I’m willing to bet that Micheal S. Garrison was the only university president in the United States of America who attended, but did not speak at his own school’s commencement ceremony Saturday.
How sad. It’s Garrison’s very first commencement as President — and he’s too scared to address the very people he’s charged with leading for fear of being summarily booed. What a pathetic coward this man is.
He is unable — and unwilling to lead. There’s really no greater indication of the fact that Mike Garrison’s term as President is absolutely over.
Tags: Mike Garrison
May 18, 2008 at 5:13 pm
It’ not over til it’s over. Let’s put together all the great ideas that have been posted on this blog to get him OUT at the BOG meeting, if not sooner.
As an alum, I’ve signed the petition, emailed each of the BOG, and had comments published in the PPG and DP.
What are the main things we need to do now? I’m thinking about one BOG member in particular, Steve Kite. He has a seat at the table and represents faculty. How’s he going to vote? Any faculty having collegial conversations with him?
May 18, 2008 at 5:17 pm
So, the “climate of fear” cuts both ways, eh?
May 18, 2008 at 5:20 pm
Garrison was not present at today’s Eberly College of Arts & Sciences Commencement.
May 18, 2008 at 5:22 pm
As expected, Garrison was a noshow at the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences graduation today. ECAS, the flagship of the university. How many presidents of major universities hide at graduation? That shows he feels guilty and is scared. He’s a fucking pussy is what he is.
May 18, 2008 at 5:57 pm
I think the WV News Media mogul knows something we do not. What was the 100 hours about? Is Garrison home writing his resignation speech?
May 18, 2008 at 5:59 pm
I’m reminded of a term we used with student projects when they went out and “shadowed” people whose careers they wanted to observe.
Since we want to end a career (at WVU, at least), could those of you in Morgantown “shadow” Mike Garrison? Since he didn’t show up for graduation, where else will he be publicly in the next few weeks? Make signs and alert media, perhaps?
May 18, 2008 at 6:21 pm
>>>>>>>>>Garrison was not present at today’s Eberly College of Arts & Sciences Commencement.
Just stunning. Unless he was on death’s door, he was obligated to be there. What a wuss.
May 18, 2008 at 6:23 pm
It’s worse than that. He wouldn’t even acknowledge to the college that he wasn’t coming until a few days before. Perhaps the thing to chant in a circle around Stewart hall would be COWARD COWARD…
May 18, 2008 at 6:23 pm
Bray Carey isn’t so much of a media mogul anymore.
May 18, 2008 at 6:27 pm
Maybe his (rather generous) pay should be docked, considering he’s not carrying out the ordinary duties of a university president.
May 18, 2008 at 6:42 pm
Where is Doc Foglesong?
May 18, 2008 at 6:58 pm
All the more reason to keep up the pressure on MG and the BOG.
May 18, 2008 at 7:17 pm
Thinking about how to communicate the passion which the Faculty Senate feel and expressed in its meeting.
One person who spoke with passion was retired professor Sophia Blaydes. Since she is retired, she doesn’t face many of the problems that current faculty have with speaking out.
She was awarded the Order of Vandalia a couple of years ago. I’m wondering if anyone knows her, and if she might be willing to speak publicly to the media? It would make the faculty senate more personal and real to people. Any thoughts?
May 18, 2008 at 7:22 pm
Doc Foglesong is partly back in WV. He could give Garrison some pointers on how to run a university.
May 18, 2008 at 7:27 pm
Garrison not showing was expected, BUT the representative from the BoG, Robert Wells, and Alex Macia were expected and did not show up. Only members of the BoG there were Kite and the SGA President.
May 18, 2008 at 7:30 pm
Doesn’t Robert Wells have a relationship to Garrison? Were they student’s together? Involved in student government at the same time? Can’t remember
May 18, 2008 at 7:32 pm
My prediction, based only on Garrison’s conduct and the steady erosion of his base of support, is that he will resign this week. He will be able to say that he presided over the commencement activities, and thus is not in the unprecedented (I would suspect) position of not having remained in office long enough to do that.
Even that fat bastard can figure out that when people like Bray Cary and Steve Walker jump ship, it’s time to leave.
May 18, 2008 at 7:32 pm
I’ve heard rumors from several people that were at ceremonies this weekend that something is going to happen on Monday.
May 18, 2008 at 7:48 pm
indiechica, that’s a little vague, isn’t it? Several people? Anyone with any credibility?
May 18, 2008 at 7:50 pm
Resignation by Monday? That would be sweet. Deepthroat. What does your spidey-sense tell you about what might unfold this week?
May 18, 2008 at 8:09 pm
I’m betting the resignation doesn’t happen until everyone has left town, and they have somebody lined up to fill in. Question is, does that person have to kiss Big Joe’s ass?
I’m not sure Doc Foglesong would be any more happy with the politics in Morgantown than he was with the politics in Mississippi.
May 18, 2008 at 8:16 pm
Supposedly, Wells was the best Man at Garrison’s wedding. I’ve never been able to confirm that, however.
May 18, 2008 at 8:22 pm
I will bet that Kite is one of the BOGs who is having a change of heart. He presided over the faculty assembly/meeting and it had to affect him
May 18, 2008 at 8:34 pm
Solution…I hope Steve will listen to his heart…agree that the meeting had to affect him. Haven’t met him in person but have emailed back and forth, and he seemed very nice. If I were a colleague, I’d offer support. It’s a tough position to be in.
May 18, 2008 at 9:05 pm
HK, is that your picture on the “about” page or is that Bruce Springsteen? Are you really a law school dropout?
Do you realize you are about to become a folk hero/legend? When this goes national, and it will, the legend of fifth column will go with it. There will be a Hollywood movie. Who will play Hippie Killer? Brad Pitt, maybe.
May 18, 2008 at 9:12 pm
Do any of you people sit back a reread this blog?
When your resignation predictions don’t come true, someone just picks a new date. A new reason he will resign. Why would he?
The true reason this is dragging WVU’s reputation thru the mud is that you all will not let it go. Do you think Heather is the ony person to get a degree she did not earn? In this or any other institute of “higher learning” Do you think anyone at WVU would dare issue another in light of the current situation?
Who do you pick to replace Mike Garrison? Another President who does nothing to get salaries in line with national averages?
Sure maybe I’m selling my sole for better pay. I can’t feed my family my sole….
May 18, 2008 at 9:18 pm
you can probably afford to feed your family sole. It is your soul you are selling.
May 18, 2008 at 9:25 pm
You might find that more career options open up for you once you learn the difference between a “sole” and a “soul.”
“Sole” is what bootlickers like you taste every morning when you wake up. “Soul” is what you could sell, if only you had one to sell.
And to answer one of your questions, yes — I think this is the only time that the President of WVU collaborated with his staff to give a bogus degree to wealthy, powerful alumna and former prom date.
And even if that weren’t true — part of the reason why what they did was SO wrong is that they more or less did it out in the open. Of course, why not, when they can count on people like YOU to not give a shit.
West Virginia might be the only place in America where something this crooked could go on for so long right out in the open. And pieces of shit like YOU are the main reason why.
May 18, 2008 at 9:31 pm
wow
May 18, 2008 at 9:51 pm
Double wow. LMAO. Guess ohwtf likes “sole food”
May 18, 2008 at 9:53 pm
HK,
You forgot to answer the law school question? If you play nice maybe they will give you that elusive JD.
May 18, 2008 at 9:56 pm
This is an issue that will not die. It will live on and on. I posted that I have received calls about this from all over. I still do!
The Damage has been done.
Garrison going won’t solve it.
Heather quitting Mylan won’t solve it.
I can’t sole it.
HK keeps it on the front burner, so maybe he is the solver.
OhWTF, is it really all about the money? Or is it about the Pay Raise? Has Garrison bought your complacency with a 5 and 7% raise?
Jeesh.
May 18, 2008 at 10:04 pm
I will not work somewhere that shames me and my name for integrity. I feel guilt by association with this dirty scandal. I did nothing wrong, but did so because I am employed by WVU. Keep the pay. It came from our poor students’ anyway, and they haven’t got a dime. If I wanted to work on an assembly line and get raises to buy me, I could have skipped the PhD. WVCouch is right. This damage is done and cannot be undone by this administration.
May 18, 2008 at 10:09 pm
So this is really funny:
We pick up a huge recruit, Ebanks, a previous Indiana recruit, a top HS player, who decided against Indiana after all the crap they are going through, and Huggy says:
“He had a great visit to our campus last month,” says Huggins. “One of the many things that pushed us over the top were his visits with our president and athletic director. Devin was impressed to spend a half hour with the president and athletic director, and had the feeling that everyone here is onboard to win a national championship.”
ugh, Huggys, congrats on the recruit, BUT WE ARE NOT STOOPID. A recruit because of the president. yea, yea yea…
May 18, 2008 at 10:13 pm
Guess he particularly liked the shiny new eMBA that the boosters offered him
May 18, 2008 at 10:29 pm
HOW ABOUT CHARLES VEST,MORGANTOWN BOY,WVU GRADUATE ENGINEERING,MIT DOCTORATE,PROVOST UNIV.MICHIGAN,PRESIDENT MIT (FAIRLY ACCURATE)???? INTERIM PRESIDENT WVU,2008-2009. WE NEED SOMEONE OF HIS STATURE AND INTEGRITY TO RESTORE OUR REPUTATION, A MAN WHO COULD STAND AGAINT THE SMALL MINDED ,PROVINCIAL THINKERS IN WV GOVERNMENT
May 18, 2008 at 10:34 pm
Sole, soul, makes no difference.
Bootlicker?
Maybe bootleg liquor.
Sell out? Sell what?
I got to admit this place is a riot.
May 18, 2008 at 10:40 pm
ohwtf.
…dragging WVU’s reputation thru the mud is that you all will not let it go. Do you think Heather is the ony person to get a degree she did not earn? In this or any other institute of “higher learning” …
Where have we heard these talking points before? At least come up with some original arguments of your own and stop regurgitating the drivel handed out by the administration’s PR firm.
Oh wait. You can’t.
May 18, 2008 at 10:56 pm
By not showing at graduation the Garrison is not only signaling his demise as pres he is ending whatever political career he though he’d have. If he runs and hides from some 21 year-olds with signs on their hats, what will he do when it get rough in a campaign. Who is going to back this guy as a candidate when he gets wobbly at the first sign of some trouble? Papa Joe must be shaking his head in disappointment. He is gutless and running scared, let’s keep up the pressure, he and some of cronies will crack.
May 18, 2008 at 11:03 pm
is there anyone at WVU that has been an interim president before?
I heard there was……??
May 18, 2008 at 11:05 pm
I love Sophie Blaydes – she had me glued to my shoes with her speech at the senate meeting, and I remember her as a teacher in the English Dept.
(”the panels report was so clear, I could just scream….”)
She will voice her opinion, but she has WAY too much class to become any sort of spectacle.
May 18, 2008 at 11:06 pm
Duane Nellis was at the ECAS graduation today.
May 18, 2008 at 11:10 pm
Nellis’ son was graduating. Don’t think he would touch it with a ten foot pole at this point. Also, it may be that the absence of MG, however inappropriate, is a PR thing that his highly paid consultants have told him to do. That is, lay low a while and let it blow over. Avoid major headlines (like the ones from the honors convocation) and it will all pass.
May 18, 2008 at 11:12 pm
Graduation is over, it’s now offically summer – Will it blow over? Will this issue die over the next couple months. I don’t think so.
May 18, 2008 at 11:15 pm
Charles Vest is a great idea.
May 18, 2008 at 11:24 pm
Some of us at Health Sciences just got a group email from someone called Nicole Puccio who is supposedly a registered nurse at WVUH. Quite a scathing bit of outrage on Paul Brown’s behavior in attacking Garrison and ‘his wife and two daughters’. Funny that – I did not know the whole first family was involved in this whole shonky eMBA deal…
Seriously though, is this person related to Garrison et al by blood or marriage or anything else? Can anyone draw the link?
May 18, 2008 at 11:26 pm
any relation to Larry Puccio – Manchin’s COS?
May 18, 2008 at 11:53 pm
Probably. Those Puccio’s are always telling people what to do.
Larry Puccio is a big reason why Manchin is such an asshole. He’s the guy who does the dirty work.
May 18, 2008 at 11:55 pm
here is the text of the email that some of us at Health Sciences got…
To all:
It is appalling to me that Mr. Brown is taking such a vicious stance against President Garrison, his wife and his two daughters. If he is taking such time to disperse all this negative, hateful energy into his campaign against President Garrison, where are his students falling? Obviously, he is not focusing on them to be first in line as decent professor should be doing. Please contact Mr. Brown and take a stance against this political campaign that is not only harming his students but all involved, including WVU. Tell Mr. Brown to spend more time being an educator and less time being an investigator !
Thank you,
Nicole Puccio RN
May 18, 2008 at 11:57 pm
looks like Nicole Puccio got her degree in Nursing from WVU in 2005 and comes from Fairmont… Larry Puccio’s daughter perhaps?
May 19, 2008 at 12:05 am
Try this for Puccio.
May 19, 2008 at 12:06 am
Charles Vest is a good choice. Also, H. Marshall Jarrett, a finalist for the Law School dean’s job. He is head of the Public Integrity Section of the U.S. Dept. of Justice. He is above reproach. And if anybody could get to the bottom of the situation at Health Sciences, it is he. What an investigation he could lead!
May 19, 2008 at 12:08 am
OHWTF to blame the critics is illogical. HK did not cause this mess. Although HK has done a great job with this blog, he did not break the story; the PPG broke it and has kept reporting on it. HK did not get this story in the NYT and the WP or the Economist. We are being laughed at nationally and internationally not because of WVU’s critics but because of WVU’s own actions.
While some of this blog’s language may be coarse, neither this blog nor any of the other forums for criticism of this matter are keeping this in the news. What is keeping this matter in the news is that powerful individuals will not make WVU their priority. Instead they have made their own selfish interests their priority.
May 19, 2008 at 4:44 am
Good point on Puccio’s “blind trust”…not a fan of Abernathy, but he got that one right. Listen, this is less about MG and Heather than it is about this culture of corruptness and the acceptance thereof. Hell, look at Earl Ray “Just a Heartbeat Away” Tomblin and his family’s plunder of the Treasury. And now we have this Morgantown Mafia, in control of the WVU checkbook….c’mon this is not about personalities…it principles.
Who is the “Mr Brown” in Puccionova’s email?
May 19, 2008 at 5:57 am
Paul Brown, WVU faculty on MIR site calling for Whistleblowers
May 19, 2008 at 6:40 am
i believe Paul Brown has a PhD, and i believe he got it legitimately, so therefore Ms Puccio he should be addressed wih the respect of that title, unlike your friends (MG) given degree of eMBA to heather Bresch…..which is in part why we are all in this mess anyway……………
May 19, 2008 at 6:45 am
……..and while Dr Paul Brown is a cantankerous sort, he is HONEST, and is one of the few at the HSC that will speak his mind………….he has ALWAYS,to me, been the type that sticks up for an open ,honest ACADEMIC environment……
May 19, 2008 at 6:47 am
Sometimes 100 hours is just 100 hours
Perhaps MG was just trying to keep the spotlight where it belongs at graduation…On the students and not on himself.
After all, he’ll be there in the fall and these graduates will be trying to get employment or grad school admission with their drive-thru degrees.
Let’s face it we’ve run out the string. There’s only so much that 600 faculty and 10 bloggers (with 5 or 6 pseudonyms apiece) can do…
May 19, 2008 at 7:00 am
Don;t recall seeing this referenced:
http://chronicle.com/news/article/4502/embattled-west-virginia-u-president-says-he-wont-speak-at-commencement
and Chucklehead, watch!
May 19, 2008 at 7:05 am
>>>>>>>>Perhaps MG was just trying to keep the spotlight where it belongs at graduation…On the students and not on himself.
Bullhockey.
May 19, 2008 at 7:14 am
Commencement is not the only time it’s supposed to be about the students and the faculty. He will be a distraction next fall, and it’s about the students and faculty, so maybe MG will not show. Then there’s the spring semester, the following summer, etc. He sounds like he understands part of the equation, but needs a bit of help to see the big picture. I’m sure he considers himself lucky to have a faculty willing to teach him as well as the students.
May 19, 2008 at 7:23 am
The Charleston Gazette online has a survey asking if you think MG should resign.
May 19, 2008 at 7:26 am
Over the weekend, I watched the film “Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room.” Comments by former executives that open the documentary seem to fit our situation:
“The fatal flaw, if there is one, was pride. Then arrogance, intolerance and greed.”
“Many of them were so blinded by the money that they didn’t see they were sinking their own lifeboat.”
Are we still in the 100 hours? There’s a full moon tonight.
May 19, 2008 at 7:31 am
Thanks WVU Employee. So far, it’s 79 percent (369) for Garrison to go; 21 percent (97) for him to stay. The poll is on Charleston Gazette’s home page: http://www.wvgazette.com/
May 19, 2008 at 7:34 am
Vic Sprouse calls on MG to resign; asks people to contact BOG.
http://www.changewv.com/2008/its-over-for-garrison-and-a-new-day-will-dawn-for-wvu
Reminder: It’s not D vs. R, us vs. them – it’s doing the right thing for the state of W.Va. and its flagship university.
May 19, 2008 at 7:53 am
That’s definitely worth reading, LaR.
Chucklehead said: “Let’s face it we’ve run out the string. There’s only so much that 600 faculty and 10 bloggers (with 5 or 6 pseudonyms apiece) can do . . . ”
My first thought is: I hope you’re wrong. Second? You mean I could have been half a dozen people on here? I need to expand my horizons.
May 19, 2008 at 7:57 am
I’m not a Republican, and LaReina is right about non-partisanship on this matter.
Senator Sprouse’s blog is a strong right-hand jab, and the empty chair metaphor and picture tell the tale.
But, as I’ve wondered before, who will be the first major WV Democrat to say, “It’s over. It’s damaging to the state, as well as the university, and at this point it’s simply preposterous.”
John Rease has called out Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito, as well as the Democratic US Senators.
My guess would be that key state leaders don’t want at this stage to appear to be interfering with the duties and responsibilities of the BOG.
Will that change after the June meeting if the status quo remains intact?
May 19, 2008 at 8:00 am
Nothing. That’s why it’s called “status guo”!
May 19, 2008 at 8:00 am
Err… “quo” (egg on face)
May 19, 2008 at 8:05 am
This comparison isn’t perfectly symmetrical, since Dreyfus was wrongly accused, but this scandal is starting me of that affair, with Hippie Killer in the role of Emile Zola.
The list of WV “A-listers” who have demonstrated impartiality and integrity grows:
Walker, Cary, Hoppy, Raese, Sprouse, the Gazette, the Morgantown DP…
May 19, 2008 at 8:10 am
About the Gazette Poll, I read it wrong and so I voted for him to stay. Point is, may not be as close as it indicates.
May 19, 2008 at 8:11 am
It’s saddening that Double Entendre’s acid observation about certain political realities may well be shown to have been correct.
May 19, 2008 at 8:30 am
I have to say that unless we do get some big Dem guns coming out firing in favor of Garrison’s ouster, an attempt could be made to politicize the issue, saying that conservatives are the ones behind the attempt to get Garrison removed. Thank God the papers came out in favor of resignation, or it could have just been a laundry list of noteworthy conservatives in the state.
May 19, 2008 at 8:42 am
Could Amy Neil be “Baghdad Bob” in disguise? I haven’t seen that guy in awhile but the comments would suggest they may be the same or at least at a minimum they were trained at the same place.
May 19, 2008 at 9:14 am
folks, I’m looking for the email addresses of BOG members from a former post in the blogs over the past few days. I’ve looked but can’t find anything but their names but I was fairly certain someone posted their emails. Please point me in the right direction as I want to send my Monday “shame on you for appointing a big ole pussy who doesn’t bother to show at graduations this weekend” and “shame on you for not attending” email.
BTW, the “is Michigan looking for a new president” comment yesterday was damn funny
May 19, 2008 at 9:25 am
Yep, he wasn’t at the Eberly College of Arts & Sciences Commencement. This guy’s unbelievable. Next thing you know he’ll have Nicole Puccio giving his addresses for him.
Cartoons here: http://spinachflame.wordpress.com/
May 19, 2008 at 9:25 am
WAJR IS CURRENTLY REPORTING REPORTS OF A POLL INDICATING THAT 69% FAVOR GARRISON–GO TO THEIR WEB PAGE & CAST YOUR VOTE
http://www.wajr.com/page.php
May 19, 2008 at 9:32 am
just voted against him.
don’t like the way that poll is phrased
May 19, 2008 at 9:51 am
the gazette poll is 80% for garrison to resign.
May 19, 2008 at 9:51 am
It’s amazing how badly that WAJR question is phrased. I’d discount that poll.
Here are the BOG e-mails: 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 19, 2008 at 10:17 am
Bray Carey sounds good on hoppy right now.
May 19, 2008 at 10:49 am
Snoopdog1: You are so right about Charles Vest. Getting rid of Garrison is very important, but only a first step. If he’s replaced by someone from the same old crowd, what good will it do? Former Pres. of MIT and WVU alum — the perfect combination.
WVU’s reputation is already ruined. The only way to restore it is to get someone with NATIONAL recognition to come in and set the institution on the path of righteousness. And talk about fundraising. You think Vest isn’t connected to some big bucks?
At this point, Marshall Jarrett can probably do more good by staying in the Justice Department. He would have been a fabulous Law School dean, but now let’s hope that someone finds a legitimate reason for the feds to investigate this whole sorry mess. I don’t think the Bresch scandal is enough. If other allegations on this blog are true, though — such as the one about Mylan trying to buy up WVU property on the cheap for a parking lot, or the one about Waterfront Place being sold to the university because it’s not returning enough on the investment, or the one about BOG members telling coaches months before the search began that Garrison would be the President — the combination of all those things being done (if true) by a small group of interrelated people for their own enrichment and power enhancement sounds like racketeering to me. So let’s hope Jarrett can head up a Public Integrity investigation at some point. If he can’t do it, I hear Elliott Spitzer is looking for a job. And Lord knows the people of WV will allow themselves to be screwed a lot cheaper than a DC call girl.
May 19, 2008 at 10:50 am
You may think I have just fallen out of the cab of my own truck, but I have reviewed the Q&As and the comments of Mike Garrison from the past week into the weekend, and he is not going ANYwhere by pressure put upon him by ANYone. He will fight this until he is bloodied, bowed and wavering, but he will remain standing, even if he is alone. I am afraid that he will not leave of his own accord, no matter how bad it gets. He may be undermined now, but he is willing to wait it out until the next academic year begins.
The only way he is leaving is by way of his bosses, the BoG, taking his job away from him. Others far more eloquent than I have remarked on how his long term plan for political greatness absolutely depends on him holding on to this job. I think some are going to become convinced he has learned his lesson, will toe the line, and in fact will be motivated to create a tremendous legacy to offset this scandal. If that is the case, the BoG may give him that benefit of a doubt.
So the pressure points must be on the BoG members, in however if can be achieved, by inciting Mojo to work on them, or inflicting a thousand cuts on each of them via whatever means possible. Unless Mike knows where some bones are buried belonging to those folks, we may have a chance.
May 19, 2008 at 11:02 am
Amy Neil as Bagdad Bob!! That’s hilarious and so true. The other campus PR people cringe every time she’s quoted in the paper but put the blame on Bill Case. He’s the highly paid communication czar. What’s not funny is a story in the Dominion Post that their photographers were denied access to commencement floor as in years past. They’re so afraid of another photo of Garrison being dissed by a student. I have never seen such a poorly handled PR team in my life. Why aren’t they gone? Becky Lofstead where are you???!! Case and Neil had the nerve to lecture other campus PR folks on crisis communication a few weeks ago. They mocked Elliot Spitzer’s performance at his news conference…at least Elliot had the balls to resign and not drag the state through his personal mess.
May 19, 2008 at 11:03 am
If it’s true that 42 percent of Mon County voted for Manchin’s rival in the primary, you’d think that might get the governor’s attention.
May 19, 2008 at 11:05 am
During this mess, I’ve often thought how glad Becky must be that she moved to a different position.
May 19, 2008 at 11:06 am
The question is if he is where he is because the governor wants him there — but I would hope BoG members will risk the governor’s displeasure — some of them seem to have acquired their wealth in ways not beholden to him or dependent on his favor. I wonder what will happen when the guy who allegedly is G’s former roomie (no way to verify).
May 19, 2008 at 11:10 am
oops – I accidentally deleted part of my previous post: . . .becomes the chair. (I tried to find more info on Wells – I something that he was associated with some sort of physician group prior to Bailey Glasser, but I can’t find any info.)
May 19, 2008 at 11:25 am
Here’s how Bill Case got his job at the HSC in the first place (back in about 1990): he had it HANDED to him. His friend, the Communications Director, rewrote the job description just for him and wasn’t about to hire anyone else. Then when Case left to join Governor Wise’s staff, he was only there a few months and decided to quit, so his friend created a new job for him at the HSC and he came back again. Now if he has to leave the president’s office, I’m sure his friend will have a job waiting for him at the HSC again. This is how things have always worked at WVU, folks. The good old boys always stick together.
May 19, 2008 at 11:50 am
Emergency Board of Governors meeting today at 1:00 p.m. Keep your fingers crossed…
May 19, 2008 at 11:56 am
New state slogan “West Virginia – State of Denial”
May 19, 2008 at 12:01 pm
From http://www.wvvotes4.com: Primary returns in the Governor’s race:
Monongalia: Manchin 62.6% Kessler 37.4%
Kanawha: Manchin 69% Kessler 31%
Ohio: Manchin 71.3% Kessler 28.7%
Marion: Manchin 78.2% Kessler 21.8%
Cabell: Manchin 85.5% Kessler 14.5%
May 19, 2008 at 12:05 pm
Just over the wire in Hoppy’s last minute: BOG has called an emergency meeting for 1:30 today to discuss personnel matters.
May 19, 2008 at 12:08 pm
From the Secretary of State’s on-line meeting notices is the following information (below). The meeting is by conference call, and the number is here. Everything may be done in a closed session, but it would be interesting to listen to the public part.
Meeting Details
Back to List Agency: West Virginia University Board of Governors
Committee/Sub-Committee:
Date of Meeting: May 19, 2008
Time of Meeting: 1:30 PM
Location: By Telephone 1-800-446-1162 x 540728
Purpose: Emergency meeting to discuss personnel issues
Emergency Meeting:
May 19, 2008 at 12:11 pm
Emergency BOG meeting today? Where did that information come from? Steve Kite, the current Chair of the Faculty Senate and faculty rep on the BOG is a Garrison supporter. The June meeting will be his last as Senate Chair, but he’ll be on the BOG for another year. Unfortunately, if he continues supporting Garrison rather than representing the majority faculty opinon, there’s little can be done about it.
May 19, 2008 at 12:16 pm
But rumor has it there’s a divide on the BOG and that some members are pissed, so something could actually happen.
May 19, 2008 at 12:20 pm
AP says Faculty Senate Executive Committee also meeting this afternoon.
May 19, 2008 at 12:25 pm
Could this be the 100 hours that Bray was talking about? Maybe he is in the “know” more than he has been given credit.
May 19, 2008 at 12:30 pm
Faculty Senate Executive Committee meeting is a regularly scheduled meeting – that doesn’t mean anything special.
May 19, 2008 at 12:34 pm
Oh, didn’t know that.
May 19, 2008 at 12:43 pm
A resignation will make little difference if the Board of Governors is left intact. Manchin will simply put another croney at the helm.
Has anyone noticed that the new Dean of the College of Law was far less qualified than the other final candidates for the position. Is this another Manchin appointment?
May 19, 2008 at 12:45 pm
Turnip Truck Driver:
“I have to say that unless we do get some big Dem guns coming out firing in favor of Garrison’s ouster, an attempt could be made to politicize the issue, saying that conservatives are the ones behind the attempt to get Garrison removed. ”
–
Well TTD, it looks like you may have gotten your wish.
Betty Chilton isn’t exactly Rush Limbaugh. Her paper’s editorial calling on action against the BOG if Garrison isn’t ousted is probably what has precipitated this momentum leading to today’s meeting.
That action forced the rats to the lifeboats on the BOG, and that is why I think Garrison is gone by midnight.
May 19, 2008 at 12:59 pm
Hippie Killer,
Do you remember what Governor Manchin’s first act was when he got in office?
It was to overhaul/reform the state’s Ethics Commission. He strengthened the laws, increased the staff and gave them $1 million dollars more in their budget.
Does anyone see the irony of this in light of his daughter’s bullshit at WVU. Can’t we use these ethics laws against Boss Garrison?
May 19, 2008 at 1:06 pm
In addition to Ann’s list of BOG members this was from the Vic Sprouse posting and it has phone numbers for a few members and a few additional names( I don’t think Sally Smith and Carolyn Long are on the other list). Also, Tom Clark must have closed his account because I get undeliverable messages for him (tclark@citynet.com)
Ellen Cappellanti – Jackson Kelly – 304-340-1277 – ecappellanti@jacksonkelly.com
Steve Farmer – Farmer, Cline & Campbell, PLLC, Charleston, WV – 304-346-5980 – sbfarmer@fcclaw.net
Sally Smith – Bowles Rice – 304-347-1115 – ssmith@bowlesrice.com
Carolyn Long – Braxton County School System – 304-765-7911
Ed Robinson – President, E. L. Robinson Engineering, Charleston, WV – 800-856-6485 – ed@elrobinson.com
James W. Dailey – Chairman, W. Harley Miller Contractors, Inc., Martinsburg, WV – (304) 267-8959 – jdailey@whmcontractors.co
May 19, 2008 at 1:07 pm
Anyone on the BOG who has friends in other states, especially academic contacts, has to be seriously considering what this is doing to the university and state. Maybe even BOG members only feel free to speak if they can afford to have their income cut off.
May 19, 2008 at 1:08 pm
In light of all the requests here for the BOG email addresses, I am adding a page to GarrisonMustGo.com that will have contact info for the BOG’s.
I am missing some of the members email addresses, so if you could all take a look and provide any missing info, I would appreciate it.
Here is the page.
May 19, 2008 at 1:09 pm
M: we must have cross posted. I will get that info in my page too. Thanks.
May 19, 2008 at 1:23 pm
The BOG will need a major shakeup, even if MG goes. And the HSC situation is even worse than the Bresch mess. Who knows what will happen there?
May 19, 2008 at 1:28 pm
He’s gone!
BREAKING NEWS: WVU Board of Governors calls emergency meeting
by The Associated Press
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The West Virginia University Board of Governors is holding an emergency meeting to discuss personnel issues.
The board’s filing with the secretary of state’s office does not say what personnel matters it plans to consider during today’s meeting.
Board members plan to meet by conference call.
The meeting comes the same day WVU’s Faculty Senate executive committee plans to discuss two no-confidence votes by faculty involving President Mike Garrison. Both votes demanded Garrison’s resignation over the awarding of a master’s degree to Gov. Joe Manchin’s daughter.
Investigators recently determined that Heather Bresch hadn’t earned the executive master’s of business administration degree WVU administrators had retroactively granted her.
May 19, 2008 at 1:35 pm
garrisonmustgo, I enjoy reading your site, too. Nice pictures and links. I tried to leave a comment, but it gives an ‘error’ message.
May 19, 2008 at 1:39 pm
Let’s hope they do the right thing. Then the work will be a REAL search for legitimate leadership. Come on, BOG!
May 19, 2008 at 1:41 pm
I’m currently in the conference call. They wasted no time going into executive session. One of the media outlets on the line is the New York Times if that tells you anything.
May 19, 2008 at 1:43 pm
Here is a lying ass statement from our lying ass governor…he knows his goose is being cooked as well!
Here is the statement the governor released through his office:
“As a father, I must admit that I was hoping that the controversy surrounding my daughter’s E-MBA coursework at WVU would eventually resolve itself and subside. However, as a Governor, I recognize that is not realistic.
“In both roles, it has been extremely difficult for me to watch this controversy unfold. As governor, my natural instinct in a crisis is to do my very best to dive in and help bring all sides together to find a resolution. However, because of my family’s involvement in this particular situation, I feel that this is one time in which I am not in a position to follow that instinct, because it is likely that one side or the other would be inclined to question my ability to remain objective.
“WVU holds a special place in the hearts of both Gayle and I not only because we are proud graduates of WVU, but because it is also the place where we met, fell in love and started our family. From our perspective, this controversy all started because our daughter sincerely believed that she had her degree, because of a meeting that everyone admits took place with the program’s director in 1998, and when she contacted the university last year, she was simply asking them to find the records that she believed would confirm that.
“Had they told her that after looking through their records they didn’t have the proper documentation on file, we honestly believe that while she may not have liked that answer, she would have accepted it and moved on with her life.
“At no time would she have asked anyone to either “guess” as to her records or to fabricate grades on those records. As a result, Gayle and I are both angry, in particular, at the fabrication of grades that took place, because it unfairly damages our daughter’s reputation as much as it does the University’s. It was absolutely wrong and, in my mind, completely unacceptable.
“Although I remain confident in President Garrison’s ability to follow the recommendations of the independent panel’s report, I am also fully aware of the concerns that have been raised by the faculty, staff, students and alumni of WVU and recognize that they must be addressed in some meaningful manner. WVU needs to find a way to begin to heal the wounds that have been created over these last few weeks, and it will take all parties working together to achieve that goal.
“To that end, I have seen it stated many times by individuals and the press that because I appointed certain members of the Board of Governors, they must be following my orders as to what to think and say regarding President Garrison and the independent panel’s report. This simply is not true.
“The Board of Governors is made up of extremely bright and accomplished people who were not given this responsibility lightly and who I trust to do the job assigned to them to the best of their abilities. While many members are appointed by a governor, they do not serve at the will and pleasure of a governor. They may act as they wish during their four-year terms as long as it is within legal and ethical reason.
“Therefore, the WVU Board of Governors members are not under my control and remain free, as they always have been, to make their own individual and collective decisions on this or any other situation. As I said previously, I am not in a position to make a recommendation to them in this instance even if I wanted to because, regardless of what it might be, it would not be viewed as being made objectively – and I absolutely understand and accept that.
“As a result, I consider this matter one that should be decided by the members of the Board of Governors based upon their own insights and beliefs and information, and as governor, I will continue to support whatever direction they believe is in the best interests of WVU both now and in the future.”
May 19, 2008 at 1:47 pm
when was tbat statement made?
notice he doesn’t glowingly support Garrison.
May 19, 2008 at 1:48 pm
“that”, rather.
I’m so excited that his ass will be out of here soon that I can’t type.
May 19, 2008 at 1:50 pm
I just directed the media to this blog to read that statement. Where else can it be found? Some e-mail me or something: holywriter@gmail.com
May 19, 2008 at 1:50 pm
“Someone”
May 19, 2008 at 1:50 pm
e @ 1″35 PM:
What kind of error are you getting when attempting to leave a comment?
May 19, 2008 at 1:50 pm
Incredible. Just like Pontius Pilate.
May 19, 2008 at 1:52 pm
Garrison Must Go, thanks for putting that page together! I know a few people have said it’s futile to pester the BOG but I think it’s definitely worth it. Especially since it looks the governor is trying to “pass the buck” to the BOG.
May 19, 2008 at 1:52 pm
Steve,
Go to the DailyMail.com
May 19, 2008 at 1:53 pm
A good investigative reporter could unveil the truth at Mylan if he or she wanted to.
I’m not offering up any sources, but they just might discover that employees, including top managers, at Mylan KNEW Bresch did not have her degree.
And, that they were suprised when WVU admitted she didn’t have the degree.
Of course, this is just a “hunch” on my part…
May 19, 2008 at 1:53 pm
thanks
May 19, 2008 at 1:54 pm
The governor is throwing Garrison under the bus as we speak. Manchin would throw Heather Bresch under the bus given a chance.
May 19, 2008 at 2:00 pm
Our “100 hour Man ” is on the call just emailed me that he doesn’t expect an annoucement in this today – more likely the June 6th date.
my thought is they will give him an opportunity to jump instead of being pushed- particularly if they don’t have any strong statement of support today after this call.
May 19, 2008 at 2:01 pm
Man, I was already thinking Garrison must be out based on the emergency BOG meeting, but after reading Manchin’s statement, I’m convinced. He’s done.
May 19, 2008 at 2:05 pm
MANCHIN TO BOG: GO AHEAD, FIRE HIM!
May 19, 2008 at 2:10 pm
where’s Donald Trump when we need him?
YOU’RE FIRED.
May 19, 2008 at 2:11 pm
GettingImpatient @1:53:
Of course they (Mylan) had to know. Isn’t it customary to ask for a transcript in these cases prior to putting an executive’s signature to SEC docs? At worst you would expect that they would have gone to her and asked for proof *after* the story broke so as to cover their own ass in potential litigation.
Because princess Heather; “your word and the university’s word ARE NOT “better than a transcript”.
May 19, 2008 at 2:17 pm
He won’t go under the bus. He’ll be thrown out of the state plane with a lovely golden parachute and a big pillow tied to his ass.
May 19, 2008 at 2:18 pm
anyone surprised goodwin {manchin’s buddy} called for the executive session?
May 19, 2008 at 2:21 pm
I dont understand why Mylan isnt being looked at.
Or maybe it is?
May 19, 2008 at 2:21 pm
He’s out.
May 19, 2008 at 2:25 pm
Why do I have a feeling all they will do is recommend firing Lang and Sears and maybe Walker?
BTW, HK, who IS the 12th Cylon?!? I am dying to know.
May 19, 2008 at 2:29 pm
I said Garrison would go when he became a political liability to Joe Manchin.
Re Mountain Daddy’s 1:43 posting: I think we are there
I know many want to use a large canon. However, I believe that carefully considered actions, although slower, will be much better.
Get Manchin out and then begin to replace the BOG members w/ those who take their jobs seriously to promote the integrity of WVU. This is not a “quick fix”.
THANKS:
–to the Faculty Senate for insisting on outside members of the panel. Had they not done it progress would have been halted at that point.
–to the panel for their careful findings.
–to Hoppy for spending a whole show on that report.
–to Lang and Sears being pushed from their mountaintops (lifting tenure from them is a sticky situation–however, Lang being ousted in disgrace from Provost is a HUGE punishment to his HUGE ego. And it was nationally public.)
–for the Faculty Senate’s vote of “no confidence”
–for the faculty meeting last Wed. and their motion votes, esp. #1
–to the citizens of WV for “getting it” and being livid.
–to donars, alumni, students et al. for standing up vocally
These have all been necessary in the progression to this point. The progression needs to continue.
Patience–the process is methodical, but that is the best way to accomplish real change. Haste usually leaves unintended consequences which may be as bad as the initial situation they were meant to address.
May 19, 2008 at 2:32 pm
I agree Lawbot.
On the other hand, the governor is maintaining his position: “From our perspective, this controversy all started because our daughter sincerely believed that she had her degree, because of a meeting that everyone admits took place with the program’s director in 1998, and when she contacted the university last year, she was simply asking them to find the records that she believed would confirm that.”
It’s exhausting keeping up with the permutations.
May 19, 2008 at 2:36 pm
The gov’s daughter sincerely believed she had her degree. . . and she also said no one would make her take the GMAT to get into the program — it’s obvious she believed rules didn’t apply (reminds me of Leona Helmsley, “only little people pay taxes”).
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08102/872380-85.stm
May 19, 2008 at 2:38 pm
Shouldn’t Governor Manchin, who so often touts his policy of fiscal responsibility, wonder why he, Gayle or his daughter NEVER paid for those 22 hours of classes?
May 19, 2008 at 2:42 pm
Tom Zarek.
May 19, 2008 at 2:46 pm
The question is…did Mylan sincerely believe she had the degree?
As Left Shadow said earlier, corps. ask for little things called “transcripts”.
How is Mylan avoiding prosecution?
May 19, 2008 at 2:48 pm
My God, this is like waiting for Nixon to resign. Think we’ll be treated to a sweaty speech and the “V” sign from Mike?
May 19, 2008 at 2:52 pm
The BSG spoiler was so NOT cool…behind a few weeks on watching :(
May 19, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Hopefully, he’ll be the “classy” guy he is and limit any gestures to the “V” sign!
May 19, 2008 at 2:56 pm
Waiting for the helicopter to land on the Mountainlair plaza to whisk him away.
May 19, 2008 at 2:59 pm
To Fairmont?
May 19, 2008 at 3:01 pm
Wolverine, relax. It’s not a spoiler–the final Cylon hasn’t been revealed.
May 19, 2008 at 3:02 pm
Remember the first set of 21 comments on Mike’s Blog: One said, “Mike, don’t come back to Fairmont”.
May 19, 2008 at 3:02 pm
Two faculty members [Larry Hornak, Byrd Professor of Computer Science & Electrical Engineering) and Laura Brady (Director of Center for Writing Excellence)] have today resigned from the executive level Strategic
Implementation team, no longer willing to serve on a committee that supports the current president.
May 19, 2008 at 3:07 pm
Just so everyone knows, multiple sources are telling me now that Garrison’s resignation could come any minute now.
Of course, I’ll believe it when I see it.
May 19, 2008 at 3:20 pm
To save a lot of scrolling, perhaps you should start a countdown entry? It is, after all, another chapter in the saga.
May 19, 2008 at 3:22 pm
please start another entry.
May 19, 2008 at 3:24 pm
Left Shadow: it would seem they should have known, especially if Mylan has the tuition reimbursement plan that others in this post have said they do. I find it incredible that Governor Manchin could make that statement with a straight face.
May 19, 2008 at 3:25 pm
BoG meeting right now – rumor is that G will resign.
May 19, 2008 at 3:29 pm
The death watch begins…
May 19, 2008 at 3:31 pm
Manchin’s going to say whatever will protect him and Heather.
Mylan’s another story. Whole other set of rules and accountability.
Ripe for investigation, imo.
May 19, 2008 at 3:40 pm
The real guilty party escapes the effect of all the conflict. Everyone knows the true benefactors of this debacle are Heather and the Governor. They will go untouched after having sacrificed the reputation of WVU, the involved parties at the University, and Mike Garrison…
Mike was the pawn of the governor and will suffer the results.
May 19, 2008 at 3:41 pm
The tension is palpable; palpable I tells ya.
May 19, 2008 at 3:44 pm
well please…….it’s a good start…….remember we now have a piece of paper from mojo who states that the President of WVU isnt hired to do “the governors will”…..thats a damned good start and something to hold his feet to the fire on…….
May 19, 2008 at 3:44 pm
Mike was never the pawn in this game, Olfrt, and I doubt his suffering will go unrewarded.
May 19, 2008 at 3:48 pm
insert Jeopardy music…let’s all hum along…..
May 19, 2008 at 4:04 pm
Don’t go feeling sorry for Garrison now. He who lives by the sword dies by the sword.
May 19, 2008 at 4:06 pm
According to the Gazette, the BoG is still in session as of 4:00 p.m.
May 19, 2008 at 4:06 pm
I’ve got to find the Fifth Column equivalent to a meth clinic to get detoxed off the smack that Hippie Killer has been spooning me.
May 19, 2008 at 4:08 pm
The Governor’s statement is on his press page at http://www.wvgov.org/sec.aspx?id=32&articleid=1646
More spin from Joe, sounds like he’s bailing on Garrison and cutting the BOG free.
The joke is, if they do nuke Garrison NOW, it will be obvious to everyone that Manchin DOES control the Board. They had to wait for him to loose their leash.
May 19, 2008 at 4:10 pm
Hi, my name is KT, and I’m an addict.
May 19, 2008 at 4:11 pm
“I’ve got to find the Fifth Column equivalent to a meth clinic to get detoxed off the smack that Hippie Killer has been spooning me.”
Heh good call
Been reading daily since I found this blog :)
May 19, 2008 at 4:12 pm
Don’t count on action today.
May 19, 2008 at 4:12 pm
I’m wagering everything on the Final Jeopardy Question.
May 19, 2008 at 4:15 pm
<3 Fifth Column
May 19, 2008 at 4:16 pm
Don’t worry Left Shadow. There will enough to talk and rant about after MG leaves the building to wean you off your habit. The real discussion about WVU’s future begins now.
May 19, 2008 at 4:17 pm
Such suspense
May 19, 2008 at 4:18 pm
can he please take Bailes with him? a 2-fer-1 deal!
May 19, 2008 at 4:20 pm
I guess blame-casting and plausible deniabilty are more time-consuming via conference call.
Either that, or the debate is down to who has to do the press conference.
May 19, 2008 at 4:21 pm
He should take Coaches Stew and Huggins with him wherever he ends up.
May 19, 2008 at 4:21 pm
They’re trying to decide which of them wants to be the next president.
May 19, 2008 at 4:22 pm
chad wilcox: love your balls at the honors convocation. where were everyone elses?
May 19, 2008 at 4:29 pm
can’t they move this thing along a little bit quicker?
May 19, 2008 at 4:31 pm
no doubt. are they interviewing interim’s?
May 19, 2008 at 4:31 pm
they are drawing straws to see who gets the short one and has to hire him.
May 19, 2008 at 4:32 pm
hey, somebody on campus, wander over to Stewart Hall and see what the mood is. See if he car is still parked over there.
May 19, 2008 at 4:33 pm
I imagine that (with one notable exception) the occupants of Stewart Hall are quite excited? (just like we all are)
May 19, 2008 at 4:34 pm
“They’re trying to decide which of them wants to be the next president.”
I’m guessing Puccio.
May 19, 2008 at 4:39 pm
They might be arguing over whether which school to put him in as tenured faculty: Law or Business.
May 19, 2008 at 4:41 pm
Agatha@439: He’s failed at both.
May 19, 2008 at 4:44 pm
He will head back to lobbying, much more lucrative.
May 19, 2008 at 4:44 pm
If the end to a presidency has come, no lover of WVU should gloat. This is deeply soul searching stuff we are witnessing. Sadly, Heather’s journey continues beyond this little bump on her road. The lives of ruined men lie broken in the trail behind her. The cool, calculating, silent, sin-sick, corporate pill producer ran rough shod over an academic community. Who would ever want to be in the same room with her apart from confession and genuine remorse? WVU deserved something better than Heather Manchin Kirby Bresch–daddy’s statement notwithstanding.
May 19, 2008 at 4:45 pm
witness protection program is called for
May 19, 2008 at 4:46 pm
BOG member in my office building just seen outside office (AKA not on conference call anymore)
May 19, 2008 at 4:48 pm
maybe they had to pee like the poor reporters.
May 19, 2008 at 4:48 pm
Well said, Ms. Truth. My sentiments entirely.
May 19, 2008 at 4:48 pm
“BOG member in my office building just seen outside office (AKA not on conference call anymore)”
Maybe he/she just had to pee.
May 19, 2008 at 4:49 pm
“As a father…”; did you attend her graduation ceremony? We saw you this weekend at commencement, you know what it looks like. DID you attend your daughter’s graduation ceremony?
May 19, 2008 at 4:50 pm
demosthenes – was it Ellen Cappallenni ?
May 19, 2008 at 4:50 pm
It didn’t take this long for Bresch to be awarded her bogus degree.
May 19, 2008 at 4:52 pm
“Nothing transpired…”
May 19, 2008 at 4:54 pm
It’s coming. Patience is a virtue. Let’s make a list of potential interims, just for fun!
May 19, 2008 at 4:54 pm
MA CRW – learn to spell. AND no, I don’t work with Ellen C.
May 19, 2008 at 5:00 pm
No Action? It’s always about the BUYOUT with these people….GRRRRRR!!!!
May 19, 2008 at 5:02 pm
No action taken.
Like I said. I’ll believe he’s resigning when I see it.
Keep pressure on the Board. WVU doesn’t belong to Steve Goodwin.
May 19, 2008 at 5:14 pm
No action taken. Perhaps Nutting has control of the BOG and will run WVU like the Pittsburgh Pirates. No action taken.
May 19, 2008 at 5:14 pm
hey ms truth, if you’re not in the english department you should be…….and if you want a degree in it,just call Mike………..
May 19, 2008 at 5:14 pm
LMAO….now that’s funny Ms Truth
May 19, 2008 at 5:23 pm
Oh I think this is the signal to MG to resign on his terms and not look like the BOG is giving him the boot. But I agree with HK, I believe when I see it.
May 19, 2008 at 5:44 pm
He isn’t gone yet so keep the pressure on the BOG! Keep emailing them! Garrison must Go put together a contact list (http://garrisonmustgo.com/?cat=10).
May 19, 2008 at 6:00 pm
WBOY reported that after a three-hour emergency meeting, the BOG doesn’t want to decide anything until they hear from Garrison June 6th. Hey, it’s the 21st century. May we suggest a conference call? What about video cams and online chat? Why drag this out until June?
May 19, 2008 at 6:14 pm
This is pointing in one direction, for which I breathe a sigh of relief. But, please, don’t forget us at the HSC. We’ve got our own boils that need to be excised…. and, many of the folks at the root were moved downtown, especially those that were intimately familiar with the financial shenanigans that are being buried as I type. One name remains COMPLETELY absent from the discussion– not mentioned even a SINGLE time on Fifth Column. Just like Enron, however, there are accountants who made it all possible. And they are rewarded amply for their loyalty. Amazing, what a degree in accounting from Fairmont State can get you (but in case you’re wondering, the WV Auditor’s Web Site can give you a fair idea of what is indeed, not at all fair).
May 19, 2008 at 6:16 pm
For those of you who think Bresch is going to go free over this, think again. Mylan is already being investigated and has been since they went global. That is from an attorney on the inside. Bresch is going to come crashing down and then what happens to Daddy?
May 19, 2008 at 6:27 pm
Wahoo, just tell us the name, for god’s sake. If you are on your home computer you are safe. We have heard about missing money at HSC but nothing specific. So give us a name.
May 19, 2008 at 6:35 pm
Just went to http://www.wajr.com/page.php poll re: should Garrison remain …56% say NO.
May 19, 2008 at 6:41 pm
but i heard that a certain former education adviser to the gov may have had an impact on the gov’s thinking on this issue, and his point was that the bucks for brains program is in real trouble because hiring faculty is going to be very hard unless this situation is resolved. the gov did make a big political and financial investment in that program.
May 19, 2008 at 6:48 pm
From the PPG
Asked whether the board continued to support Mr. Garrison in light of the M.B.A. degree scandal involving Mylan Inc. executive Heather Bresch, daughter of Gov. Joe Manchin, Mr. Goodwin said members would wait for Mr. Garrison’s report at the board’s regular meeting June 6.
May 19, 2008 at 6:48 pm
Oy this is bad. . . Bad.
Garrison will not resign. Not gonna happen because as HK earlier offered he’s got higher ambitions.
And BOG won’t force him out either, as long as he comes up with some half-baked plan to make sure this mess doesn’t reoccur.
Now, with students gone and stuff, it’s not gonna be easy to keep this on the media front burner.
Except, possibly, with FOIA requests to the Foundation about grants pulled because of all this. There’s a case on this somewhere, i think, that sez Foundation is covered, at least partly, by FOIA, but i may be confusing it with another.
I say if this crap occurred in any other state there would be civil unrest and marches on campus. Same goes with the Benjamin-Blankenship embarrassment.
Seriously, what the hell is wrong with this state? Stuff like this happens again and again, right out in public and nobody lifts a finger. I mean mountaintop removal would not be tolerated anywhere else but here.
I’ve been prowling through an interesting book, ‘Power and Powerlessness: Quiescence and Rebellion in an Appalachian Valley’ that suggests at least part of an answer: land. The author looked at voting patterns of several districts in a Tennessee mining valley and suggests that that the more a given voting population owns land — even just a little bit of land — the more likely to challenge incumbent hacks like Manchin, Garrison and status quo.
Some of you, perhaps lots of you, know about one of the greatest pieces of journalism ever done in this state. Tom Miller (Herald Dispatch now retired), “Who Owns West Virginia” back in the 70s or thereabouts. It’s a little book that shows massive concentration of land in these landholding companies like Pardee and Shonk, etc.
So if the house you live in is owned by one of these companies (as is frequently the case in southern coalfields), you get a big dose of acquiescence with mother’s milk.
May 19, 2008 at 6:52 pm
Any info on the MIR meeting this morning? Didn’t see anything new on the website.
May 19, 2008 at 6:53 pm
HSC question – where is all the money going from the medical school that we opened overseas under the former dean?
May 19, 2008 at 6:55 pm
In the movie, here’s how it goes down: cut to June 6. He resigns, not like Nixon, but like a young-to-early-middle-period Jimmy Stewart–the tired, but money, choke in the voice, the I must leave you now because that is how Great My Love For U is–it’s MG’s shameless but impeccable “You had me at ‘The job is yours!’” moment–then, of course, the stoic resolve not to weep publicly (the turning away with a hand fussily shading the brow so that eyes shining moistly are unseen)…Cut to two weeks later. A Golden Parachute flutters softly to earth in…where for MG’s [assuredly brief] Elba?…Would Huntington be a fitting symbolic purgatory?
What the hell am I thinking? This is WV.
May 19, 2008 at 6:58 pm
Offroute, I believe you’re referring to the John Gaventa book? Agree…very interesting.
May 19, 2008 at 7:28 pm
The BOG has no balls whatsoever. Their failure to act is a disgrace.
May 19, 2008 at 7:37 pm
FYI: WVU owns 50% of the land/property within the city limits of Morgantown.
May 19, 2008 at 7:38 pm
http://www.boomboxradio.net/boombox/PlayerSetup/Players/WBOYPlayer.aspx?FileId=92494_wbo
May 19, 2008 at 7:43 pm
With regard to Dems creating pressure on Manchin – why not look to Rockefeller – his pride and joy (Blanchette Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute) has now got a good ‘ol boy as a CEO – probably thanks to Garrison and Macia who now have seats on their board and who ,ay have helped to fire their CEO – someone who had the quals they needed to achieve their mission. Rumor has it that the new building on HSC campus will have very few occupants. Their scientific director Dan Alkon has been promising that he will move to M’town since probably about 2000 – he has a set of labs that I think operate from Johns Hopkins in Maryland. As I understand it he was drawing salary in Brick’s Neurology Dept (yes the other twin who is not the Dean of Medicine at HSC) and used to be listed as a tenured faculty at WVU even though he is not located in M’town. Interestingly this has now been removed from the WVI Neurology website – does this mean his salary has also been cut from this department?
Alkon is an interesting personality – made a huge impact in memory research in his day. A narcissist and control freak who seems to have succumbed to pride and arrogance – and we have heard how that is harmful on this blog… Alkon has never secured the ‘rite of passage’ research grant called a ‘R01′ from the NIH – if I understand this correctly he has been trying since the earlier part of the millenium…. (He left the NIH where he had a lab on the inside where he did not have to compete for this type of funding that faculty in universities around the country have to compete for.) Meanwhile the powers that be have been leaning on the junior and untenured professors at HSC to deliver these RO1s. Hard to do legitimately when even the senior investigators (Alkon) cannot deliver…
So Rockefeller’s dream risks becoming a nightmare. This might help put pressure on Manchin in the longterm – I am guessing that Rockefeller invested big $$$ in setting up this institute originally… the debacle at HSC is also tied to this ‘independent from WVU’ institute… he will not want to be at all connected with this scandal.
Check out their website http://www.brni.org/
The brni website makes it seem like there is a lot happening here in M’town. Not so – there is really no-one except Berny Schreurs doing good work on site (right now in WVU space). So Rockefeller has a lot of potential headaches right now – probably completely unknown to him too…
May 19, 2008 at 7:43 pm
Solution to Mikey’s Problem: Do tell – what is Mylan being investigated for? and by whom? the SEC? There has been nothing on the financial blogs about any investigation but there have been some rumblings…
And what is magical about June 6th? I agree there are webcams, conference calls and video conferencing capabilities. Exactly what is it that Garrison will tell them on the 6th that cannot be heard and dealt with now?
May 19, 2008 at 7:51 pm
Unfortunately, I can see that scenario, Mackeral. I figure Mylan could use a good lobbyist about now, if MG is looking for work in town.
It looks as though the siege continues. Anyone good with Photoshop? A friend suggested that MG’s head would look great on The Family Guy.
May 19, 2008 at 7:52 pm
Oh, and Byrd just endorsed and gave his superdelegate vote to Obama. It is amazing that there is apparently no consideration given to the fact that the people of WV voted overwhelmingly for Clinton. Guess Bobby Byrd knows what is best for WV. Some system!
May 19, 2008 at 8:10 pm
Overwhelmingly — and racistly — voted for Clinton. Hey, I may have been in the Klan, but I know a loser when I see one…
May 19, 2008 at 8:12 pm
Snarky,
I can see it, too. But until–yet more?–good money is thrown wretchedly after bad on a competent PR firm, it’s hard for me to imagine the departure to be creatively stage-managed.
It’s also hard to imagine Boy King doing a “Jerry MaGuire” period Cruise.
In fact, it’s hard to imagine who or what could be cast in the role of this oaf who thinks he’s a knave.
I started to suggest a pre-detox-regular Tom Sizemore, but, no. Good grief, Sizemore’s an ass-kicker.
May 19, 2008 at 8:18 pm
only 12 of the 18 BOGs called in to the conference call. Can someone tell me how the board works. Does the majority rule or do they act like a jury?
May 19, 2008 at 8:19 pm
I really think the Mylan sinecure door has been slammed shut for Mikey. The last thing the company needs is to hire an ex-university president who gave a Mylan executive a degree she did not earn. The regulators would be all over that like a pig on truffles.
May 19, 2008 at 8:22 pm
If nothing has been done by then, Rockefeller will be here in Morgantown at the WV Homeland Security Summit ( http://drwvfoundation.org/wvhstm.php ) June 1-2. This is in support of the Bucks for Brains and other research initiatives ( e.g. CITeR). It would be a good time to express your opinions regarding the leadership of WVU.
Also, some of us voted for Clinton because she is the best candidate.
May 19, 2008 at 8:34 pm
I’m sure some sort of parachute (but not golden) is being prepared for Mike, but where, oh where, to put him? As I’ve said, Mylan is out of the question. Can’t go back to drink from that well. I’m thinking somewhere out of state, say maybe a nice mid-sized law or lobbying firm in D.C.
Or just maybe, Manchin would prefer to keep Garrison around to catch the blame for the looming storm that threatens to engulf HSC and BRNI, which has all the signs of being a much bigger scandal than Heathergate.
I hope he kicks him out sooner than later.
May 19, 2008 at 8:35 pm
Ahhh, yes…the REAL West Virginia. I keep meaning to add that to my scapebook.
May 19, 2008 at 8:36 pm
What is the connection between the story of missing money and BRNI? Or is there one?
May 19, 2008 at 8:40 pm
No offense, but, while I can’t say I’m not interested in who you voted for and why, I think the issue of MG/BOG et al is sufficiently emotional that we don’t need to cross the volatile WV primary/Barack/Hillary wires, at least not here.
JMO, and, again, no offense.
May 19, 2008 at 8:43 pm
maybe the money problems at BRNI goes back to bailes salary in excess of 1.5 million. He is a neurosurgeon after all. I also heard he was not at the medical school graduation so missed prescott getting a standing ovation. bailes must go !
May 19, 2008 at 8:45 pm
Anne – I was thinking the money that is missing is hidden a little better…I could be wrong but a excessively high salary should be seen rather easily…then again I don’t know…that’s what I asked.
May 19, 2008 at 8:47 pm
The BOG has failed WVU once again. They missed a golden opportunity to restore their credibility. This corruption makes me sick.
What the fuck is Garrison going to report on June 6th. He will say he has been working with faculty and they have implemented procedures to insure this won’t happen again. Whatever!
I think I just threw up in my mouth.
May 19, 2008 at 8:50 pm
Future press release June 6. The BOG acknowledges the terrible mistakes made, including some by President Garrison. However, we are truly impressed by the great strides that his administration has made in such a relatively short time in addressing the findings of the panel………
What precisely is he fixing? This is such an obvious diversion. It was my understanding that the panel specifically found that there were no systematic problems, which would mean the system does not need to be fixed. This is all a charade and I’m not sure that they aren’t still planning his survival. It may yet get uglier
May 19, 2008 at 8:50 pm
What anon at 7:28 said:
GET SOME BALLS BOG!!!!!
May 19, 2008 at 8:50 pm
As far as I know Bailes has not had a connection to BRNI ever. I would guess that he and Alkon would get along like cat and dog – nice mental picture to imagine them locked in the same room for a while.
So what is this about missing money in BRNI? Can someone clarify?
May 19, 2008 at 8:51 pm
Deep Blue @ 8:34
Instead of a nice mid-size law or lobbying firm in DC, how about a nice education organization that deals with the crisis of 1.2 million students that don’t graduate high school on time every year? Say, for example, the Alliance For Excellent Education. They show an opening for an intern, and MG could probably get a good reference from the prez of that fine organization… former gov Bob Wise.
May 19, 2008 at 8:54 pm
Help me connect the dots here, because I am not catching all the minutiae here. I understand that some posters have to be a little obligue, but I need help.
Assuming there is a real connection between the consultants and Bailes (and it would seem that there is), why would MG or Manchin for all that matters, bring them in? Or were they not aware of the connections? Would any of the transfers of money to Bailes show up on the 990 of that (and I can’t remember the name of it) foundation he is associated with?
I had always heard there was an uneasy truce between Rockefeller and Manchin (re Jackson primary fuss and “blue blood” vs opportunist).
I also heard that there is a relationship between the consultants and a William Petrtoplus, attorney in Wheeling; understood to be Parry’s brother.
May 19, 2008 at 8:55 pm
Deep Blue,
Would there be poetic justice if he belly-flopped as Bob Wise’s chief of staff at that non-profit educational alliance in DC?
Nah. That’s one of the comic things about this debacle.
Boy King–Ron Perlman, maybe?–will make out better in semi-disgraced exile than a former governor, whose only “crime” was being caught out at being supremely foolish and looking utterly ridiculous, as opposed to a grasping, loutish university president who presided over the perpetration of an actual crime.
May 19, 2008 at 9:02 pm
“Or just maybe, Manchin would prefer to keep Garrison around to catch the blame for the looming storm that threatens to engulf HSC and BRNI, which has all the signs of being a much bigger scandal than Heathergate”
If there are bigger stories with WVU out there than Heather-Gate, I would have to think the chit is about to hit the fan.
With the national attention this story is receiving, a couple of calls to some news agencies should about seal MG and the rest of his cronies.
May 19, 2008 at 9:05 pm
The missing money predates Bailes. Some say Delassandri, however you spell his name, left just in time. The story is that Garrison was not going to get a new VP until he could decipher where all the money had been going.. The docs were looking to him to bring their salaries up to a competitive level. So they were proGarrison at the outset. Then many of them tried to communicate with Garrison about their concerns and he had only ears for Bailes. He brought in the R and V associates, who are tied to Bailes. And things were going Bailes way with the firing of Prescott and all. And then the scandal broke.
May 19, 2008 at 9:07 pm
Thank you for the timeline StoMikey@905:
That helps !!!
May 19, 2008 at 9:08 pm
Hey 5th C:
It all goes back to the Board of Governors. They are the ones playing the cards. They are the responsible parties.
The BOG needs to be held accountable. That’s what all this is about!
May 19, 2008 at 9:10 pm
Koko;
It all goes back to $$$ and that would leave the BOG out, otherwise there would be conflicts of interest…..oh….
Never mind.
May 19, 2008 at 9:11 pm
Mikey – thanks for the info…but what are the theories on where the missing money went?
R&V is also a conflict of interest…somehow tied to Wheeling hospital…something along the line that WH is developing a service line that will compete with WVUH and possibly impact referrals to WVUH.
May 19, 2008 at 9:13 pm
Its my impression that the overlap at the HSC is more opportunism than insidious. HSC has never lived up to its potential. Some wanted changes (no commentary on if they were wrong or right). Several years ago virtually all Neurosurgeon’s left the state because of outrageous medical liability. Bailes help bail out Wheeling Hospital when they had no surgeon. Consultants help reverse the Wheeling Hospitals desperate financial condition to the point where I believe that the hospital is now healthy (uncommon in WV). Bailes meets consultants. Joe probably met Bailes during the whole coal miner saga. Garrison, who probably knows even less about health care than academia, listens to Bailes at Joe’s suggestion. Bailes now tries to “bail” out the sinking ship which is Garrison to save his agenda for HSC in so doing becomes embroiled in the whole mess. There are a lot of overlapping agendas here and they can not all be separated into the good side and the bad side of the force (Again I don’t know enough to know what is the right answer for the HSC.).
The focus should remain on the fact the a degree was given away in a fraudulent and premeditated fashion by the University President. Those that have mixed themselves up in defending this action for whatever their own purpose is should also pay the price (it is my understanding that Lord Butcher has enough skeletons in his closet that it is probably why he needed the extra space at the HSC)
May 19, 2008 at 9:15 pm
Ergo,
Just the opposite, the tie-in would compliment Wheeling Hospital without the need for the certificate of need and ultimately benefit the Diocese. Racking my memory cells (hurry up BRNI), but didn’t Wheeling Hospital obsorb Ohio Valley Hospital recently?
May 19, 2008 at 9:17 pm
Hmm, June 1-2, June 6, and June 30 (I believe the 30th is the official resignation date for the Lang/Sears administrative postions, no?)
The medical year starts July 1. Can anyone draw a link to these dates? Money and tenure are obviously up for grabs.
Tom Petty was right: the waiting IS the hardest part.
May 19, 2008 at 9:18 pm
so why the rush to get prescott out? he is the only one in this mess not given the june 30th option. maybe he had to go before the e-MBA scandel broke so he would not be available to be interim president !
May 19, 2008 at 9:19 pm
Lurkin’:
Agreed. My point is the BOG needs to feel the heat. Obviously, “several” already have. Once the porch gets too hot, MG is toast and everything else comes out, HSC and all.
But we aren’t there yet.
May 19, 2008 at 9:20 pm
But Wahoo at 6:14 implies criminal behavior in the HSC and I don’t know what that’s about but I have also heard whisperings and I want Wahoo to talk. Maybe after MG resigns/gets fired since that is the primary focus here.
May 19, 2008 at 9:23 pm
Anne at 9:18. From what I have been told, that happened after he angrily went to see Garrison because MG was only talking to Bailes. And they had a tiff. So what was eventually going to happen just went down sooner.
May 19, 2008 at 9:32 pm
Something that should not be forgotten when discussing the goings on at HSC is that it is not just the HSC (Med Shcool) in play. There is WVUH, UHA and the WV Health Care System that are on the table. The Manchin/Garrison interest is in all these entities and their monies. It this interaction that is behind some of the moves up there (consultants, resignations, etc…)
May 19, 2008 at 9:33 pm
Solution is probably right about those event. Because MG not only has no academic background he has no management background. All he has ever done is run the former King’s court. That type of leadership is way different than running a university. In the King’s court heads are lopped off for a lack of loyalty. In any other type of management setting, most particularly academia, one has to be nuanced, patient and balanced. Fire the football coach in a huff, fire the med school dean in a huff. He just has to go for so many reasons.
May 19, 2008 at 9:34 pm
thanks Solution, that is a new twist. So if MG was only listening to Bailes, maybe he ordered that Heather get her degree?
May 19, 2008 at 9:42 pm
Dean Prescott may have surprised the guys by packing up and leaving sooner than they had planned. And good for him.
Wheeling Hospital is no WVU, UHA etc system. Take a look at it.
May 19, 2008 at 9:42 pm
Bariles and Heather do not intersect as far as I know.
May 19, 2008 at 9:46 pm
Sorry, Bailes
May 19, 2008 at 9:49 pm
This much is for sure; giving away a phoney dgree is a lot easier to understand than all this HSC/WVUH twining. One of you people are going to have to draw this up in some charcoal or pencil until most of us can wrap our minds around this.
Ok, let me back up and just speak for myself. I am CONFUSED!!
May 19, 2008 at 9:51 pm
Sorry: One of you people IS and that is “degree” and I am confusing myself.
May 19, 2008 at 9:52 pm
Nah… too easy :)
May 19, 2008 at 9:52 pm
going to sleep now so you all go on and forget about HSC/WVUH bye.
May 19, 2008 at 9:54 pm
:)
May 19, 2008 at 9:57 pm
Lurking – Wheeling Hosp acquired very large peds practice in Martins Ferry…that Peds practice probably sent a lot of kids to WVUH…Violi’s group is running WH…now he’s a consultant to WVU Healthcare.
May 19, 2008 at 10:00 pm
Don’t Underestimate Reluctance. By It’s Nature, sensitive information can only be released through covert channels.
Clues will be forthcoming…
Watch this space!
May 19, 2008 at 10:03 pm
Lurking
HSC has been a mess from its inception when a penny on can of pop was a lot of money (how it was funded (the pop tax) and oh the fights about where it was to be located!). In the 1980s the hospital is sold to the nonprofit WVUH for $1 so they don’t have to deal with state regulations, purchasing etc… The state no longer funds it (except that everyone in the state has state health insurance PEIA, Medicaid, Medicare). The practice plan is called UHA (where all the doctor’s billings go, but not the money from your hospital bill, that goes to WVUH). WVUH has a CEO, UHA has a CEO, their boards are both headed by the U prez and the VP/dean of HSC. You’d think they would all be on the same page. But they aren’t always. A physician is paid by the state and UHA. WVUH and UHA money is used to subsidize the other missions (academic) of the HSC. Sometimes they fight over what should be subsidized. Their are significantly different opinions about how it should all be managed. Obviously, like anything, it would be better if they were all striving toward the same goals. Who decides?, etc.., etc… The mess is compounded by the West Virginia Health System which combine WVUH with UHC in Clarksburg. Still haven’t figured all of that out.
Don’t lose the focus though. The degree was fraudulent, the faculty have been scorned, the president is a clueless buffoon. Others will try to capitalize on this for their own agendas. Their motives may or may not be pure. The HSC will remain a mess for the foreseeable future. Sorry to those of you there…… but a true university president might help.
May 19, 2008 at 10:06 pm
Don’t get me started on the “many missions” of WVU!
May 19, 2008 at 10:07 pm
suspicious – true the entire system is quirky and some parts do well while other parts do not…yes a true Prez would help pull things together…MG is not the right man for that job…he is a divider and good people with good ideas are fearful to speak up because they’re not with the in-crowd.
May 19, 2008 at 10:08 pm
Thank You suspicious@1003. Sounds like herding cats.
May 19, 2008 at 10:09 pm
suspicious (10:03pm) is on to something, I think. I thought I read that the hospital was sold so they could actually build a new hospital (Ruby memorial) because the state did not have the money to do it and the old one was falling apart.
The hospital is run by a board that the university president is the chair over and uha is governed by the doctors themselves. I have also been told that there appears to be competing agendas between uha, hospital and hsc- and the dollars to fund those agendas are limited- thus the turmoil.
the place needs a leader who can tie all of this stuff together- not worry about how he looks on his weekly tv show.
just my uneducated thoughts
May 19, 2008 at 10:09 pm
Lurking..
I know your typing fingers just got ahead of you and you really know proper grammar. But something else is really bothering me and I can’t be silent any more. Our Governor tried to teach good grammar to everyone in state government when he took office. He taught us that it was grammatically correct to say “How may I help you?” rather than “Can I help you?” Now, in his press release, he says: “WVU holds a special place in the hearts of both Gayle and I ….” Sorry, Mojo, I’m not an English teacher, but shouldn’t that be “Gayle and me”??
May 19, 2008 at 10:11 pm
Ergo – I agree. Sometimes the forest has to burn down so I new and healthier one can grow back. Unfortunately the HSC seems to just perpetually burn (although it never seems to touch some of the oldest trees. Not to mix metaphors but this time I think some of them showed their cards a little soon)…. Hope, however, springs eternal
May 19, 2008 at 10:14 pm
Ralph – WVUH, HSC and UHA have different fiscal years…hard to plan when you have that set-up…also, I think HSC (and maybe UHA) budgets aren’t all that transparent…hard to tell where there money is coming from our where it’s going.
May 19, 2008 at 10:14 pm
Agatha,
If you had ever seen me type you would know that your use of the word fingers versus finger is not too fine a distinction…
But by God, I believe you are correct!!
May 19, 2008 at 10:17 pm
Ergo,
I think you are correct, however I think each one is audited by a separtate accounting firm so there may be a some oversight.
Just a thought….but not sure
May 19, 2008 at 10:20 pm
Ergo/Ralph/suspicious,
It also seems to me that there are more VP’s on Med Center hill and WVUH than a branch of Centra Bank. And I am sure that the silo structures need to be thoroughly evaluated, but I am a little curious just how R&V got the contract, and their special relationships. Was the consulting contract bid out? Does anyone know how much they are getting? Which entity is paying for it?
May 19, 2008 at 10:22 pm
People, look at hoohah’s blog – first letter of first six words – what’s that spell?
May 19, 2008 at 10:24 pm
Lurking – don’t know about the Hill, but I don’t think WVUH has that many VP’s compared to other hospital orgs…don’t know about the contract…I would have to believe it was bidded out, but wouldn’t there have been some news about it being out for bid? I don’t recall seeing it if it was…don’t know who is paying for it…WVU I assume since there consulting on WVU Healthcare.
May 19, 2008 at 10:26 pm
Be sure to google R and V Associates and Ron Violi to see how he did in Pgh before he headed south…
May 19, 2008 at 10:26 pm
Durbin?
May 19, 2008 at 10:26 pm
OK….I don’t get the “DURBIN”
May 19, 2008 at 10:29 pm
So much for oblique references to the HSC cast of shady characters…
I believe the person that Wahoo referred to earlier is Mr Jim HACKETT- there now his name has been mentioned here– HAPPY ?
Hackett was formerly the VP for finance at HSC- and when he “resigned” last fall, he was given quite a nice golden parachute- being relocated downtown to work on so-called special projects for his final year of service (before his retirement this June). Hackett treated everyone at the HSC as though they worked for HIM. A total creep. He and Dr Bob D’Alessandri were one step ahead of the auditors- but when the books are finally opened up, we’ll see if criminal charges are filed.
Thanks to Hackett’s mismanagement of HSC money, the research animal facility was left in such a state of disrepair for so long, despite repeated warnings, that the facility recently lost its national accreditation from AAALAC. This is a MAJOR problem that will take years and millions $$ to fix. Words can’t express what a cluster-f__k that is…
The other hint earlier was to the presumably large sums paid to the HSC from OMAN for help in establishing a new med school in that country. As far as I know, no one can point to where the money went.
One last thing- the HSC has been giving money, over $1M per year, to the BRNI– but the scientific output of that place has been dismal. All smoke and mirrors. The space rented in Maryland for Alkon and his people has been very costly… we’ll see if they can earn their keep once the new building opens.
The only exception to the above is the work of Bernie Schreurs- who has been at WVU for several years, and has done high quality work from day one.
Alkon is well past his prime and his arrival on this campus will mean trouble at every turn. The CEO, Cochran, that got canned was the one ray of hope that could have helped that place stay afloat- but alas he is gone too. The new BRNI building may be a showcase- bu that place will likely never amount to anything- and Rockefeller better know it. Come to think of it the senator’s family estate only came up with a fraction of the $ needed to build what he wanted ($15M), despite his mother’s name being on the front door- so he is getting what he paid for. For a while the joke was that BRNI would soon become the “other Rockefeller institute”- what a joke.
Same for the HSC itself. A brand spanking new beautiful building that can’t be filled with productive scientists because no one in their right mind would consider coming to work at that medical school.
May 19, 2008 at 10:30 pm
Ergo,
One would have thought there would have been news about the contract both prior to the bid and after the award, but when I ask this question, I get the same answer…”I don’t know”. I am sure there is a reasonable answer, but I am not seeing it.
Mom: I understood he was seen as a pretty good CEO at Children’s but got caught in a pissing contest with Allegheny. Or am I not reading that right?
May 19, 2008 at 10:30 pm
I don’t know for sure by I think that part of it came directly from Joe via MG by the connections and acquaintances enumerated above. Certian it wasn’t bid out. Which is what angered Prescott. Butcher might as well cardboard cutout. He simply occupies one desk after another up there, has for decades, for lack of someone to put in it. Some of the others probably saw what happened to Prescott (he wouldn’t have been there if they didn’t like him) and got religion real fast. Bailes is probably pushing a lot of buttons simply because he has the access to the Gov because a miner go carbon monoxide intoxication. Which isn’t even a neurosurgical problem! He stole that spot light for his own advancement. It is my understanding that the Chief of Trauma left because of Bailes stealing the spotlight when that all went down. Isn’t it bizarre when the Governor coaches the basketball and football teams, runs the university AND sits by the bedside and manages the care of the sick. Doesn’t he have a job to do?
May 19, 2008 at 10:36 pm
Thank You Can We Talk@1029 !!!!
Helpful toward understanding the fucking of clusters.
May 19, 2008 at 10:37 pm
to can we talk @10?29–you are mistaken, there’s always been another behind the scenes, who is now up front and controlling the finances at all levels – you’ve been given the name by hoohah, was next in line under hackett then moved to stewart hall, and is now over all finances, wvu and hsc
May 19, 2008 at 10:38 pm
Yes, suspicious. interesting that the Governor has the acumen to do so many disperate tasks and yet does not remember attending his daughter’s graduation.
May 19, 2008 at 10:40 pm
Revolutionary,
What happened to Narvel?
May 19, 2008 at 10:40 pm
I never said Dan Durbin had clean hands- can’t speak to what I don’t know– but what I wrote about JH is righteous!
May 19, 2008 at 10:45 pm
The HSC/UHA/WVUH division of labor into academia/practice plan/university hospital is pretty much the standard model for academic health sciences centers. This is always an uneasy marriage in many institutions, but because the CEO of each organization has usually had bulk experience in the area and management/leadership training, most places manage this balance, as all of the parties know that they have to play ball. This, as far as I know has never been true here simply because the leadership of HSC/UHA/WVUH have never had the resumes that would be consistent with something like this work. Garrison’s plans and his advisors would make this even less likely, as they have even less experience. That is what makes this scary for all of us. Our healthcare system will be undermined and we will not be able to get the high standard of care that we have a right to expect from a flagship institution.
May 19, 2008 at 10:49 pm
Dan Darbin is Associate VP of Finance or CFO. His boss is Narvel
Here is a link to a PDF of the Admin and Finance Org Chart
May 19, 2008 at 10:52 pm
that would be Dan Durbin
This site needs an option to edit comments
May 19, 2008 at 10:53 pm
Good discussion….insightful and very helpful for further inquiry.
I wonder how Garrison/Macia/BOG feel after reading this stuff tonight.
Wax on, Wax off
May 19, 2008 at 10:55 pm
he left a few years ago, didnt he?
May 19, 2008 at 10:56 pm
I am still looking for contact info for the following BOG Members for my BOG Contact Page
Linda Dickirson
John T. (Ted) Mattern
Andrew A. Payne, III
Parry G. Petroplus
Email, phone #’s, what ever you can provide will be added to the page.
May 19, 2008 at 10:57 pm
in_the_dark
I agree that this model is standard but is generally inefficient. The health centers that have thrived across the board have strong centralized managment that coordinates an agenda for patient care, research and education, not necessarily in that order. Strategic priorities are developed and implemented. Look to Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic and, as painful as it is for us West Virginians, UPMC. But I do agree MG can not implement this. It may be impossible to implement. It certainly can not be implemented as long as there is an ongoing “cultural revolution” going on in WV where new and outside ideas are suspect for being new and outside. Where one must declare loyalty to the Emperor to hold a position. Look how the Gov responded to this, it was the bad outsider the PPG that was to blame. My advice, if you can, go into exile, the fallout from this is going to be tragic in its proportions.
But again, to get anywhere we must keep our eye on the target. The fraudulent degree, the compete disregard (even today!) of the faculty, and the unlimited buffoonery of the President. That is the starting point
May 19, 2008 at 11:07 pm
let us also not forget the startling ability to look the other way when laws are broken, etc.
May 19, 2008 at 11:16 pm
I agree suspicious@1057:
The target is the degree and the compromise of academic integrity, and as you so correctly point out, it is the “starting point”. But tonight’s discussion is important in that it leads to the larger issue at WVU (imho) the culture of corruption. For years, native West Virgianians (me) have looked to the south of Rt 60 and the stories of political machinations with the disdain of an unwelcome cousin come a visitin’. That was particularly true of north central WV (with apologies to Mr “convicted? ehhh…never convicted” Mollohan). WVU has always been looked upon as a bastion of honor and moral character. But now, we should thank Mrs. Bresch for her civil service to us all (Joe and Gayle should re-evaluate their anger) for exposing the man behind the curtain. Being naive isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
I have been around Morgantown for the past several decades, watching the manueverings of certain people without any real understanding of just what was going on. But in the last 5-6 years the pieces start to make a little more sense, and I am realizing that there is so much more to this orgy.
Tonight’s discussion serves to show that “we” are going to continue to ask questions. That we are not merely satisfied with pressers touting the virtues of being victimized. That we are not satisfied with the cannon fodder so willing offered us…we want our honor back and we want it all.
May 19, 2008 at 11:21 pm
don’t forget
that’s exactly what the BOG did today
May 19, 2008 at 11:26 pm
Bravo Lurking. And we will have it. A great people has been awakened (hopefully) to destroy this oligarchy. Montani Semper Liberi
May 19, 2008 at 11:54 pm
So…
I was wondering what gives the BOG the rights to conduct a private “Executive Session” so I checked out the BOG Operating Proceedures and found out that:
3.11 Executive Session
By vote of a majority of the members present at any meeting of the Board, and in accordance with the West Virginia Open Governmental Proceedings Act, portions of a meeting, including committee meetings, may be closed to the public.
No minutes shall be taken of executive sessions of the Board and no decision may be made in the executive session. No person not a member of the Board shall be in attendance at such executive session except at the direction of the members.
So I decided to check out the West Virginia Open Governmental Proceedings Act where I found out that:
(b) An executive session may be held only upon a majority affirmative vote of the members present of the governing body of a public agency. A public agency may hold an executive session and exclude the public only when a closed session is required for any of the following actions:
(1) To consider acts of war, threatened attack from a foreign power, civil
insurrection or riot;
(2) To consider:
(A) Matters arising from the appointment, employment, retirement, promotion, transfer, demotion, disciplining, resignation, discharge, dismissal or compensation of a public officer or employee, or prospective public officer or employee unless the public officer or employee or prospective public officer or employee requests an open meeting; or
(B) For the purpose of conducting a hearing on a complaint, charge or grievance against a public officer or employee, unless the public officer or employee requests an open meeting. General personnel policy issues may not be discussed or considered in a closed meeting. Final action by a public agency having authority for the appointment, employment, retirement, promotion, transfer, demotion, disciplining, resignation, discharge, dismissal or compensation of an individual shall be taken in an open meeting;
(3) To decide upon disciplining, suspension or expulsion of any student in any public school or public college or university, unless the student requests an open meeting;
(4) To issue, effect, deny, suspend or revoke a license, certificate or registration under the laws of this state or any political subdivision, unless the person seeking the license, certificate or registration or whose license, certificate or registration was denied, suspended or revoked requests an open meeting;
(5) To consider the physical or mental health of any person, unless the person requests an open meeting;
(6) To discuss any material the disclosure of which would constitute an unwarranted invasion of an individual’s privacy such as any records, data, reports, recommendations or other personal material of any educational, training, social service, rehabilitation, welfare, housing, relocation, insurance and similar program or institution operated by a public
agency pertaining to any specific individual admitted to or served by the institution or program, the individual’s personal and family circumstances;
(7) To plan or consider an official investigation or matter relating to crime prevention or law enforcement;
(8) To develop security personnel or devices;
(9) To consider matters involving or affecting the purchase, sale or lease of property, advance construction planning, the investment of public funds or other matters involving commercial competition, which if made public, might adversely affect the financial or other interest of the state or any political subdivision: Provided, That information relied on during the course of deliberations on matters involving commercial competition are exempt from disclosure under the open meetings requirements of this article only until the commercial competition has been finalized and completed. Provided, However, that information not subject to release pursuant to the West Virginia freedom of information act does not become subject to disclosure as a result of executive session;
(10) To avoid the premature disclosure of an honorary degree, scholarship, prize or similar award;
(11) Nothing in this article permits a public agency to close a meeting that otherwise would be open, merely because an agency attorney is a participant. If the public agency has approved or considered a settlement in closed session, and the terms of the settlement allow disclosure, the terms of that settlement shall be reported by the public agency and
entered into its minutes within a reasonable time after the settlement is concluded;
(12) To discuss any matter which, by express provision of federal law or state statute or rule of court is rendered confidential, or which is not considered a public record within the meaning of the freedom of information act as set forth in article one [§29B-1-1 et seq.], chapter twenty-nine-b of this code. (1975, c. 177; 1978, c. 85; 1999, c. 208.)
Now, it would be my guess that they are using # 2A as the justification for calling the Executive Session, thus keeping their discussion away from the public. I am not a lawyer or anything, but I don’t think this is a valid reason for the Executive Session.
Once again, # 2A reads:
(A) Matters arising from the appointment, employment, retirement, promotion, transfer, demotion, disciplining, resignation, discharge, dismissal or compensation of a public officer or employee, or prospective public officer or employee unless the public officer or employee or prospective public officer or employee requests an open meeting; or
I don’t think the matters at hand fall in this category. To me the matters have arisen because of the falsification of Heather Manchin Bresch’s academic records.
Then again maybe they were meeting for either:
(1) To consider acts of war, threatened attack from a foreign power, civil insurrection or riot;
or maybe they plan to award Garrison with an honorary doctorate degree using this clause
(10) To avoid the premature disclosure of an honorary degree, scholarship, prize or similar award;
May 19, 2008 at 11:56 pm
Alma, our Alma Mater,
The home of Mountaineers
Sing we of thy honor
Everlasting through the years
Alma, our Alma Mater,
We pledge in song to you.
Hail, all hail! Our Alma Mater,
West Virginia U.
–Composed by Alumnus Louis D. Corson, ‘37
Fuck you Mike Garrison
May 20, 2008 at 12:03 am
the HSC model works………..IF the proper leadership is intact…..there is so much truth to the D’alessandri/hackett/Butcher axis………..the shell game is played by moving money from entity to entity…..the hospital,with the deepest pockets, usually aquieses to the DEAN (ie D’alessandri was the most powerful) because the DEAN controls the doctors who write the orders that brings money into the Hospital………..this provides unique opprtunities to hide (1 million dollar per year line item for the Cancer Center,Rockefeller money) money and invest in other programs/faculty/greed or personal issues……KEEP THE PRESSURE ON TO MAKE THIS A LEGITIMATE ACADEMIC INSTITUTION……….
May 20, 2008 at 12:09 am
Can any of you HSC people tell me what this means. Is this a big deal?
Recall — Firm Press Release
FDA posts press releases and other notices of recalls and market withdrawals from the firms involved as a service to consumers, the media, and other interested parties. FDA does not endorse either the product or the company.
Actavis Totowa (formerly known as Amide Pharmaceutical, Inc.) recalls all lots of Bertek and UDL Laboratories Digitek® (digoxin tablets, USP) as precaution
Contact:
Stericycle customer service
1-888-276-6166
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — Morristown, NJ — April 25, 2008 — Actavis Totowa LLC, a United States manufacturing division of the international generic pharmaceutical company Actavis Group, is initiating a Class I nationwide recall of Digitek® (digoxin tablets, USP, all strengths) for oral use. The products are distributed by Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc., under a “Bertek” label and by UDL Laboratories, Inc. under a “UDL” label.
http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/actavis04_08.html
May 20, 2008 at 12:11 am
While the HSC/UHA/WVUH model may be the standard, I think it has been abused for years at WVU. None of the University Presidents in my lifetime have seemed to have a grip on it — When Hardesty came in, I remember reading that he was going to really reorganize, restructure, clean house, do a complete management audit on the whole shebang — except, of course, the HSC, which would do its own management audit and come up with its own recommendations to make itself better. Reminds me of the Boston Brahmin who was given speeding ticket and decided to go to trial, because the law required him to be judged by a jury of his peers, and since there is no such thing…..
May 20, 2008 at 12:24 am
Agatha (10:09) Thank you! I’m not an English major, but that “hearts of both Gayle and I” thing has driven me crazy all day.
May 20, 2008 at 12:31 am
Valiant effort, garrisonmustgo, but this is actually a pretty cut and dry legal issue.
However — just because they can go into executive session doesn’t mean they should. At a certain point, the public has a right to know where the people charged with being stewards are taking OUR university.
May 20, 2008 at 12:41 am
Because the UHA and WVUH are private corporations, their records aren’t open to the same extent as other parts of the university, even though their financial health has a significant direct impact on the quality of the medical education at WVU. (WVUH does, however, have to report a lot of information to the WV Health Care Cost Review Authority) If this were a private enterprise, I would think it was wise to have several different types of corporations under the oversight of one organization, so that different types of grants, gifts, contracts, and income could be directed to the entity best equipped to use them. If the HSC uses this corporate structure for the benefit of WVians, then more power to them. The problem is, if they start using it for the benefit of their own little kingdom, or for the benefit of a handful of golden boys at the HSC, how will we know, and how will we stop it? If the UPres can’t figure out what’s going on and doesn’t have a right to the financial records, and the legislature can’t get the records, and the state auditor can’t get into the records, then what’s to stop people from abusing the system? And if the HSC starts gasping for money, it sucks resources away from the rest of the University. That’s when they show up in Charleston, complaining about how Medicaid has to increase its reimbursement, or how the med school needs a bigger appropriation, and how their salaries are so low, boo hoo. Meanwhile, they’re paying a guy $1.5 million and how much annual research money has he brought in? The only reason to pay someone that much is if he produces for you. Show me the money.
The other thing that has happened is that WVU HSC is the victim of its own success, or rather the success of Byrd and Rockefeller to deliver federal money. The problem is, they get federal funds to build these big buildings and institutes, but then the university and the state have to find the money for operating costs — salaries, utilities, supplies, equipment, etc. I suppose the theory is that they’ll be able to get research grants to keep them going, but that hasn’t worked too well apparently. And every little scandal, every hint that WVU is run by politicians rather than academics, makes it that much harder to bring in grants and research contracts, for which institutional reputation is so important.
May 20, 2008 at 6:08 am
Isn’t Dan Durbin’s wife on the consultant team at HSC? Isn’t that another conflict of interest?
May 20, 2008 at 6:24 am
yoda…………..correct……….and Hackett tells peeople, “oh you wouldnt understand how we do things up here”……..there is a DEAN’s TAX, and i suspect that is to manage the “shell game”…….
May 20, 2008 at 6:27 am
I suspect that the meeting, and results yesterday, were to take the heat off both the president and the board for the short run. He needs a break as this is really getting to him. They will hear his report in June and keep him on. JM’s letter is nothing more than posturing to help take that heat off.
May 20, 2008 at 6:27 am
consulting team? are you talking about the r & v guys? no, i do not think so. i was told that she left quit once and was asked to come back on a temporary basis to implement a grant or some program
May 20, 2008 at 6:32 am
garrisonmustgo @11:54-
let’s explore #5 – he’s “listening to different voices” according to yesterday’s meeting with professor Perone (CGazette today)
May 20, 2008 at 6:40 am
UHA receives $12m per year from the Feds to bridge the gap of the cost of treating Medicaid patients….well guess what…NONE of those $s go to support the MDs salaries in UHA, it all goes to the hsc, to brni, research, nursing, the state, unknown HSC ventures to support egos. that is the damn shame around here…anyone who asks for transparency gets labeled a malcontent.
May 20, 2008 at 6:40 am
people, you have a chance here to make a clean break from the WVU business as usual good ole boy stuff……..you willing to keep the heat on to see that happen????????????
May 20, 2008 at 6:56 am
As Perone state in the CGazette article, MG has no intentions of resigning. It’s up to us and the people of WV to help the BOG and Manchin see the light. The people own the university, not these petty tyrant slugs who see WVU only as a personal revenue pool. The people should rise up and throw the bums out if they cannot do the right thing and select good leadership for WVU. WVU represents in many ways the future of people and their children in WV. If it falls, so does any chance of long term economic prosperity here except for a self-absorbed, arrogant few political hacks such as Manchin, Garrison and Goodwin.
May 20, 2008 at 7:36 am
She left, but before she left, she knew she was going to do some consulting work. Gosh, once again, insiders know quite a bit about what’s going to happen in the distant future. It didn’t make sense, then, but it does now. Thanks, JC. And, kudos to Rev.
May 20, 2008 at 7:57 am
Thanks for the JH info. Violi got in a fight about not wanting research labs for Children’s is what seemed to be happening. They cost money…
Maria Durbin cleaned up a big mess at HSC, was brought back to do it as a favor. No self-interest. She has skills.
It is pitiful to have buildings and little research capacity.
May 20, 2008 at 8:24 am
look to your research infrastructure. the powers that be do not know how to do research. make them accountable.
May 20, 2008 at 8:33 am
Thanks for the correction, K.T. and Agatha. It’s encouraging to see that the governor writes some of his own material. A PR person who wrote that would be in the doghouse.
But JM may be overwhelmed by the pressure on his family, so wrongly singled out.
To quote the PPG: “When the panel report was released, Mr. Manchin said he hoped “WVU’s leaders will correct whatever problems that led to this situation so that no other student will have to go through this kind of ordeal in the future.”
I imagine a couple million a year takes the edge off a student’s suffering over her lost degree.
May 20, 2008 at 8:37 am
So MG has never run anything in his life. Why does it seem that having experience is not required for certain positions in WV, and not just at WVU?
May 20, 2008 at 10:39 am
Snarky: JM somehow doesn’t understand the panel’s report said that the records WERE in order. He also chooses not to believe that this would NEVER happen to any other student. Spin is a wonderful thing, is it not?
May 20, 2008 at 10:52 am
Regarding Garrison’s not speaking at commencement:
Putting Manchin’s comments “I am also fully aware of the concerns that have been raised by the faculty, staff, students and alumni of WVU and recognize that they must be addressed in some meaningful manner” together with BOG going into executive session, I wonder if the decision has been made that Garrison is out, and the powers that be just wanted to cut their losses and not be embarrassed further in front of parents / supporters etc.
Same reason why the press was kept back from the stage.
May 20, 2008 at 11:13 am
(I posted this under the new thread as well)
Goodwin said the executive session was called for “personnel” reasons, not for reasons pertaining to a board investigation or for reasons pertaining to a legal proceeding or for reasons pertaining to a hearing arising from a complaint, etc.
Therefore, the only things that could have been discussed were those items pertaining to the personnel exceptions to the open meeting law:
“Matters arising from the appointment, employment, retirement, promotion, transfer, demotion, disciplining, resignation, discharge, dismissal or compensation of a public officer or employee, or prospective public officer or employee…”
So, unless it was entirely related to issues surrounding disciplining, resignation, etc. of Garrison or someone else, than an executive session was out of order. For example, they couldn’t have simply discussed the controversy or the faculty vote or the investigative report. And even if they were discussing a legit personnel matter, any other talk about the controversy should have been done in public. (And it’s hard not to think they discussed the overall issue since this was their first meeting about this topic if I’m not mistaken.)
BUT, according to MetroNews, “Goodwin also said no one on the board has asked that Garrison resign.” So, what did they discuss? Probably, a little bit of everything, but they can’t do that. It violates the whole point of the open meeting law.
I’m well aware that executive sessions are abused all the time, and there isn’t much you can do about it, but I felt compelled to vent.
May 20, 2008 at 11:15 am
Something needs to happen in terms of visibility of issue between now and June 6.
Seems as if the Gov has cut MG loose. Maybe he will do himself a favor and resign this week. He would do well in DC.
May 20, 2008 at 12:03 pm
The Open Meetings Law does not require that personel matters be discussed in executive session. The law ALLOWS such matters to be discussed in executive session. The BOG has the DISCRETION to discuss in public matters relating to Garrison’s continuing employment as WVU’s President.
May 20, 2008 at 12:18 pm
Bobby F, agreed.
My point is that it doesn’t seem like they limited their discussion to personnel matters if resignation/dismissal wasn’t even a topic, so they likely violated the open meeting exception.
May 20, 2008 at 6:21 pm
Bobby – does the open meetings law allow for them to hold an executive session to talk about possible successors to Garrison? If so, maybe that is what they talked about for three hours. If I were in their shoes, I might want a handle on that before getting rid of Garrison, and I might prefer to discuss it in executive session, if allowed.
May 20, 2008 at 6:37 pm
me,
your 6:56 am comment is so on target.
I have written to a circle of fellow 70s alums today, asking them to write to the BOG.
If you are an alum and reading this, please do the same with your contacts. Some of my friends who still live in WV seem afraid to comment because they work in higher education or for state govt. I have urged them to ask another family member or friend to write, if they truly feel they cannot. Each of us can find someone who will speak out.
I no longer live in W. Va., but I know what the university means to the state. It was nearly free, high quality, public higher ed in W. Va. that transformed my life. My grandfather was a coal miner, born in 1876 in Kanawha County. As a child, I watched him make an X for his name. He was highly intelligent, but had zero options. I am thankful every day of my life for WVU and all it has meant to my family. WVU is in my estate plans.
The WVU faculty are a treasure that the state does not fully appreciate. There is not much I would not do to help the faculty and staff of WVU. If you feel the same way, fellow alums, write the BOG now.
May 20, 2008 at 6:52 pm
The R & V Associates contract at the HSC will cost about $500,000 and was not bid or solicited via a legitimate RFP. It will be paid thru the WVU Research Corp so they can slide under the State purchasing regulations. MoJo & Bailes deal ????
May 20, 2008 at 7:48 pm
Thanks, xcuseme, for that tidbit…
May 20, 2008 at 8:34 pm
xcuseme— any clue who was head of wvu research corp when that R and V contract was done?
May 20, 2008 at 9:00 pm
there has been criticism about an out of state newspaper (PPG) starting all this mess and suggesting they stay out of WV, yet an out of state consulting firm is awarded a half million dollar contract to ‘fix’ our problems ! I am outraged !! what another example of a waste of money. Between Bailes salary and the consultants fee we could have saved $2million.
May 20, 2008 at 9:32 pm
Does anyone know what these consultants actually DO? I keep hearing that they have run roughshod over people, but no one seems to know what their actual expertise is, or what they actually do, or what is expected to come of their work.
May 21, 2008 at 8:50 am
I have no scoop about who signed the consulting deal. my source heard this in a bar from two suits from hsc. could be bad information, but needs to be checked out by the press guys. it was probably ordered to be done that way by the front office and governor to bypass state purchasing laws because it was such a big contract. Does anyone know if FOI applies to the research board ?
May 21, 2008 at 10:16 am
Hey, a bar is where the big boys do their deals, so it’s quite credible. Who is head of research corp now that Weete has gone his merry way ?
It seems as if pressure on this place and on the animal lab issues would crack the place up a bit.
May 21, 2008 at 10:47 am
The Research Corp scenario is certainly believable, but I don’t understand the rationale that the University would give for going thru them. They may/may not be under the FOIA rules, but I would imagine that they chose to go thru the Res Corp for specific reasons that have more to do with visibility and transparency.
BTW, what are the “issues with the animal lab”???
May 21, 2008 at 11:06 am
Read elsewhere on hippiekiller blog. They have been so neglected etc that they have lost important accreditation necessary for important NIH funding.
This is not a new problem, but no public light has been shed on it. For sure, it limits ability to attract both funding and high quality researchers.
May 21, 2008 at 12:32 pm
Why has no one called the head of UPMC in Pgh to check out the HSC consultants? He could give quite a reference…
May 21, 2008 at 3:10 pm
Today on the Hoppy show a caller inner by the nzme of Paul blasted Hoppy for his analysis and commentary on this travesty and miscarriage of university responsibility. The most telling thing about him was his statement that ” the inmates were running the asylum”. That was a reference to the the faculty as inmates and the university as the asylum. All it said to me was that he fails to value the faculty who in my opinion are the university. Mike Garrison has been used by powerful people with big agendas …..he in no way was prepared to lead this institution but was believed to be the perfect person to carry out the policies of many who hide behind the smokescreen. We need big thinkers who can assemble competent leaders and begin to clean up this cancer that has become so apparent in the last 7 months……Stuart Robbins, Charles Vest and Tom Spellsburg for a start
May 21, 2008 at 3:28 pm
You hit the nail on the head, SnoopDog. Get some big thinkers in (and not the usual suspects) and get them started asap.
Truly, state residents do not value the faculty. In part, WVU has done a lousy job of fulfilling its land grant mission. Hey, let’s take a look at the budget they have for outreach in various areas… piddly percentage of the budget, for sure.