, Parry Petroplus, Ed Robinson, Sally Smith and Robert Wells.
They are the university’s board of governors, the group responsible to the public for the sound operation, educational quality and national reputation of West Virginia University. These Mountaineers will tell you they bleed blue and gold for WVU.
In an unprecedented moment in the university’s history, about a third of its 1,800 faculty statewide convened in Morgantown to deliver the message. After a procession of public statements on the corrupting power of cronyism on WVU’s leadership, they voted 565 to 39, with 11 abstentions, to call for the resignation or firing of Mr. Garrison. The issue, of course, is his administration’s concoction of a phony transcript to support a master’s degree in business administration for Heather Bresch.
As everyone knows, Ms. Bresch is not the average WVU alumna. She is the friend and former business associate of Mr. Garrison. She is the chief operating officer of generic drug giant Mylan Inc., whose chairman is the largest donor to WVU. She is the daughter of Joe Manchin, the governor of West Virginia.
The case surfaced when a Post-Gazette story in December raised questions about how administrators awarded an M.B.A. retroactively to Ms. Bresch almost 10 years after she left the program and with university records showing she was 22 credits shy of completing the necessary 48.
An investigative panel concluded last month that administrators created a transcript in October that gave the Mylan executive credit for courses she did not take or pay for, work she did not do and grades she never earned. The grades themselves were “simply pulled from thin air.”
It’s easy to understand why a faculty that strives to instill in students a respect for the facts and a zest for inquiry would vote 14-1 for the president’s ouster. It is not as if Mr. Garrison was uninvolved. He and his chief of staff took calls from Ms. Bresch at the start of the case, and his chief of staff was present at the meeting with the provost, business school dean and others where the decision was made to draft the phony transcript.
The provost and business dean promptly resigned their administrative posts, but Mr. Garrison said as recently as Wednesday he does not intend to step down.
That’s an affront to the state’s taxpayers, the families who pay the tuition bills and, yes, the professors who must work under a cloud of suspicion over the legitimacy of a WVU transcript and the worth of a WVU degree.
•
That’s why the faculty sent a message to Hank Barnette, Ellen Cappellanti, Thomas Clark, James Dailey, Linda Dickirson, Steve Farmer, Steve Goodwin, Steve Kite, Carolyn Long, Paul Martinelli, Ted Mattern, William Nutting, Jason Parsons, Drew Payne, Parry Petroplus, Ed Robinson, Sally Smith and Robert Wells.
The message is this is your issue, not Mike Garrison’s, and the people of West Virginia are counting on you. For the sake of the university and the state, do the right thing — not the good ol’ boy thing.
First published on May 16, 2008 at 12:00 am
May 16, 2008 at 5:51 am
Ah, I must have said something to really upset VALUE PLUS CARD. That’s a good sign. Try to discredit me. Truth hurts, doesn’t it.
May 16, 2008 at 6:18 am
Lawbot: “[Alex Macia] is a good kid caught in some fucked up stuff”
Alex Macia is not a “kid.” Alex Macia is a seasoned, savvy political operative who was at Bob Wise’s side when Wise tried to spin out of responsibility for having an extra-marital affair with a State employee.
Alex Macia had a duty to his client as WVU’s General Counsel to speak up when confronted with evidence of unethical and unlawful activity. (Parenthetically, Macia’s client was WVU, not Mike Garrison, Heather Bresch, or Steve Goodwin.)
Alex Macia was in a position to stop the scandal before it began. He did nothing to stop it and then proceeded to e a major enabler of Garrison’s inept and stupid coverup attempt.
Alex Macia knew that the “failure to pay a $50 graduation fee” excuse drafted by Bill Case to give the Post-Gazette was a complete and utter falsehood — Macia had been in the meeting an hour before when he, Lang, Walker & company decided to give Bresch a phony degree.
Macia joined in the four month long inept cover-up that followed the Post-Gazette’s December 21st article.
Alex Macia is a disingenuous and shameless.
Note Macia’s response to the MBA Investigation Panel’s inquiry below:
LF: If it takes 48 hours to get the degree, and 22 h ours are needed to fix that, Speaker can’t turn in something someone is not registered for.
Alex Macia: She asked, “How did this come about?” She assumed it had been taken care of by [Professor] Paul Speaker.”
LF: Do you think he [Prof. Speaker] would pay her tuition and register her/?
Alex Macia: I don’t know enough about the academic process. I wouldn’t even know if she had thought she would have to pay for those.
Macia, says he doesn’t “know enough about the academic process” to be able to say whether it would have been reasonable for Bresch to think her Professor would register her for classes she never took AND pay her tuition for her?
Lawbot’s representation that “Macia is a good kid caught in some fucked-up stuff” is absurd. Macia should resign. His conduct as WVU counsel is disgraceful.
May 16, 2008 at 7:09 am
Editorial in Dominion Post reiterating call for resignation in spite of the fact that the headline reads 1800 support Garrion. , Sorry don’t have electronic version. Seems 1800 people confuse academic integrity with signing Bob Huggins. They “support the report” but probably never read it.
As to Macia, he was fully and explicitly complicit in both the awarding of the degree and the cover-up.. Huntingnews.net has something to say about that:
http://www.huntingtonnews.net/editor/080516-ed.html
May 16, 2008 at 7:10 am
Lawbot is Carte (what kinda name is that, anyway?) Goodwin, and deepthroat is Joe.
[j/k guys]
May 16, 2008 at 7:19 am
The first thing Garrison did when he was selected as president — the very first thing, was to fire WVU’s general counsel (a guy from Harvard) and put in his BFF Macia. This happened well before Garrison officially began.
Why replace the GC so quickly? Just like George Bush and his AGs, the Pres wants someone entirely “trustworthy” in that position. Some one to hide the ball, and protect the Big Boy.
Which is exactly what Macia has been doing.
BTW, I’ve heard Macia talk about his proudest moment in State government — avoiding indictments in the Wise affair.
’nuff said.
May 16, 2008 at 7:32 am
It’s Macia who, in moral if not legal terms, most deserves to be prosecuted for this tawdry affair.
JMO
May 16, 2008 at 8:03 am
Thanks, Red, for getting the point across one more time. In spite of what the report avers, President Garrison was in a position to know that the decision was in opposition to the facts as Bresch presented them and was in a position (it’s called the Presidency, after all) to stop this train before it left the station.
Now that a new day has dawned, perhaps we can all re-focus and plan for the (long) days ahead.
Since this goes all the way to the top, and since President Garrison and friends can whip up 1800 signatures (isn’t that close to 1:1 vs. the faculty?) at the drop of a hat, the difficulty is great.
What is the best approach to make this of concern to the average Mountaineer?
Academics and/or the reputation/quality of the University just does not seem to be a persuasive argument for Mr. and Mrs. Mountaineer.
Is there another tack?
May 16, 2008 at 8:07 am
From the DA:
“Associate Dean Cyril Logar said that the University’s general counsel, Alex Macia, was the first person to say, in the Oct. 15 meeting, that Bresch had earned the degree.
“It appears that she has finished the degree,” Macia said, according to Logar’s account.
May 16, 2008 at 8:14 am
Sanity rains: There are plenty of story lines that might be more compelling to Mrs & Mr Mountaineer: How about these: rich v. poor? Power & priviledge v. hard work? Mr & Mrs Mtneer likely got where they are through hard work & we know that most Wvians are on the poor side of the rich v. poor divide.
May 16, 2008 at 8:25 am
Oh, come on everyone, lay off Macia. Lawbot vouches for what a good guy he is.
When I raised these same points last night, Lawbot came off his couch on Edgewood, spilled his fantastic Oregon beer, and stepped on his Corgi, Beverly, to tell me that I didn’t know what I was talking about.
I think it’s clear that Lawbot doesn’t know what or who he’s talking about.
May 16, 2008 at 8:33 am
Just to be clear, regarding Sanity’s bit– HB called MG BEFORE MG handed this mess over to his trusted staff, so, in his own words, he could “step aside” from the matter. During the phone conversation she told MG that she had stopped going to class and that certain classes weren’t taken, but it was okay because “she believed” she had an arrangement to get “life credit”.
Thus, before anything happened, MG knew credits were missing– this is in his statement to the panel and he has mentioned this set of events more than once during interviews.
QED, MG knew that grades had been fabricated, and he could have and should have stepped in at that moment and been presidential, i.e., he should have done the right thing, as he was, to quote sanity, in a position “to stop this train before it left the station”. He did not.
May 16, 2008 at 8:37 am
http://www.wvumir.org/petition.html
For those who are on the fence about signing the petition:
There are very few opportunities in life to stand up and do the right thing. This is one of those opportunities. Its your University, not those that care more about themselves and sacrifice its honor to enrich themselves.
Do not be afraid.
May 16, 2008 at 8:53 am
You new arrivals, thank you for your passion.
Brought in, or not, upon the wave of fashion.
I wonder if you know that B’rer Lawbot
Founded this blog. Or have you just forgot?
Red, HK, and Lawbot laid the keel
And took a risk to make this forum real.
And now we have a place to vent and fume.
Forget not, friends, whose blood adorns the loom.
That said, dear ‘Bot, I’ve known Alex for years.
And for his fall from grace shed many a tear.
He set his sail in Goodwin’s shining face
And fair and foul – he shares in its disgrace.
I think he is the sort of man who’d say
He would not have it any other way.
He turned a handsome profit in their light
And now will not turn colors – wrong or right.
Ah, Alex. My old friend, I hope you see
Quickly enough that your fine loyalty
Is wasted on those sold to public vice
Who soon must find someone to sacrifice.
May 16, 2008 at 9:14 am
Actually I thought lawbot’s praise was a clever ruse to bring out Macia’s true culpability, which has since been amply demonstrated.
May 16, 2008 at 9:34 am
Let the ambulance chasing begin. An ad in last night’s DM:
ATTENTION GRADUATING WVU SENIORS
Do you feel that the Heather Bresch scandle (sic) has reduced the value of your college degree?
Call immediately for a free consultation!
Freeman & Chiartas
May 16, 2008 at 9:39 am
Did you see this?
http://dailymail.com/News/statenews/200805160180
May 16, 2008 at 9:56 am
THEY KEEP SPINNING THEIR WEB OF EUPHEMISIMS….Charleston Gazette,May 16, Professors Davari and Sorvin must be on the take……what happened was “unfortunate mistake”. And this petition with 1800 names on it seems arbitrary to me…whoever is leading the charge publicly is being led by undercover operatives….Manchin the hardened politician and his well oiled machine is behind it all….a master at “smoke and mirors”. The money spent on the the investigative panel, coming from the WVU Foundation is an qbomination…..how about sending the bill to Heather Bresch?
May 16, 2008 at 10:13 am
re macia: he is a pleasant guy (but I was relieved to see, when looking at the WVU web, that his J.D.’s NOT from WVU). What I read between the lines in the report was that he and Mike were scared that Heather was going to sue WVU if she didn’t get her way, and his job as the general counsel is to protect WVU from litigation (I was surprised, though, how quickly WVU moved to sue RichRod, but my thinking is that it was preemptive). Although forging a transcript is absolutely despicable and goes against everything a university stands for (or should stand for), universities set their own rules, and are judged by their peers and accreditation bodies. My guess is that as a Charleston insider, he thought it was better for WVU in the long run not to antagonize Heather and her daddy, who is very good at having the legislature do his bidding (and having his favor is crucial in getting funding for WVU), and not being an academic, he probably didn’t think it was that big a deal to fudge some credits here and there. He made some suggestions at the meetings, as Lee and Bobby point out, that served as marching orders for the provost and the CoB administrators. (And there are still people around Mo’town who think Garrison has absolutely nothing to do with this mess>)
May 16, 2008 at 10:14 am
emoticon not intended — the parenthesis was to close
May 16, 2008 at 10:20 am
“Scandle.” It’s too perfect.
May 16, 2008 at 10:35 am
unlike others, Macia is protected by privilege — at the counsel, he could not have been asked to go before the panel. Moreover, those interviewed by the panels were not under oath since this was not a court proceeding or a legislative investigation. If it ever came to that, he still would be under privilege. . .
I just wonder if the lawyers involved ever learned anything in law school about conflict of interest — Mike had a former client make a request that is in conflict with the best interests of the institution that he is leading. A possible Mylan/WVU conflict was foreseeable. Ditto for a foreseeable conflict between WVU Research Corp and 705 Development Associates, or if WVU Research Corp is an independent body, between WVU and WVU Research Corp. (thanks to Agatha Christie for all the lobbyist registrations).
May 16, 2008 at 10:37 am
As one faculty member who has felt the real need to keep quiet for job preservation over the past few weeks, I have appreciated (and participated in) the excellent information and conversation provided here. But, please, don’t let this forum turn into a good old boys “lets go drink beer and pat each other on the back for being cool” forum. I don’t care about punctuation, where you live or who you know, I only care about getting this mess straightened out. This is dead serious to me, not a drinking game. I want to keep the laser on these issues. I went to the meeting on Wednesday, despite a U schedule that would not officially permit it, and I am paying. If I felt I could go forward with that, I would. The intimidation is real and I can’t afford retribution.
Here’s how I see the situation:
1. It’s almost too late for MG to leave to repair the damage done.
2. We have to insure that the next guy (and it will be a guy) won’t be worse, as payback from the current BOG who are saying “You aren’t the boss of me!”
3. If Sears and Lang (and other accomplices) stay on…teaching Leadershuip, for God’s sake, in Lang’s situation, then integrity has lost, the cancer continues to grow at WVU.
4. The HSC mess is getting worse. Secrets, hushed meetings, wierd appointments and unexplained leaves of absence are rampant. People “in the know” won’t talk and everyone else is instructed to keep their heads down and look busy. Does anyone CARE about that?
Where are our effective solutions?
May 16, 2008 at 10:50 am
Thank you, nameless.
“Where are our effective solutions?”
May 16, 2008 at 11:07 am
I agree with Petition says “There are very few opportunities in life to stand up and do the right thing. This is one of those opportunities. Its your University, not those that care more about themselves and sacrifice its honor to enrich themselves. ”
I was afraid to sign the petition, but had the same thoughts and did it so I could stand up for what I know is right. Very few from my department have signed out of fear and repercussion. As nameless says, the HSC is a mess. Everyone is afraid.
I also spoke with someone last night that is supporting MG. I don’t understand how anyone can look at the facts and connections and not believe he knew exactly what was happening.
What else can those of use who are staff do to help? Again, “where are our effective solutions?”
Sign the petition!
May 16, 2008 at 11:16 am
Effective solutions include, but are not limited to:
1) political pressure on the sitting leaders such as Manchin and the delegates from the north central region especially. A unified “we will vote you out” message will get quick action, but will likely not be meaningful unless it’s closer to November. This would need phone banks and an explanation of why it’s important to convince folks. Most people don’t understand that I have talked to.
2) civil disobedience on campus such as refusal to staff committees, refusal to engage in new initiatives (e.g. the “new” alternative energy center on campus being funded w/ $6million when they can’t seem to find money for replacement faculty lines), refusal to recruit new faculty citing an inability to bring people here in good conscience
3) stronger disobedience including picketing or refusal to teach classes
4) continued refusal to donate to WVU on a large scale. Again phone banks and the why.
5) a list of faculty planning to leave, signed by all those who are (and there are many already leaving)
I think the big thing that people don’t seem to get is that without faculty, there is no WVU. Just a bunch of folks running around a stadium in tights. Accreditation won’t be a problem now, but if in another 5 years all you have are substandard folks teaching overcrowded classrooms (even moreso than now) it will. How long until WVU is no longer a research intensive university?
May 16, 2008 at 11:42 am
Nameless and WVU Employee
Miles Layton of the DP and Len Boselovic and Patricia Sabbatini want to hear from you and as professionals they will keep your name out of it. They work carefully and need all the background they can get. Remember it was the week of October 15 but December before the story hit. There isn’t two months in this case, so they need your help.
May 16, 2008 at 12:02 pm
Picked up my newspaper this morning – head line ran “1800 in Favor of Garrison” which leads you to believe that this is support from WVU until you read the article when then points out this is the list mentioned days earlier of community/business support. Who are these assholes and why do people think their support is important? I’d still like to see this list printed to find out who’s throwing their weight behind Garrison so I could boycott their establishments.
May 16, 2008 at 12:10 pm
Why all the secrecy about who signed the list in favor of Garrison? Let’s see it… last I heard it was in a CPA office…why?
May 16, 2008 at 12:14 pm
WVU is suffering greatly as a result of the Bresch situation. Where is the pressure on Mylan to address this debacle that started with its COO and the claim of a degree that did not exist and which the panel confirmed as a fact. There has been no action taken by Mylan’s management or its BOD and no apology from Bresch as WVU is raked over and through the coals, its reputation suffering nationally and globally in a huge and serious way. I have spoken with Presidents of a few other universities in the area and they are shocked at the entire situation, especially the risk that was taken with the reputation of a state university to which the President and the BOG, not to mention the Governor, have a fiduciary repsonsibility to protect. It is unfathomable that this was permitted to happen, that little to no meaningful action has been taken by the BOG to address Garrison’s role in this scandal, directly or by proxy, and that Mylan has gone about business as usual without addressing the issue of the COO’s credentials and their misrepresentation. It is enough to make the blood boil over!!
May 16, 2008 at 12:14 pm
And I am sure Manchin has that many family members and/or those who have been touched by his political magic wand…ask anyone in Marion County about the Manchin family “business”
May 16, 2008 at 12:16 pm
Maybe the faculty senate/petitioners/etc could sue the BOG for not upholding the fiduciary responsiblity that goes with the appointment?
May 16, 2008 at 12:19 pm
I have a friend who works at Mon Gen who said the “business support” petition was laying out on a table in a break room. She commented that no one had signed it.
May 16, 2008 at 12:24 pm
The WV Code was changed in the summer of 2007 to give the BOG the right to sell or lease property owned by WVU, but first, they have to publish a legal ad, hold a public hearing, etc. Does anyone know whether this has been done yet for the property that Mylan is interested in (the property the HEPC approved for lease at the last meeting)?
May 16, 2008 at 12:25 pm
Has anyone thought of organizing a ‘garrison must go’ protest at the BOB meeting in June?
May 16, 2008 at 12:40 pm
It’s time to be smart attack the opposition with their own tactics. For example, the opposition is gathering signatures, verified via an accounting agency. This, it to undermine the faculty vote (which conveniently was held without forethought as to how to ensure that only faculty received ballots and without a “full quorum” (I’ll get to that in a minute). More importantly, it’s point is to undermine the MIR petition.
Thus, all signers of the MIR petition should send, via the post-office, a signed letter verifying their status and agreement to be included on the petition. We need someone in MIR to set up an address to which these letters can be snail-mailed (must have a cancelled stamp). After sealing the envelope, sign the back of the envelope so that your legal signature crosses the top flap and the back of the envelope. Place a piece of clear, scotch type over your signature. On the front of the envelope, in the lower-left corner, write: MIR petition verification. Once received, they should not be opened until verification of the signatures is needed. The canceled stamp and sealed envelope with legal signatures will confirm identify.
Back to the full quorum issue. No where in the WVU faculty handbook or in the WVU Constitution is there any mention of the necessity of having a full quorum to assemble the faculty. However, the WVU Constitution does indicate that if a special faculty assembly is called, it should be conducted according to Robert’s Rule of Order (RRO). RRO, addresses the role of a quorum. Importantly, it notes two things: what to do when something prevents the majority from assembling (say, because of inclement weather), but the meeting goes forth. I think not releasing clinical faculty from duties and not providing accommodations for faculty who are unable to travel, meets this caveat. Second, it provides a reasonable description of when it is silly to abide by the full quorum:
“But it has been found impracticable to accomplish the work of most voluntary societies if no business can be transacted unless a majority of the members is present. In large organizations, meeting weekly or monthly for one or two hours, it is the exception when a majority of the members is present at a meeting, and therefore it has been found necessary to require the presence of only a small percentage of the members to enable the assembly to act for the organization, or, in other words, to establish a small quorum. ln legislative bodies in this country, which are composed of members paid for their services, it is determined by the constitutions to be a majority of their members.” Found at: http://www.constitution.org/rror/rror-11.htm
WVU’s constitution is silent on the matter, and I believe, the faculty could argue, that their silence is indeed an admission that a full quorum must be defined by who can actually attend. Also, the 51% rule is arbitrary (much like point .05 cutoff in statistics). It is up to the group to decide whether to follow the conventional cutoff, or adopt another, more reasonable number. The US Congress follows Robert’s Rules, and, for practicality reasons, have adopted a number that represents full quorum that is below 51%. Again, WVU has not determined either way, thus, it really is up to the faculty to decide.
Lastly, the opposition’s pedantic adherence to the use of the language of “full quorum” raises opportunities. If they are going to be pedantic, then, they too, must hold firm to the RRO in all procedures where it is indicated by the WVU Faculty Handbook, WVU Constitution and the University Bylaws. Otherwise, their acts are nonbinding as well.
Links of interest…
WVU Faculty Handbook (2 parts)
http://www.wvu.edu/~acadaff/fac/Handbook/part1.html
http://www.wvu.edu/~acadaff/fac/Handbook/part2.html
WVU Constitution:
http://facultysenate.wvu.edu/CONSTITU.html
May 16, 2008 at 12:45 pm
Sheesh– please excuse the excessive typo’s– I’m in a dash, but I think you get the general idea.
May 16, 2008 at 12:46 pm
re nameless regarding the BOG’s possible breach of fiduciary duty to the beneficiaries/stakeholders of a non-profit corporation/organization/institution, WVU: the last I heard, in the case of a conflict of interest — putting one’s own private interest ahead of the interest of the corporation/organization — when a nonprofit organization is involved, the attorney general of the state can sue. This now becomes a political question that someone based in Charleston can probably answer.
May 16, 2008 at 12:48 pm
I love the idea of phone banks and civil disobedience, but those things will generally be ineffective because they require a long attention span. There are only two things that will get the attention of the BOG and/or Governor: 1) threaten their money, or 2) threaten their power. I don’t know how to do the first thing, unless there are grounds for a lawsuit, but I’m not a lawyer. But the second thing can be done, not by threatening to overthrow Manchin, because that’s not going to happen anytime soon, but by embarrassing people in the national press. They know they can weather any storm in WV just by having a winning football and/or basketball season. Anyone with long term political ambition, though, will be concerned about his/her national reputation. Make it big enough, make it stink enough, and they will cut their losses.
May 16, 2008 at 12:51 pm
Observer at 10:35 a.m.,
The crime/fraud exception to the attorney-client privilege would remove Macia’s ability to invoke the privilege. He could be compelled to testify under oath, if any law enforcement agency was so inclined.
May 16, 2008 at 1:01 pm
I do not know Macia personally; however, I do know Garrison. I believe both should resign. And while I appreciate Lawbot’s work on this blog and his support of someone he knows, I’d like to make the point that we should not be drawn into the position of supporting or not supporting someone based on personal knowledge. Many Garrison supporters keep saying that he’s a good guy or that some of us are out to get him because we don’t like him personally. We’re not after his head for personal reasons but for ethical ones.
May 16, 2008 at 1:03 pm
“[D]on’t let this forum turn into a good old boys ‘lets go drink beer and pat each other on the back for being cool’ forum.”
Um, hate to tell you this, but that’s what this blog has been since day one. If it can serve as a brief forum for you guys, great, but don’t come here expecting to change the rules. Having a sense of humor is really important for getting through tough situations, as I’m sure one of your psych dept folks will tell you.
That, and pills. Mostly pills.
May 16, 2008 at 1:04 pm
Stop fighting…. I’ve proposed a reasonable, easy solution to verifying the MIR petition!
May 16, 2008 at 1:47 pm
No fighting here, just more questions. Since when does a group of anonymous business people decide MIR’s agenda or needs for verification?
What standing do they have to question the procedures I saw adopted by the faculty for its own meeting? The roll taken can be verified easily.
Faculty are obliged to uphold AND report academic misconduct (handbook part 5.4). This is part of their job.
What standing do anonymous people have to question professionals who are fulfilling their obligations to the utmost level? It’s not faculty’s fault the misdeeds are those in high office, or someone’s friend or family.
Did 1800 people across WV observe RRO? Does anyone care?
WVU faculty fear retaliation while speaking openly. These folks fear financial boycotts and hide. Who is really looking out for the welfare of WVU?
May 16, 2008 at 2:00 pm
Uh, hate to tell you, but HK has taken this blog to a new level and for that I’m thankful. Thank you for providing a forum wherein many of us can feel safe to have an opinion much less voice it. I’ve enjoyed your blog since it was 100% pure snark, but whether you intend it or not, you’re providing a real service now. The damage that Mike Garrison and his puppeteers have done is significant and I believe that this is just the beginning.
May 16, 2008 at 2:13 pm
PILLS !!! and tequila…..yea…I am not waiting ’til 4ish.
May 16, 2008 at 2:31 pm
Great job, MIR, for taking out ads in the DA and DP congratulating the WVU grads for earning their degrees. Including the web address helps with the network and keeps it going after people leave. Doesn’t disrupt the celebration for the REAL students.
Updating the petition signatures when you get a chance would help.
May 16, 2008 at 2:42 pm
Steph said, “WVU faculty fear retaliation while speaking openly.” Fear of repercussions is even greater down the rungs of the ladder.
It took out-of-state journalists to expose corruption and to stay on top of it. Maybe it will take university presidents from outside WV to explain the extraordinary damage this scandal is doing.
This story is all over the Internet, all over the world. We’re the Chronicle of Higher Education’s academic scandal of the year. Do those in power truly understand the notoriety this confers on WVU and everyone associated with the university?
I agree, Two Cents, the impact is just beginning.
Today’s Charleston Daily Mail includes an article about two Charleston lawyers considering a class action suit based on the possibility that “WVU degrees are less valuable since the university has been accused of manufacturing a master’s degree for the governor’s daughter.”
Their ad reads, “Attention Graduating WVU Seniors — Do you feel that the Heather Bresch scandal has reduced the value of your college degree?”
Link was posted earlier: http://dailymail.com/News/statenews/200805160180
May 16, 2008 at 2:50 pm
Before I seek counseling at the Beanery, I wanted to bring this to HK’s attention. In the online DA (prompted by above post).
“Prescott’s departure was first reported by the blog Fifth Column hours before WVU announced that he was leaving. A person on the blog said that the dean had been fired. Hipperkiller, the pseudonym of 30-year-old College of Law drop out in Charleston and the people who comment on his blog, have for the past year been the source of information – and misinformation – critical of Garrison. One administrator, quoted above, said that reading the blog had become a sport at the HSC.”
May 16, 2008 at 2:55 pm
we should have a huge mass law suit — and say we’ll drop it in exchange for Garrison’s resignation
May 16, 2008 at 3:14 pm
And four MEEEEEEEEELLEION dollars.
May 16, 2008 at 3:16 pm
Hey, if we’re dropping a lawsuit, add a few more heads to that resignation list.
May 16, 2008 at 3:24 pm
LiG: where did you find that article? do you have a link? I can’t seem to locate it in the online DA
May 16, 2008 at 3:24 pm
It was only a matter of time before they decided to come after HK and this blog. This site has played a huge role in the opposition to Garrison’s misconduct. Watch your back, HK.
May 16, 2008 at 3:25 pm
Never mind LiG, I found it here.
May 16, 2008 at 3:32 pm
Anne: I know too well – the lower the food chain, the worse it can get. You’ve paid a price.
I appreciate this forum, misinformation and all. It’s good to actually use your brain and deal with it, or not. God forbid a blog needing to be verified by a CPA to justify its existence. The “opposition” is no better or worse than a blog.
May 16, 2008 at 3:36 pm
Just a thought while hoping that Garrison, Sears, Macia, Bresch et al lose their respective jobs….. Has anyone at WVU had the decency to apologize to past and present staff at the WVU Admissions and Records Office? Has Ms. Bresch? I just re-read The Report, footnotes and all, and it’s amazing the amount of time and effort that was spent by the panel checking Bresch’s academic “record” vis a vis the records of many other valid students. What come across is the utter integrity and accountability of the record keeping process at WVU. Not surprisingly, all graduates of the university whose records were checked by the panel, even those with records that noted minor irregularities, had confirmed grades and proof of tuition payments. Bresch’s, by comparison, did not. The results were black and white … they were just ignored by all those involved in this sordid mess. No degree exists, so we’ll just create one. Disgusting.
And it’s just too bad if the A&R staff had their reputation, honor and good work stained by the unfounded accusations of mishandled and/or incorrect record keeping that these so-called leaders of the university concocted to cover their misdeeds.
Ironically, it’s clear now that the A&R staff were the only members of the WVU administration who had the decency and self worth to stand up to the political pressure at the core of this scandal. The A&R staff deserve our appreciation.
Garrison and his ilk deserve nothing but our disdain. Unfortunately they will cling to their positions until they are forcibly removed. After all, what other university would accept such scoundrels?
May 16, 2008 at 3:55 pm
next thing you know,Garrison et al will be tapping your office computers and figuring out how many hours you spend on HK, and claim that you are spending productive university time doing nothing…….and he’ll say that has led to the decrease in NIH research funding………..I feel very sorry for all of you up there, and fear of losing job due to a run in with a former DEAN is why i am here and not there…………
May 16, 2008 at 3:56 pm
my run in,you ask…..i didnt think it was wise to spend a donor’s money in any other way than they expected……and in agreement for the intended project…go figure!………..
May 16, 2008 at 4:15 pm
Check out some inspiring stories about hardworking graduates here:
http://wvutoday.wvu.edu/pdf/May162008.pdf
This is the WVU I know and the one I want others to know about.
May 16, 2008 at 4:17 pm
OK, Lawbot, if that’s the nature of this here blog, I want to see some live Blunken Drogging from Elizabeth St.
Sooner rather than later, mister. With jpegs.
May 16, 2008 at 4:18 pm
Walker Machinery chief quits WVU business school advisory post to protest MBA scandal
Nice. Walker has so many good quotes in there, you need to read the article.
May 16, 2008 at 4:27 pm
fishferfun: Just who owns the property occupied by WVNET next door to the Mylan pharmaceutical facility in Morgantown? Is it WVU or the HPEC? According to minutes at their web site, the Higher Education Policy Commission had agenda items at three different meetings in 2005 regarding rights of way on that property for utilities access needed by Mylan. However, I was told that at one meeting, WVU (I think it was Gerald Lang) claimed that HEPC did not own that property, so the action was delayed till the next meeting. I’m not sure how the matter of ownership was resolved, although the minutes reflect that the rights of way were approved. The property is now worth millions and if it is sold or leased, who will get the dough?
May 16, 2008 at 4:46 pm
You know, the Glass never did it for me. I think it was the fear of getting the clap in the bathroom or running into Lipton, whichever is worse.
May 16, 2008 at 5:07 pm
Steph says: what right… to question the procedures I saw adopted by the faculty for its own meeting?
I assure you, I do not want to give them credit where it is not due. I was also at the meeting. Many are making much of the “full quorum” bit. It is clearly a part of Roberts Rules, and the WVU Constitution clearly says that the Faculty Assembly must operate by Roberts Rules. I, like you, only want to ensure that the faculty’s voice is binding. Others are trying to undermine what happened that day. Most of the news coverage has noted that faculty did not have a full quorum, and if you remember, when the meeting began, faculty adjourned and then reassembled as a meeting. I’m only saying, that that was an admission by the faculty that was in error, because, Robert’s Rules also covers things that my impede gathering a true majority. Certainly, if it’s important enough for the opposition to strategically insert that into public communication about the event, then it may be important enough to counter with (a) some additional details about Robert’s Rule and the threat of (b) consistent, pedantic interpretation of Robert’s Rule from this day forward in terms of reviewing past events and more importantly, in conducting future business, which would result in the equivalent of a post office strike.
May 16, 2008 at 5:18 pm
Daily Mail on graduation plans and speeches:
http://www.dailymail.com/News/statenews/200805160270?page=2&build=cache
May 16, 2008 at 5:20 pm
Great quote:
Mountaineers for Integrity and Responsibility has, however, purchased display ads in the special commencement supplements of The Daily Athenaeum, WVU’s student newspaper, and The Dominion Post in Morgantown.
“The ad extends our group’s congratulations to the graduates for earning their degrees, with emphasis on ‘earning,’” Perone said.
May 16, 2008 at 5:24 pm
While that’s commendable of Walker stepping down, let’s remember, his wife is running for WVSCA as a republican.
Still no break in the ranks of the “manchin family.”
These people will refuse to budge, because in their own warped mind, they have still done nothing wrong. This was still a clerical error and Heather Bresch has never lied about anything.
May 16, 2008 at 5:27 pm
Bailes asked a signer of his letter to go with him (the one who is now anti-Garrison) to the faculty assembly and that person declined.
Again today, I implored this faculty to go public telling him that he can’t play both sides and he stated that he prefers to work behind the scenes. He is working on further dividing the BOG and he is certain that in time, the BOG will fire Garrison.
May 16, 2008 at 5:33 pm
Rich Rod’s version of Garrison promise-keeping, from Michigan:
http://www.mlive.com/wolverines/annarbornews/index.ssf?/base/sports-2/1210761606222810.xml&coll=2
May 16, 2008 at 6:06 pm
To inwvcards – she has apologized to no one for nothing. guess she doesn’t have to. continues to believe she did nothing wrong.
May 16, 2008 at 6:11 pm
It might not be much, but this afternoon I hand-delivered a letter to Steve Douglas’ empty office at the Alumni Association headquarters.
I resigned my life membership in the WVU Alumni Association and told WVU that they would be getting nothing from me. Yesterday, I signed the MIR petition.
I have had family associated w/ WVU starting in 1885 and most members of the family are graduates. It felt awful to realize I was for all time cutting my ties w/ WVU, but it had to be done in the face of Garrison and King and Goodwin giving us no alternatives other that ” just get used to it”.
It is a sad, sad day when those who clearly do not care about WVU, force those who do out.
May 16, 2008 at 6:14 pm
Is anyone else surprised to see that no schedule of Garrison’s activities re: commencement has been forthcoming? This must be a first for a University President. Undoubtedly, the Chronicle of Higher Ed would be interested in this tidbit, too.
May 16, 2008 at 6:17 pm
I have been involved with litigation with Alex when he was at Spilman Thomas; he was not the brightest bulb in the pack, if you know what I mean. No one was going to mistake him for a genius. Some Spilman lawyers expressed frustration at the large number of politically connected lawyers that were congregating there (Garrison, Macia, Dave Hardy); all are gone now. They never seemed to work much, but Spilman’s managing partner Tom Basile liked to create the impression that they were THE politically connected firm in town. I don’t think he feels that way now.
May 16, 2008 at 6:20 pm
“had it WVU grad” has not only had it, but he/she has the right idea and approach. Does anyone know if there has been any other impact on the WVU Alumni Assn? Any other corporate donors, not just Walker Machinery, who have taken a stand?
Has the list of 1800 been released anywhere yet? This ought to be one heckuva read…
May 16, 2008 at 6:22 pm
Molly’s Mom – Garrison was scheduled to give keynote for Eberly per original press release on April 25 – but was mysteriously replaced. See Post-Gazette article from yesterday – they had a few paragraphs on it. Of course, Stewart Hall gave no explanation.
May 16, 2008 at 6:26 pm
Mountaineer: Spilman’s Morgantown office hired new lawyers (at least 2) from out of town about a year ago, and started raising their profile in the community by sponsoring professional women’s breakfasts. I had the impression they were expanding (they moved from the Centra bank building to the Wharf district), and once Mike got the nod I thought they were getting ready for WVU-associated work. Wasn’t Mike the Morgantown firm’s managing partner when he was hired for WVU? At least, he claimed he was.
May 16, 2008 at 6:43 pm
I heard on the radio this morning (either NPR or MetroNews) that Garrison has decided not to speak at any of the commencements this weekend, but will be in attendance at many of them.
May 16, 2008 at 6:59 pm
Metro News- six articles today, http://www.wvmetronews.com/index.cfm
WV Gazette- one embarrassing headline about a lawsuit today, http://www.wvgazette.com/
Daily Mail- four articles (repeating two above)- http://www.dailymail.com/
New York Times yesterday- http://www.nytimes.com/pages/education/index.html
Economist.com last week- http://www.economist.com/business/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11081635&CFID=5813228&CFTOKEN=77115408
State Journal on Climate of Fear, plus editorials- http://www.statejournal.com
Dominion Post (every day numerous articles), Washington Post, China Daily Mail, Guardian (London, might have just been an online cite), Pittsburgh Post Gazette (today’s is http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08137/882279-192.stm?cmpid=MOSTEMAILEDBOX), Huntington News…lots more, too.
May 16, 2008 at 7:05 pm
Molly’s Mom asked: “Has the list of 1800 been released anywhere yet?”
On WBOY (Channel 12) news this evening, they reported that the woman who started the list declined to be identified or interviewed.
Now that’s a proud supporter, eh?
May 16, 2008 at 7:35 pm
Just got instructions for the law school graduation tomorrow – Garrison is handing out the diplomas. I’ll be sure to thank him for making our degrees less valuable.
May 16, 2008 at 7:44 pm
Should I get in line too? I always wanted a law degree.
May 16, 2008 at 7:50 pm
In Motown right now. Word from an MD is that at least one Med School grad has requested that Prescott hoods him/her. DP coverage is deplorable and skewed, to put it mildly. Special insert makes no mention of MG at events, but I’m sure I’ll see him if above posts are correct. Heading out to do some drinking and celebrating w/ my graduates.
BTW, passed a sign in the Salvation Army downtown: “We Don’t Except Credit or Debit Cards.”
May 16, 2008 at 8:04 pm
I just got it: “1800 Support Garrison” headline DP, and, now, thanks to the above link to PP-G, there are 1800-ish WVU faculty members. Damn, I’m slow, but I’m the only member of my family that didn’t graduate from WVU.
May 16, 2008 at 8:07 pm
Deepthroat – tell Marano to be a man
May 16, 2008 at 8:18 pm
Let’s hope other business leaders and BOG members will follow Steve Walker in resigning from WVU advisory boards, fund raising committees, etc. Steve is an honorable man and loyal Mountaineer. He didn’t just resign, he expressed his disgust so eloquently in today’s Charleston Daily Mail:
“It’s a Watergate-type thing. It’s going to grow and grow. It’s a cancer on that school. I just don’t like the stink of what has gone on up there.
I predict that Sally Smith of the BOG will be the next one to resign. I know her to be a person who loves this state, and I’ll be really surprised if she hangs around to be blamed for its demise.
May 16, 2008 at 8:18 pm
I can’t help but question the integrity of a newspaper that runs a story about how a there’s a list of 1800 business leaders support Garrison, when they haven’t, in fact, seen the list.
And re: the quorum “issue”: AGAIN, even with a quorum, the resolution would have passed by 63%. Keep reminding people of that.
May 16, 2008 at 8:55 pm
Wait, do I get this right? The BOG folks are resigning instead of staying & voting their conscience when the BOG meets in June?
May 16, 2008 at 8:57 pm
can anyone confirm if bailes is going to resign from the HSC VP search committee so he can be considered a candidate for that position ?
May 16, 2008 at 9:17 pm
so another week has passed. Does anyone still think there is a chance that MG will resign ? I thought it was predicted that it would happen this afternoon ? anymore word on an exit strategy ?
May 16, 2008 at 9:24 pm
INWVCARDS is right on. As I read the panel report — admittedly knowing nothing about internal recording and record-keeping at WVU — it clearly said the records WERE ACCURATE and nothing was in error on the Bresch transcripts. The proper procedures WERE in place but “somehow” over-ridden by Lang, Sears & Company (without all approving faculty and other signatures, etc)
If that is the case, what “reforms” are Mr. Garrison to implement by the Board’s charge to make sure it doesn’t happen again? Oh, I see the “reforms” should read: “Thou shalt Follow the Established Rules and Not Commit Fraud…And I mean it this Time”. That should be easy to comply with. Done, Mike saves his job as far as the BOG is concerned.
May 16, 2008 at 9:31 pm
Bailes would never resign the VP search committee to be considered for VP … he wouldn’t accept the pay cut.
May 16, 2008 at 9:33 pm
had it with WVU – don’t throw Judge King into the dung heap with Garrison and Goodwin. Remember Judge King was one of the few in Charleston who publicly said Garrison was a bad choice for president.
And as for Garrison’s missing-in-action performance at graduation, we should put up “Where’s Mike?” posters. No one has ever heard of a president hiding out during graduation. Shameful.
May 16, 2008 at 9:35 pm
Molly’s Mom — as for fundraising at the alumni association, the chair of the campaign for the new AA building??? Ellen Goodwin (Steve’s wife). A wonderful lady (really), but part of the family machine.
May 16, 2008 at 9:45 pm
former WVU prof: I think he was talking about the King who is President of WVU Foundation, not Judge King. But I’m not sure he should be lumped in either, since he is recently arrived and finds himself in the middle of something he would not have imagined (he came from the deep midwest and was not connected as far as I know).
May 16, 2008 at 10:13 pm
LikeFishing: I’m not very good at interpreting the law, not that the law seems to matter much to anybody — But Chapter 18B-1-3 I think is the section of the Code that pertains to property. If I’m reading it correctly, title to property owned by WVU would have transferred to the HEPC when the Commission was set up, but could be transferred back to WVU on a simple request from the BOG. As to whom the dough would go, I’m not sure. Any help out there from lawyers or HEPC personnel? By the way, if anyone’s interested in looking up the Code, it’s easy to do at http://www.legis.state.wv.us . Just click on WV Code at the top and then pick the chapter of interest.
May 16, 2008 at 10:22 pm
Imagine Garrison is still president come August. There’s the “we’re-off-to-a-great-start” interview with Channel 12. There’s the halftime presentations at Mountaineer Field. There’s the homecoming parade, etc. How does he participate in these ceremonial activities with the expectation that he’s going to be heckled each time? He can’t.
How can he run the University if he’s in hiding? He can’t. No way.
May 16, 2008 at 11:01 pm
Regarding Garrison mia from the ECAS graduation, he reneged on the obligation at the last minute, leaving Mazey to scramble this week to find a replacement. It was his decision to slink away, not ECAS.
May 16, 2008 at 11:03 pm
I’m beginning to understand why Rodriguez left for Michigan. Maybe they did bs him into the buyout.
May 16, 2008 at 11:18 pm
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has left a subtle but critically important message to its readers that seems to have escaped the attention of this blog. In Thursday’s editorial, they deliberately named each member of the BOG TWICE. That message is: These are the people who are now accountable; let EACH OF THEM know how you important this issue is to you. Quotes from the editorial:
“The message was sent to Hank Barnette, Ellen Cappellanti, Thomas Clark, James Dailey, Linda Dickirson, Steve Farmer, Steve Goodwin, Steve Kite, Carolyn Long, Paul Martinelli, Ted Mattern, William Nutting, Jason Parsons, Drew Payne, Parry Petroplus, Ed Robinson, Sally Smith and Robert Wells…
That’s why the faculty sent a message to Hank Barnette, Ellen Cappellanti, Thomas Clark, James Dailey, Linda Dickirson, Steve Farmer, Steve Goodwin, Steve Kite, Carolyn Long, Paul Martinelli, Ted Mattern, William Nutting, Jason Parsons, Drew Payne, Parry Petroplus, Ed Robinson, Sally Smith and Robert Wells.”
May 16, 2008 at 11:36 pm
WVNS-TV reports silent protest of refusal to shake the hand of the president at tonight’s Honors Ceremony- students and faculty.
May 17, 2008 at 12:15 am
OF COURSE they bs’d Rodriguez into the buyout. If Garrison’s mouth is moving, he’s lying—same for Farmer. I’ll bet my bank account that Garrison told Rod EXACTLY what Rod says he told him.
May 17, 2008 at 12:16 am
Ya Think? says “Should I get in line too? I always wanted a law degree.”
Now THAT is a great idea. What better protest than for several hundred additional folks to show up in cap and gown (I’m sure they can be dug up somewhere) and stand around waiting to get in line for a diploma.
May 17, 2008 at 12:40 am
I am actually happier that Steve Goodwin is stepping down as BOG than anything else. This guy is like the Emperor.
Maybe the rest of the BOG can force him to resign. Of course, they will just put some other two-bit hack in there (Farmer or Petroplus). Word on the street is Goodwin has been making some threat phone calls to people telling them to toe the line. Funny. I did not think the Goodwin family had any political connections. If you believe that, I have some beach front property in Wyoming to sell you.
Until then, I will just put that I have an MBA on my resume from WVU until somebody calls my bluff =).
May 17, 2008 at 12:41 am
I know a lot of people that are changing their minds about RR. Now
that they know more about Manchin and MG.
May 17, 2008 at 1:03 am
We must conclude in this sad episode of WVU’s history that the President is the ultimate “bubble boy”. He lives in a very small, insulated world and doesn’t seem to “get” what has happened and what others think of his leadership. During a recent lunch with the president of a revered, historic academic institution on the east coast, the president shared with me his utter shock that Mr. Garrison still chooses not to resign. The question is no longer whether WVU’s reputation has been soiled by this mess. It has been soiled and it will take years for dignity to be restored. Mr. Garrison, your fellow university presidents are with the WVU faculty on this matter.
May 17, 2008 at 1:13 am
Just posted on Post-Gazette site –
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08138/882675-28.stm
May 17, 2008 at 1:51 am
I’m really surprised he’s attending graduation events. I guess he hasn’t had his ‘come to Jesus’ meeting with the BOG yet…….
May 17, 2008 at 4:25 am
Evidently he believes the WVU faculty and staff can be bought. Where will he get the money for this in this economy? Payraises are rarely more than a 3% pool for WVU employees. Oh yes, it certainly must be all that donor money coming in.
“In an interview this week with The Intelligencer, Garrison said he will in June propose a 7.3-percent pay increase for faculty and staff, as well as work to make good on promises of a day care center and wellness initiatives for university employees in the coming months.”
May 17, 2008 at 6:30 am
What seems to be amiss in this most unforunate scenario, is the ramification for WVU’s future with varying lawsuits–one claims to have a degree, paper doesn’t substantiate it, but remember, this has happened before at WVU…and so it goes
May 17, 2008 at 6:32 am
Which, is the main reason WVU needs to clean house, entirely, and begin anew
May 17, 2008 at 6:37 am
it would appear the posting by anne May 15, 2008 at 7:48 pm predicting the eviction of Prof Sedgman was accurate if you read the Dominion Post this morning. Interesting that it claims she is being forced out of her space for Orthopedics. The VP claims there is no retaliation or retribution but the chair of ortho (Emery) signed the bailes letter and sedgman spoke out publically the day before at the faculty assembly against MG. Coincidence? I do not think so. it would appear that anne’s predictions are more accurate than deepthroat. good work anne!
May 17, 2008 at 7:06 am
Looks like another insightful PPG article. I worked on the downtown campus and Evansdale so I didn’t know anything about the political climate at HSC until I read this blog. To those Fifth Column posters who shed light on another unacceptable situation — well done. And thanks.
May 17, 2008 at 7:33 am
The Post-Gazette reporters are now onto the happenings in the HSC. That may make some people uncomfortable.
In the meanwhile another editorial calling for the resignations
http://www.wvgazette.com/Opinion/Editorials/200805160533
May 17, 2008 at 7:36 am
I think there is more to the segeman deal than is printed. I would bet that her program was asked to move long before these 2 votes were ever cast.
throughout this entire process there may be some who want to take advantage of the confusion and speculation that is being created to further personal agendas- not pointing fingers- just be careful and believe only what you see or hear yourself!
Nobody is 100% clean
May 17, 2008 at 8:26 am
…he’s trying to ‘buy’ the faculty…
http://theintelligencer.net/page/content.detail/id/509599.html?nav=515&actionAlert=commentadded#commentNum20291
May 17, 2008 at 8:27 am
Bray Cary is now calling for Garrison’s resignation.
http://www.wboy.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=38748&catid=203
May 17, 2008 at 8:27 am
Not sure if the link worked. The article entitled, Garrison: “I need to Stay at WVU” in the Intelligencer.
May 17, 2008 at 8:28 am
For what it’s worth, the Wheeling Intellligencer (employer of BOG member Bill Nutting) today has an interview with MG on the front page, “I Need to Stay at WVU.” That MG sat down with that paper’s reporter may indicate he views it as sympathetic; I don’t know.
http://theintelligencer.net/page/content.detail/id/509599.html?nav=515
May 17, 2008 at 8:34 am
Great quote from Cary’s column (thanks for the link Lee):
“As a result of the Bresch and Rodriguez debacles, the university finds itself in a nosedive, spiraling faster and faster toward a crash landing.”
The longer MG stays, the worse (it that’s possible) the reputation of WVU will be. And that’s a shame for those left behind…
May 17, 2008 at 8:38 am
This was interesting too:
After some intense discussions, I now believe that a significant number of the Board of Governors no longer think President Mike Garrison can be an effective leader of West Virginia University.
May 17, 2008 at 8:51 am
Sickening, self-serving article. I cannot believe Garrison has the gall to blame record-keeping for this fiasco.
From the “Intelligencer” article:
“Among the issues raised by the report to be addressed is an absence of record keeping at WVU.
“We need to maintain files for every applicant — clean files that are clear and up to date, as well as a physical copy of the courses the student is taking,” Garrison said. “A policy for offering incompletes, degree audits, cross checks … there’s a whole long laundry list of things that could be done better and will be done better as the panel recommends.
“We’re going to bring in a third-party consultant, as well. Someone who is an expert in academic record-keeping.”
May 17, 2008 at 8:53 am
And now in the Wheeling Intelligencer article, he is takes credit for the Fiesta Bowl win. Unbelievable.
May 17, 2008 at 8:57 am
As previously noted, it would appear WVU’s records department is the only bunch with integrity in this scandal. It seems, from the quote Ann pulled, MG is saying not does Heather “believe” she earned the MBA but he believes it too, and it was just faulty record-keeping that denied it to her for 10 years. What a tool.
May 17, 2008 at 9:03 am
Sorry, not ONLY does Heather believe … but Mike believes it too.
May 17, 2008 at 9:07 am
Alums, the record keeping was given a clean bill of health in the REPORT (which all of Garrison’s followers point to but must never read). By continuing to raise “record keeping” as a problem, he is further tarnishing your degree (exactly contrary to what is written in the report). It is outrageous.
May 17, 2008 at 9:08 am
Wow, they hit each and every talking point in that article in the Intelligencer, huh?
May 17, 2008 at 9:09 am
LaReina: It is for consumption of the SEC and Mylan as mentioned before. He cats doubt on it to save her story while disparaging thousands of WVU grads.
May 17, 2008 at 9:09 am
Exactly, LaReina. A&R is solid. When MG casts totally unsubstantiated suspicion on WVU record-keeping, he personally devalues all our degrees.
May 17, 2008 at 9:13 am
So it’s probably fair to say BOG member Nutting – the invisible Nutting, compared to Ogden and Bob – is not likely to do the right thing (by our definition), given the tenor of Saturday’s front page coverage.
May 17, 2008 at 9:17 am
Horse at 9:09 AM: Can you explain your statement about the SEC and Mylan? I must have missed that previously.
Also, I took classes at WVU in the early 90s. When I decided to complete my degree elsewhere, I had no problem getting a transcript. There is no problem with A&R. Of course I did actually go to the classes and do the work. That might make a difference.
BTW: I did hear from an A&R employee that they were told Ms. Bresch would have to start all over to get her MBA now as it’s been >10 years since she originally started.
May 17, 2008 at 9:29 am
The arrogance of Garrison supporting her and Bresch contining to maintain she has the degree is mind-numbing. The panel concluded, unequivacolly that the record-keeping was not at fault, that it was in order and that it supported the conclusion that there was no degree. I am sorry but what part of this conclusion is so hard for those intimately involved to understand? How can they continue to hold to what has been proven to be untrue? There is no problem in R/A that requires fixing. Look, anyone can say they have a degree but without that transcript and that diploma, well, “where’s the beef?” to coin an old saying? So where does this leave all of the rhetoric about taking steps laid out by the panel to insure somenthing like this does not happen again, whenthere was no issue with the records. There is an issue with those who chose to use, direct and manipulate the records.
May 17, 2008 at 9:37 am
I just posted to the wrong thread, so let me repeat…
I just watched that Saturday morning news show on Channel 12.
Bray Cary was talking about some change of opinion within the BOG, and he said something about Garrison making the right decision within 100 hours.
Does anyone know what he’s talking about. Is there breaking news?
May 17, 2008 at 9:38 am
I was referring to the King who is head of the WVU Foundation. And, NO, I do not give him a pass for being new. (Judge King’s comments are absolutely on target!! )
Foundation King’s statements in a newspaper article were patronizing and insulting. He indicated that these things will blow over and in a relatively short time, alumni and donars will drizzle back.
I do not care if he is lately arrived from Pluto –he should have known better than to make such asinine comments. The contempt shown by the likes of King, Lang, Garrison, Goodwin, et al. to WVU faculty, alumni and students is stunning. They are just lined up w/ gas cans awaiting their turn to throw them on the conflagration.
May 17, 2008 at 9:50 am
BTW–Steve Douglas is a not a “bad guy” in this and I hated to deliver that letter to HIM, but he is the pres. of the Alumni Association. I really feel for him and others who are having to deal w/ this mess and yet have no say in solving it. When the “bad guys” back us into a corner and leave no choice, the “good guys” take the arrows.
Also, when I was looking for his exact title yesterday, I had an Alumni Mag. from Fall 2007 which “featured” MG’s rise to emperor status. NOWHERE, could I find Steve Douglas mentioned. It gave names of number of people on the “Contents” page, but not Steve’s. I had to go online to find his name and title.
My “Carolina Review” from UNC, Chapel Hill (still life-member there) always has a “letter” on the last page from Alumni Pres. Douglas S. Dibbert.
May 17, 2008 at 9:52 am
To all the loyal blue and gold “resistance fighters” do not lose your courage! If he survives the summer (which I doubt he will) imagine fine autumn days where he is booed by tens of thousands at Puskar stadium (I love the irony) should he show his face or have his name mentioned. Those in attendance will not be properly restrained by the decorum of graduation ceremonies. Justice will be yours. FREE WVU! FREEDOM!
May 17, 2008 at 9:52 am
the Wheeling connection is from R and V associates and Bailes among others. Probably the only paper that would print this garbage.
May 17, 2008 at 9:55 am
RE: PPG Article
“We are a university that expects free and open discussion of all issues. There has not been, nor will there ever be, retribution or retaliation by this administration towards anyone,” said interim Health Sciences vice president Dr. Fred Butcher.
THIS-IS-A-LIE!
May 17, 2008 at 9:58 am
The Nuttings have given beaucoups bucks to WVU in the past (esp. the J-school). Instead of saying to MG, “Resign or we’ll withhold our money,” they’ve given him a forum on page one.
While it’s true there’s a Nutting on the Wheeling Hospital board – or has been – I don’t know that one should infer some nefarious Bailes/R. Violi motive. The Nuttings predate all of those folks and would be supporting WVU even if Julian Bailes didn’t exist.
May 17, 2008 at 10:21 am
The fundamental problem here is the practice of “realpolitik” by most involved. Garrison, Macia and those installed by the Emperor most likely knew it was wrong (because of there general lack of understanding for the sanctity of higher education, probably not how wrong) give a degree to the Emperor’s daughter. But they thought it likely the most expedient thing to do. Then they get caught. As is repeatedly the case “the cover up is far worse than the crime.” Name the -gate this is the case. This is why some of you have conflicting opinions about those involved.
Simultaneously, it seems that Bailes is also practicing the same “realpolitik”. He probably legitimately would like to see change at the HSC. Which has never lived up to its awesome potential. I don’t know enough to know if his idea of change is good or not. In order to see change he latches on to MG and in his mind was making progress. Now the same realpolitik forces him to hold on to what he has to realize is a losing proposition. Same goes for the people he strong armed to sign the letter.
Famori. Clearly tied your string to the wrong kite. Not sure what politics you’re practicing.
Sedgman and the center for Innate Health, was never viewed as legitimate by most at HSC and is now practicing realpolitik to capitalize on the situation. Will be interesting to see if some of those who were most vocal about this center will come to its defense. Realpolitik.
Meanwhile our great alma mater is being called a whore. I do believe nearly all involved love her. We must defend her honor.
Those that practice this type of politics have learned a valuable lesson. If they love WVU they must now fall on their sword. Sorry Mike, but you’ve got to go.
Governor Manchin this shame and the blood of our University and your friends and minions is on your hands. How do you sleep at night?
May 17, 2008 at 10:24 am
mountaineer-in-Pitt-exile -
I would be a shame for any student and far more a crime against the faculty if the fall semester starts and Michael Garrison is the President of WVU. WVU deserves better.
I read the PPG article this morning. I was dissappointed at the number of people who shook his hand during graduation. I wish them well in their job search (and I’ll ask them to include ketchup with my Big Mac when I order from them at MacDonalds).
May 17, 2008 at 10:26 am
mountaineer-in-Pitt-exile – well said.
May 17, 2008 at 10:27 am
Mountaineer in Pitt has got it right.
May 17, 2008 at 10:39 am
While I realize “pawns” are weaved all through this debacle and there are different levels of relevant players, but Amy Neil is still a culpible player and willing participant in the obvious lies she was charged to tell.
…and Speaker?
…a clean sweep is required.
May 17, 2008 at 10:40 am
hey “whistleblower”, Fred Butcher is one of the slickest,craftiest administrators you’d want to meet……..LIE?……..i suspect he is a pawn also inthis thing,he would do ANYTHING to save his political life,and job at the University….where else would he go?..he has no credentials to do what he is doing now ANYWHERE else in the world………neither do a majority of the “leaders” at the HSC……..the only reason they hold these positions is that they have been at WVU long enough….you have people there now who are incredible researchers who would not leave because they love WEST VIRGINIA,but because they speak their mind (thank GOD for them) they have long been banished in their respective departments….it is a terrible sham, shell game……………..and the majority of good people up there are scared to death to talk…….THAT IS NOT ACADEMIC FREEDOM!!!!!
May 17, 2008 at 10:41 am
So much real truth is recorded above. The nonsense going on at WVU is a symptom of the larger problem.
That problem is a cancer, known as The Manchin Family.
Ask ANYONE in Marion County, the homebase of The Family.
You either play it THEIR WAY, or you disappear. No, they will not kill you, but they will starve your roots. Yep, your property taxes hit the ceiling, your business suddenly has no customers, your children all-of-a-sudden start doing poorly in school. If you can think it, it can happen to you.
Notice the number of people above who previously lived in WV, but no longer? They felt The Family.
The time has come to clean house. Until we as West Virginians clean house, we will continue to be the laughing stock of the nation.
Start by getting rid of: Garrison, Goodwin, and associates.
It will take longer, but next…get The Manchin Family out of any and all public offices.
ONLY THEN WILL THE CANCER BE REMOVED, AND THE HEALING CAN BEGIN.
Garrison must go.
Goodwin must go.
The Manchins must go.
May God help us in this heroic endeavor.
May 17, 2008 at 10:48 am
“a clean sweep is required”
That is a very interesting comment and thought. However how far down does the sweeping go? While attempting to cut fat you might hit muscle….meaning that there are lots of people in mid & upper level positions (IE not strictly in Stewart Hall) who do great jobs and keep the place going.
Be careful what you push for- balance & cool heads must prevail.
Just an observation
May 17, 2008 at 10:51 am
to “a currentfacultymember”…….the reason the HSC will take way to long to save,is that this CANCER is CULTURE…………..i for one valued my time there,but have no reason to bellieve that ANYONE there want it fixed,and no reputable person from outside would have anything to do with it…..that is why you have alot of young bright folks ,from elsewhere,who come for their 3 years,become vested and move onward and upward……..there is no investment in academic excellance,it unfortunately NOT the underpinning of guys like Butcher/Brick to foster that……….because they are not experienced with it,and it frightens them…….
May 17, 2008 at 10:57 am
Mountaineer-in-Pitt-exile stated the mantra I’ve been conversationally repeating: The cover-up is always worse than the crime. A recent WV political example? Jerry Mezzatesta, former chair of the House education committee.
Now…let’s move on to a realpolitik analysis of Tuesday’s election results for Joe.
On Monday, the “Gazette’s” Phil Kabler mouthpieced info from the Manchin campaign hierarchy. They said if an unfunded ($12k) nobody named “Melvin Kessler” garnered 30 percent of the vote, they’d acknowledge that a measurable, take-notice protest vote against the incumbent existed in the state.
Kessler got 24 percent, and you can take it to the bank that the real number they were looking at was 25 percent, given Kessler’s no-bank-account, nobody status.
Now…consider this: Suppose anything, including my locally vilified dog, “Bark ‘Blackie’ Obama” had been on the ballot and had just enough campaign resources to saturate the state’s major media airwaves (TV and radio) for a week or so with an ad referencing the WVU scandal and saying that the last thing we need is for an “event” reinforcing national and international perceptions/stereotypes of WV as a crony-infested backwater, especially a scandal involving the state’s flagship academic institution…
What percentage of the vote do you imagine good ol’ “Bark” might have received?
I’d say the rock-bottom minimum number would be 33, given someone called “Melvin Kessler’s” 24.
No offense, Mr. Kessler, whomever you may be.
May 17, 2008 at 10:58 am
Dear Mountaineer-in-Pitt-exile,
I appreciate the opportunity to discuss “realpolitik” in this case and I agree with many of the political-economic assumptions discussed on this blog.
Can we just put Garrision aside for one moment. Just a moment, please.
The question – why did Lang allow this to happen – is still not being adequately addressed. I ask the question again – as he was very angry and hostile in October because the political connections these blogs are focused on rejected the man who had supreme control over most of the university and felt he deserved to be the next WVU President.
I still struggle with the power relations associated with this fiasco. Lang’s statement to the panel says clearly that he requested that Macia be present at selected meetings and it is most hard to believe that mild mannered Craig Walker intimidated Jerry Lang. Furthermore, he “took one for the team” stuff that I hear at times is ahistorical fiction.
Provost Lang has been working on this golden parachute for years. You faculty must know this.
May 17, 2008 at 11:05 am
“WVU President Mike Garrison believes it’s in the best interest of the university’s faculty — those who most want him gone from his job — that he remain at his post.”
What chutzpah, wow. I’m a journalist, but the more I hear this man talk the more I want to see him gone.
May 17, 2008 at 11:11 am
Payraises and day care, baby! That’s all WVU needs.
May 17, 2008 at 11:11 am
Lang may have felt he should have had the chance, but his credentials simply were (and are) not up to snuff compared to Nellis and Bernstine, much less the people who dropped out of the race. His ego may have thought him there. Quit blowing smoke, it may not be over for Lang, but he is protected as long as Garrison is in charge.
May 17, 2008 at 11:12 am
concerned
I to am puzzled by Jerry Lang. This is compounded by perhaps the most bizarre statement made in this entire debacle. In the face of withering criticism by the panel he states, “I would have done the same thing again.” Is he too proud or does he have no pride? Jerry Lang is so insulated at this point by his “parachute” he is one of the few people that could quickly change the course of these events. He is protected. Jerry Lang should come forward. Does he want to spend the remainder of his academic years, life even, knowing that he turned his back on everything he presumably held dear for 30 years? Does he have the courage?
Same goes for the Governor. This could be the workings of a drama for Cliffside Amphitheater 200 years from now. It all starts because a father does not have the courage to tell his daughter she didn’t work hard enough. That she failed. Can he now find the courage to say so? Because I actually do believe he loves WVU (as would be natural he loves his daughter more). Can he now find the courage to come forward and make this right? West Virginians if they believe in anything believe in redemption, can this people find this courage? Or will they hide in the Machiavellian world of realpolitik?
May 17, 2008 at 11:24 am
Lang is and obviously was a hack, at least in terms of his “qualifications” for school presidency. He likely was miffed that someone with real and powerful statewide political connections got the nod instead and that he was never even in the running.
Then…along comes the opportunity to show what a good hack he is and forever ingratiate himself, through Garrison and Heather, to the state’s real powerbrokers came along, and…hell…he was probably Tumescent on Day 4 when grades were changed and a bogus degree was awarded, with his notable consent.
These people are assholes and dumbasses. People should quit making excuses for them.
And stop being “afraid” of them, although I’ll admit that, for many, there does exist the real possibility of repercussions when they publicly stand up for what is the right thing to do.
Sad. Sad as hell.
May 17, 2008 at 11:28 am
Here’s another thing: Didn’t Kessler receive an astonishing 42 percent in Monongalia County?
Note to prosecutor’s office: this is your wake-up call.
May 17, 2008 at 11:31 am
I wish everyone could have been at the Medical school graduation ceremony this morning and seen the standing ovation given when Dr. John Prescott ‘hooded’ a medical student. It was the longest sustained ovation of the ceremony.
May 17, 2008 at 11:31 am
Call 20/20 or another news show. During an election year they would love to do an article on this. Good ol boy politics.
May 17, 2008 at 11:35 am
Apparently I’m not the only one who gave Kessler-whoever-he-is a protest vote.
May 17, 2008 at 11:36 am
No Ann you’re not. A lot of my friends did the same.
May 17, 2008 at 11:36 am
Good grief.
It’s just starkly occurred to me: “Good Hack” in WV today isn’t the equivalent of what “Good German” meant after the Holocaust, but the very fact that one is tempted to make the (yes, ultimately tasteless and, yes, ultimately tragically trivializing) analogy is revealing about the epically sad state of affairs in this “state.”
May 17, 2008 at 11:46 am
Kudos to Kane Maiers at the School of Medicine graduation–hooded by John Prescott and then kept him on stage, motioned to him and we all witnessed an incredible standing ovation. Well done!
May 17, 2008 at 11:50 am
I don’t know all the stuff that goes on behind closed doors at the HSC, but I do know that it could be an outstanding health care and research facility. People who come for various reasons think the campus, including Ruby, HSC, POC and the new construction are great. However, buildings are only the shell and what makes a great facility are the people inside. Too many intelligent, dedicated, people have gone. Those who strive for excellence are ridiculed. The term “good enough” seems to be the standard.
May 17, 2008 at 12:04 pm
WVU Employee
You are absolutely right, and I think this is what others have tried to say on this blog. This also seems to be one of the ironies here. One possible solution is a critical examination by outsiders (perhaps then implemented by those who feel most passionately about the place) who are not blinded. To my mind Bailes, at least initially was an outsider, the consultants, like them or not, have been very successful elsewhere. Butcher/Brick and the gang wouldn’t know success if it jumped up and smacked them in the face (in fact they would crush it out of fear of how different it is from them). I think that is what mountaineer-in-pitt-exile was trying to say too. This mess doesn’t necessarily have a totally good and a totally bad side (certainly very bad things have been done by some, sometimes in the name of love for alma mater). All of it unfortunately will not only prevent the HSC achieving what could be, but set it back even further.
May 17, 2008 at 12:10 pm
This is all about making sports and local economic development the driving forces/#1 priority (or something close to that, maybe it’s “merely” #1A) in WVU’s growth.
Hell, I love Mountaineer sports, and I love the places and situations in this state where the prospect of sustained, non-destructive economic development exists.
That’s why I think the next WVU president must be someone with enough “realpolitik” credibility to strike a balance between that aforementioned “priority” and our academic progress.
Oh, and did I mention that it needs to be someone who was on the side of the Lord’s Avenging Old Testament Angels in l’affaire Heather/Garrison?
Someone who knows the law, respects it, loves the Platonic Ideal Idea of WVU and who, yes, also understands certainly political realities but exists safely (though not entirely) outside of the WV good ol’ boy political Matrix?
Just off the top of my head…sounds like Pete Kalis, to me, anyway.
May 17, 2008 at 12:11 pm
“exist”, not “exists”
Sorry, just in case any Garrison/Heather hoe English or J School types are lurking and posting here.
May 17, 2008 at 12:12 pm
An outside, third-party review would be welcomed ig, and only if, they were/are “disinterested”. But, there are possible conflicts of interest with the consultants,Garrison and BOG members.
May 17, 2008 at 12:14 pm
and…”certain,” not “certainly”.
For the elsewhere stated reasons. I don’t trust any of these bastards or the types of demagoguery they might be willing to stoop to in their cornered rat desperation desire to hold on to power, if not conquer.
May 17, 2008 at 12:15 pm
i can name at LEAST 20 outstanding physicians who,at one time bled blue and gold, but due to the “politics as usual” with D’allesandri/butcher/bricks et al, are flourishing at other institutions and being successful…………….you had the opportunity to “make a run at it” with Prescott, but i guess it just proved too uncomfortable didnt it?………
May 17, 2008 at 12:22 pm
lol prospect = exists; was correct the first time
wish we had an “edit post” function here.
Even more, wish I weren’t so paranoid in this situation about Internet message board grammar.
Apologies to all for my paranoid over-fastidiousness.
May 17, 2008 at 12:41 pm
PPG coverage from the 12/21/07 article onward…extraordinary and right on target.
Today…they slipped. Brought in marginal stuff (i.e. the lawyer’s ad sniffing out money making lawsuits). And, a headline about possible recrimination for Wednesday’s votes in the form of lost office space?
Len and Patti have been so good about not promoting personal agendas and sticking with evidence about the key academic integrity issue here.
If they want to write about campus politics, there are plenty of stories in their own backyard at Pitt, CMU, State System of Higher Education, etc. Those games are played everywhere.
There main story is far from being finished. Let’s hope they keep on it.
WVU doesn’t need any more bad press.
May 17, 2008 at 12:42 pm
That’s “Their”.
May 17, 2008 at 12:49 pm
I think I smell a lawyer hater.
May 17, 2008 at 12:49 pm
To “formerproud westvirginiaphysician” – much of what you say remains true. However, some things have changed since you left. I must be careful how much I say, for real & perceived fear of retaliation. I am a physician, and can say that you are correct, there is a cancer within the administration of HSC and even UHA. The cancer will take a long time to excise. That is because it is rooted in the “downtown club” lead by the likes of Lang, Garrison and Goodwin. AND that sad clan is being given instructions by The Manchin Family.
As I stated before, until THE MANCHIN FAMILY is either gone, or, out of power, this mess will never truly change or even begin to heal. Why did Prescott “resign”? He was not ‘one of the chosen’ and would not ‘play the sick Manchin game.’ There is your reason, plain and simple. And, he is too much of a gentleman to say anything negative. We need more dedicated, intelligent and professional folks, like him.
More evidence…as soon as Prescott “resigned”, Butcher [another member of the extended Manchin Family] announced Brick as interim Dean. Brick, yet another spineless native who sucks up to The Manchin Family.
Don’t be mislead…the sickness is not isolated to downtown Morgantown. It is alive and well, and spreading like a cancer at Ruby, UHA and HSC…no school is exempt. Just sniff around Pharmacy or Nursing…you will recognize the odor, the odor of Manchin Shit.
Lets all keep the pressure on, even if we disagree on some minor issues. The dialogue and disagreements are part of the lifeblood of academics. Embrace it, do not reject it. It makes us stronger.
Garrison must go.
Goodwin must go.
The Manchin Family must go.
May 17, 2008 at 12:55 pm
With regard to Dr Sedgeman – her offices were already moved once a while back to the 3rd floor of HSC. What is so ironic about the so called medical school expansion cited by Butcher in the DP today is that people will be vacating that particular building to move into the new research building in June, as well as moving into the cancer center extension later when that is finished. there will be also some (small) movement into the brni building. So that frees up oodles of space at HSC – more than enough space for Dr Emory’s empire. that coupled with the faculty who are all leaving will leave even more space in HSC – it will be an empty shell the way it is going now… So there is no need to move Dr Sedgeman to make way for Dr Emory – unless of course you believe that this is a reprisal for her speaking out and a reward to him for being a good boy and signing the Bailes letter. He is already in good company being one of the top 5 earners at HSC – clearly not reward enough. But as we know now from today’s DP – that Dr Butcher says there are no reprisals at HSC for speaking out. Indeed, and Mikey is a Rhodes scholar too…
May 17, 2008 at 12:56 pm
We need video of the med school hooding.
Youtube.
Now.
May 17, 2008 at 1:00 pm
The last line
“Montani Semper Liberi”
free WVU!
May 17, 2008 at 1:10 pm
Somebody could fund our cause selling t-shirts with that slogan
Montani Semper Liberi
Free WVU!
May 17, 2008 at 1:24 pm
HK, nah, don’t hate lawyers. Just don’t like to get off in the margins when there’s a central theme that’s so important.
May 17, 2008 at 1:44 pm
It’s okay if you do, you know. I hate myself most of the time.
May 17, 2008 at 1:53 pm
Garrison’s attacks on those who’ve opposed him isn’t off in the margin. To the contrary, it’s the part of the story that may tip things against him.
May 17, 2008 at 1:58 pm
currentfaculty and former proud……….both correct…….there is a deep rooted CANCER in the HSC……….good luck rooting it out,or even addressing it……..there are so many “closed faculty doors”,for fear of reprisal……….the underpinning of academic medicine is open discussion………..even to the point of dissagreement……………not the case with BUTCHER et al……….
May 17, 2008 at 2:04 pm
Pittsburgh or not, the Post Gazette will have a powerful story if they look at R & V, Wheeling, Bailes, et al. They need to go for it. Anyone with a lead should contact them.
YouTube idea for the Prescott part of the ceremony is wonderful. Wish I’d thought of it.
May 17, 2008 at 2:09 pm
The brand new doctors at the medical school graduation today that honored Dr Prescott with a standing ovation understand the Hippocratic Oath. Too bad many of the other at the HSC do not.
May 17, 2008 at 2:12 pm
Important: did someone leave a comment about a BOG or Foundation member intimidating a student? Or did I just imagine that?
If so, point me to it ASAP.
May 17, 2008 at 2:23 pm
HK – the students who joined WVUMIR were approached and phoned and told not to participate in it. There are other posters who can elucidate on that if they want to. There are other instances mentioned but I think they were posted in a different thread.
May 17, 2008 at 2:28 pm
Keep it coming — there are so many comments at this point, it’s almost impossible to sift through them all.
The intimidation angle — with students AND faculty — is very important right now. There’s a post in the works about it. But I need details.
May 17, 2008 at 2:33 pm
Agreed, Molly. But another angle to this whole “exit strategy” is that Garrison is not expendable until the “status quo” can no longer do business. What if:
- the consultants find their job at HSC unmanageable because people simple refuse to take suggestions because the prospects of Garrison being wounded, it allows a level of “fuck you”;
- local connected developers start having difficulty do to bu “business” due to their pecieved relationships with WVU;
- or the Governor faces political embarassment and ridicule prior to the convention and general election, when his sights are set on larger things
( read appointment(s));
Then he becomes a liability. Will his replacement quell the “mob”? To the degree that powers can retreat back into the shadows? That will be the thought process and dterminants to the exit.
That’s why the focus needs to be on the dealings themselves, the scurrilous
nature in which this was propagated and the culture of corruptness – all seen as the “price of doing business”. If heads have to fall, or carrers damaaged- sobeit. It’s merely collateral damage as far as I am concerned…
Well, maybe I take a certain amount of schadenfreude in certain peoples lot.
May 17, 2008 at 2:55 pm
HK-There were comments somewhere about student govt officers who were intimidated. I think it was the VP? I don’t know his/her name though and I don’t remember which thread. I think someone had referred to it from comments that were made at the faculty meeting?
May 17, 2008 at 3:09 pm
HK, I think one of the sources for the post was a DP story a few days ago. There may have been something in DA as well.
May 17, 2008 at 3:27 pm
Sorry it turns out that I saw it on the Garrison must Go blog which found the reference on another blog. I think it may have been discussed on this blog too! I don’t have access to the DP article that is referenced does anyone else?
BOG member threatening students? Blog post from Bloodless Coup – 5/13/08
May 13th, 2008
From the blog Bloodless Coup
The Dirtiest Side of the Bresch Scandal: Intimidating WVU Students
Miles Layton buried the lead in his story in today’s Dominion-Post on the climate of fear that’s come to exist at WVU. It’s well known that those friendly to the Goodwin/Garrison side of things have been putting pressure on certain faculty, especially at the medical center, to openly side with President Garrison, or at the very least not come out against him. But something else that’s also gone on is far more disturbing.
Layton notes, several paragraphs into his story, that students who’ve wanted to take a stand against the mismanagement of the Garrison administration have come under heavy pressure from other students, especially some associated with student government, not to do so. In fact students who had agreed to serve in the new group that is trying to improve the university’s reputation in the wake of the scandal, Mountaineers for Integrity and Responsibility, have been pressured out of joining the organization. As to the students in question, it’s no great secret who some of them are – while SGA President Jason Parson has publicly backed Garrison, SGA Vice President Tommy Napier and others have been openly critical of the administration’s failings.
What Layton fails to report though is exactly what kind of pressure the pro-Garrison students are putting on the critics of the administration – and why that pressure would be enough to silence, at least a bit, students who’ve spoken out against the misdeeds of some in the administration. Basically, pro-Garrison/Goodwin students (or at least one of them) have conveyed threats from a prominent member of the Board of Governors, telling these students that they will never have careers in this state unless they shut up. That a member of the Board of Governors is threatening WVU undergrads is horrifying. That a WVU student (who will of course deny it) is happily serving as his hatchet man is equally despicable. That WVU undergrads (who obviously can’t speak out about it) find themselves in this position for wanting to improve their university is a sad, sad thing.
[NOTE: Mike Garrison is NOT involved in this intimidation of students. But that one his allies on the Board has engaged in it shows that getting back to business as usual is the last thing this state and university needs.]
May 17, 2008 at 3:32 pm
HK- I’m new to this whole blogging thing so sorry if it’s against blogging etiquette to refer to other blogs.
May 17, 2008 at 3:39 pm
I know Goodwin too well and threatening students sounds like something he would do … he’s been busy shoring up Garrison’s troops behind the scenes … story making the rounds that Garrison and Goodwin got into a little tiff in Stewart Hall over Goodwin’s comments about faculty and Goodwin had to remind Garrison who put him there …
May 17, 2008 at 3:41 pm
HK, here is some info. It should at least point you in the right direction.
May 17, 2008 at 3:47 pm
Does anyone know if there will be a shake-up in any of the hsc departments ?
May 17, 2008 at 4:09 pm
Careful folks!!!
Just caught word that OIT is tracking who logs into this site.
If you read or comment from a WVU computer, you might just get a visit from the ‘boys.’
Best to login from home or a wifi site!
The danger is real.
May 17, 2008 at 4:15 pm
HK: The story is in DP of May 13. J. Miles Layton interviewed Boyd Edwards of MIR: . . . “‘We are concerned that there could be retribution from above to junior faculty members,’ he said. Edwards said te group has been trying to find a student representative, but two students who had consented to serve later stepped back. “‘It disturbs me mightily to see students being intimidated — this is unconscionable,’ Edwards said. One of those students said pressure came from friends active in student affairs. ‘I’ve felt pressure from friends — that what I’m doing is wrong,’ he said. ‘It is intimidation, but they are not dealing with the type of student who gives into [sic] that type of pressure. However, Garrison hasn’t pressured me at all. Faculty and staff support has been wonderful.’ The Dominion Post agreed not to identify the student. . . .”
May 17, 2008 at 4:15 pm
I’m sorry but that is just too paranoid and I don’t believe it for one minute.
May 17, 2008 at 4:16 pm
I think the story about the board members is in the DA.
May 17, 2008 at 4:22 pm
my comment is to HSCdoc
May 17, 2008 at 4:30 pm
Bray Cary is actually NOT talking out of his ass for once.
as I said earlier: I guess Mike hasn’t had his ‘come to Jesus’ meeting with the BOG yet……
May 17, 2008 at 4:30 pm
deepthroat, I don’t think this is excessive paranoia, because a faculty member got a message from university police that he was “stirring the pot” — this means someone was reading e-mails — scary
fore everyone: never, ever, ever use your employer’s computer for anything you would not want your employer to see
HK, I couldn’t find the DA story, there isn’t much of an archive for May — the DP story is more vague — maybe this was only on the blogs?
May 17, 2008 at 4:31 pm
typo: should be “for everyone”
May 17, 2008 at 4:33 pm
no, observer. The email you are referring to went from Sandy Baldwin to everyone and the campus police was reading his own mail.
May 17, 2008 at 4:34 pm
there’s two of us now — which is fine with me — but I’d never be caught dead writing/saying what you wrote
May 17, 2008 at 4:37 pm
deepthroat, that makes me feel better — I assumed the e-mail went only to faculty, not to all staff, but I still say you have to be very careful at work
other observer – I was referring to the language used about Bray Cary – my post was unclear
May 17, 2008 at 4:38 pm
Actually I am not surprised if there is monitoring of HSC logons to this blog, disappointed but not surprised. I have had some key emails bounce recently and have had to resend a number of times. I do not logon to this from a WVU computer and I suggest that folks get into the habit of not doing same. I have been telling folks at WVU to not do this for some time now, and am disturbed to hear that this might be happening at HSC. Recall also that the phone system is digital and your WVU computers go thru the same system. So be careful not just what you logon to, but who you call and what your conversation might be. Use your private cell phone for sensitive communication.
But there is a bright side to this that warms my heart – this shows how much at wits end these people really are right now – it shows that they are panicking… so the pressure needs to be kept up even more! Tighten the thumb screws… Panic breeds huge mistakes…
May 17, 2008 at 4:41 pm
1st observer – I will stop posting as ‘observer’ to avoid confusion. The Cary comment was just personal opinion – I don’t like the ‘cheerleader’ or ‘atta boy’ tone some of his statements take on.
May 17, 2008 at 4:41 pm
That’s funny if they’re monitoring things now, because they apparently had no problem at all with it last year when scores of Garrison bootlickers spent hours trolling this blog from their University provided work computers.
It would be really funny if they had a double standard about that sort of thing.
May 17, 2008 at 4:46 pm
Lived here all my life, am now in my 60’s, and I think only “Underwood
& Caperton are the only governors we,ve had without a scandal in
my lifetime.
May 17, 2008 at 4:54 pm
this is interesting and important – they are hinting that WVU faculty are deviating from the main source of the scandal because this would involve the issue of tenure. I agree:
http://www.wvgazette.com/Opinion/Editorials/200805160533
May 17, 2008 at 5:04 pm
“deepthroat” Why don’t you shake your magic eight ball and rub your crystal ball and tell us what’s going to happen?
May 17, 2008 at 5:09 pm
because you have already demonstrated that you do not deserve the respect of my thoughts.
May 17, 2008 at 5:17 pm
have been out all day so just now catching up on blog postings. did anyone ever post a video on U-tube from the medical school ceremony where prescott hooded a student ? would love to see that one. hope it includes the look on garrison’s face and anyone from the BOG in attendance. was bailes selling any fish oil at the medical school ceremony ?has there been any other ceremony observations ? I still worry about my friends who work at the HSC. now there is rumor of the leaders checking website surfing and emails ? good grief !
May 17, 2008 at 5:34 pm
Make a post here, everything helps.
May 17, 2008 at 5:39 pm
With an ego like that you MUST be a troop leader at Camp Garrison! I just learned that from my crystal ball (and by talking to some HSC folks). I’ll let you borrow it if you want.
May 17, 2008 at 5:41 pm
Sorry, try this.
May 17, 2008 at 5:50 pm
you need to take your medication and get off this blog. No one here wants to here anything you have to say.
May 17, 2008 at 5:57 pm
The ultimate responsibility for the continuing damage to WVU falls squarely on the shoulders of the Board of Governors. Their failure to act is despicable. They ought to be ashamed of themselves.
http://www.wvumir.org/petition.html
May 17, 2008 at 5:58 pm
new observer – I’m not a State Journal fan at all and I do not disagree with your opinion, just with the language used to express it — Dan Page and Bray Caray guys are way too pro-coal for my taste, but I’m glad they turned against Mike
May 17, 2008 at 5:59 pm
Has Bailes been able to show his face around town?
May 17, 2008 at 6:00 pm
Metro news has the names of the 2 students who refused to shake Garrison’s hand last night at the Honors Convocation (or whatever it’s called).
May 17, 2008 at 6:02 pm
Thought I saw a post a while ago about some form of protest at the BOG meeting June 6 in Charleston. Any word on that? Live in Pittsburgh…would be willing to drive down the interstate to join in.
May 17, 2008 at 6:24 pm
I see the MIR list is up to 959. This morning, Greg Chiartas and Bruce Freeman, the Charleston attorneys considering a class action suit against WVU/Garrison/BOG, had 15 people. I’ll bet their numbers grew today.
Also, if you haven’t expressed your opinion to the BOG, I’m sure they’d love to hear from you: a636@aol.com, ecappellanti@jacksonkelly.com, hank.barnette@skadden.com, jason.parsons@mail.wvu.edu, jdailey@whmcontractors.com, prmartinelli@mail.wvu.edu, rwells@baileyglasser.com,
sbfarmer@fcclaw.net,
sgoodwin@goodwinware.com, steve.kite@mail.wvu.edu, tclark@citynet.com, wnutting@ogdennews.com
May 17, 2008 at 6:28 pm
Re tenure, given the media furor over the continued employment of Sears and Lang. The source is BOG Policy 2, linked to WV Faculty Handbook from WVU website. Look at 12.1.1 and 12.1.3 in evaluating their case. The person who revokes tenure is the “president’s designee.”
Section 9. Tenure.
9.1. Tenure is designed to ensure academic freedom and to provide professional stability for the experienced faculty member. It is a means of protection against the capricious dismissal of an individual who has served faithfully and well in the academic community. Continuous self-evaluation, as well as regular evaluation by peer and administrative personnel, is essential to the viability of the tenure system. Tenure should never be permitted to mask irresponsibility, mediocrity, or deliberate refusal to meet academic requirements or professional duties and responsibilities. Tenure applies to those faculty members who qualify for it and is a means of making the profession attractive to persons of ability. There shall be demonstrated evidence that tenure is based upon a wide range of criteria, established by the various schools, colleges, and campuses in conformance with this document and appropriate to the mission of the unit. Examples appropriate to all units include but are not limited to: excellence in teaching; accessibility to students; adherence to professional standards of conduct; effective service to the institution, college, or department; experience in higher education and at the institution; possession of the earned doctorate, special competence, or the highest earned degree appropriate to the teaching field; continued professional growth; and service to the people of the State of West Virginia. Examples appropriate to some units might include but are not limited to: publications and research; professional and scholarly activities and recognition; and significant service to the community. Ultimate authority regarding the application of guidelines and criteria relating to tenure shall rest with the university.
9.2. In making tenure decisions, careful consideration shall be given to the tenure profile of the campuses, projected enrollment patterns, staffing needs, current and projected mission of each department/division, specific academic competence of the faculty member, and preservation of opportunities for infusion of new talent. Campuses shall be mindful of the dangers of losing internal flexibility and accountability to the citizens of the State as the result of an overly tenured faculty.
9.3. For community and technical colleges, in order to be fully responsive to the changing needs of their students and clients, the goal in the appointment of faculty is to limit the number of tenured and tenure-track faculty to no more than twenty percent of full-time faculty employed by the respective community and technical college.
9.3.1. At community and technical colleges, full-time term faculty are eligible for reappointment, although no number of appointments shall create any presumption of the right to appointment as tenure-track or tenured faculty. A single appointment shall not exceed three years.
9.3.2. The employment standing of tenured and tenure-track faculty holding appointment at each of the community and technical colleges at the time of the implementation of this policy shall not be affected.
9.4. Tenure shall not be granted automatically, or solely because of length of service, but shall result from action by the president’s designee, following consultation with appropriate academic units.
9.5. Tenure may be granted at the time of the appointment by the president’s designee, following consultation with appropriate academic units.
9.6. Tenure may be attained only by faculty who hold the rank of Assistant Professor or above.
9.7 A faculty member who has been granted tenure shall receive yearly renewals of appointment unless dismissed or terminated for reasons set out in Sections 12, 13, or 14 below.
Section 12. Dismissal.
12.1. Causes for Dismissal: The dismissal of a faculty member shall be effected only pursuant to the procedures provided in these policies and only for one or more of the following causes:
12.1.1. Demonstrated incompetence or dishonesty in the performance of professional duties, including but not limited to academic misconduct;
12.1.2. Conduct which directly and substantially impairs the individual’s fulfillment of institutional responsibilities, including but not limited to verified instances of sexual harassment, or of racial, gender-related, or other discriminatory practices;
12.1.3. Insubordination by refusal to abide by legitimate reasonable directions of administrators;
7
12.1.4. Physical or mental disability for which no reasonable accommodation can be made, and which makes the faculty member unable, within a reasonable degree of medical certainty and by reasonably determined medical opinion, to perform assigned duties;
12.1.5. Substantial and manifest neglect of duty; and
12.1.6. Failure to return at the end of a leave of absence.
12.2. Notice of Dismissal for Cause: The president’s designee shall initiate proceedings by giving the faculty member a written dismissal notice by certified mail, return receipt requested, which dismissal notice shall contain:
12.2.1. Full and complete statements of the charge or charges relied upon; and
12.2.2. A description of the appeal process available to the faculty member.
12.3. Prior to giving the faculty member a written dismissal notice, the president’s designee shall notify the faculty member of the intent to give the written dismissal notice, the reasons for the dismissal, and the effective date of the dismissal. The faculty member shall have an opportunity to meet with the designee prior to the effective date to refute the charges.
12.4. Faculty who refuse to sign or execute an offered annual contract or notice of appointment or reappointment by the date indicated by the institution for its execution, or who fail to undertake the duties under such document at a reasonable time, shall be deemed to have abandoned their employment with the institution and any rights to tenure or future appointment. Faculty objecting to terms of such document do not waive their objections to such terms by signing or executing the document.
Section 13. Termination Because of Reduction or Discontinuance of an Existing Program.
Section 14. Termination Due to Financial Exigency.
May 17, 2008 at 6:37 pm
bailes is no where to be seen. must be at his summer home in europe.
May 17, 2008 at 6:39 pm
deepthroat: I’ll take my medication if you pull Garison’s dick out of your ass.
May 17, 2008 at 6:43 pm
oops . . I meant throat.
May 17, 2008 at 6:47 pm
Just looked at Bailes CV. He lists $23 million in grant funding. Of course 21.3 million is for something called the National Medical Practice Knowledge Bank from within the National Institute of Standards and Technology. A quick search to find out exactly how he might be related to this research reveals no association except that he use to be at Allegheny General that is a participant. I would be willing to bet everything he played a part role in this at best and that the millions were given to a lot of different centers. Hope somebody can ferret this out a bit more. It’s a bit of a George O’Leary CV (ND football coach for 2 days made up a master’s degree). Doesn’t surprise me that Dr. Bailes would see nothing wrong in Heather making up a few things for her vita. Interestingly the Governor’s office made a big deal about this grant money when they appointed him to some committee or something. Guarantee this a massive stretch of the truth. No surprise there.
May 17, 2008 at 6:48 pm
HK: I think the student who may have later been intimidated was on WBOY story when formation of MIR group was first announced. He was/is a member of the order of the Augusta, which is a select group of student scholars.
Names of two honors students who refused to shake hands with MG appear in the DP which ran a story on honors convocation below the fold. The story includes a nice pic of MG with nothing to do with his hands. Sidebar story on p.2 about MG’s expected appearance at some graduation events includes another great quote from Michael Perone, chairman of the psychology department on MG’s attendance: “I assume President Garrison’s intent is to show his respect for our students’ scholarly accomplishments. That is to his credit. He would show even greater respect if he placed their interests above his own and resigned.”
May 17, 2008 at 6:52 pm
Concern troll: I thought we chased you out of here once already. Now I see you are back trying to take the focus off the fox by directing Mountaineer in Pitt to Lang’s trail. Go back to your troll hole.
May 17, 2008 at 6:54 pm
It’s Saturday night, people.
Go drink some beer or something.
May 17, 2008 at 6:58 pm
Come on HK. We are drinking beer! Your site rocks. Except for the Pens bringing down this gaggle of clowns is the best sporting to be had at this time of year. As my mamma would say of Garrison, “I’m going to wipe that smirk right off your face.”
May 17, 2008 at 7:04 pm
From Wikipedia:
A concern troll is a pseudonym created by a user whose point of view is opposed to the one that the user’s sockpuppet claims to hold. The concern troll posts in web forums devoted to its declared point of view and attempts to sway the group’s actions or opinions while claiming to share their goals, but with professed “concerns”. The goal is to sow fear, uncertainty and doubt within the group.[10]
For example, in 2006 a top staffer for then-Congressman Charlie Bass (R-NH) was caught posing as a “concerned” supporter of Bass’s opponent, Democrat, Paul Hodes on several liberal New Hampshire blogs, using the pseudonyms “IndieNH” or “IndyNH.” “IndyNH” expressed concern that Democrats might just be wasting their time or money on Hodes, because Bass was unbeatable.[11]
May 17, 2008 at 7:07 pm
I just finished listening to Bray Cary’s commentary for Decisionmakers. If he is correct, there is pressure within the WVU Board to force Garrison’s resignation. Does anyone know who is aligned with whom and who might be on the fence?
May 17, 2008 at 7:20 pm
BOGdivided knows…but recommends to write to all of them. Outing them out may not be the wisest thing to do right now…
May 17, 2008 at 7:21 pm
I’d say someone telling Deepthroat to shake and rub his balls was where this train started off the tracks there, Casey Jones.
May 17, 2008 at 7:26 pm
I’m not so sure deepthroat.
May 17, 2008 at 7:27 pm
fox hunter – why do other opinions destabilize you so much?
is it ok in a university town to have more than one opinion?
May 17, 2008 at 7:28 pm
” Outing them out may not be the wisest thing to do right now”
Deepthroat has a very good point- the last thing WVU should evolve into is a leaderless mob, especially at a BOG level. There needs to be some sort of balance to this thing.
May 17, 2008 at 7:47 pm
I AM drinking beer.
May 17, 2008 at 8:09 pm
People like deepthroat have got us into this mess in the first place… WVU has been full of those who have been content to just let things be and not rock the boat. No more of the same thank you.
The place needs to have a clean out, and the only way to do that it to get rid of the cancer. This is the time to get rid of the cancer – while the students are away for the summer….
May 17, 2008 at 9:04 pm
Garrison just cowered in the corner during the law school graduation – never spoke or even stood up. Despite telling us he would be handing out the diplomas, they let the professor of the year do the honors. After all those speeches about honesty and integrity, maybe it made him uncomfortable (but not as uncomfortable as it makes us with Lang’s, Garrison’s, and Goodwin’s signatures on our degrees).
One professor, whose wife happens to be the local prosecuting attorney, did not attend the ceremony in protest of Garrison’s presence.
May 17, 2008 at 9:20 pm
RR says the Garrison “fix was in” months before he was hired.
What was the charade with Bernstine and Nellis about? Hope the BOG
don’t hear from their lawyers. But, then again, Bernstine wouldn’t
need one, since he was Dean of Law at Wisconson.
May 17, 2008 at 9:27 pm
Damn, I missed being # 400
May 17, 2008 at 9:27 pm
The charade was about making the process respectable to outsiders. This seems to be quite a common practice at WVU. :”After an exhaustive national search, we have found an exemplary candidate among our very own at WVU…” Think about how many emails you have got like that over the years…
May 17, 2008 at 9:43 pm
I was at the law school gradutation, too, SAM. It was interesting to see who went over to kiss Garrsion’s ring after hooding their grad.
May 17, 2008 at 9:57 pm
And who was that?
May 17, 2008 at 10:03 pm
Who is Kristina Olson?
Somebody asked this in another area of this site. Kristina Olson is an assistant professor of art history at WVU and a member of the WVU Faculty Senate. She is a supporter of Mike Garrison and has been quoted supporting him in at least three articles in the Dominion Post (all by Miles Layton). In his WVU website blog on April 28, Mike Garrison named her as one of “five inspiring young leaders from WVU.”
Doesn’t it seem strange that she, an art historian, continues to support Mike Garrison even after a donor pulled $2 million for the Art Museum at the WVU Creative Arts Center because of the Heather Bresch scandal?
During the faculty assembly meeting on May 14, Olson offered a motion calling for the administration and the faculty to “work together” to prevent an incident like the degree scandal from ever happening again.
“I believe the Senate needs to register its outrage at what happened, accept that the primary culpability ascribed by the report to Provost Lang and Dean Sears has been dealt with by their resignations, and to formalize a way forward that allows the faculty to have a greater say in matters of academic life through shared governance,” Olson said (quote from DP article).
Olson is married to Michael Slaven, a graduate of WVU and a history professor at the University of California, Pa. Her husband’s parents are Maynard and Marcia Slaven, both pharmacists in Grafton, W.Va.
Another son of Maynard and Marcia Slaven is Stuart Maynard Slaven, better known as Chip Slaven, who works at Jackson & Kelly law firm in Washington, D.C. and was a member of Governor Bob Wise’s administration at the same time as Mike Garrison.
(Others on this site have indicated that Marcia Slaven’s maiden name is Malone and that she is the sister of Heather Garrision’s father, Chip Malone. I do not know if this is true.)
Maynard Slaven wrote a letter to the Dominion Post on May 7, 2008, supporting Mike Garrison, praising his credentials and encouraging him to stay in office.
Olson and her husband are also friends with Alex Macia and his wife Leah.
I think what Ms. Olson has is a “conflict of interest” and that she should not be pretending that her views are impartial ones or that she has the best interest of WVU at heart. She is another person at WVU with personal connections to Mike Garrison that have not been made known.
Documentation of all the facts I have presented above can be found on the internet.
http://president.wvu.edu/
http://www.jacksonkelly.com/jk/index.asp?w=Attorneysbio&empl_uno=10948
http://www.seds.org/messier/xtra/marathon/msla00.txt:
http://web.mountain.net/~mslaven/
http://www.dominionpost.com/
(See Olson quotes in articles published May 5, May 15 and May 17; Maynard Slaven letter published May 7.)
May 17, 2008 at 10:11 pm
The PPG story on office relocation retaliation at HSC now made it to UPI.
http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Top_News/2008/05/17/wvu_professors_allege_retaliation_in_play/3045/
May 17, 2008 at 10:14 pm
Actually, it would have been funnier if Ashdown showed up in his Hustler t-shirt and black, leather vest.
May 17, 2008 at 10:34 pm
Here’s a short story and pictures from the law school commencement, courtesy of WV Media.
http://wowktv.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=38763
May 17, 2008 at 10:59 pm
“Beleaguered West Virginia University President Mike Garrison is taking a back seat at commencement ceremonies, a school spokeswoman said Friday, the latest sign of growing tensions at the school amid a degree scandal involving the governor’s daughter.
The first-year president canceled plans to deliver an address but will attend many of the weekend’s ceremonies, said spokeswoman Amy Neil. University heads typically preside over the granting of degrees.”
And it’s Saturday night and I’m damn sure drinking some good Scotch.
May 17, 2008 at 11:04 pm
Who is Kristina Olson?
Somebody asked this in an earlier post. Kristina Olson is an assistant professor of art history at WVU and a member of the WVU Faculty Senate. She is a supporter of Mike Garrison and has been quoted supporting him in at least three articles in the Dominion Post (all by Miles Layton). In his WVU website blog on April 28, Mike Garrison named her as one of “five inspiring young leaders from WVU.”
Doesn’t it seem strange that she, an art historian, continues to support Mike Garrison even after a donor pulled $2 million for the Art Museum at the WVU Creative Arts Center because of the Heather Bresch scandal?
During the faculty assembly meeting on May 14, Olson offered a motion calling for the administration and the faculty to “work together” to prevent an incident like the degree scandal from ever happening again.
“I believe the Senate needs to register its outrage at what happened, accept that the primary culpability ascribed by the report to Provost Lang and Dean Sears has been dealt with by their resignations, and to formalize a way forward that allows the faculty to have a greater say in matters of academic life through shared governance,” Olson said (quote from DP article).
Olson is married to Michael Slaven, a graduate of WVU and a history professor at the University of California, Pa. Her husband’s parents are Maynard and Marcia Slaven, both pharmacists in Grafton, W.Va.
Another son of Maynard and Marcia Slaven is Stuart Maynard Slaven, better known as Chip Slaven, who works at Jackson & Kelly law firm in Washington, D.C. and was a member of Governor Bob Wise’s administration at the same time as Mike Garrison.
(Others on this site have indicated that Marcia Slaven’s maiden name is Malone and that she is the sister of Heather Garrision’s father, Chip Malone. I do not know if this is true.)
Maynard Slaven wrote a letter to the Dominion Post on May 7, 2008, supporting Mike Garrison, praising his accomplishments, and encouraging him to stay in office.
Olson and her husband are also friends with Alex Macia and his wife Leah.
Olson has a conflict of interest and she should not be pretending that her views are impartial ones or that she has the best interest of WVU at heart. She is another person at WVU with personal connections to Mike Garrison that have not been made known.
May 17, 2008 at 11:17 pm
Ouch, Kristina! Whatcha gonna say next? The web of political and academic incest in West Virginia is quite complex. Hillbillies, repent!
May 17, 2008 at 11:37 pm
First, as a WVU grad from early 70s, during the Viet Nam war/Harlow era, I want to say how proud I am of the faculty for standing for integrity. The faculty I knew and respected in the 70s, most of whom are now gone, taught me to stand for what was right and decent. You are carrying on in the tradition of the very best of the WVU faculty who came before you. Thank you for what you are doing. Those of us who love WVU, and who value the role it plays in elevating life in the state we love, are grateful to you.
There has always been intimidation, and I suppose there always will be. I don’t underestimate the impact that has. But leaders cannot bow to intimidation, and from what I observe, while a few administrators at the top are managing the university (even if poorly in a few high profile cases), it is the faculty who are truly providing leadership right now. I cannot tell you how proud I am of what you are doing. I, too, have made my voice heard as an alum and donor, and will continue to do so. Your leadership is being watched around the nation, and what you do, I believe, will have repercussions throughout higher education.
Second, though I am a native West Virginian and grand daughter of coal miners, over 20 years ago my career took me to another state, as a college administrator. I know that you are aware of this, but it still merits being said. Not all administrators are on the “dark side.” In fact, most are not. Please know how badly administrators who have integrity need and want tenured faculty in the room as active participants when decisions are made. We can and we do forge partnerships based on shared values. I see it all the time at my own college. I know what a positive force we can be when we work together to do the right thing, even if those at the top are in opposition.
For that reason, rather than take the approach of resigning from committees and boycotting the work of the university, as some have advocated, I hope you will do just the opposite. Work to shine the light of day on every action you can. Be there in every forum, every committee, to call on people to articulate and act on shared values (even when some refuse). Request public records of important meetings where faculty are not physically represented. We can’t forget that it was a public records request that cracked this whole mess open. What might grow under cover in the dark is threatened by the sunlight. Those who have something to hide need to know that people of integrity are watching and will not be silent.
From reading the posts to this blog, I can appreciate how difficult it is to know for certain which strategy and tactics will be most fruitful, both to get past the current mess and to prevent this from happening again. In my view, the most effective approach is for faculty to be the most highly active citizens that the university has ever seen, seeking more open and representative decision-making processes.
That means that the powers-that-be should see you everywhere. While this requires a lot of work and time, please don’t abandon the governance process to those who would gladly use it against you and who engage in unethical behavior. By being involved at unprecedented levels, not only will you improve WVU, but also you will teach your students a very valuable lesson, just as my professors taught me 35 years ago. And, just as we students did in the 70s, I bet today’s students will join you.
My very best wishes to all of you struggling to do the right and honorable thing. Please know how many of us outside the state are behind you, including alums as well as many who have never crossed the West Virginia state line. Whatever strategy you pursue, I respect you for doing your best to right this situation.
May 17, 2008 at 11:38 pm
sign me
http://www.wvumir.org/petition.html
May 18, 2008 at 12:00 am
70’s Grad: Thank you for your support and your thoughtful approach to these issues. I don’t know precisely what you do as a college administrator, but we are hopeful that we will have some key administrative vacancies to fill in the very near future.
In filling those vacancies, we need to find more “people of integrity” who want to “do the right thing” and “forge partnerships based on shared values.”
May 18, 2008 at 12:11 am
HK: Why haven’t you signed the petition?
May 18, 2008 at 2:16 am
garrison must must must go! down with political corruption!
May 18, 2008 at 5:11 am
Dominion Post Headline Sunday 5/18:
“WVU limits news media”. “photographers & tv cameras not allowed on Coliseum floor”….”set up this way as a matter of respect for students & families, not a desire for censorship,” says Amy Neil, WVU spokeswoman.
Letters to editor on Bresch scandal p. 2-D (Two in favor of MG; Two against)
Two in favor of MG letters: “Dissident faculty need to leave WVU and State”–written by two WVU alums living in Ohio–states that faculty “attack on an alumna of WVU years befor her father became governor was a ploy to renew their objections” to MG because they didn’t get candidate they wanted. “Garrison’s love of state, education undeniable”—give Garrison credit for Hardesty’s accomplishments (increased enrollment, research up in millions etc).
Two against MG letters: “More equitable manner of polling faculty needed” expresses need for a way to include all faculty, including Montgomerey, Parkersburg, Keyser, extension in votes. “Facts v. Claims don’t support debate” Examined data from 104 research universitites. Of the top 51 ALL presidents/chancellors were academics; of an additional 53; 50 had academics as presidents.
Interesting and important points. However, the trail that leads directly to the fox’s den:
MG made arrangements for his friend HB to receive a degree she did not earn. She was not enrolled in the classes. She did not pay tuition. The records clearly state this. Its black and white. He must resign. Write letters about this.
May 18, 2008 at 6:03 am
Thanks, 70’s Grad!
Thanks for all the news from the ceremonies.
At CCA, the dean’s comments were small but clear steps in a truthful direction. Mention made of two challenges facing the grads – the loss of the coach, and the “awarding of an unearned degree.” Nothing more, but encouragement to live with integrity. It won’t solve everything, but the lack of spin was an act of integrity. Perhaps not as dramatic as the Prescott ovation, but a small step, regardless.
I signed the MIR petition on the academic dishonesty issues alone.
May 18, 2008 at 6:17 am
I took a break from reading this yesterday. And now that I’ve read the various blogs, I have to tell you that observer, hscdoc, others..you are abolutely correct on all counts. There is intimidation and there is tracking measures put in place. There is no longer freedom of speech – so many lawsuits are waiting, one would hope.
May 18, 2008 at 6:18 am
there are (sorry)
May 18, 2008 at 7:12 am
About Lang’s going along, try this on for size: The two personalities (Garrison and Lang) had clashed enough very early so that by October, Steve Goodwin (or even Manchin) made it perfectly clear to Lang that Mike gets what he wants on all things, or else Lang is gone (as we have since seen with people in the med school). Lang’s choice was to give up his bully pulpit, or keep it and quietly defer to Garrison while pretending to share power. As a bully, Lang could not give up his pulpit, and since as a bully he was also a coward, he could not say no to Goodwin.
The above seems consistent with all the personalities involved and with subsequent events.
May 18, 2008 at 7:37 am
this was on a blog called Ohio river life posted May 17th. Just another example of the bad reputation MG is giving WVU. At least the “Open for business” signs are coming down!
WVU: Open for Business
by M. Stewart
Tension at West Virginia University continues to grow in the aftermath of the Heather Bresch degree scandal. The Post-Gazette reports today that two faculty members who have supported the resignation of university President Mike Garrison have had their offices moved.
The WVU situation is a classic battle between faculty trying to preserve the academic integrity of their university and the corrupt business and political alliances that traditionally rule the mountain state with impunity. West Virginia’s new state motto, “Open for Business,” is a thinly veiled code that touts the shallow values of the ruling elite.
One of the more interesting aspects of the WVU scandal is that it was the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette—a Pennsylvania newspaper located in a city whose largest university is WVU’s biggest sports rival—that broke the story leading to the revocation of a phony master’s degree handed to Ms. Bresch, a corporate executive who happens to be Gov. Joe Manchin’s daughter.
The details behind the granting of the degree are so heinous that all of those involved should have been fired immediately upon discovery, including President Garrison. Anything short of a full house cleaning undermines the university’s academic reputation, which is far from stellar in the first place.
Health Sciences Professor Judy Sedgeman is one of the faculty members whose office was ordered moved. Quoted in the Post-Gazette, Sedgeman said of WVU: “We are known as the ultimate party school—the school that is in the pocket of the ruling party of West Virginia.”
While this may ring true under the circumstances, a great deal of good teaching, learning and research gets done at WVU. Large public universities are too complex to stereotype so easily. Still, a large part of what goes on at a university is non-academic—particularly athletics and business matters—and these interests often conflict with the academic mission represented by the faculty.
As a rule, the core values of scholars and business people rarely intersect; in many cases, they are in direct conflict. One thing is for sure: The end result of this degree scandal will send a clear signal to everyone inside and outside the state regarding who controls West Virginia’s premier university. If the faculty does not win this fight, the value of a WVU degree will drop significantly.
May 18, 2008 at 7:38 am
“We are a university that expects free and open discussion of all issues. There has not been, nor will there ever be, retribution or retaliation by this administration towards anyone,” Butcher told the Post-Gazette, as quoted in the UPI article (link above).
I don’t know Butcher, but those who have worked or work at WVU appreciate the irony of the statement.
Also, now that Coach Rod’s deposition is public, it appears Garrison had the job well before Nellis and other qualified academics interviewed for the WVU presidency.
Last night Ticked Off mentioned the possibility of legal ramifications. Is there any recourse for candidates paraded through a very public sham process? What about faculty and staff who participated but didn’t know it was a done deal?
May 18, 2008 at 7:55 am
To “horse 7:12″.
Lang a bully?? Amen, and the worst sort.
He came after I left, but I met him when on a visit to Dr. Core. Immediately he struck me as arrogant and contemptous. He had not use for his colleagues and freely expressed such. He also talked down about his peers across the country (plant ecologists).
As an undergrad I had coined an “award” for an English prof.: “The Drop In The Bucket of Mediocrity Award”.
It is given to those who show themselves to be small and petty in mental stature. The second recipient was an ecology prof. at UNC in 1967 and low and behold, the third was none other than Jerry Lang. I do not give this “honor” lightly and only one other (also WVU) has received it. I only had the first one for class.
Jerry has been a bully at WVU for 3 decades. When he got power in the ’80s he began to hurt people: take grants away, not hire, fire, keep from advancement, etc. He also hired and advanced less competent people who would swear allegiance to him (and I am NOT joking). I constantly have to be reminded that Jerry is actually taller than I invision him: he is the consummate “small man”.
A lot of folks are glad to see his legs “sticking out from under the house”.
May 18, 2008 at 8:03 am
If Garrison needs a place to go from here, has anyone asked Michigan if they need a new University President?
May 18, 2008 at 8:55 am
Everybody needs to read the Wilcox editorial in the Charleston Gazette this morning. It’s absolutely spot on and humorous at the same time.
May 18, 2008 at 9:12 am
Slid Viscous, Michigan doesn’t need our president. FYI. University of Michigan President Mary Sue Coleman earned her doctorate in biochemistry from the University of North Carolina and holds honorary doctorates from nine colleges and universities including Dartmouth and the University of Notre Dame.
She has extensive higher education leadership experience and was a member of the biochemistry faculty at the University of Kentucky for 19 years. She built a distinguished biochemistry career through her research on the immune system and malignancies.
Elected to the Institute of Medicine in 1997, Coleman also is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Her credentials go on and on. It’s enough to give a person leader envy.
http://www.umich.edu/pres/about.html
May 18, 2008 at 9:21 am
Garrison could still survive. He could go public and claim that Manchin and Bresch threatened his life and the life of his family. Manchin and Bresch would end up in federal prison and Garrison could be the new governor.
May 18, 2008 at 9:27 am
People always keep talking about Lang as a “small man”. I always thought he was kinda tall….guess, I don’t really pay that much attention to a person’s physical attributes.
Nahhhh, I like big hooters!!!
May 18, 2008 at 9:30 am
Thanks for the tip Anonymous. Well said Chad Wilcox. Congratulations to you and all the 2008 WVU graduates.
http://wvgazette.com/Opinion/Op-EdCommentaries/200805171827
May 18, 2008 at 10:09 am
Here is another thing to think about regarding the Presidential search process at WVU. A executive search firm was hired to find suitable (legitimate) candidates for the position, which the WVU search committee then chose to ignore. But this is a costly exercise – typically these executive headhunters take a fee which is about a 1/3 of the salary of the executive they are trying to find. In Garrison’s case his salary is around $225K, so do the math – a nice sum, and nice work if you can get it.
May 18, 2008 at 10:20 am
Re: The Wheeling Intelligencer article provided by LaReina:
http://theintelligencer.net/page/content.detail/id/509599.html?nav=515
How do the staff at A&R feel about Garrison putting the blame for the debacle on them when the independent panel made it clear it was not a record keeping problem?
How does Hardesty feel about Garrison taking credit for outcomes of initiatives initiated during Hardesty’s reign?
May 18, 2008 at 10:25 am
in-the-dark: Actually, the search firm cannot be too happy with what is going on at this point. It sullies their reputation. I notice that the search firm for hiring the HSC VP is different, wonder why?
May 18, 2008 at 10:25 am
I don’t know where all of the BOG’s stand, just some and that many who previously supported keeping Garrison in are wavering. If you contact them, please be respectful. Being polite and logical is going to sway them. Screaming at them and calling them bad names is not going to help. You have to understand those who want to get rid of him or severely censor him are in a difficult position, having been appointed by Heather’s father. They could face retribution from the very powers that be that appointed them. If you all keep the heat on and in the press the BOG’s will be able to say they simply HAD to do it, the press has gotten so bad. And thus, can do the right thing, but be off the hook for Manchin anger. Get it? Keep up the great work.
May 18, 2008 at 10:30 am
In spite of all the rage spewing from this site the numbers are still low compared to the total number of alumni, students and concerned citizens of WV. I would expect that by now the petition would have +10,000 names, not the paltry ~1,000 names it has as of this morning.
STOP reading this now and TAKE ACTION.
http://www.wvumir.org/petition.html
Include a link to Fifth Column: http://hippiekiller.wordpress.com/
Cut and paste the above into an email and send it to your friends, your enemies, your family, your ex-husband / wife, your illicit boyfriend / girlfriend, your neigbors, business associates and acquaintances, and of course Mike Garrison and the BOG:
mike.garrison@mail.wvu.edu
a636@aol.com
ecappellanti@jacksonkelly.com
hank.barnette@skadden.com
jason.parsons@mail.wvu.edu
jdailey@whmcontractors.com
prmartinelli@mail.wvu.edu
rwells@baileyglasser.com
sbfarmer@fcclaw.net
sgoodwin@goodwinware.com
steve.kite@mail.wvu.edu
tclark@citynet.com
wnutting@ogdennews.com
Cut and past this list into the TO: line of your email program. Doe’s anyone know princess Heathers email address at Mylan? Perhaps hearing directly from the people she has affected most will help her to understand the impact her actions have had on all.
May 18, 2008 at 10:39 am
If it’s true that Hardesty was pushed out in order for Garrison to come aboard, undoubtedly Hardesty already has strong opinions about the new Prez. And Garrison’s taking credit for Hardesty’s initiatives must rub salt in the wounds.
Any news on who signed the 1800 signatures petition?
May 18, 2008 at 10:43 am
Apparently, the woman who started the petition now refuses to be interviewed or release any information. At least that’s what being said in the press. First name was Genie…is that the hot dog vendor lady?
May 18, 2008 at 10:51 am
I think she is the manager for an apartment complex here in Morgantown….go figure.
May 18, 2008 at 10:52 am
The Dominion Post made a big booboo by using the 1800 signatures as a headline. I’d suggest they do a follow up.
Maybe they could start by getting the counts on employees of Petroplus, Morgantown Mylan, Centra, and Glenmark?
How many of our tax dollars are being wasted on legal fees and communications? I’d love to see the true costs of the Bresch case.
May 18, 2008 at 10:59 am
Regarding the true costs of the Bresch case, keep in mind that the approximately 600 faculty that met on May 14 for three hours equates to approximately one person-year of time. At an average annual salary of about $70K for non-medical professors of all ranks at WVU, this meeting necessitated by this scandal cost the WV taxpayers about $70K alone.
May 18, 2008 at 11:01 am
And did any of the 1,800 feel pressured to sign?
May 18, 2008 at 11:01 am
Perhaps it is worthwhile to alway refer to the scandal as the Heather Manchin Bresch scandal/affair/case
May 18, 2008 at 11:06 am
I heard a rumor that a lot of those 1800 names came from Garrisons daddy in law circulating the petition at Chick-n-Bones and what ever other bar(s) he owns (if he owns any more beside Chick-n-Bones).
May 18, 2008 at 11:07 am
“Saturday night is petition night! Sign the petition and get a free Jager Bomb”
May 18, 2008 at 11:08 am
70’s grad…………your comments are altuistic and true………………..BUT having been on many search committees at the HSC, the chairs were always handpicked lackeys…………the comment “this guy is to much of an academic egghead for us” ,because he/she would have academic R01 funding from NIH, was the norm and not the exception…………it speaks to a broken system that is held together by people that are afraid of a truly academic environment…………i always thought that if you recruited outstanding folks to work with,you’d actually look and GET better………just call me crazy……its rotten at the top……………
May 18, 2008 at 11:36 am
Thought he also owned (part?) Crockett’s. Thanks for the clarification “Lurking”.
May 18, 2008 at 11:40 am
Yep – He and Charlie co-own Crockett’s and I think have something in with the Wooden Nickel too. Who knows what else.
May 18, 2008 at 11:46 am
horse at 10:25am: I think that there might a different search firm for the HSC VP search simply because they have different specialities – some deal a lot more with medical school/health science stuff. So if you want to make a search look legitimate you take on an appropriate search firm.
I think you are right that the search firm that was involved in the search for Garrison won’t be thrilled about what happened. But they will not advertise it – they will trumpet their successes with other institutions when they advertise for more clients. And all they can so as a firm is find appropriate people – which they actually did in the case of Nellis and Bernstein – their CVs were reasonable, when they were finally published on the web. Although it took some requesting to get these on the web in the first place…
May 18, 2008 at 11:51 am
wvuhscex at 11:08am is right on the money about the HSC and current Chairs and leadership, many of whom whom have been there since time began. That is why the place is so rotten. Tt needs a clean-out but not the kind that is being proposed by All the President’s Men.
May 18, 2008 at 11:55 am
The unfortunate scandal surrounding the Bresch/Garrison affair seems to me a symptom of a larger movement in higher education over the past twenty years . . . roughly my time in the ivory tower. If one considers the trend at WVU and other universities toward a business model, then many other decisions and policies follow:
• the lack of faculty governance;
• the nomenclature of “student-centered” as a marketing lie;
• the collateral stress on getting enrollment numbers up, forcing us to treat students as means, and not ends in themselves;
• the power and funding going toward colleges and units that are “profitable”;
• the use of the university culture as a recruitment tool, and not as a true picture of life and values on campus (see web site);
• the trickle-down effect in students’ growing “consumer” concept of education;
• the tying of faculty salaries and raises to competitive “merit” and disingenuous promises to raise the salaries to some percentage of so-called peer institutions;
• use of sports to raise our visibility around the nation, but at the cost of a growing disparity between the money-making athletic machine and the core purpose of a university;
• preferring political connectedness and the lobbying model to integrity and credentialed and respected academic achievements;
• the failure of the university to educate the state as a whole to the benefits of an educated population for its welfare and growth.
Each of these approaches to the challenge of maintaining and improving an institution of higher learning creates problems that potentially detract from the overall effectiveness of the mission of a land-grant school. In toto, they spell a cynical and self-fulfilling policy that forces any university so situated to defend a hypocritical and ultimately deleterious system in clear opposition to the principles of its own identity.
May 18, 2008 at 12:03 pm
E. Gordan Gee tried to address the issue of sports becoming the dominant “marketing tool” or “shiny object” at Vanderbilt. I believe he suggested putting the President in direct control of sprots and even making major programs into intramural. (or something like that). Doubt that will fly at Columbus, I am sure he had an epiphany on the plane flight up.
May 18, 2008 at 12:26 pm
I thought he had Rhythm N Brews or is that called something else?
If the woman who had the petition manages an apt building, then she likely has ties to Petroplus, Glenmark, or Biaforas. Makes sense too.
May 18, 2008 at 12:30 pm
Mom-safe bet.
May 18, 2008 at 12:31 pm
Well said, trenches. More and more however, we as faculty have no choice but to leave the institutions which chose this path or worse still, leave the profession. This leaves a shell of people in higher ed who are willing to kowtow to the program and follow the train over the cliffs. It’s interesting to note that this is the same theater of the absurd that has played out in K-12 ed over the last two decades leading us to the “crisis in education” we hear so much about. If the crisis in higher ed continues, these so-called leaders of business won’t have to worry much about streamlining and more efficiency. They’ll need to learn Mandarin or Cantonese. I can’t understand how these people would hire folks for their expertise in research and teaching and then decide they know better.
May 18, 2008 at 12:46 pm
This thing is sad sad sad…. I spent $200,000 to send my two kids
to WVU. Now I feel guility, that I picked the wrong school. It just
makes you want to cry.
May 18, 2008 at 1:01 pm
Any more on Bray Cary’s “100 hours” comment of yesterday for President Garrison to step up to the plate and “do the right thing?” That was over 24 hours ago- 100 hours is a resignation by Tuesday morning. The Board was largely present at the Friday night Honors Convocation.
May 18, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Left Shadow you are right! I don’t understand why there aren’t more names on that petition either. I’m sure the other petition is still accumulating names so they may be well past 2,000 by now. I think they were going to submit it to the BOG meeting in June, will the MIR petition be submitted also?
May 18, 2008 at 1:16 pm
This may not be news to all of you, but it is to me, so I will share:
Forbes.com lists Bresch’s total compensation package at over $1.6 million, $300k of which is salary and the balance “latest fiscal year other long term compensation.”
See:
http://www.forbes.com/finance/mktguideapps/personinfo/FromPersonIdPersonTearsheet.jhtml?passedPersonId=1103574
I earned a Bachelor’s in History from WVU and a Master’s in Management from the former W. Va. College of Graduate Studies, which was then at Institute. Imagine how much I might be earning, too, if I had just not finished my Master’s! I have been playing this education and career game all wrong, apparently.
May 18, 2008 at 1:16 pm
The reason the MIR petition is slow to grow is simple — fear. People fear retaliation so no staff or probationary faculty will sign. Beyond that, folks outside the university probably don’t know about it and/or don’t understand what the fuss is all about. Get the word out!
May 18, 2008 at 1:18 pm
M-
The reason the MIR petition is slow to grow is simple — fear. People fear retaliation so no staff or probationary faculty will sign. Beyond that, folks outside the university probably don’t know about it and/or don’t understand what the fuss is all about. Get the word out!
May 18, 2008 at 1:21 pm
Morgantown now strikes me as one of those classic and pathetic “non-union” mining towns that characterize much of the Appalachian region and history. The “workers” live in complete fear of the “boss-man” and the “owners” of the company. What informed parent would allow their child to matriculate into such a pathetic institution? If the profs really want to challenge the “boss-man”, put the silly petition away and begin to envision such non-violent protesting that would bring national exposure and shame to the “owners”. It is for such a time as this that true sacrifice is needed.
May 18, 2008 at 1:24 pm
Ann at 9:12,
Thanks for helping me make my point.
May 18, 2008 at 1:36 pm
The petition organizer is Genie Batlas Barnhart. She is listed as manager of Terrace Heights Apartments on University Avenue. She is a Howard Hanna Realtor.
Yesterday there was a letter from Irene BATLAS to the Charleston Gazette decrying the defamation of Mike Puskar in this mess.
I don’t know what the connection is between Irene and Genie. Perhaps mother-daughter. Anyone know?
Irene Batlas is an “Outstanding Alumni” of WVU (1994) along with her now deceased husband John Batlas. She is also a Mountaineer Athletic Club Member.
John Batlas, Jr., also seems to be involved in Morgantown realty.
Can anyone connect any of the dots?
May 18, 2008 at 1:42 pm
Ms. Truth, Your comments led me to thinking about unionized faculties. ie, the State System of Higher Education in Pennsylvania faculty are represented by a union. 14 universities with one negotiated contract. Does give a voice to faculty. Power in numbers.
May 18, 2008 at 1:45 pm
Anytime, Slid.
May 18, 2008 at 1:50 pm
Slid Viscous…
We dont put up with the type of BS that goes on in WVa.
Yes we have our own crooks…but they get dealt with when brought to light. The Detroit Mayor being the latest.
Even if he wasnt dirty, an idiot like MG would never sniff the Presidency at UM…even though your corrupt leadership put him in charge of WVU.
May 18, 2008 at 2:01 pm
It also strikes me, GettingImpatient, that the faculty is leaning too much on the print media, esp. the PPG, to create the buzz. Unseating MG will take more creativity on their part than an impotent petition. If their goal is to force MG out, the power to make it happen must be found among themselves.
May 18, 2008 at 2:01 pm
We sure could use a “stand up” governor.
May 18, 2008 at 2:07 pm
Those interested should review the history of Gallaudet University, the nations most prominent deaf university. A new president was nominated and because of certain comments and lack of leadership furor resulted. There were faculty votes of no confidence and refusals to step down. Summer came and then fall. More protests. The students shut down the campus and I believe even occupied the presidents office. Eventually, the nomination was withdrawn. Ultimately the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools gave Gallaudet probationary status due to “deficiencies in standards for leadership”. I remember the 70s when University avenue and Stewart Hall were shut down. Does the same passion for a cause exist here? This administration may survive the summer, but the fall will be in the Fall. I hope the BOG realizes that by then WVUs winter will be fast approaching. Montani Semper Liberi
May 18, 2008 at 2:19 pm
I’m compelled to retract something I said some time ago in another thread.
Hoppy has shown real courage.
May 18, 2008 at 2:21 pm
Visible protests can and should be done. I posted yesterday to see if any protes action was going to be taken at the June 6 mtg. of the BOG. No response. Change is not going to come from computer keyboard strokes alone.
May 18, 2008 at 2:24 pm
The Batlas family is most know for running Morgantown Florist on Spruce Street for decades. Genie, the pro-Garrison petition lady, is their daughter. The family has long owned the apartment building she manages below the law school. I would assume they have other business interests around town.
I’ve always heard nice things about the family, but I barely know them. I don’t know why they are working so hard to support Garrison.
May 18, 2008 at 2:26 pm
GettingImpatient
Not in Charleston. The pretender should be denied access to his illegitimate throne by a ring of tenured faculty and students holding hands around Stewart Hall. It’s made for TV, made for the papers. Is Ms. Ashdown going to charge these people? With what? The problem? Summer is here.
May 18, 2008 at 2:26 pm
Excuse the few typos in that post ^^^^. And I forgot to add the occasional “as far as I know” and “to the best of my knowledge” to my Batlas family info.
May 18, 2008 at 2:31 pm
“a ring of tenured faculty and students holding hands around Stewart Hall”…Suspicious, that would definitely draw attention!
Doesn’t WVU offer lots of summer classes/programs? So many univs. are running almost non-stop summer offerings now.
If faculty taught in one session, could schedule them during that time, and get relief in the next session, etc. Would take some coordination, to be sure.
Just a thought.
May 18, 2008 at 2:38 pm
At a minimum a 24/7 vigil should be set up outside Stewart Hall with a candle lit. A visible reminder that we are guarding the light which is education (”Truth has to appear only once in a single mind for it to be impossible for anything to prevent it from spreading everywhere and setting everything ablaze” Teihard de Chardin). Everyone can sign up for shifts. Again, it keeps the message alive, it keeps the light of truth alive. If they move to shut it down it flies in face of Lord Butcher’s comments regarding free speech and their commitment to it. Montani Semper Liberi
May 18, 2008 at 2:40 pm
For the 19 people who follow ideologically progressive politics in West Virginia–that may be as exotic as following the fortunes of the Lisbon soccer team, assuming that there is one–it’s interesting that the West Virginia Blue politics site isn’t mentioning the gorilla in the room.
Rodriguez? Yes.
Garrison/Bresch et al? Not so much.
Please, don’t tell me that “Carnacki” is a Goodwin or married to one…
I think it’s telling that, on the other hand, Hoppy is a pro-business conservative with often moderate leanings which temper his apparent Republicanism and sometimes gives his opinions a real freshness and greater sophistication than the usual Chamber of Commerce party line.
Plus, we all know how staunchly pro-WVU Hoppy.
It’s probably also worth mentioning, though, that one of the Raeses has publicly repudiated Garrison.
I applaud that individual, too.
May 18, 2008 at 2:49 pm
Oh, goody–let’s have a UNION. That is one of the big problems in WV.
People have been taught by the unions that “someone else will take care of you” and “everyone except us is evil”. If you do not vote straight ticket, some long dead ancestor will roll over in their grave.
Otherwise intelligent people are rendered motionless. They just cannot believe that they can vote out any Democrat–read Joe Manchin. Who will hold the next spoonful of food for them? After all, w/o these paragons of virtue there will no longer be air to breathe or food to eat.
I go back to Judy Sedgman’s comment about us being the party school of the “ruling party in WV”. If you want to get rid of it –you do not reward it further.
May 18, 2008 at 2:49 pm
A question: which Raese was it who repudiated Boy King?
Also, make that “the usual Chamber of Commerce cant.”
May 18, 2008 at 2:52 pm
One last thought. An escrow account on pledge drive for those of us who have in the past, but in good conscious, can no longer give to our alma mater. He may not survive long enough for it to be worth it but if this becomes a battle of attrition it may be necessary. Not sure of the tax implications. It would be further evidence for the media to focus upon as that account grows.
May 18, 2008 at 2:53 pm
If you’re still looking for intimidated students, Tommy Napier (SGA member) said at the DA student forum that his friend was contacted by a higher-up (he didn’t say who) and was told to tell Tommy to quiet down.
May 18, 2008 at 2:55 pm
fatmackeral
Wasn’t it John? Head of Greer Industries, erstwhile Senatorial and Gubernatorial candidate (although he did almost knock off the carpet bagger Jay who in the most expensive campaign in WV history.) Problem is he is a big backer of athletics, particularly baseball, but not so much academics
May 18, 2008 at 3:03 pm
I’m thinking it was John, too.
Thanks for the additional info, suspicious.
May 18, 2008 at 3:06 pm
I am now beginning to believe what was earlier to be true. Garrison will not go until; a) the BOG has had enough and decides to course correct or b) he becomes a political liability to Manchin. Given that princess Heather got him into this mess in the first place I don’t see (b) as being viable in the short term.
Perhaps we focus on (a). One way to elevate this is to do whatever is necessary (even if its short term negative*) to get this to the level that the BOG finally has enough and decides its in the best interest of the University to hit “reset”. Before I take action on my own part does anyone have an inside to 60 Minutes, 20/20, the WSJ, NY Times or CNN? Any alumni out there that can pass along an appropriate contact? I think this story is deserving of national media attention beyond what has already been covered by the AP wire. At the very least having someone like Steve Kroft or Bob Simon start to make phone calls will put intense heat on everyone involved.
*Put out a hiring freeze on graduates.
May 18, 2008 at 3:06 pm
Yep. John. Here it is from the “Daily Mail” by Jake Stump, who is a good reporter, BTW.
Friday May 9, 2008
John Raese among crowd urging Garrison to resign
Business leader says he won’t give to WVU until president is out of office
by Jake Stump
Daily Mail Capitol Reporter
John Raese said he has contributed to WVU in the past and will in the future but “won’t give a nickel” as long as Mike Garrison is president.
“He should go (resign) tomorrow,” the sharp-tongued Morgantown businessman and former senatorial candidate said about Garrison. “If he lived in the real world, he would have been fired.”
Raese, president of steel and limestone producer Greer Industries, has kept a relatively low profile since losing a bid for U.S. Sen. Robert Byrd’s seat in 2006.
But when asked to give his thoughts on WVU’s embattled president, he doesn’t hold back.
“The real damage is to WVU’s reputation,” Raese said about the bogus degree awarded to Heather Bresch. “That part is what’s aggravating. I earned a bachelor’s degree from WVU, but if I knew they created master’s degrees, I would’ve gotten mine in physical education. Then maybe I could replace (basketball coach) Bob Huggins after his lifelong contract.
“At least I know who to go see now to get one.”
WVU has undergone intense public scrutiny because administrators awarded an invalid degree to Bresch, the daughter of Gov. Joe Manchin and a longtime friend and associate of Garrison’s. Three of Garrison’s executive staff were involved in an Oct. 15, 2007, meeting where it was decided Bresch would be given an executive Master’s of Business Administration degree, though there were no records to back up the decision, according to an independent panel’s investigation.
Garrison contends he has no intentions to step down from his position despite members of the WVU Faculty Senate voting 77-19 to approve a motion calling for his resignation.
Raese compared that vote to his last run for Senate.
“It’s like when I ran in ‘06 against Byrd and lost 66 (percent) to 34,” he said. “I didn’t declare myself U.S. senator, did I? I’d equate it to that. I got the message. I can’t imagine that this man puts his personal career over all of our children.
“It’s very detrimental to the state and the university. He’s got to grow up.”
Raese’s ties to the university run deep. His father, Richard “Dyke” Raese, was a four-year basketball coach at WVU and led the 1942 squad to a national title in the NIT.
Raese himself played first base for the Mountaineer baseball team from 1970-72.
He has also contributed financially to the university over the years, but that practice will cease as long as Garrison is at the helm, Raese said.
He’s helped fund the Richard A. Raese Scholarship, named after his father, and says he’s been the largest contributor to the WVU baseball team.
“I believe in the institution of the university,” Raese said. “Until it’s legitimately run as a university by credible people, it’d be awfully hard to contribute to WVU. I was going to establish a baseball scholarship but I haven’t heard from the (WVU) Foundation. I’m disappointed. I will give again, but not a nickel under Garrison.”
In addition to his limestone and steel company, Raese’s businesses include The Dominion Post newspaper in Morgantown, West Virginia Radio Corp., and the MetroNews radio network.
Raese also said West Virginia’s congressional representatives should use their influence to correct the situation at WVU.
“Look at the leadership in the state,” he said. “You always see Jay Rockefeller and Robert Byrd coming in and schmoozing around. But you haven’t heard anything out of them about this. Where’s ‘Big Daddy’ right now? We really need ‘Big Daddy’ to come in here and clean house. Where’s Shelley Moore Capito? Didn’t her father originate Mountaineer Week?
“If I was a U.S. senator, Mike Garrison would not be there today.”
Before his loss to Byrd in 2006, Raese nearly defeated Rockefeller for a U.S. Senate seat in 1984. Raese, then a political newcomer, lost to Rockefeller, a two-germ governor, by only 52 percent to 48 percent. Rockefeller outspent Raese $12 million to $2 million.
Raese also sought the GOP nomination for governor in 1988, but lost to Arch Moore.
He said he would urge the current governor to take stern action and call for Garrison’s resignation if it weren’t for the Manchin family’s close ties to the attorney/lobbyist turned university president.
“I’d call on the governor to appoint a special prosecutor,” he said. “State laws have been broken. Falsifying records is breaking the law the last time I checked. There are 55 county prosecutors in West Virginia and any one of them could start prosecution. But I don’t see any of them stepping up.
“If this is Garrison’s first six months, I’d hate to see the next six months.”
Raese, 58, also was a harsh critic of Garrison’s predecessor, David Hardesty, who served as WVU’s president from 1995 to 2007. In 2003, Raese bought newspaper ads across the state attacking Hardesty for how the university handled fans storming Mountaineer Field after a WVU football victory over Virginia Tech.
Raese began referring to Hardesty as “Mace,” a designation that stemmed from state troopers on hand to spray students attempting to tear down the goalposts.
May 18, 2008 at 3:16 pm
Heather Bresch’s qualifcations for being COO of Mylan
1. BA or BS from WVU
2. Daddy loves her
3. Daddy knows Byrd, Rockefeller, Mollhann, and more….
4. And they know a whole lotta people…….
Makes you sick, but that’s what makes America great.
But what the hell, they’ll all make Heaven in the end.
May 18, 2008 at 3:22 pm
HE: you forgot one, she was sleeping with the CEO, Coury. That’s why the PPG looked into her degree in the first place, they don’t like Coury
May 18, 2008 at 3:29 pm
Before I would be able to call Hoppy courageous, I would have to know what position he would have taken if his boss Raese had supported the Dark Side. To take a position contrary to that of someone who is paying your salary is courageous. Otherwise, to take a position in opposition to Garrison is simply common sense.
May 18, 2008 at 3:32 pm
Also, the BOG is not going to do anything until its members feel the pressure personally. We ought to include their resignations in the petition.
May 18, 2008 at 3:59 pm
RE: the union. That was just one thought about how faculty in other areas have organized to gain power and a voice. Certainly professional unions such as the one at SSHE in PA is not composed of people who want to “be taken care of”. Each campus has union reps and negotiators and they do work to reflect the desires of faculty. They’ve been successful in getting fairness for groups and great benefits. Faculty largely feel empowered and are not passive in their participation. I’m not suggesting that this would work for WVU. Just a way of thinking about empowerment rather than so many of the comments on this blog that seem so powerless and “victim” oriented.
May 18, 2008 at 4:02 pm
Left Shadow – In terms of generating media attention, I wonder about Davitt McAteer and Anderson Cooper? Does anyone have connections to them as a result of the coverage of the the Sago mine disaster? I believe Davitt is now in Wheeling. I don’t know if he has weighed in on this yet or not. Davitt worked with us as students at WVU in the early 1970s, as we organized the Nader-inspired W. Va. Student Public Interest Research Group (WV-SPIRG). I was one of the student leaders of WV-SPIRG at that time.
It’s a shame that an activist group like WV-SPIRG is no longer there. However, the national PIRG group is still in existence and has been doing studies and issuing reports on text book costs and other issues of concern to students. Perhaps they might be interested in taking a look at this and getting some national attention.
May 18, 2008 at 4:07 pm
I think Hoppy has gone way out on a limb given his normal audience. He needs support. Many of his listeners have no respect for WVU faculty.
May 18, 2008 at 4:09 pm
Check out the US PIRG web site:
http://www.uspirg.org/about-us
May 18, 2008 at 4:20 pm
He says: has anyone confirmed the BS or BA?
Solution to Mikey’s problem: you seem to know more. Do tell.
May 18, 2008 at 4:20 pm
That’s a good idea. I live in Pittsburgh and the PA group did a report on extending the light rail line out to the universities in Oakland. Since WV doesn’t have a chapter, that might be a way for them to get started in WV. Most of their issues are very tangible…not sure how they would view this. What would their mission be?
May 18, 2008 at 4:24 pm
I think Hoppy got it in the first Senate meeting with the impassioned, short speeches that only two Board members heard, and I think that he again got it in the very large crowd of WVU Faculty in the Assembly. If you were not in attendance- like the rest of the Board- they might have missed how driven, organized, synthesized and outraged the views of the WVU Faculty are. It was crystal clear to those who attended, like Hoppy. To the Board who did not attend- the vibrancy of this group does not strike them as real. Hoppy simply gets it because he was there. He writes about large crowds and their views at sporting events. He understands the feel of a large crowd. This is an area that he is good at, has lots of experience with, and immediately grasped. The Board should respect Hoppy’s take on where the faculty are at WVU. He was there both times. He knows.
May 18, 2008 at 4:28 pm
Info about this Coury-Bresch affair comes from within Mylan. Not sure if the affair is on-going but was happening when she was appointed COO.
May 18, 2008 at 4:32 pm
I’m sure that’s why Coury made a statement of support for Bresch when the panel report was published.
May 18, 2008 at 4:52 pm
Mylan has been getting very bad press in Pittsburgh — I was looking at back issues of PPG. Coury is getting something like $15 million, and the board meeting that approved this outrageous compensation package apparently was held in NJ so it would be more difficult for stockholders to attend.
The Irene Batlas who wrote a pro-Puskar letter in the PPG sent the same letter to the DP about a week ago or so.
Finally, one of the letters in today’s DP, already noted by fox hunter, takes the line that the writers “hope that order will be restored soon” at WVU by the Board and MG. “Only in academia would the employees suggest that they should control the institution.” The faculty should “give up their safe, tenured positions and leave the state and the university.” Allegedly “certain members of the faculty [like it's a minority!] by their “insidious actions” are attempting “to wrest control of the university from the [BOG] and the administration”, and the faculty attack “an alumna of WVU who graduated years before father became governor” [with her BA or her MBA?] The letter is signed by Katherine M. and BUckley D. Sowards of Waite Hill, Ohio. Can anyone connect the dots? I’m worried that the attacks on Lang and Sears may become an attack on tenure in general.
May 18, 2008 at 5:05 pm
What MG, the BOG and the idiot in Ohio don’t seem to get, is that the faculty will leave the state if MG doesn’t leave. Then who will teach the students? How will they make their millions in real estate, restaurants and other student driven businesses when the students no longer come, and enrollments tank. How did it come to this? Weeks for governor 08.
May 18, 2008 at 5:24 pm
Hoppy has been onboard for a long time. He has just chosen to be even-handed. That may be frustrating to some at times, but it, importantly, gives him great credibility at this point.
I’ve been listening to his show for a number of weeks. For the most part, the people calling in from over the state and outside where they can get the show are really angry!!! THEY GET IT!!!
Only on Thursday, did the Garrison surrogates call in mass. The last ones were Orlando and Sam. Yikes, what a matching pair. All the faculty were referred to as some form as “pointy-headed academics” by these 2 wizards who told them to stay in the classroom where they belonged. If faculty are such stupid losers, why would you even want to have a university–sports, maybe??
Unlike the average business, faculty are just a leeeeetle bit different than the robots in an assembly line. They ARE the “business” and as such need to be respected. Many years are invested by them attaining the skills (we call those degrees) for these positions. To say that they should just be cogs in the classroom wheel and go along w/ whatever is done by the Garrisons/Goodwins/Manchins of the world, no matter how it affects their integrity or career, is shameless.
Unlike Ms. Manchin/Kirby/Bresch…. the faculty actually had to produce valid transcripts from their various institutions in order to be here–or anywhere else. In many fields, mobility is difficult and they cannot easily go on to another place–but I’ll just bet a lot are trying.
To the comment that Heather’s father was not governor in 1998: Heather did not lie about her failure to finish her degree until 2007 when daddy WAS the governor.
May 18, 2008 at 5:53 pm
me, and also, had it WVU grad get it. Faculty are going to leave. I just handed in my resignation and it was a really hard thing to do to up and leave, even though I have something else to go to and look forward to.
May 18, 2008 at 5:55 pm
The post above by inthetrenches at 11:55 is especially accurate and telling. Bucks for Brains are not for scholars in the humanities nor are the Robert C. Byrd Professorships.
May 18, 2008 at 6:27 pm
Getting Impatient –
I think the issues to suggest that US PIRG consider addressing are:
1) an examination of the evidence of a trend toward the use of the presidencies of US universities as political pay offs and stepping stones, and what that means to students (something that is clearly not unique to WV, as Chronicle of Higher Ed coverage has pointed out),
2) the extent to which the trend to politicize the presidency results in part from a decline in any meaningful role for faculty and students in making decisions that are so pivotal,
3) the devaluing of the degree for which many students have gone into deep loan debt that will haunt them for years and that usually cannot even be discharged in bankruptcy due to changes made by the current Administration, and
4) the overall lack of integrity of this particular situation at WVU.
I don’t know how US PIRG would react to the suggestion that this be added to their agenda for investigation, but their mission statement, from their web site, is:
“U.S. PIRG is an advocate for the public interest. When consumers are cheated, or the voices of ordinary citizens are drowned out by special interest lobbyists, U.S. PIRG speaks up and takes action. We uncover threats to public health and well-being and fight to end them, using the time-tested tools of investigative research, media exposés, grassroots organizing, advocacy and litigation. U.S. PIRG’s mission is to deliver persistent, result-oriented public interest activism that protects our health, encourages a fair, sustainable economy, and fosters responsive, democratic government.”
They have a higher education project, which is described on their site.
In terms of the history of WV-SPIRG, in the 70s, a young Ralph Nader, before he became a politician, visited WVU and enlisted students to organize. We formed a statewide W. Va. SPIRG group with chapters at many public institutions.
The reason it no longer exists is that the Board of Regents killed it, in essence. We students presented signed petitions from over half of the students in the state’s colleges and universities asking that we be allowed to assess ourselves $2 per term, with the college/university collecting the WV-SPIRG fee along with other fees, so that we could fund our public interest research activities.
Getting all of those signatures on petitions was a massive organizing effort. (Remember, we had no internet.) We used a mimeograph machine in the SOS wing of the Lair, where we had offices as an approved student organization, to print out the petitions, and we drove among the campuses around the state to organize. I spent many hours standing by the stadium where the buses picked up and dropped off students from the Evansdale Campus, asking for signatures. This was before the PRT was built.
The $2 fee was the funding mechanism that was working for Student PIRG’s in other states. It also was a means of capturing on-going student attention and support for an environmental, consumer protection, and human rights change agenda. The Regents refused to allow us to decide a new fee for ourselves and collect it for us, even though it was optional and each student could decide whether to pay it or not.
So, we sued the Regents and it went to the WV Supreme Court. We lost. Big surprise, right?
If some of you remember Dr Virgil Peterson, he was our advisor.
We tried to survive by having fund raising concerts. We managed to rent the Coliseum, although the university put several obstacles in our way. They thought they had us stopped when they demanded a $5000 deposit (a heck of a lot of money for a student group in those days), but a supporter’s father fronted us the money at the last minute. I will always remember the look on Dean Joe Gluck’s face when we walked into his office with that certified check in hand. I think he was secretly pleased, though he could not say so.
We had Richie Havens and the band Spirit for our fund raiser, both at WVU and the next night at Marshall. WV-SPIRG hung on for a few years after those of us who were organizers left college, but without a mechanism for sustained support from students, it was unable to last. I believe it has been gone for 25 years or so.
May 18, 2008 at 6:30 pm
Been listening to Hoppy for awhile……there is a tone of deep regret in his voice as he addresses/responds to those who comment on this scandle…..those who defend the actions of the administration and attack Hoppy as a spokesman for Raese seem only to be attempting to discredit him in his quest to find the truth……while the lies of Bresch are bad, the lies and fradulent behavior of powerful people behind the smoke screen are evil and arrogant ….if you have half a set of brains and understand what an academic institution should be, you should be able to see with little difficulty that Hoppy is doing his job very well…..may his work go forward. In some very important ways, it is a sad to be a mountaineer.For those of us out of the loop, what’s the BAILES “FISH OIL”connection???
May 18, 2008 at 6:42 pm
The BS (probably a BA) for Ms. Heather “Gimme an MBA cuz my pop is the Gov” Bresch has been confirmed. She did manage to somehow get that one. And that confirmation was made at the same time as the original confirmation requst for the MBA was made.
May 18, 2008 at 6:51 pm
Bailes is the chairman for amerisciences which sells vits and health supplements and was selling fish oil capsules to patients in the clinic. I wonder where he has been with all this going on!
May 18, 2008 at 6:55 pm
70s Grad:
Interesting history! Did know Dean Gluck and wouldn’t be at all surprised if he was “secretly” very happy.
With the extensive press coverage, especially Chronicle of Higher Ed, it would be worth an email to the national to see if there’s interest. Since university students are “consumers” in a nonprofit constituency sense, they have the right to expect academic integrity and avoidance of any substantive actions that devalue the product, namely their degree.
Perhaps we could both email and see what responses we get.
May 18, 2008 at 6:55 pm
Here is the sad thing about the Bucks for Brains initiative in West Virginia. It is modelled ‘very loosely’ on an initiative that the state of Kentucjy mounted a few years ago. Over a 5 year period the State Legislature injected a total of 300 million dollars in 2 alliquots into U Louisville (U Kentucky at Lexington also got $$$). This was matched by private funds. So they had $700M to play with while the NIH was busy doubling its funding form 1998 to 2003. They seeded 49 Endowed Chairs. The institution ended up quadrupling its research funding and rose in NIH ranks like a bullet.
The sums of money touted in the WV initiative are more like $50M and will be distributed across the institution. This is Garrison’s little brain child about which he feels quite proud.
May 18, 2008 at 6:57 pm
The fish oil relates to the miraculous recovery of the one miner which Bailes took all the credit for. He gave the guy fish oil and then started selling it out of his clinic.
May 18, 2008 at 6:58 pm
I wonder how many faculty have left in the last two years alone. Since the selection of MG, I can count 4 that i know personally. How much does this cost the university you ask? Just get another? Did you know that a search costs about $20-50k depending on the department and startup costs? Well, provided you can talk someone of any caliber into coming here now that is.
May 18, 2008 at 7:01 pm
Bucks for Brains seems to require brains to be used. If we keep hemorrhaging our talent, who will be left to compete for NSF and NIH funding? It’s been hard enough as it is to get by the “Oh, it’s WVU” factor. It’s even harder now.
May 18, 2008 at 7:10 pm
Solution to Mikey’s Problem: is your info from reliable sources regarding Coury/Bresch? Wouldn’t this be a Mylan BOD issue?
May 18, 2008 at 7:15 pm
Source is reliable. I am got a lawyer. What is BOD?
May 18, 2008 at 7:16 pm
sorry, not a lawyer
May 18, 2008 at 7:20 pm
Getting Impatient,
We certainly can both do that. Ideally, student leaders would take this on, with support. I would love to see a current student contact PIRG. Students need to take an active role in any analysis.
May 18, 2008 at 7:21 pm
Board of Directors
May 18, 2008 at 7:22 pm
If folks inside Mylan are aware of the situation it is surprising it has not been raised with them, the Board, that is.
May 18, 2008 at 7:24 pm
There is more than fish oil being peddled. A cursory look at that Bailes CV shows a fair amount of snake oil. $21.3 million grant??? Please if that is true they should make him President of the U.
May 18, 2008 at 7:24 pm
Board of Directors
- Milan Puskar
- Robert Coury, CEO
- Wendy Cameron
- Neil Dimick, Former CFO and VP Amerisource
- Douglas Leech, CEO Centra Bank
- Joseph Maroon, Neurosurgeon, UPMC
- Rodney Piatt
- N. Prasad
- C.B.Todd(CEO, Centra Bank)
- Randall Vanderveen
I doubt any of them care about Bresch and Coury.
May 18, 2008 at 7:43 pm
The Coury-Bresch connection, so to speak, is commonly known in the financial world.
May 18, 2008 at 7:56 pm
Is that a wet or dry connection?
May 18, 2008 at 9:22 pm
Anne: this morning’s link with Chad Wilcox’s editorial. Many thanks! It’s a gem. I’d post the link again but don’t know how, sorry. Charleston P-G
A MIR meeting tomorrow 5/19 – check the info. Almost missed the announcement.
The ceremonies – very somber, a school presents candidates, an officer confers degrees, parents and the world witness, sermons, printed codes of professional behavior, longer than a wedding. Proof of enrollment, proof of payment, proof of mastery. What went on in Stewart Hall last October was as bad as making fake ID cards or counterfeiting money.
May 18, 2008 at 10:01 pm
Steph
What went on was way worse than those things. If you consider what those people were charged with protecting, with holding sacred and what they did. What went on was treason, it was matricide and fratricide. I can’t even begin to describe what they did to our alma mater, to each of us who worked so very hard to earn our degrees that we once proudly displayed on our walls. They destroyed the very thing they were charged to protect. They sullied their entire constituency. I think their lack of being “academic” (it drives me crazy when he says that, I mean wtf, he is the President of a university) led them to do it for what they thought were good reasons. It is their sheer cowardice at this point which is most inexcusable. Those involved need to do the right thing, they need to own up to their stupidity and errors.
May 18, 2008 at 11:12 pm
Misrepresentation of credentials. How does the SEC deal with such a thing?? I had thought governace rules and corporate standards were tougher these days, especially on board members and officers.
May 19, 2008 at 12:08 am
Were the SEC to get involved, she would likely claim that she believed she had the degree and stated it on her CV “in good faith”. This would probably get her off the hook, though shareholders might be able to claim that Mylan did not maintain due diligence when verifying her bonafides as a potential job candidate that would be so closely tied to the financial stability (and therefore value) of the company. Did the share price fall during this? If you could establish reasonable causality (or even correlation), a class action suit might be in order.
May 19, 2008 at 12:30 am
Remember though, that the report concluded that it was unreasonable for Heather to think that she earned the degree.
May 19, 2008 at 6:23 am
Me at 12:08: Garrison’s continued pronouncements that she believed she had the degree and that he isn’t sure (in spite of the categorical statements that Heather Manchin Bresch did not get the degree in the report) have been given as cover for her against the SEC and Mylan. Garrison is being complicit in the cover up to the SEC as well to allow Heather Manchin Bresch room to claim its all a big misunderstanding rather than fraud.
May 19, 2008 at 7:17 am
Even a lawyer should see the inconsistency in “accepting the report” and claiming that he isn’t sure. He needs better handlers . . . unless he’s handling himself. What’s that old saw about a lawyer who represents himself has a fool for a client?
May 19, 2008 at 7:22 am
Well let’s hope he’s not “handling himself” :)
May 19, 2008 at 8:03 am
Does Mylan have a tuition reimbursement plan? Other companies that have these plans usually require that grades be submitted when a class is completed, payment is made and the record is created.
May 19, 2008 at 9:55 am
Re: mylan tuition reimbursement
Yes, they do have such a plan, it’s called Puskar Stadium.
May 19, 2008 at 10:13 am
Good one, Double.
May 19, 2008 at 11:04 am
Thanks for the great links – 5/16 Chronicle, WV gazette survey. I answered all the surveys. Read the D-P Commencement summary today. CNN’s Vince Gonzalez told reporters to “make the Truth your friend.” He’d make a good teacher, president, or judge. It wasn’t even hard for him to say the words in public.
Craig Walker – listed for PE ceremony but also a no show. CB Wilson filled in for him.
Love the empty chair on the Vic Sprouse link.
Suspicious 10am: you are preaching to the choir – I fully agree. Pick your battles – what kind of WV folk just unseated a supreme court justice? What reached them? Where’s the Bresch scandal smoking gun? Photos? What is simple and effective? It’s not so easy to see conflict of interest (yes it’s much worse than that) unless one is already on the inside. Even faculty at other schools have their own territorialism and fear to deal with, of another brand.
Try selling “matricide” or “treason” to someone without a degree, let alone high school diploma. Talk SEC to an unemployed voter who could help change laws regarding BOG. HSC fear and terror? I had no idea – never was my territory. I feel pretty helpless about that. Who the governor handpicks for BOG means little to many people. If what went on is worse than actual crimes but is not illegal – what’s the approach?
My comparisons were not childish games. Underage drinking kills and maims people. Fiscal fraud ruins families for generations. What will effectively communicate esoteric ethical issues that only offend or hurt the highly educated? Maybe MG appears too much to be the popular ornery schoolyard bully in the stern principle’s office to some. He fills the beloved underdog role.
Suspic: I think we’re talking the same language in the end. We have to deal with reality and keep this alive beyond WV as well. We can at least turn that radio survey around, for crying out loud. Not out of string by a long shot – happy to see new names on MIR petition.
May 19, 2008 at 11:48 am
sorry suspicious – 10pm. catch you next shift.
May 19, 2008 at 12:17 pm
Good comments all around. Given the fact that I, a lowly non-WVian had been told about the Coury-Bresch sleepovers months ago, and we are not in the financial sector, it has to be one of the worst-kept secrets around. Obviously Mylan BOD have plausible deniability but they know about the affair as well. They must not care, even in the wake of poor Mylan performance. I think I’m gonna leave this one up to the PPG to dither over, and worry more about WVU’s plight