May 20, 2008
Pressure Builds for WVU President to Resign
Board of Governors Delays Decision Until June 6
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Reporter
Huntington, WV (HNN) – Following a three hour executive session by the West Virginia University Board of Governors, board chairman Steve Goodwin indicated that no decision had been made on the future of WVU President Mike Garrison.
Garrison has been under intense scrutiny following the E-MBA degree scandal involving Heather Manchin Bresch, Gov. Joe Manchin’s daughter.
“We’re going to wait for his report on June 6,” Goodwin stated during a reporter’s conference call. The President had previously stated that he would correct institutional problems which had been recommended by an investigative panel.
In his April 24 blog, Garrison wrote the report “is not pleasant reading for me, nor for anyone associated with our University.” Lauding the value of a WVU degree, he stated the institution would implement recommended changes by the panel:
“This includes developing standard operating procedures for making decisions about academic concerns, strengthening academic record management policies, reviewing procedures for making and tracking changes to grades and transcripts, and training all employees who deal with academic records in Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act regulations… I take full responsibility for implementing the changes needed to ensure that this never happens again.”
Ironically, Justin Selbert, writing at http://www.directom.com, on April 28 revealed that the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, which was one of the first newspapers to break the discrepancy involving Bresch’s MBA, carried a Google content ad on it site the same day the allegations broke: “Master’s Degree in MIC, exclusively on line at WVU. Succeed on your terms.” According to a May 19 posting, the ad was removed several days after the scandal hit the media. (http://www.directom.com/internet-marketing-blog/governor-manchin-emails-state-re-daughters-wvu-mba-scandal_224.html)
A Charleston attorney --- Greg Chiartas, a WVU Law School graduate --- has been approached about a class action suit against WVU, pertaining to the devaluation of degrees from the Morgantown institution. They have advertised to determine interest in such proposed litigation and received twelve calls, according to a television website.
The ad stated, “Attention Graduating WVU Seniors --- Do you feel that the Heather Bresch scandal has reduced the value of your college degree?”
On Monday afternoon, May 19, Mountaineers for Integrity and Responsibility (MIR), a grassroots movement of WVU faculty, staff, alumni, students and friends working to restore the University’s reputation for academic integrity, issued this statement following the Board of Governors meeting:
“We assume that the confidential personnel matter discussed by the WVU Board of Governors today pertains to Mike Garrison’s presidency. If so, we are glad that the Board appears to take seriously the concerns raised about Mr. Garrison’s position. We understand that this must be a difficult issue for the Board, and we are not surprised that they could not arrive at a decision in a single meeting.”
The release came from Boyd Edwards, MIR chairman, and Michael Perone, MIR vice-chairman. Earlier Monday, Perone, chair of the WVU Department of Psychology, met with Garrison and urged that he resign.
For more information on the group, visit their website, http://www.wvumir.org.
Gov. Joe Manchin also released a statement regarding “continuing discussion regarding the report from the independent panel examining the E-MBA program and his daughter’s degree at WVU.”
Manchin explained that he found himself confronted with two separate perspectives as both a father and governor:
“"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,” Manchin said.
The governor continued, “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.”
The governor emphasized that Board of Governors members are not under his control and remain free to make individual and collective decisions. Stating that he himself has compromised objectivity, the governor and father declined to intervene in the issue.
“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."
At one point on Monday, a rumor spread from a Charleston media source suggesting that the resignation of Garrison was imminent; however, it has not been given credence.
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Pressure Builds for WVU President to Resign
Board of Governors Delays Decision Until June 6
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Reporter
Huntington, WV (HNN) – Following a three hour executive session by the West Virginia University Board of Governors, board chairman Steve Goodwin indicated that no decision had been made on the future of WVU President Mike Garrison.
Garrison has been under intense scrutiny following the E-MBA degree scandal involving Heather Manchin Bresch, Gov. Joe Manchin’s daughter.
“We’re going to wait for his report on June 6,” Goodwin stated during a reporter’s conference call. The President had previously stated that he would correct institutional problems which had been recommended by an investigative panel.
In his April 24 blog, Garrison wrote the report “is not pleasant reading for me, nor for anyone associated with our University.” Lauding the value of a WVU degree, he stated the institution would implement recommended changes by the panel:
“This includes developing standard operating procedures for making decisions about academic concerns, strengthening academic record management policies, reviewing procedures for making and tracking changes to grades and transcripts, and training all employees who deal with academic records in Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act regulations… I take full responsibility for implementing the changes needed to ensure that this never happens again.”
Ironically, Justin Selbert, writing at http://www.directom.com, on April 28 revealed that the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, which was one of the first newspapers to break the discrepancy involving Bresch’s MBA, carried a Google content ad on it site the same day the allegations broke: “Master’s Degree in MIC, exclusively on line at WVU. Succeed on your terms.” According to a May 19 posting, the ad was removed several days after the scandal hit the media. (http://www.directom.com/internet-marketing-blog/governor-manchin-emails-state-re-daughters-wvu-mba-scandal_224.html)
A Charleston attorney --- Greg Chiartas, a WVU Law School graduate --- has been approached about a class action suit against WVU, pertaining to the devaluation of degrees from the Morgantown institution. They have advertised to determine interest in such proposed litigation and received twelve calls, according to a television website.
The ad stated, “Attention Graduating WVU Seniors --- Do you feel that the Heather Bresch scandal has reduced the value of your college degree?”
On Monday afternoon, May 19, Mountaineers for Integrity and Responsibility (MIR), a grassroots movement of WVU faculty, staff, alumni, students and friends working to restore the University’s reputation for academic integrity, issued this statement following the Board of Governors meeting:
“We assume that the confidential personnel matter discussed by the WVU Board of Governors today pertains to Mike Garrison’s presidency. If so, we are glad that the Board appears to take seriously the concerns raised about Mr. Garrison’s position. We understand that this must be a difficult issue for the Board, and we are not surprised that they could not arrive at a decision in a single meeting.”
The release came from Boyd Edwards, MIR chairman, and Michael Perone, MIR vice-chairman. Earlier Monday, Perone, chair of the WVU Department of Psychology, met with Garrison and urged that he resign.
For more information on the group, visit their website, http://www.wvumir.org.
Gov. Joe Manchin also released a statement regarding “continuing discussion regarding the report from the independent panel examining the E-MBA program and his daughter’s degree at WVU.”
Manchin explained that he found himself confronted with two separate perspectives as both a father and governor:
“"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,” Manchin said.
The governor continued, “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.”
The governor emphasized that Board of Governors members are not under his control and remain free to make individual and collective decisions. Stating that he himself has compromised objectivity, the governor and father declined to intervene in the issue.
“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."
At one point on Monday, a rumor spread from a Charleston media source suggesting that the resignation of Garrison was imminent; however, it has not been given credence.
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