OT: Is Barry F. around?

[saturdaysarebetter]

Barry,

Since I believe you ran for trustee on a platform promising more fiscal transparency and accountability, in this past Friday’s Daily Collegian (10/28/2022) in Sam Verrelli’s article, “Promises Unfulfilled,” she wrote, “And there are also questions surrounding the Board of Trustees recently spending nearly $318,000 on meals, lodging and other expenses of six in-person meetings. According to Spotlight PA, trustee spending peaked in the 2015-16 fiscal year when the board spent more than $415,000 on meetings.”

That’s a lot of onion dip.

 

[BobPSU92]

Also lattes and scones, which I support. You can’t expect the upper crust to eat on the cheap. That’s for little people.

Penn State may not be elite, but we eat elite.

 

[Lionville]

Barry,

Since I believe you ran for trustee on a platform promising more fiscal transparency and accountability, in this past Friday’s Daily Collegian (10/28/2022) in Sam Verrelli’s article, “Promises Unfulfilled,” she wrote, “And there are also questions surrounding the Board of Trustees recently spending nearly $318,000 on meals, lodging and other expenses of six in-person meetings. According to Spotlight PA, trustee spending peaked in the 2015-16 fiscal year when the board spent more than $415,000 on meetings.”

That’s a lot of onion dip.

When you have dozens of freeloaders, I mean board members and 6 meetings, I guess they see it as chump change.

 

[TiogaLion]

Barry,

Since I believe you ran for trustee on a platform promising more fiscal transparency and accountability, in this past Friday’s Daily Collegian (10/28/2022) in Sam Verrelli’s article, “Promises Unfulfilled,” she wrote, “And there are also questions surrounding the Board of Trustees recently spending nearly $318,000 on meals, lodging and other expenses of six in-person meetings. According to Spotlight PA, trustee spending peaked in the 2015-16 fiscal year when the board spent more than $415,000 on meetings.”

That’s a lot of onion dip.

Could you please link the article. I checked the 10/28 on-line version and couldn't find the one you referenced.

 

[Midnighter]

Barry,

Since I believe you ran for trustee on a platform promising more fiscal transparency and accountability, in this past Friday’s Daily Collegian (10/28/2022) in Sam Verrelli’s article, “Promises Unfulfilled,” she wrote, “And there are also questions surrounding the Board of Trustees recently spending nearly $318,000 on meals, lodging and other expenses of six in-person meetings. According to Spotlight PA, trustee spending peaked in the 2015-16 fiscal year when the board spent more than $415,000 on meetings.”

That’s a lot of onion dip.

Do they sponsor travel for board members? How many? I assume this includes meals/incidentals too? For six meetings, that's what - $53,000.00 each? If this is for like, five people, that's very high. For 10 or more - maybe not so much. Depends on lodging and travel mostly.

 

[saturdaysarebetter]

Could you please link the article. I checked the 10/28 on-line version and couldn't find

Could you please link the article. I checked the 10/28 on-line version and couldn't find the one you referenced.

The Daily Collegian for Oct. 28, 2022

The Daily Collegian for Oct. 28, 2022

www.collegian.psu.edu

Page 5 of the pdf.

 

[BobPSU92]

Do they sponsor travel for board members? How many? I assume this includes meals/incidentals too? For six meetings, that's what - $53,000.00 each? If this is for like, five people, that's very high. For 10 or more - maybe not so much. Depends on lodging and travel mostly.

 

[TiogaLion]

The Daily Collegian for Oct. 28, 2022

The Daily Collegian for Oct. 28, 2022

www.collegian.psu.edu

Page 5 of the pdf.

Thanks, found it.

The main thrust of the article was to complain that the "Center for Racial Justice" didn't get funded and the author scab-picked at a few other expenses? You should be thanking Barry for helping to cut waste such as this "Center", which was initiated by Barron.

Board meetings with more than 30 members attending 6 meetings for $318K, including lodging, travel, meals is quite thrifty and for a $7.7B organization isn't even beer money.

If you are concerned about about last years spending you should be contacting one of the Trustees who was on the board last year. Perhaps @Lubrano could chime in to this discussion?

Here is a link to the pdf if anyone is interested. Scroll down to page 5.

https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/collegian.psu.edu/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/8/ab/8ab8ac44-558c-11ed-b526-33ac5a2a4a03/635a169e10c39.pdf.pdf

 

[NittPicker]

He likely underwent the mandatory lobotomy after being sworn in.

 

[GrimReaper]

Thanks, found it.

The main thrust of the article was to complain that the "Center for Racial Justice" didn't get funded and the author scab-picked at a few other expenses? You should be thanking Barry for helping to cut waste such as this "Center", which was initiated by Barron.

Board meetings with more than 30 members attending 6 meetings for $318K, including lodging, travel, meals is quite thrifty and for a $7.7B organization isn't even beer money.

If you are concerned about about last years spending you should be contacting one of the Trustees who was on the board last year. Perhaps @Lubrano could chime in to this discussion?

Here is a link to the pdf if anyone is interested. Scroll down to page 5.

https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/collegian.psu.edu/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/8/ab/8ab8ac44-558c-11ed-b526-33ac5a2a4a03/635a169e10c39.pdf.pdf

$318k is only "beer money" in an organization where there is no accountability.

 

[PSUFTG]

Barry,

Since I believe you ran for trustee on a platform promising more fiscal transparency and accountability, in this past Friday’s Daily Collegian (10/28/2022) in Sam Verrelli’s article, “Promises Unfulfilled,” she wrote, “And there are also questions surrounding the Board of Trustees recently spending nearly $318,000 on meals, lodging and other expenses of six in-person meetings. According to Spotlight PA, trustee spending peaked in the 2015-16 fiscal year when the board spent more than $415,000 on meetings.”

That’s a lot of onion dip.

My public comments from the Penn State Board of Trustees Meeting, September 16th 2022 (substack.com)

Anatomy of a University Tuition Increase (substack.com)

 

[saturdaysarebetter]

I'm so behind the times. When did teleconferencing amidst a pandemic go out of vogue?

 

[EricStratton-RushChairman]

 

[TiogaLion]

$318k is only "beer money" in an organization where there is no accountability.

Not for 6, 2-day meetings of over 30 people attending.

 

[Stephen Light]

Barry,

Since I believe you ran for trustee on a platform promising more fiscal transparency and accountability, in this past Friday’s Daily Collegian (10/28/2022) in Sam Verrelli’s article, “Promises Unfulfilled,” she wrote, “And there are also questions surrounding the Board of Trustees recently spending nearly $318,000 on meals, lodging and other expenses of six in-person meetings. According to Spotlight PA, trustee spending peaked in the 2015-16 fiscal year when the board spent more than $415,000 on meetings.”

That’s a lot of onion dip.

I could, but will not, write several chapters on this topic. To put it in a short form:

Penn State’s Board, like most others, is a self-perpetuating club. Donations and access to influence are the primary invitation requirements. The only exceptions are the Commonwealth appointments by Department (Agriculture for example) and the Governor (non-voting). At least the political process guarantees some accountability, but that is only in theory. The Alumni reps are tolerated only because of the precedent, and the other members rue the day they were written into existence.

The majority of the members are accustomed to a certain level of service, accommodation and deference in their own businesses and organizations. They get it both because they would not serve under any other conditions AND because they are voting for their own perks.

The Board size is completely ridiculous and is a holdover from the days of just padding Boards to secure more influence and more PR in various communities I think we are at 38? Which is absurd. Most Multibillion dollar enterprises get by with 12 or so.

This is what drives costs so very high.

P.S. This will not change.

 

[BobPSU92]

What will this cost? (Operational costs and then the impact of their decisions.)

https://www.psu.edu/news/administration/story/board-trustees-set-meet-nov-10-11/