Update on lawsuit:
- Thread starter PSUFTG2
- Start date
Barry going nuclear was practically expected eventually based on how he used to be on the message boards. It's why he didn't get my vote.
Even if Harrisburg is the more meaningful channel, I don’t see where throwing in the towel on the elected trustee front helps matters.
Same here...however, I've been very pleasantly surprised by everything he's done to date, and would have voted for him today if he were on the ballot right now (obviously pending details on this incident). I've been grateful for his work up until this point.
Yeah, we should all fall in line quietly like good kids.
Too late. The BOT gets to pick who's on the ballot moving forward with the new rule changes. Thanks Barry!
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The good news here is there is little reason to bother voting for any alumni trustee going forward. There is literally zero point to them.
This has been true for a very long time.
If he truly violated the CofC by harassing (sexually or verbally) an employee, he should be gone. That's egregious and certainly a breech of the standards of any office. And just downright mindless and dumb on the part of anyone who does that.
As others have said, we don't know exactly what the breach of conduct was. I'm believing it had to be over the line, not just to the line for such an action to be considered and likely taken. But, we don't know details, and I doubt we will hear from the BOT on that.
I support his quest for the investment fund fees information. As I said before, every .25% increase in fees on $5B is $12.5M, so asking if that is money well spent vs what had been the going fee rate is a valid question imo. It doesn't matter if he's not on the committee - I would expect any BOT member to want to know the details on why an additional $12.5M+ is being paid, and if the returns have improved to justify it. Simply taking someone's word for it seems rather naive when it comes to fiduciary responsibilities. Also, asking questions about spending, and challenging the BOT to explore various alternatives considering the impact of the decisions made, is to be expected by anyone who really cares about helping the University pare back on overall costs when jobs and branch campuses are being cut.
Like I've said, this BOT may be the most fantastic BOT in the history of any University BOT ever. But, the cone of silence they clamp onto the most important decisions made behind closed and inaccessible doors, with alternative and perhaps better decisions not being discussed in public makes rational people wonder.
As others have said, we don't know exactly what the breach of conduct was. I'm believing it had to be over the line, not just to the line for such an action to be considered and likely taken. But, we don't know details, and I doubt we will hear from the BOT on that.
I support his quest for the investment fund fees information. As I said before, every .25% increase in fees on $5B is $12.5M, so asking if that is money well spent vs what had been the going fee rate is a valid question imo. It doesn't matter if he's not on the committee - I would expect any BOT member to want to know the details on why an additional $12.5M+ is being paid, and if the returns have improved to justify it. Simply taking someone's word for it seems rather naive when it comes to fiduciary responsibilities. Also, asking questions about spending, and challenging the BOT to explore various alternatives considering the impact of the decisions made, is to be expected by anyone who really cares about helping the University pare back on overall costs when jobs and branch campuses are being cut.
Like I've said, this BOT may be the most fantastic BOT in the history of any University BOT ever. But, the cone of silence they clamp onto the most important decisions made behind closed and inaccessible doors, with alternative and perhaps better decisions not being discussed in public makes rational people wonder.
Will they send a runner to Barry’s front door to give him a phone number to call so he can be told he’s fired?
Barry had the target on his back the moment he was elected, he knew from the beginning his time as a BOT member would be in jeproday on a monthly basis. These bastards will eventually get their privatization of the university, they've been trying for decades.Exactly. It was a foregone conclusion once the lawsuit was filed, but you can be sure that certain members were envisioning removing Barry from the time he was elected. Who could be surprised that a group of people, largely used to getting their own way, would brook no opposition from and close ranks against someone they considered an upstart who had repeatedly accused them of malfeasance and eventually sued them?
1) Barry runs on the campaign promise to be a true fiduciary, while implying that some/many/most(?) of those with whom he'd serve have committed malfeasance and breached their fiduciary obligation.
2) Barry, not surprisingly, gets no committee assignments.
3) Barry opposes the the board majority on most initiatives. At first, the board pays lip service to Barry.
4) Barry continues to oppose the board, argues eloquently against the majority position, and writes about it on social media. The BOT majority is starting to really get annoyed.
5) Barry is continually denied financial information and finally sues the BOT.
6) The BOT denies Barry in person admission to the meetings.
7) Barry amends his lawsuit and asks for more donations because he's in it for the long haul.
8) The board decides to nip it in the bud, finds/manufactures(?) evidence of misconduct and moves to remove Barry from the BOT.
Who could've seen this coming?
Not the worst scenario, at least they would have to stop whining about lack of state support
And my PA tax money wouldn't be funding a large influx of out of state students. Win win.
Is it though? With the difference in Out-of-State vs. In-State tuition, I'd be surprised if the tax dollars are really covering anything for OOS...I'd guess they are more than footing the bill for themselves with the increased tuition.
Jam,
The operating budget of the university is $8 billion, PA funding amounts to $300 million.
PA tax dollars FUND less than 4 percent of the budget.
The percentage looks like this 3.75% (corrected)
My granddaughter had to pay the out of state tuition for three years and according to PSU rules she was a citizen of PA.
Thanks for nothing Jam, my grandkid did not receive any of your tax dollars.
They fvcked her over, long story.
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Last time I checked, Penn State didn’t forcibly make your grandkid attend. But hey, I could be wrong.
You Don’t know the entire story Oracle….
although being the Oracle I shouldn’t have to explain.
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Ah,
I don’t believe it’s 3.75%, but maybe do the math and correct me, we all make mistakes on any given day.
I don’t care about the story. There is no eventuality that forces anyone to attend Penn State.
While we can take sides on the integrity of governance, we really need to back up to what the hell the state wants from the university, what the university’s mission is, and how they play together.
PA simply doesn’t offer much to (new?) college grads at scale at this point. Given the state’s budget issues I can see why the state house is kind of trapped with their appropriation. The problem with that the return on investment (for the state, not necessarily the individual) on higher ed is limited. Until more of that return cycles through the state economy we’ll be sitting in this whirlpool.
PA simply doesn’t offer much to (new?) college grads at scale at this point. Given the state’s budget issues I can see why the state house is kind of trapped with their appropriation. The problem with that the return on investment (for the state, not necessarily the individual) on higher ed is limited. Until more of that return cycles through the state economy we’ll be sitting in this whirlpool.
I somewhat understand your perspective, but am curious about your thoughts on the following.
1) Penn State is a public institution partially funded with significant revenues generated via taxation upon Pennsylvanians like you.
2) Penn State has been preferentially recruiting and admitting out of state (non Pennsylvanian) students for revenue generation purposes. The statistics are undeniable.
Given the above, do you feel that Penn State should be receiving any taxpayer-based funds from the State of Pennsylvania?
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Your post is so sad on so many levels.
It was clearly written from the perspective of a person who is part of the fiscal problem conveniently looking to blame others.
I bolded the parts of your post I found most elitist and objectionable.
Enjoy.
HTF did you get to that?
Whose fiscal problem am I party to?
And provide something to counter the widely-held claim that PA’s best grads (net) leave the state for the professional world.
I guess the more likely explanation is I just got schooling in sarcasm…?
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For the sake of this specific argument, my answer to those questions have no bearing. It doesn’t matter where the money comes from or who goes to Penn State. The bottom line is no one is forcing anyone to attend (or donate to) Penn State.
I’ll take it one step further. The business model of and ROI of higher education continue to get worse. We can debate the reasons until the cows come home. But I’d be more than happy if my children became electricians or plumbers.
Spending time with my daughter from Alabama, visiting us at home. Thought I’d turn in, but tuned into the forum..,.I see the Big O is still preaching at the pulpit
Why bother with ‘The Oracle’, known him for yrs.
His posts have no beginning and have no end, he’s a poster that likes to have others chase his bullcrap, his MO is similar to a mutt chasing his tail.
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You’re a crafty one, step. Glad to see the CNAs still help the olds use the interwebs.
Why bother? The alumni trustees will never be given any meaningful responsibilities unless they kow-tow to the Executive Committee. And maybe not even then. I'll not be surprised, down the road, if the position of Alumni Trustee is removed from the BOT. Or given one token position.