Just what I need…an auditor. Last time we met, human library JmmyW pointed out that I’ve put forth (thank goodness Jmmy’s autocorrect edits “puked forth”) 14,000 words and covered 16 of the 32 November 2011 trustees to date. He thoughtfully named those yet unscathed, so I’d be sure not to miss any. Two things: 1) I’ll take his word for the 14,000 number. I tried to corroborate it, but stopped at 27 when I ran out of fingers and toes (don’t ask); and 2) I posted “Feckless” beta versions for Lubert (p. 89, post 3549), Peetz (p. 128, post 5096) and Frazier (p. 129, post 5152) in the Mother of All Threads; I was hoping I’d get credit for those. I can revisit/repackage them at the end if there’s a great public outcry. More likely, you’ll want me to just go away. So by my count, we’ve got 13 left in the queue. There’s a tentative plan to streamline some of those.
But not for Marianne Alexander. Marianne served on the board from 2005 to 2014, representing the alumni who elected her by picking up dry cleaning and peeling grapes for the Old Guard. A passionate supporter of Rodney Erickson (“I think we’re so blessed that we had someone like him already here to step up to the plate. He’s so talented. The faculty and staff respect him. He never dealt with athletics, but he knows everything that’s going on there with academics.”), she cast her lot with the “move on” folks in the post-consent decree board teleconference call of 8/12/12:
“[Erickson] clearly had the authority to [sign the consent decree], and in so doing saved our university from a far worse state in the form of a death penalty for the football program. He deserves our gratitude and praise for acting in Penn State’s interests. I urge all of us to move forward under his leadership for the sake of the entire Penn State community now and in the future.”
Hold on; I’ll be right back. (Don’t you just hate it when you throw up on a good pair of shoes?)
She was given an occasional cookie by the Old Guard…a non-speaking role here, an ambassadorship to the Yukon Territories there…oh, and a place on the Presidential Search Committee in 2013. Here’s what David Mullaly, a trustee candidate in 2013, had to say about that:
“Marianne Alexander, who is the one alumni-ELECTED trustee on the presidential selection committee, is a complete toady for the power bloc guys. Which is why she's on the committee--and why none of the reform trustees are on it.”
It wasn’t until the committee put forth (shame my autocorrect edits “puked forth”) David Smith that Alexander realized she’d gotten the last ticket on the Titanic. So now she’s got that on her record.
In the July 2013 board meeting, she opposed the reform alumni-elected trustees by speaking in favor of emeritus status for Anne Riley and David Jones. And during a discussion of governance reform during that same meeting, Alexander really scalded my skivvies with this gem:
“And also, since eight years ago … there’s been a steady evolution toward board reform that means every member of this board is more included and feels more engaged. Really, it’s been a revolution. And I think what we are doing here today is on a continuum. I just don’t want us to lose sight of that. Just because we had a terrible thing happen, suddenly we have this terrible system. I don’t believe that.”
A nugget like that would more properly have been dropped upon the rural roads of Lancaster County. What are you talking about, Marianne? I’d argue that the lack of a truly terrible event had masked a broken system for many years. As for “every member of this board is more included and feels more engaged”…let’s take a look at the record.
Between 2012 and 2015, 27 standing committee chairs and a Presidential Selection Committee chair were appointed. Exactly one of those 28 positions went to an alumni-elected trustee – Joel Myers on the Outreach, Development and Community Relations Committee in 2013. Not exactly the nerve center of the board (more like the spleen, maybe?), and quite possibly a reward for caving in to the “move on” faction following the signing of the consent decree in July of 2012.
In Marianne’s cherished “system,” the corruption in the selection process for the six Business and Industry seats has been cemented in the university’s by-laws. The selection process for the six Agricultural seats is more mysterious, but believed by many to be just as corrupt. Governors Corbett and Rendell (responsible for eight of the nine governor-appointed trustees to the November 2011 board) both have some sketchy connections. Corbett himself had a vote. That’s 21 votes, an unshakable majority…if those voters could somehow be convinced to work in concert. Shouldn’t have mentioned it; I’m sure they never thought of that. Good luck, alumni trustees.
On July 22, 2016, your system created a climate wherein the alumni trustees participated in…even celebrated a 0-34 electoral spanking administered by the Old Guard at the coronation of Ira Lubert as Chairman of the Board. Our own elected representatives shoveled another load of dirt covering up The Second Mile…in our name. I know there’s a plan. I’ll speak only for myself here…but I’m not sure how much I care. I do not support the protection of The Second Mile or the rewarding of that protection…period. We alumni have been falsely accused of placing football glory ahead of the safety of children for almost five years. If one of the alumni trustees gets a seat on some mid-level committee…they all get better cushions in their boardroom chairs…even if the statue goes back up (which I never cared about in the first place)…I don’t give a rat’s behind, if it means I have to sign off on protection for The Second Mile.
Marianne Alexander, you glowingly described the progress made under the current system as a “revolution.” For one day, at least, we can agree on that. For one day, the alumni trustees are revolting, all right. Fairness dictates that I keep an open mind until Lubert’s part of the bargain reveals itself; Anthony Lubrano has earned that much. We’ll see what kind of deal it was. Beyond that, the verdict rests upon the integrity of the Old Guard. Pardon my skepticism.
SR/BHF
But not for Marianne Alexander. Marianne served on the board from 2005 to 2014, representing the alumni who elected her by picking up dry cleaning and peeling grapes for the Old Guard. A passionate supporter of Rodney Erickson (“I think we’re so blessed that we had someone like him already here to step up to the plate. He’s so talented. The faculty and staff respect him. He never dealt with athletics, but he knows everything that’s going on there with academics.”), she cast her lot with the “move on” folks in the post-consent decree board teleconference call of 8/12/12:
“[Erickson] clearly had the authority to [sign the consent decree], and in so doing saved our university from a far worse state in the form of a death penalty for the football program. He deserves our gratitude and praise for acting in Penn State’s interests. I urge all of us to move forward under his leadership for the sake of the entire Penn State community now and in the future.”
Hold on; I’ll be right back. (Don’t you just hate it when you throw up on a good pair of shoes?)
She was given an occasional cookie by the Old Guard…a non-speaking role here, an ambassadorship to the Yukon Territories there…oh, and a place on the Presidential Search Committee in 2013. Here’s what David Mullaly, a trustee candidate in 2013, had to say about that:
“Marianne Alexander, who is the one alumni-ELECTED trustee on the presidential selection committee, is a complete toady for the power bloc guys. Which is why she's on the committee--and why none of the reform trustees are on it.”
It wasn’t until the committee put forth (shame my autocorrect edits “puked forth”) David Smith that Alexander realized she’d gotten the last ticket on the Titanic. So now she’s got that on her record.
In the July 2013 board meeting, she opposed the reform alumni-elected trustees by speaking in favor of emeritus status for Anne Riley and David Jones. And during a discussion of governance reform during that same meeting, Alexander really scalded my skivvies with this gem:
“And also, since eight years ago … there’s been a steady evolution toward board reform that means every member of this board is more included and feels more engaged. Really, it’s been a revolution. And I think what we are doing here today is on a continuum. I just don’t want us to lose sight of that. Just because we had a terrible thing happen, suddenly we have this terrible system. I don’t believe that.”
A nugget like that would more properly have been dropped upon the rural roads of Lancaster County. What are you talking about, Marianne? I’d argue that the lack of a truly terrible event had masked a broken system for many years. As for “every member of this board is more included and feels more engaged”…let’s take a look at the record.
Between 2012 and 2015, 27 standing committee chairs and a Presidential Selection Committee chair were appointed. Exactly one of those 28 positions went to an alumni-elected trustee – Joel Myers on the Outreach, Development and Community Relations Committee in 2013. Not exactly the nerve center of the board (more like the spleen, maybe?), and quite possibly a reward for caving in to the “move on” faction following the signing of the consent decree in July of 2012.
In Marianne’s cherished “system,” the corruption in the selection process for the six Business and Industry seats has been cemented in the university’s by-laws. The selection process for the six Agricultural seats is more mysterious, but believed by many to be just as corrupt. Governors Corbett and Rendell (responsible for eight of the nine governor-appointed trustees to the November 2011 board) both have some sketchy connections. Corbett himself had a vote. That’s 21 votes, an unshakable majority…if those voters could somehow be convinced to work in concert. Shouldn’t have mentioned it; I’m sure they never thought of that. Good luck, alumni trustees.
On July 22, 2016, your system created a climate wherein the alumni trustees participated in…even celebrated a 0-34 electoral spanking administered by the Old Guard at the coronation of Ira Lubert as Chairman of the Board. Our own elected representatives shoveled another load of dirt covering up The Second Mile…in our name. I know there’s a plan. I’ll speak only for myself here…but I’m not sure how much I care. I do not support the protection of The Second Mile or the rewarding of that protection…period. We alumni have been falsely accused of placing football glory ahead of the safety of children for almost five years. If one of the alumni trustees gets a seat on some mid-level committee…they all get better cushions in their boardroom chairs…even if the statue goes back up (which I never cared about in the first place)…I don’t give a rat’s behind, if it means I have to sign off on protection for The Second Mile.
Marianne Alexander, you glowingly described the progress made under the current system as a “revolution.” For one day, at least, we can agree on that. For one day, the alumni trustees are revolting, all right. Fairness dictates that I keep an open mind until Lubert’s part of the bargain reveals itself; Anthony Lubrano has earned that much. We’ll see what kind of deal it was. Beyond that, the verdict rests upon the integrity of the Old Guard. Pardon my skepticism.
SR/BHF
Last edited:
