Category Archives: Legal issues

Cheney Ordered to Preserve Records in Case Closely Watched by Academic Groups

Posted on September 22, 2008 by | Comments Off on Cheney Ordered to Preserve Records in Case Closely Watched by Academic Groups

The Chronicle News Blog: Cheney Ordered to Preserve Records in Case Closely Watched by Academic Groups

Washington — A federal judge has ordered Vice President Dick Cheney to preserve all records that relate to his office and official duties pending the outcome of a lawsuit filed by a watchdog group and several scholarly associations.

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Posted in Government, Legal issues

Dismissed Professors at New Mexico State U. File Discrimination Lawsuit

Posted on September 19, 2008 by | Comments Off on Dismissed Professors at New Mexico State U. File Discrimination Lawsuit

The Chronicle News Blog: Dismissed Professors at New Mexico State U. File Discrimination Lawsuit

John Moraros and Yelena Bird, the former health-science professors who have raised allegations of racial discrimination, harassment, and retaliation against New Mexico State University in a highly contentious case, have now filed a federal civil-rights lawsuit against the university and various administrators. The professors, a married couple who were fired from the university’s public-health department in February, are joined in the suit by two professors who support them, Satya Rao and Robert Buckingham, and by Freedom Cheteni, a graduate student.

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Posted in Legal issues

Kentucky: don’t say the f word

Posted on September 17, 2008 by | Comments Off on Kentucky: don’t say the f word

The Louisville Cardinal: don’t say the f word

On June 20, 2008, federal investigators marched into the College of Education and Human Development, emerging hours later with boxes of information pertaining to the activities of former CEHD Dean Robert Felner. Felner is now under federal investigation for allegedly misappropriating approximately $694,000 of the college’s federal grant money.

This was just the first of many dark days the University of Louisville would see. Nearly four months later, the charges haven’t stopped.

This past week, it was discovered through university records that John Deasy, then a California school superintendent, was awarded a doctorate in philosophy from U of L in 2004 after having only studied there for nine credit hours. This violates a university policy that says all doctoral candidates must study at U of L for at least two years, including one in full residency. Felner was the advisor on Deasy’s dissertation committee and had received a $375,000 contract from Deasy in 2002 for a research center that he was running.

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Posted in Administration, Legal issues

Kentucky/Rhode Island: University of Rhode Island says feds focusing on Felner

Posted on September 16, 2008 by | Comments Off on Kentucky/Rhode Island: University of Rhode Island says feds focusing on Felner

Courier-Journal: University of Rhode Island says feds focusing on Felner

University of Rhode Island officials said today that an internal review and a federal investigation have not uncovered any criminal activity by current university employees connected with former University of Louisville education dean Robert Felner.

Federal investigators have “indicated to us that their focus is on Mr. Felner,” said Robert Weygand, vice president for administration at the University of Rhode Island. “… They have indicated that as of this date and as of this time no one here at this university is currently the focus of any criminal investigation.”

Felner — who is the focus of a federal investigation into the alleged misappropriation of grant money — worked at the Rhode Island university from 1996 until 2003, when he became the dean of U of L’s College of Education and Human Development.

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Posted in Legal issues

Kentucky/Wisconsin: Felner scrutiny widens; Former Parkside pick may have conferred tainted doctorate degree

Posted on September 16, 2008 by | Comments Off on Kentucky/Wisconsin: Felner scrutiny widens; Former Parkside pick may have conferred tainted doctorate degree

Kenosha News: Felner scrutiny widens; Former Parkside pick may have conferred tainted doctorate degree

Sept. 15, 2008

A federal investigation of Robert Felner for allegedly mishandling a grant will end soon, but now his former school is trying to determine if he gave a doctorate degree to a friend who steered $375,000 in contracts toward Felner.

Felner, former dean of the College of Education at the University of Louisville, was chosen to become the University of Wisconsin-Parkside’s next chancellor after a nationwide search but he resigned at the end of June – a week before he was to start work here – amid a federal criminal fraud investigation looking into the mishandling of millions of dollars in grant money. The investigation is also looking into the purchase of illegal goods.

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Posted in Academics, Legal issues

Maryland/Kentucy: University Probes Awarding of PhD to School Superintendent

Posted on September 13, 2008 by | Comments Off on Maryland/Kentucy: University Probes Awarding of PhD to School Superintendent

ABC 7 News: University Probes Awarding of PhD to School Superintendent

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Posted in Academics, Administration, Legal issues

Kentucky: Felner Speaks, Ramsey Has Foot-in-Mouth Disease

Posted on September 13, 2008 by | Comments Off on Kentucky: Felner Speaks, Ramsey Has Foot-in-Mouth Disease

PageOneKentucky.com: Felner Speaks, Ramsey Has Foot-in-Mouth Disease

Two days ago University of Louisville president Jim Ramsey didn’t know anything about a potentially fraudulent Ph.D. awarded to Robert Felner crony John Deasy. But now he knows everything and is able to say that UofL broke no rules?

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Posted in Academics, Administration, Corruption, Legal issues

Priest Charged With Dealing Drugs Out of U. of Illinois Student Center

Posted on September 12, 2008 by | Comments Off on Priest Charged With Dealing Drugs Out of U. of Illinois Student Center

The Chronicle News Blog: Priest Charged With Dealing Drugs Out of U. of Illinois Student Center

A Roman Catholic priest has pleaded not guilty to charges that he sold cocaine out of the St. John’s Catholic Newman Center at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, The Pantagraph, a local newspaper, reported today.

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Posted in Legal issues

Ketucky: U. of Louisville Forms Panel to Investigate Degree Controversy

Posted on September 10, 2008 by | Comments Off on Ketucky: U. of Louisville Forms Panel to Investigate Degree Controversy

The Chronicle News Blog: U. of Louisville Forms Panel to Investigate Degree Controversy

The University of Louisville’s president, James R. Ramsey, announced today the formation of a committee to investigate allegations that the university had improperly awarded a Ph.D. to a prominent former student.

The degree recipient, John E. Deasy, had previously been involved in directing a $375,000 grant to a university research center that was run by a former dean who now is the focus of a federal criminal investigation.

“I have asked the committee to review this incident quickly, but thoroughly, and to report to me any improper or questionable behavior in the granting of this degree,” Mr. Ramsey said in a written statement. “If someone received a degree he did not earn, we would have no choice but to recommend rescinding that degree.”

The committee members come from both inside and outside the university and include a retired Kentucky Supreme Court justice. Fact-finding is already under way, officials said. —Paul Fain

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Posted in Academics, Corruption, Ethics, Legal issues

Kentucky: Felner OK’d quick Ph.D. from U of L for ex-client

Posted on September 10, 2008 by | Comments Off on Kentucky: Felner OK’d quick Ph.D. from U of L for ex-client

Courier-Journal: Felner OK’d quick Ph.D. from U of L for ex-client

Two years after giving former University of Louisville dean Robert Felner’s research center a $375,000 contract, a California school superintendent received a doctoral degree from UofL in only one semester.
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A spokesman for the American Association of University Professors said it is “virtually unheard of” for a student to be awarded a Ph.D. in that amount of time.

UofL’s own rules say that to earn a doctorate, “at least two years of study must be spent” at the university, including at least one in “full-time residency.”

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Posted in Academics, Administration, Corruption, Legal issues

Norh Carolina: ECU investigates police conduct at football game

Posted on September 10, 2008 by | Comments Off on Norh Carolina: ECU investigates police conduct at football game

Daily Reflector: ECU chancellor: ‘We will get to the bottom of this’

East Carolina University Police continue interviewing witnesses and viewing video that may indicate excessive force was used by officers at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium following the ECU football team’s win over West Virginia University.

Chief Scott Shelton announced at a press conference Monday afternoon that while they hope to conclude investigating major incidents in the next day or two, the overall assessment may continue into next week.

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Posted in Legal issues

Kentucky: Courier-Journal calls for UofL Board of Trustees to recant support for UofL’s handling of Felner affair and focus on internal reforms

Posted on September 9, 2008 by | Comments Off on Kentucky: Courier-Journal calls for UofL Board of Trustees to recant support for UofL’s handling of Felner affair and focus on internal reforms

Courier-Journal: Ramsey’s Apology

Some will feel that University of Louisville President James Ramsey’s apology for his mishandling of the Felner affair is overdue. Only a few weeks ago, Dr. Ramsey dismissed the allegations of impropriety by the former education dean as “anonymous crap.”

However, Dr. Ramsey’s change of heart is a welcome signal that the university is taking seriously the scope of the investigation, which focuses not only on potential misappropriation of federal funds, but also alleged abuses of personnel.

In remarks to the U of L Faculty Senate, Dr. Ramsey and Provost Shirley Willihnganz, who also apologized, embraced a proposal for review of managerial and administrative practices at all of the university’s schools and colleges. The faculty recently sent a letter to the U of L board of trustees proposing such a study.

In addition to the ongoing federal investigation, which is expected to continue into October, the internal grievance procedure at U of L needs attention. The president and provost indicated their support for that review, too.

Now the responsibility shifts to the board of trustees. Only two weeks ago, chairman J. Chester Porter expressed support for the way the Felner affair had been handled. He too needs to recant, and the body he leads needs to focus attention on internal reforms.

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Posted in Administration, Commentary, Legal issues

Kentucky: Felner affair expands into degree scandal: School superintendent John Deasy gets PhD in four months

Posted on September 9, 2008 by | Comments Off on Kentucky: Felner affair expands into degree scandal: School superintendent John Deasy gets PhD in four months

WHAS11.com: Felner affair expands into degree scandal: School superintendent John Deasy gets PhD in four months

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Posted in Academics, Administration, Corruption, Legal issues

Rhode Island: Kentucky probe spurs URI to review center files

Posted on September 8, 2008 by | Comments Off on Rhode Island: Kentucky probe spurs URI to review center files

Providence Journal: Ky. probe spurs URI to review center files

Officials at the University of Rhode Island say they are inspecting the finances of a research center on the Kingston campus founded by a former academic administrator now under federal investigation in Kentucky for fraud.

Robert Felner, former director of URI’s School of Education, has been under investigation by the U.S. Postal Service and the Secret Service since June for alleged misappropriation of federal grants. Federal agents visited the campus on at least two occasions this summer, looking for information on Felner.

URI officials say the investigation has prompted them to review the finances of the National Center on Public Education and Social Policy, which Felner established at URI in the late 1990s. Robert A. Weygand, URI’s vice president of administration, says he hopes to issue a report of the findings at the end of this week.

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Posted in Administration, Corruption, Legal issues

Kentucky: U of L’s Ramsey apologizes over Felner incident ‘A lot of individuals’ hurt, U of L chief acknowledges; Ramsey had previously called complaints about Felner “anonymous crap”

Posted on September 6, 2008 by | Comments Off on Kentucky: U of L’s Ramsey apologizes over Felner incident ‘A lot of individuals’ hurt, U of L chief acknowledges; Ramsey had previously called complaints about Felner “anonymous crap”

Courier-Journal: U of L’s Ramsey apologizes over Felner incident
‘A lot of individuals’ hurt, U of L chief acknowledges

University of Louisville President James Ramsey offered apologies this week to those hurt by former education dean Robert Felner, telling the school’s Faculty Senate that “I should have never let that happen.”
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“I do understand — fully understand — didn’t appreciate it soon enough, but I fully understand that there are a lot of individuals who have been hurt,” Ramsey said during the Wednesday meeting.

The Courier-Journal obtained an audio tape of the meeting through an open-records request.

“There are a lot of individuals who have been deeply scarred, and a lot of individuals who are very disappointed in their university. I am deeply regretful of that, and I alone have to take responsibility for that, and I do. … I should not have ever let that happen, and it did happen,” Ramsey said.

The Faculty Senate, which is composed of 70 members, including a student representative, is the faculty representative body at the university. It is responsible for reviewing policies and documents affecting the faculty and making recommendations to the administration.

Felner, who resigned from U of L on June 30 to become chancellor at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, is the focus of a federal investigation that was sparked by his alleged misappropriation of a $694,000 grant at U of L. No charges have been filed.

The investigation was triggered by the university, which handed the matter over to federal investigators.

Felner backed out of the Wisconsin job after the federal investigation became public June 20. U.S. Attorney David Huber has indicated the investigation could continue into October.

The investigation brought to light issues surrounding Felner’s leadership at U of L’s College of Education and Human Development and at other institutions he worked at before coming to Louisville in 2003.

Former faculty, staff, students and alumni have complained that Felner harassed, intimidated and retaliated against those who did not agree with him.

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Posted in Administration, Legal issues, Working conditions

Ex-Tenn. professor guilty of passing military data

Posted on September 4, 2008 by | Comments Off on Ex-Tenn. professor guilty of passing military data

AP: Ex-Tenn. professor guilty of passing military data

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A federal jury convicted a retired University of Tennessee professor Wednesday of passing sensitive information from a U.S. Air Force contract to two foreign research assistants from China and Iran.

Jurors deliberated about six hours before finding plasma physics expert J. Reece Roth guilty Wednesday on 18 counts of conspiracy, fraud and violating the Arms Export Control Act.

Prosecutors in the Knoxville trial said Roth gave the two graduate students access to sensitive information while they researched a plasma-guidance system for unmanned aircraft.

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Posted in Legal issues

Kentucky: Change agent, class clown or criminal? Former U of L dean Robert Felner accused of throwing spitballs and belittling colleagues, not to mention mishandling federal grants

Posted on September 3, 2008 by | Comments Off on Kentucky: Change agent, class clown or criminal? Former U of L dean Robert Felner accused of throwing spitballs and belittling colleagues, not to mention mishandling federal grants

LEO Weekly: Change agent, class clown or criminal?

The University of Louisville posted a nationwide job search in 2003, looking to find a new dean to oversee the College of Education and Human Development. The man they found for the job: Robert Felner.

Given Felner would eventually become the subject of dozens of grievances during his tenure at Louisville — not to mention the target of a federal investigation — a few requirements listed in the job ad now seem more than a little ironic: a record of successful interaction with faculty, staff and students; strong interpersonal, organizational and communication skills, and the ability to work effectively with internal and external constituents; a high standard of professional integrity and a strong sense of professional ethics.

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Posted in Administration, Legal issues

Kentucky: Former Faculty Send Letter to Board of Trustees Detailing Misconduct by Former Dean Robert Felner

Posted on September 2, 2008 by | Comments Off on Kentucky: Former Faculty Send Letter to Board of Trustees Detailing Misconduct by Former Dean Robert Felner

PageOneKentucky.com: 21 Former Faculty Send Letter to Board of Trustees

In what could only be considered an explosive development, twenty-one former University of Louisville faculty members who served under infamous Dean Robert Felner have penned a letter to the UofL Board of Trustees. The letter, which is in response to perceived inaction and mismanagement by President Jim Ramsey and Provost Shirley Willihnganz, addresses a number of issues that have not been appropriately addressed by the University.

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Posted in Administration, Faculty, Governance, Legal issues

Kentucky: Students react to investigation into former dean

Posted on September 2, 2008 by | Comments Off on Kentucky: Students react to investigation into former dean

The Louisville Cardinal: Students react to investigation into former dean

The University of Louisville College of Education and Human Development has garnered a lot of attention lately, but it’s not the latest U.S. News & World Report’s rankings people are talking about.

Former Dean Robert Felner is under investigation for misuse of grant money, specifically a $694,000 No Child Left Behind grant, secured in 2005. On June 20, armed federal agents loaded boxes and computers from the dean’s office at CED into black SUVs.

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Posted in Legal issues, Students

Wisconsin/Kentucky: Robert Felner and the dark side of Parkside

Posted on September 2, 2008 by | Comments Off on Wisconsin/Kentucky: Robert Felner and the dark side of Parkside

The Badger Herald: The dark side of Parkside

by Badger Herald Editorial Board
Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Behind the tumultuous fanfare associated with the nomination of Biddy Martin as University of Wisconsin-Madison’s new chancellor, another chancellor search process taking place revealed a number of disastrous inadequacies in the screening of UW System chancellor candidates. The system, scrambling to find a replacement for outgoing Chancellor Jack Keating, settled on a Robert Felner to take the helm at Parkside starting in the fall.

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Posted in Administration, Governance, Legal issues