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Professor Larry Hornak suggests the vote could mean that faculty will refuse to participate in things like the search for a provost.
Some professors are already refusing to work with the administration.
The Faculty Senate's Executive Committee is set to discuss the matter Monday afternoon.
Garrison has refused to resign over his administration's handling of a master's degree scandal involving the governor's daughter.
UPDATE:
Statement from Gov. Joe Manchin:
CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Gov. Joe Manchin today released the following statement about the continuing discussions regarding the report from the independent panel examining the E-MBA program and his daughter's degree at West Virginia University.
"As a father, I must admit that I was hoping that the controversy surrounding my daughter's E-MBA coursework at WVU would eventually resolve itself and subside. However, as a Governor, I recognize that is not realistic.
"In both roles, it has been extremely difficult for me to watch this controversy unfold. As governor, my natural instinct in a crisis is to do my very best to dive in and help bring all sides together to find a resolution. However, because of my family's involvement in this particular situation, I feel that this is one time in which I am not in a position to follow that instinct, because it is likely that one side or the other would be inclined to question my ability to remain objective.
"WVU holds a special place in the hearts of both Gayle and I not only because we are proud graduates of WVU, but because it is also the place where we met, fell in love and started our family. From our perspective, this controversy all started because our daughter sincerely believed that she had her degree, because of a meeting that everyone admits took place with the program's director in 1998, and when she contacted the university last year, she was simply asking them to find the records that she believed would confirm that.
"Had they told her that after looking through their records they didn't have the proper documentation on file, we honestly believe that while she may not have liked that answer, she would have accepted it and moved on with her life.
"At no time would she have asked anyone to either 'guess' as to her records or to fabricate grades on those records. As a result, Gayle and
I are both angry, in particular, at the fabrication of grades that took place, because it unfairly damages our daughter's reputation as much as it does the University's. It was absolutely wrong and, in my mind, completely unacceptable.
"Although I remain confident in President Garrison's ability to follow the recommendations of the independent panel's report, I am also fully aware of the concerns that have been raised by the faculty, staff, students and alumni of WVU and recognize that they must be addressed in some meaningful manner. WVU needs to find a way to begin to heal the wounds that have been created over these last few weeks, and it will take all parties working together to achieve that goal.
"To that end, I have seen it stated many times by individuals and the press that because I appointed certain members of the Board of Governors, they must be following my orders as to what to think and say regarding President Garrison and the independent panel's report. This simply is not true.
"The Board of Governors is made up of extremely bright and accomplished people who were not given this responsibility lightly and who I trust to do the job assigned to them to the best of their abilities. While many members are appointed by a governor, they do not serve at the will and pleasure of a governor. They may act as they wish during their four-year terms as long as it is within legal and ethical reason.
"Therefore, the WVU Board of Governors members are not under my control and remain free, as they always have been, to make their own individual and collective decisions on this or any other situation. As I said previously, I am not in a position to make a recommendation to them in this instance even if I wanted to because, regardless of what it might be, it would not be viewed as being made objectively - and I absolutely understand and accept that.
"As a result, I consider this matter one that should be decided by the members of the Board of Governors based upon their own insights and beliefs and information, and as governor, I will continue to support whatever direction they believe is in the best interests of WVU both now and in the future."
On the heels of the faculty's condemnation of West Virginia University President Mike Garrison comes this:
Several students and faculty refused to shake hands with West Virginia University President Mike Garrison during commencement ceremonies this weekend as a silent protest over the Heather Bresch scandal.
Garrison is facing calls to resign from faculty members, students and some donors. He was scheduled to speak at commencement this weekend, but changed his mind because of the controversy.
snip
Lauren Dembeck, an honors student from Wallace, had the words "I earned this degree: Garrison must resign" on her mortarboard as she approached Garrison.
"I told him, 'I can't shake your hand,'" Dembeck said after the ceremony. "He congratulated me anyway."
snip
Faculty have assembled twice in the last two weeks to call for Garrison to resign over the scandal involving Bresch, who is an executive at Mylan Pharmaceuticals and the daughter of Gov. Joe Manchin.
Garrison has repeatedly stated that he plans to stay on the job.
Last month, an independent panel said Garrison's aides and business school leaders were wrong to award Bresch a master's degree in business retroactively that she did not earn.
The panel said she did not register or pay for some of her classes, and WVU officials added grades to her transcript that were "simply pulled from thin air."
Most WVU fans are already over "it" and have been for some time.
"It", of course, being Rich Rodriguez's departure from West Virginia. Despite protestations to the contrary by many UM fans, few here in West Virginia are obsessing.
Granted, people here don't like Rodriguez very much. When one says, "I plan on coaching at West Virginia for as long as they'll have me", it is supposed to mean that, and if one later backpedals, people tend to feel betrayed.
snip
And WVU fans aren't just going to forget about a $4 million contract that he signed and now claims holds him "hostage". Not on your life. That's money for our football program, which is an investment in something we love and are passionate about.
WVU fans fully expect him to honor his contract, because he signed it. There's nothing personal or hateful about it; it's "just business".
UM fans seem to miss the concept that Rodriguez himself isn't doing much to move on, either. He's made the whole departure it into a drawn-out, very public dispute, instead of just honoring the terms of the contract that he himself signed. Even considering that, however expecting a contract to be honored is not an "obsession," no matter what UM fans think.
If you disagree, you can get a second opinion. Call your bank and tell them that they are "obsessing" about your mortgage payments or your car loan and that they just need to let it go. Feed them the line about the psycho ex-girlfriend, too. Then, please come back here and let us know how that worked out for you.
While it's wrong to label an entire region in a derogatory manner, when it comes to sports: Michigan sucks.
MORGANTOWN -- West Virginia University's faculty demanded Wednesday embattled President Mike Garrison quit over a master's degree scandal involving the governor's daughter, the second call for his resignation in 10 days.
The nonbinding resolution, approved 563-35, came during a rare special meeting open to all faculty.
Last week, the 114-member Faculty Senate voted overwhelmingly to demand Garrison resign. Garrison has refused, and Gov. Joe Manchin and the WVU Board of Governors that Manchin largely appointed have continued to support him.
While the latest vote is a louder cry of doubt about his leadership, organizers lacked numbers to put teeth to their recommendation. Organizers said the special meeting, known as the University Assembly, required 909 faculty members, or 51 percent of the total, for a quorum, said senator Judith Sedgeman.
"WVU cannot recover from this crisis under the leadership that created it. President Garrison must go,'' professor Boyd Edwards said during debate at the special assembly, which hasn't convened since 1977. "Effective leadership requires widespread credibility and respect. He enjoys neither.''
Don't hold back, professor. Tell us how you really feel.
Last month, an independent panel concluded WVU administrators gave Mylan Inc. executive Heather Bresch, Manchin's daughter, an executive master's of business administration degree she didn't earn.
The panel found that administrators added courses and grades to her incomplete transcript, retroactively awarding her the 1998 degree she'd been claiming on her resume.
Bresch is a longtime friend of Garrison, and Mylan chairman Milan "Mike'' Puskar, who has given tens of millions to WVU. While the panel found no evidence that Garrison directly interfered, it said the presence of his key staff at the decision-making meeting created "palpable'' pressure.
There was a time when people mentioned Manchin as a potential candidate for higher office, but I suspect this issue is going to dog him for a while.
The fine folks at the excellent blue oklahoma were quite honorable in settling up on our Fiesta Bowl wager. Here's to hoping our respective schools face each other again next year for the national title.
The Fiesta Bowl matchup between the No. 9 ranked WVU Mountaineers and the No. 4 ranked Oklahoma Sooners should be one of the most exciting of the bowl games (Wednesday at 8 p.m. on Fox).
Here's what Sooners are saying about the big game:
West Virginia has more skill across the board than what we've seen. Starting with the quarterback. When I say more skilled, I mean faster and more explosive with game changers at the skill positions than what we've seen throughout the year. - Defensive Coordinator Brent Venables on West Virginia's offense. ...
We've seen this scheme a lot. West Virginia has great athletes in the backfield. They definitely add spice to it I guess. We just have to play fundamental football. You just have to play your assignment. - Defensive end Auston English on West Virginia's offense.
He can beat you by himself. And that's one thing we can't let him do. - Safety Nic Harris on West Virginia quarterback Pat White.
The Mountaineers appear to be responding well under Interim Head Coach Bill Stewart, according to sports editor Mitch Vogel in the Charleston Gazette:
"...We've had fun everywhere we've gone, [Stewart said]. You guys have been nothing but absolute angels. You have been in bed every night for curfew. You've practiced hard. I've been very pleased ... We've put people in the Mountain State at ease that we're coming out here, putting the Old Gold and Blue out on the field to show them what the Mountain State is all about.''
"I'm down with that,'' McAfee said.
It was a desperately needed blast of sunshine for WVU's program. While the coaching search drags on, Stewart is successfully putting on a happy face for the nation. And he may just be inspiring these Mountaineers.
By the way, I've issued a challenge to our fellow Democratic bloggers at blue oklahoma. I'm hoping to hear a response soon. Or perhaps that should be Sooner.
If he loses this case, former WVU coach Rich Rodriguez might find leaving the Mountaineers was expensive.
West Virginia University sued its former football coach, Rich Rodriguez, on Thursday, in an effort to secure a $4 million buyout from Rodriguez for breaking his contract with the school.
According to the lawsuit, WVU officials want a judge to determine that the school did not breach its contract with Rodriguez. They also say the contract requires Rodriguez to give written notice if the school breached the contract, and that he never did.
The lawsuit was filed by the WVU Board of Governors, on behalf of the school. It was filed Thursday in Monongalia Circuit Court, according to WVU spokeswoman Amy Neil.
Rodriguez, a Marion County native, left WVU after seven years to become the head coach at the University of Michigan. His departure has touched off an emotional firestorm among WVU fans, as the team prepares to play in the Fiesta Bowl Wednesday under assistant coach Bill Stewart.
Event Title: China Shenhua Coal-to-Liquids (CTL) Projects
Date & Time: August 30, 2007, 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM
Description: The Shenhua Group Corporation, the world's largest coal
company, is developing coal-to-liquid and coal-to-chemicals plants in China worth $10 billion (US$). In 2003, Shenhua began constructing the
world's first commercial direct coal liquefaction plant, located in Inner Mongolia, at a cost of $1.5 billion. Scheduled to open in 2008, the facility employs technology developed with US Department of Energy (DOE) support and will produce 22,000 bbl per day of liquid fuel
(primarily diesel) from coal. Shenhua is working with DOE on carbon dioxide sequestration and zero water discharge at the plant, both first-of-a-kind environmental demonstrations. In December 2003, WVU entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with China Shenhua
Coal Liquefaction Co. Ltd. (CSCLCL) to formally establish the commitment of WVU and CSCLCL to research together the consequences of large-scale implementation of coal liquefaction technologies in China.
Since 1986, WVU researchers have been engaged in DOE-funded research on the types of technology now slated for use in China. Web Link: www.nrcce.wvu.edu Location: NRCCE Assembly Rooms, Evansdale Campus
Washington, DC - Senator Jay Rockefeller issued the following statement today following the announcement of West Virginia University's new president, Mike Garrison.
"I'm sure Mike Garrison knows better than anyone that filling the shoes of a university president like David Hardesty will be an enormous challenge. But David passes on a strong, stable and thriving institution, and the best way forward is to join together and focus on WVU's important future. Mike Garrison is a Mountaineer through and through, and as we begin a new era under his presidency, I know WVU can and will see continued growth and success."
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