Keeping an Eye on Earmarks: the Education Department’s Role in Oversight

by E Wayne Ross on June 8, 2009

The Chronicle: Keeping an Eye on Earmarks: the Education Department’s Role in Oversight

The University of Louisville’s former dean of education, Robert D. Felner, faces a criminal trial on charges that he and an associate diverted most of a $694,000 earmarked federal grant into their own bank accounts. Louisville officials have announced an administrative overhaul that will, they say, help prevent any future misbehavior with grants.

But what about the U.S. Department of Education, which was responsible for overseeing the grant on taxpayers’ behalf? Should it, too, be doing some soul-searching in the aftermath of Mr. Felner’s indictment?