Heath Haussamen
This is the Land of Pay to Play after all. The scandals two of five finalists have faced in their home states are concerning.
“Troubling” is how the Albuquerque Journal is labeling the selection of two of five finalists for New Mexico State University’s president job in an editorial.
That’s because Richard Herman and James Oblinger have been embroiled in scandal at their respective institutions of higher education in recent months.
As the Journal first reported on Wednesday, Herman “resigned as chancellor of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign last week after a Chicago Tribune investigation revealed preferential admissions practices in which politically connected applicants were admitted to the university over more qualified students. An Illinois state commission determined that Herman was ‘the ultimate decision-maker’ for the so-called clout list, and he has apologized, according to media reports.”
Oh, but there’s more. From the Journal:
“Herman acknowledged that he interceded on behalf of a law school applicant backed by former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education. Blagojevich was removed from office earlier this year after he was caught on tape allegedly soliciting bribes in exchange for an appointment to President Barack Obama’s Senate seat.”
“Herman also is accused of helping to secure a high-paying job at the university for the future son-in-law of a former trustee. According to news accounts, the man was a Dutch citizen, and Herman created a position without a search, dipped into campus reserves to cover the $115,000 annual salary and suggested offering a spot in a doctorate program if it would help him obtain a visa. The university’s faculty senate approved a resolution calling for the removal of Herman and the university system’s president.”
Then there’s Oblinger. Here’s what the Journal found about him:
“Oblinger resigned as chancellor of North Carolina State University in June after a scandal over the hiring of a former governor’s wife and a large pay raise she received. Oblinger has denied any impropriety in the matter.
“According to published reports, Oblinger initially said he did not recall communications about the hiring of Mary Easley, the former governor’s wife. But e-mails that surfaced indicated he was involved in the decision, according to the reports.
“The Chronicle reported in June that federal investigators were looking into whether Oblinger and others involved received preferential treatment in return for hiring Easley in 2005, when her husband was governor of North Carolina. ‘At the time, she was paid $80,000 a year to run a campus speaker series and to teach law courses as an executive in residence,’ the Chronicle reported. ‘Last year, Ms. Easley’s salary was increased to $170,000 a year and she was put in charge of creating a new academic center for law enforcement and first responders.’”
‘Down to three viable candidates’
I have little to add to what the Journal already said in its editorial. So here’s what the paper said:
“The inclusion of two former chancellors with serious background questions on the list of finalists for the presidency of New Mexico State University should leave New Mexicans scratching their heads,” the editorial states. “Unless, of course, the procession of former state treasurers to federal prison, high-profile pay-to-play investigations and a state investment scandal have left us completely numb when it comes to questions of propriety.”
“… Barring good explanations, the Board of Regents is down to three viable candidates to lead the state’s second-largest institution of higher learning,” the Journal editorial concludes.
To be fair…
To be fair, here’s what Del Archuleta, the NMSU presidential search committee chairman, told the Las Cruces Sun-News:
“Even with the situation, the committee felt these two should be considered,” the newspaper quoted Archuleta as saying. “Why? Because they are outstanding. All five of the candidates are really stellar.”
Archuleta had this to say to the Journal:
“There’s a lot more to a story, and when you get looking into the details of it, you find out different things,” the newspaper quoted him as saying.
I’m skeptical, but I guess we’ll see. Click here to find information on when each candidate will be in Las Cruces in November for public meetings and an interview with the board of regents.
And, on a final note: The Journal deserves credit for making the public aware of these scandals and then saying out loud what so many people were already thinking. It’s worth your time to read the entire Journal article here and its editorial here.