Tag Archives: N.C. State U

Mary Easley Is Out at N.C. State, and So Is the Chancellor

The Chronicle: Mary Easley Is Out at N.C. State, and So Is the Chancellor

Shock waves from a politically charged hiring scandal at North Carolina State University continued to expand Monday with the resignation of James L. Oblinger, the university’s chancellor, and the firing of Mary P. Easley, the former governor’s wife whose $170,000-a-year job is at the center of the controversy.

The high-profile departures followed the university’s release on Monday of a large number of documents it had provided to a federal grand jury that is investigating dealings involving the former governor, Michael F. Easley.

Inside Higher Ed: Survival Tactics

It’s looking like a hot, sticky and scandalous summer is in store for higher education. In recent weeks, controversies of varied size have embroiled college chiefs at the University of Illinois, the University of Nevada at Las Vegas and North Carolina State University, where Chancellor James L. Oblinger resigned Monday.

Former Governor’s Wife Is Fired From Controversial Job at N.C. State

News & Observer: Records: Mike Easley involved in hiring

New documents show that the Mary Easley job at N.C. State University was orchestrated at the highest levels of state government, and included the direct involvement of then-Gov. Mike Easley.

E-mail messages show the creation of the job for Mary Easley was orchestrated in April and May of 2005 by the governor and that her job formation also included his wife, Mary; the chancellor at N.C. State, James Oblinger; a key trustee, McQueen Campbell; a senior adviser to Easley who now heads the Golden Leaf Foundation, Dan Gerlach; and an NCSU lobbyist at the time, Andy Willis.