Memorandum on Heather Manchin Bresch MBA Controversy at WVU

May 4, 2008

TO: Dr. Sherman Riemenschneider, Chairperson

WVU Mathematics Department

FROM: L. Zane Shuck, Ph.D.

Dr. Riemenschneider, this is to applaud your wisdom and fortitude in recognizing this Bresch scandal for what it is, and attempting to restore creditability to WVU by endorsing appropriate punitive measures for the perpetrators of this unprecedented act in a university in the United States of America. What a record to hold!

As an alumnus with two advanced degrees from WVU, a former Professor and administrator at WVU, and one who gives substantial donations to WVU each year, I am incensed at the notion that WVU and the BOG have not already cleaned house following the Bresch scandal! My alumni associates have similar opinions as summarized below. These thoughts, concerns, and questions, need to be circulated, if you will please, to all involved faculty and administrators, especially the faculty senators, for thorough consideration in their deliberations.

Beginning the "healing process" is totally premature! More major extractive surgery must be done before any healing can begin. It does not solve the problem to just clean up the scent if the skunk is not removed! This entire current spin begs the question, "Is there a second more offensive and equally serious cover-up being perpetrated?" Now is the time to begin a serious and thorough probe, best conducted by a grand jury with all parties under oath.

The fact that President Garrison has fingered Gerry Lang and Steve Sears as the scapegoat fall guys so that the bleeding will stop before it reaches him, or BOG Steve Goodwin, is reflective of the arrogance and type of character we need to eliminate in the WVU administration. People knowledgeable in the functioning of bureaucracies know how top administrators, "in handing off," can give vague instructions with spins for expected results to one, two or more levels below to absolve themselves of any blame, repercussion, or association with controversial decisions. It appears that resignations really need to start at the top with the BOG, where Garrison, a lobbyist, was reportedly hand picked by BOG Steve Goodwin, which has made a joke of the national search for a WVU President.

As a further serious indicator of the character/leadership problem with President Garrison, he even waved what appears as a carrot bribe in front of the faculty that he would get them increased salaries next year if he stays on as President. What a cheap inappropriate gesture! Does he really believe the faculty to be so gullible and naive? This is even more nauseous to the general public looking in from the outside!

The events to date and the current spins raise more questions than answers provided thus far. As a public institution, the public has a right to know more of the details of these two resignation arrangements, and all telephone and other private meeting discussions leading up to them from the Governor all the way down.

1. What were the discussions and terms of agreements among Garrison and Gerry Lang and Steve Sears?

2. Who has oversight authority to independently review or disallow these two very sweet deals involving what appears from newspaper reports as potential serious conflicts of interest?

3. What promises were made by Lang and Sears to Garrison in return if they resigned?

4. Are these arrangements in the best interest of West Virginia University, the faculty, students, State, etc?

5. What were the discussions of these arrangements with the BOG?

6. Is this really a good ole boy politico protecting a lawyer politico colleague as has been mentioned?

7. When did President Garrison learn of the actions of Lang and Sears to change the records, add grades, etc. and why did he not fire them immediately upon learning of it? Otherwise, would he not be either an accomplice, or totally negligent in his administrative duties? These questions have not been publicly answered to my knowledge.

8. As entrusted public officials, are they subject to prosecution, and class action lawsuits by having compromised the reputation and opportunities of faculty, researchers, students, and others associated with WVU, and who came to WVU under contracts for a different set of conditions?

This is no time for healing, but for an investigation that will provide all of the answers the public, alumni, students, faculty and administration and every West Virginia citizen deserves. The nation is watching. There are huge repercussions at stake! The reputation of WVU, and the entire State of WV, will cave in along with millions of dollars of donations to the University. There will even be impacts from granting and government institutions, and national ranking institutions. We are now the ugly duckling and the joke of the Big East! We are now ticker tape headlines on Fox News! What a national embarrassment!

I am shocked that some inside WVU do not seem to grasp the gravity and magnitude of this scandal and the irreparable damage. Reality will sink in when the alumni funds start drying up! What a message this sends to the nation about WVU! We must not tolerate any downplaying or any cover-up! The entire recruitment process for faculty, researchers, administrators, grants, students and athletes will be hugely impacted until this mess is totally cleaned up in the public eye. The jobs of all current administrators just got extremely more difficult, and will get progressively worse until there is a highly publicly visible top to bottom cleansing of this scandal!

I will not make any future financial contributions, and will encourage all alumni not to make any contributions until the flagship is uprighted and honor is restored by the resignations of all parties involved, and such sweet deals as published for Lang and Sears are rescinded. How can you award someone who has committed such an atrocity with such large salaries and less responsibilities? Have they not breached their contracts to the point that they should be voided? The current status appears as a mockery of justice, and totally unacceptable!

In addition to this scandal, the U. S. Department of Commerce just last week for the third year in a row rated West Virginia as the worst litigation State in the United States. How much more national embarrassment must proud West Virginia citizens endure? Until these recent embarrassments, we had been making great strides in improving the image of WVU and the State of West Virginia. What a setback!

WVU urgently needs to immediately and swiftly clean house of all involved in this record scandal, and recruit top quality, proven academic leaders and administrators from some highly respected universities around the United States. This is essential in order to salvage any of its reputation and all of the great achievements the faculty, researchers, other administrators and staff, coaches, alumni, and students have worked so hard for in recent years. WVU desperately needs an entirely new top administration and BOG leadership to preserve, dignify and represent their achievements.