The sad story of corruption and cronyism at WVU is not limited to the flag ship institution: it could have happened at Marshall or in many other states which used to have realtively free and independent decision-making based on academic values. That’s out the window in many states, not just WV, because business has decided to take over public education and remold it as if it were a profit-making business micromanaged by a partnership between business interests and state political interests. At Marshall, for example, the BOG is dedicated not to improving education but to revitalizing Huntington — that’s its prime goal, and it works hand and glove with the state legislature and the governor to try and make it happen (It won’t.)
The clear result is that the university is under the thumb of business interests and public officials, and that leads to messes like the Bresch affair.

In one way, however, the problem is worse in WV because, unlike many other states, WV has no tradition of free and independent universities. Before business began running the universities, they were run as little fiefdoms of the rich and powerful. In other words, it was much the same as now — just with a different kind of ideology
in the driver’s seat.

“Flawed judgment”, phooey, this was cheating and fraud. Please tell me again where the buck stops in this scandal.

I noticed you penned an article re Bresch almost immediately. Good article and I appreciate reading the responses as well. Garrison needs to resign. But…on another note - I’m still waiting for you to pen an article re Fred Armstong’s firing. Is your delay due to the fact he may be a democrat and was employed at-will? The bottom line is “right is right” and “wrong is wrong.” Mr.
Armstrong’s firing was wrong. He was the most dedicated and hard-working State Archivist the Division of Culture & History ever had. Fred received the Virgil A. Lewis Award for outstanding contribution to the preservation and writing of history. It is only presented when someone is found worthy of the award.

Respectfully,
And somewhat disappointed,

my hope is that it is NOT put to bed, NOT swept under the rug - let the truth be known, no matter how painful it may be - WV needs the cleansing… WV would be better off, perhaps even, “changed”

Pandora’s box may be open.

The state university was one of the few institutions related to state government that the people believed was free of corruption. We have all been let down, whoever is ultimately to blame.