“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 — 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
“Sc