The Chronicle: Federal Judge Allows Lawsuit Over Scholar’s Visa Denial to Proceed
A federal court in Boston ruled that it has the power to review whether the Bush administration has a valid reason for denying a visa to Adam Habib, a South African political scientist.
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Posted in Government, Legal issues
Washington Post: Court Rules Against Teacher in MySpace ‘Drunken Pirate’ Case
A student teacher who was denied a teaching degree just days before graduating has lost a court battle against her would-be alma mater. One of the contributing reasons for her dismissal was because of a photo she posted onto MySpace.com
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Posted in Legal issues
The Galveston County Daily News: Lawsuit against UT regents raises old fears
A lawsuit filed Tuesday ponders whether University of Texas System regents used a catastrophic hurricane as cover to carry out a long-desired but thorny political coup — moving the state’s oldest medical school to Austin.
An island retailer, a retired medical branch employee and an assistant professor still employed there, along with the Texas Faculty Association, filed the lawsuit in Judge Wayne Mallia’s 405th District Court.
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Posted in Legal issues
Ann Arbor News: Former University of Michigan dental student awarded $1.72M
A jury awarded $1.72 million Tuesday to a former University of Michigan dental student who said she was illegally kicked out of school.
Alissa Zwick claimed she was thrown out of the dental school in 2005 because of a feud between the associate dean, Dr. Marilyn Lantz, and two faculty members.
A jury in federal court in Detroit said Zwick’s due-process rights were violated when she was dismissed after her third year. She had a “B” average but was told she wasn’t performing well in clinical classes.
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Posted in Legal issues
Courier-Journal: Felner trial likely to be delayed
The trial of former University of Louisville education dean Robert Felner and his colleague Thomas Schroeder is expected to be delayed until next year after their attorneys filed motions seeking additional time to review the government’s evidence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Calhoun said in response to the motions that the government did not oppose the delay.
A spokeswoman for U.S. Attorney David Huber said today that a new date has not been be set by U.S. District Judge Charles R. Simpson III. The current trial date is Dec. 22.
Motions filed by the defense indicated that the prosecution turned 17,299 pages of documents over to them this month, and more documents are expected in the coming weeks.
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Posted in Legal issues
Tagged Robert Felner
Courier-Journal: Schroeder pleads not guilty, released on bond
Thomas Schroeder, the Illinois man indicted Wednesday by a federal grand jury on charges of conspiring with former University of Louisville dean Robert Felner to commit money laundering, mail fraud and conspiracy to defraud the IRS, was arraigned this morning in federal court.
Schroeder, 58, of Fort Byron, Ill., turned himself into federal authorities at about 9 this morning.
David Mejia, Schroeder’s Louisville attorney, entered a not guilty plea on behalf of his client during the arraignment. Following the hearing, Mejia said Schroeder and his legal team “look forward to the day when his case will be presented to the jury.”
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Posted in Legal issues
Tagged Robert Felner
The Chronicle: U. of Phoenix Settles Discrimination Suit for $1.9-Million
The University of Phoenix and its parent company, Apollo Group Inc., will pay nearly $1.9-million to people who worked as online enrollment counselors and alleged in a federal lawsuit that the giant for-profit university discriminated against non-Mormon employees.
The payment will help settle a lawsuit that was filed two years ago in U.S. District Court in Phoenix by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on behalf of the counselors (The Chronicle, September 29, 2006). The lawsuit accuses the University of Phoenix of giving employees who belonged to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints the most promising “leads,” the industry term for information on prospective students. It also alleges that lesser-qualified Mormon counselors were promoted ahead of their non-Mormon counterparts, and that tuition waivers were granted to Mormon employees who failed to meet registration goals but withheld from non-Mormon workers, among other charges.
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Posted in Corporate University, Employment rights, Equity, Legal issues
The Racine Post: The Felner Chronicles
The Felner Chronicles
The story of UW-Parkside’s almost-chancellor, Robert Felner — who was appointed to the position but resigned before his investiture — continues to play out in Louisville, where he has been indicted on multiple charges.
We’ll keep track of the unfolding story here, with links to the most important stories (most recent first); a cautionary tale for all, but especially those who serve on public search committees.
The Post-Standard: Coffee’s free, not the pastries
On weekday mornings, Sgt. Steve Brody of the Morrisville State College University Police often would stop at the local convenience store to buy a newspaper and pick up a free cup of coffee.
The coffee at the Valero Nice N Easy is free to any police officer in uniform.
What wasn’t free were the Tastykake pastries that state police now say he helped himself to, often concealing them in the paper or his shirt. He usually helped himself to one, but once took as many as four, according to employee statements to police.
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Posted in Legal issues
Courier-Journal: Felner case may bring U of L new scrutiny on grants
School officials don’t anticipate problems
A day after its former education dean was indicted on charges of diverting federal research funds, the University of Louisville announced last week it was getting an $11.6 million health grant.
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To U of L officials, it was a clear indication that one bad experience won’t destroy their ambition of making the university, which has seen its grants nearly double in the past five years, into a major research institution.
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Posted in Administration, Corruption, Legal issues
LEO Weekly: Embezzlepalooza 2008: Felner indicted
A federal grand jury has indicted former U of L Dean Robert Felner and his cohort from Illinois on charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering, fraud and tax evasion. Given the complexity of the case, the indictment came sooner than expected — just six months after University of Louisville police first tipped off the feds.
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Posted in Corruption, Legal issues
Quad-City Times: Ex Ky. dean, Ill. man accused of stealing grants
LOUISVILLE, Ky.— The president of the Riverdale School Board in Port Byron, Ill., and the former education dean at the University of Louisville were indicted by a federal grand jury Wednesday with pilfering more than $2 million in federal grant money.
Thomas Schroeder, a Port Byron resident who is also director of the Rock Island County Council on Addictions, and ex-dean Robert Felner are charged with mail fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, mail fraud and conspiracy to interfere or impede the Internal Revenue Service.
The indictment was filed in U.S. District Court, Louisville, Ky.
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Posted in Corruption, Legal issues
The Badger Herald: Former UW-Parkside chancellor candidate indicted
The chancellor slated to take office at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside in July was indicted Wednesday for allegedly conspiring to obtain approximately $2.1 million between 2001 and 2008.
Robert Felner, former dean of the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Louisville, is charged with committing mail fraud, laundering money as well as evading his taxes and defrauding the Internal Revenue Service, according to a statement released by the Department of Justice.
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Posted in Legal issues
Courier-Journal: Ex-U of L dean, associate face charges
$2.3 million misappropriated, federal indictment says
During the past seven years, former University of Louisville Education Dean Robert Felner and a colleague siphoned $2.3 million from grants and contracts, keeping the money for themselves, according a federal indictment returned yesterday.
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Posted in Corruption, Legal issues
Courier-Journal: Felner surrenders to authorities
Former University of Louisville Education Dean Robert Felner has turned himself into federal authorities.
Felner said nothing as he walked into the Mazzoli federal building shortly before 1 p.m. today, flanked by his attorneys.
He is scheduled to be arraigned at 3 p.m. in federal court. His attorney, Scott C. Cox, said his client had no comment.
Felner was indicted yesterday on charges of fraudulently obtaining nearly $2.3 million in grant money from University of Louisville and University of Rhode Island.
A federal grand jury in Louisville charged Felner, 58, with 10 counts of mail fraud, money-laundering conspiracy and income-tax evasion.
The 45-page indictment says that Felner and a colleague from Illinios, Thomas Schroeder, 58, took $1.7 million from the Rhode Island school and about $576,000 from U of L, and attempted to embezzle another $240,000 from U of L.
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Posted in Corruption, Legal issues
v.
Robert Felner (Counts 1-10)
Thomas Schroeder (Counts 1, 2, 9, and 10)
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Posted in Corruption, Legal issues
Fox41.com: Robert Felner to surrenders and is arrested
Fox 41 News has learned that the former U of L dean accused of embezzling more than two million dollars surrendered to authorities Thursday afternoon. Robert Felner was then arrested and the U.S. attorney’s office says Felner will be formally charged later this afternoon.
Felner and a partner were indicted on charges of embezzling $1.7-million from the University of Rhode Island, and $576,000 from the University of Louisville. Authorities say Felner used federal grant money for his personal spending.
Felner faces up to 75-years in prison if convicted and nearly $3-million in fines.
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Posted in Corruption, Legal issues
WHAS11.com: Felner turns himself in to authorities
Robert Felner has turned himself into authorities. After a six month investigation, Robert Felner has been indicted for mishandling and diverting more than $2 million of university grant money for his own use. The news spread across campus Wednesday and so did the disappointment.
“A lot of us are students that work and that money goes towards our education. He’s wasting our money that we’re working hard for to come here and get an education. That’s pretty heartless,” Steve Hartman, University of Louisville student, said. “I think it’s the right move. I think he should be punished for his actions and I think he got what he deserved.”
According to authorities, some of the money Felner has been charged with embezzling apparently went to buy four houses. They also said Felner sent $576,000 of U of L money to his personal investment account. They also said the embezzlements didn’t start at U of L.
Felner and his colleague, Thomas Schroeder, are accused of embezzling more than $1.7 million from the University of Rhode Island, while Felner was the dean of education there. For that, students like Hartman said he should go to jail.
“I think education is pretty expensive as it is and to worry about somebody coming and just getting money just like that and he doing what he wants to do with it, that makes me sick,” Daniel Serpa said.
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Posted in Corruption, Legal issues
Boston Herald: Former URI dean indicted in Kentucky
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A former University of Rhode Island official has been indicted in Kentucky on charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering, mail fraud, conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service and income tax evasion, in part for allegations he plotted to embezzle $1.7 million from URI.
Robert Felner was also indicted Wednesday for allegedly mishandling federal grant money in his former position as education dean at the University of Louisville, a job he took after leaving URI in 2003.
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Posted in Corruption, Legal issues
Herald-Leader: Former dean, associate accused of stealing grants
The former education dean at the University of Louisville and an Illinois man have been charged with pilfering more than $2 million in federal grant money.
The ex-dean, Robert Felner, and an associate, Thomas Schroeder of Port Byron, Ill., were charged Wednesday with conspiracy to commit money laundering, mail fraud and conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service.
Felner also faces six charges of federal income tax evasion for allegedly failing to report $1.6 million in income from 2002-2007. The indictment says he owes $500,000 in back taxes.
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Posted in Corruption, Legal issues
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