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Tuesday, April 29, 2008 "When news breaks, we fix it" Serving West Virginia since 2005.
How Garrison failed
His 'I did nothing' defense is in fact a damning admission of why he must go
For some, the argument about whether Mike Garrison should or should not resign as president of West Virginia University comes down to what he knew and when he knew it.The famous Watergate litmus test is indeed an interesting question, but it is secondary in regard to whether Garrison should stay or go.Whatever Garrison may not be guilty of, he clearly is entirely culpable in regard to allowing what happened in the Heather Bresch case to happen. To wit:* He was likely the first to know about the controversy, apparently from Ms. Bresch herself in an initial phone call from her to him on the subject.* He assigned his chief of staff to attend the now infamous mid-October meeting where the matter was discussed with various professors and officials. A chief of staff has one primary purpose -- to be the eyes and ears of the president in the absence of the president.* At that meeting, there was, according to the independent investigative panel, "palpable pressure" to "not rock the boat" and award the degree, even in the face of no evidence the degree had been earned. The only place the pressure could have come from was the highest-ranking official in the room -- Garrison's chief of staff.* What did the chief of staff do after that meeting? He undoubtedly did what he was supposed to do -- report to his boss about what happened in the meeting.* So, when the decision was made to claim Ms. Bresch had earned the degree, and it was all just a record-keeping mistake, did Garrison find out about it by reading it in the paper the next day? Of course not. He was informed of the decision, and he happily went along with it.He now says he takes full responsibility for the turn of events. Then why have two other individuals under him resigned, while he stays in place? Mike Garrison's notion of full responsibility seems odd indeed.But the main reason Garrison must go -- and he undoubtedly will, albeit apparently later rather than sooner, since it appears he is trying to cling to the job -- is that he has lost the confidence of the public at large, and the march of time will only make that loss grow more glaring. Everywhere Garrison goes, every event he attends, every speech he makes, every public appearance for any reason will find him blanketed in the quiet whispers and hushed jokes about the Heather Bresch affair. When commencement ceremonies roll around, and Garrison is handing out diplomas, can you imagine the snide comments that will circulate throughout the audience? And, rightfully so. Garrison may not be guilty of directly ordering the records changed, or the degree awarded (or, he may). But he is entirely, and undeniably, guilty of never, at any time, for not even one second, putting a stop to the events that were unfolding around him.When he was told that Ms. Bresch was going to be awarded her degree, did he ask to see the evidence that led to that decision? Did he question the provost or the dean or anyone else to make sure that this huge, high-profile development was the right course of action?If Garrison, at any point in this process, had raised the appropriate objections, the degree would not have been awarded. He is, after all, the final word at WVU. And what would have happened had he raised those objections? Garrison would have been praised far and wide as the WVU president with the courage to say that a degree claimed by his close friend, and the daughter of the governor of the state, and the COO of Mylan Inc., was in fact not deserved and would not be awarded. And in so doing, he would have silenced the naysayers who believe him to be a political puppet.But he did not do any of that. Instead, he did what almost everyone expected him to do -- he allowed a politically expedient decision to supercede the right decision. And whether by commission or omission, he permitted an egregious and improper favor to occur for a personal and political friend.He cannot stay.Delegate Craig Blair on Monday called on West Virginia University graduates and faculty to demand the resignation of WVU President Mike Garrison, as well as a full investigation into the events surrounding the improper awarding of an eMBA degree to the daughter of Gov. Joe Manchin.“The report from the independent panel did a good job of finding the internal factors at WVU that led to this decision,” said Blair. “But what we also need is an investigation into the external pressures from outside the campus that may have played a major role in this scandal.”Blair said that whether or not Garrison directly ordered the degree to be awarded is not the point.“As president of WVU, Mike Garrison has a responsibility to uphold the integrity of our state’s flagship institution of higher learning,” said Blair. “What is clear is that when he learned this degree was being awarded, he either failed to ask the proper questions, or he simply condoned the decision because he wanted the issue to go away. Either way, he is ultimately responsible for this travesty, no matter how many people under him resign.”Blair said every West Virginian has a personal stake in the integrity and future of WVU, but donors, faculty and graduates must especially make their voices heard, and demand accountability from the top.“Once President Garrision steps aside, we can begin to heal as a state,” said Blair. “But the questions won’t end there, and we cannot be satisfied until every last suspicion is laid to rest.”Blair: WVU grads & faculty must demand Garrison's ouster
Is Justice Larry Starcher trying to help defeat Spike Maynard on the Supreme Court so Starcher can have a job when he finds himself off the Court at the end of December?That's the scenario painted by Mike Myer, editor of the Wheeling Intelligencer, in a column that appeared Saturday. Seems that Starcher -- who has been passed over for job after job -- might have his sights set on the job of administrator of the Court, a job now held by Steve Canterbury.But if Starcher can get Menis Ketchum or maybe Bob Bastress elected, he might have enough support to replace Canterbury in the job that pays about $114,000 a year.If someone has promised Starcher the job if they get elected, it would likely represent a violation of the Hatch Act, and maybe other laws as well.Does Starcher plan to stay at the Court?
Exit package for Garrison said to be in place if needed
An exit package preparing the way for West Virginia University President Mike Garrison to resign was in the works as early as last Friday, according to individuals in contact with WVU insiders. Whether Garrison actually leaves is said to hinge on whether public and media outrage is sustained in the coming days. 