Can Journalists Work Inside the Polling Places?

While in Delaware, the news media must stay outside the polling places, other states have different rules. Here's a link to a story about Minnesota's law:

http://www.startribune.com/stories/587/5053828.html

It's a good idea to check out whether PA allows news media folks inside the polling places - the Committee of Seventy (www.seventy.org) should be able to help you.

One Person, One Vote?

Before you head to the polls on Tuesday (as both voter and reporter), check out what the ACLU has to say about the state of American voting:

http://www.aclu.org/VotingRights/VotingRightsMain.cfm?orgid=n&MX=1680&H=0

To see what our esteemed president's brother, Jeb, is up to in Florida (he's the Governor), check this out:

http://www.stpetersburgtimes.com/2004/10/28/Decision2004/Gov_Bush__Poll_watche.shtml

And in Wisconsin, things aren't much better:

http://www.jsonline.com/news/metro/oct04/270289.asp

And finally, some more news from that state where everyone's vote is counted - unless your a convicted felon who has paid his or her debt to society - Florida:

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/politics/content/local_news/epaper/2004/10/08/s3d_voters_1008.html

Scary stuff - you may not see this kind of activity at your polling place, but knowing that this is still going on, four years after the 2000 election, is sobering, if not horrifying. Keep your eyes and ears open!

And if you spot other news stories that might be of help to folks, please post or "comment" them. Good luck!

A Word From Our Sponsor...

Hey there:

Just a quick reminder about that barnburner of a winter term course, Journalists, the Courts, and the Law (COM 665). It meets T and TH at 12:30.

And if you're in to sportswriting, have I got a course for you: COM 380 - it will be officially cross-listed as a grad course in the coming days. The official title is "Sports Journalism." Catchy, eh? It meets T and TH at 9:30. Yes, I know...9:30 is a lousy time - but we'll be covering actual games together.

Let me know if you need more info on either course. Have a great weekend. The first round of stories so far are fantastic.

Cornell College President Lives Up to His Legendary Reputation

by Romilda Perfidio

With all the responsibility he has as a University President, his “dedication is dumbfounding” stated Jason Wright, Executive Director of Cedar Rapids Symphony, when asked to describe current President of Cornell College, Dr. Leslie H. Garner Jr. As our telephone conversation continued, Wright revealed how he was truly moved by Dr. Garner’s volunteer efforts during the Dr.’s service on the Board of Directors for the Cedar Rapids Symphony in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, by stating, “He was the hardest working volunteer the symphony ever had.” The Executive Director struck a cord of the heart when he used numerous complimentary words to describe his admiration for Dr. Garner. Most people could only aspire to leave such a positive, lasting impression on another human being. In this case however, many impressions have been left by this seemingly, great guy, called Dr. Leslie H. Garner Jr.

The Cedar Rapids Symphony Board of Directors was one of many
boards Dr. Garner belonged to throughout his prestigious volunteer career. From 1989-2004, Dr. Garner has dedicated his free time to thirteen organizations and societies. Jean Bradons, office manager for The Cedar Rapids Chamber of Commerce, declares Dr. Garner as an “absolutely outstanding individual.” Bradons, along with many past volunteer colleagues I spoke with, had incredibly wonderful comments about Dr. Garner’s contributions. One enthusiastic individual I spoke with on the phone insisted she send me an e-mail with a direct quote. Christine Harstad, President and CSO of the Junior Achievement of East Central Iowa, wanted her comments to be thoughtful and reflect her fondness of Dr. Garner’s work. The President affirms, “since joining the Junior Achievement Board of Trustees, Dr. Leslie Garner has provided tremendous leadership and educational insight to our organization. In addition to his personal commitment to the mission of Junior Achievement, Dr. Garner creates opportunities for both Cornell College students and faculty to add value - on many levels - in supporting JA economic literacy programs in our local schools.” My curiosity was peeked by Harstad’s willingness to assist and dedicate time from her busy schedule. Was there anyone who didn’t like this guy? It would be difficult to find someone as I continued my research.

Dr. Garner was a board member for Miracles in Motion, a not for profit therapeutic horseback riding organization, located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, from 1997-2000. The Program Director, Sue Bock, remembers Dr. Garner fondly. I spoke with her on the phone as she recounted the Dr.’s time with the organization. According to Bock, Dr. Garner was very supportive of the program and well liked by everyone on the board. She states, “he was instrumental in the strategic planning” of the organization. Dr. Garner also served on the Board of Trustees for Blue Cross & Blue Shield of North Carolina, where his responsibilities included approving budgets and expenditures, according to the Executive Assistant’s office. Linda Mann, office manger for the Rocky Mount Area Chamber of Commerce, reminisced with me over the phone. She discussed Dr. Garner’s responsibilities during his service on the Board of Directors. As we spoke, she said, “his plaque is over on the wall, hold on a second.” I heard a bang, as if she accidentally dropped the phone rather harshly. The clomping of her shoes moving quickly across the floor was vivid in the background. She returned within a few seconds, slightly out of breath, confirming the Dr.’s status, “Chairman of the Board 1992,” Mann said. Thankfully she didn’t sense the struggle in me to maintain a straight face, as I found her to be delightfully humorous. She was most charming and I thanked her for her eagerness to assist me.

It was difficult to verify all the boards Dr. Garner participated with. Several attempts were made to contact the following organizations to no avail; The Iowa Child Institute, Korean American Friendship Society, Cities in Schools of North Carolina, Mid America Housing Parternship and Vision 2000 Steering Committee. After several phone and e-mail attempts, I was unable to verify these organizations. No one returned my call. When I contacted Mid America Housing Partnership, there was a temporary employee, Jennifer, filling in for the assistant to the Vice President, who was unable to work the computer system. I asked to be redirected to someone who could assist me and was told to call back when the regular girl comes back to work. I followed up but was unsuccessful in receiving a return call.

This theme continued as my research shifted to Dr. Garner’s employment history. What began as a glowing review for the good Dr., quickly changed and sparked a glimmer of skepticism. According to Dr. Gardner, he was previously employed at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill from 1977- 1987. His position’s included Lecturer/Instructor of Business Administration, Assistant Professor of Business Administration, Director of Young Executives Institute and Co-Director of University Management Development Program. I contacted the department heads first and was redirected to Human Resources. Peggy Scott, a records coordinator in the records department of Human Resources at Chapel Hill, was unable to locate Dr. Leslie Garner in her computer database. I hesitated to respond as a wave of endless questions controlled my thoughts…. Could this be? He’s not in the system? Before I uttered any one of them aloud, Scott said, “How far back was this?” Suddenly a light bulb went off in my head. Of course, I thought to myself, it has been several years and this information may take a while to track. I replied, “1977.” Scott informed me that her database only contained current information of students and I needed to contact Barbara Fields, faculty records coordinator. When I spoke to Fields on the phone, she confirmed that Dr. Garner was indeed in the school database. She verified he was “listed in the system as a student, alumni, and under Human Resources,” which meant he was employed at Chapel Hill. Garner maintained his crisp, clean image as the likable “guy next door.”

North Carolina Wesleyan College, in Rocky Mount, North Carolina is where Garner presided as President from 1987-1994, according to his resume. I contacted the office of the President at Wesleyan and was directed to Darrell Whitley, Director of Human Resources. I’ve since left two phone messages at his office and sent an e-mail. He did not respond to my queries.

Garner’s flourishing career and volunteer background match his academic accomplishments. As mentioned earlier, Garner was a student at the University of North Carolina. He graduated with honors and a Bachelor of Arts in History in 1972, confirms the registrar’s office at North Carolina. He went on to receive a Masters in Public Policy from the prestigious John F. Kennedy School of Government in 1974 and a Ph.D. in Public Policy in 1985 at Harvard University, according to the registrar’s office. Garner’s ability to excel as a young student was apparent through his many honorable achievements. He belonged to the Fraternity, Phi Beta Kappa and Omicron Delta Kappa, where he received the Morehead Scholar and Governor’s Award both confirmed by the Society’s records department. Garner also received the Outstanding Young Alumnus Award in 1991 by the General Alumni Association, according to the association’s records department. His academic achievements laid the foundation for his future success and continue to be an integral part of his life today.

Currently Dr. Leslie Garner holds the office of the President at Cornell University in Mount Vernon, Iowa and has for the past 10 years. He has published numerous articles and professional publications, including two books, Leadership in Human Services and The Coastal Plains; Writing on the Cultures of Eastern North Carolina. Dr. Garner’s publications touch on social and industrial policies as well as management and success. Some of his articles can be found in professional journals such as The New England Journal of Human Services and The Journal of State Government. He has contributed countless hours of dedication to organizations and to his professional career that puts him a step above most individuals. Dr. Garner is truly an inspiration to everyone he meets as I discovered while researching this piece.
Is it possible for one person to touch so many lives positively? I’ll admit, I was reluctant at first, but I wasn’t able to come across anyone who knew Dr. Garner personally and didn’t want to make a comment. Sometimes, I didn’t even have to ask. The accolades flowed from the mouths of those who knew the Dr. best. I could hear the excitement in their voices when I said, “could you tell me a little bit about him?” I could barely finish my sentence before the praise began. As I continued questioning colleagues of the Dr., I had to smarten up as I prepared myself before I dialed the number, so I could begin writing immediately. I didn’t want to miss a precious word, describing how much each and every person admired this man. I can only hope I’ve replicated the portrait he has painted for so many lives he has touched.

Headhunting in the Urban Jungle

by Lisa Poe

A few years ago, I worked for a headhunter - not the savage, jungle kind, but the savage, corporate kind. Executive positions are not advertised in the newspaper, they are contracted out to headhunting firms. The headhunter repeatedly contacts executives he or she knows, trying to get them to leave their current jobs to take the job the headhunter has contracted to fill. In my work there, I saw a lot of resumes, all of them high-level executives.

Most of the resumes were pretty boring, straight historical stuff; Head of Purchasing, Regional Head of Sales for Western Europe, “in my position at ABC Company I was able to reduce labor union membership,” “the invoice tracking system was installed under my authority,” you get the idea. I didn’t know at the time that the spice I was missing was a politician’s resume.

Fun with Politics
If you had told me a month ago that I could have fun while fact-checking a resume, I would have thought your idea of fun needed some help. But oh, the joy of a politician’s resume. A man born with a family name, wealth and power. A man who has unusual hobbies, certifications and licenses. A man running for re-election this year, who has been re-elected every term for 26 years and will probably die in office. And the Senator can’t seem to keep himself out of trouble. What fun!

I never cease to be surprised (or amused) at how flustered some poor administrative assistant becomes when I call to confirm that Vincent J. Fumo is on their Board of Directors. It is a simple yes or no question, but I am invariably routed to some upper level titled person such as the Vice President of Corporate and Public Affairs. This is after a fearful, “who are you, and why are you calling?” My reassurances that I am merely a graduate student doing a class project with the Senator’s consent seem only to calm them slightly.

Cloak and Dagger
My favorite response was from the City of Philadelphia’s Licensing and Inspections Unit. I had to confirm that the Senator, oddly enough, is a licensed electrical contractor and has been since 1969. Indeed, it is true, but the reply stated, “we have a licensed electrical contractor by the name of Vincent J. Fumo. I can not [sic] verify if this is Senator Fumo.” As though I were Deep Throat, and revealing that Vincent J. Fumo was indeed the same Senator Fumo would have lasting repercussions for the state of the government. Good stuff.

My contact at the Atlantic City Country Club, Mary, didn't even want to give me her last name or the name of her department, because the confirmation she gave me of the Senator's grandfathered in, lifetime membership at the Club was something she was not supposed to discuss.

In fact, there seems to be an unspoken consensus among these individuals that they are protecting the Senator from some imagined scandal by refusing to confirm his membership with their organization.

Lisa Pfettscher, of the Urban League of Philadelphia, was not only unhelpful; she was downright hostile and flatly refused to confirm that Senator Fumo is a member of the League. She indicated that the only way she would confirm his membership was in response to a request “in writing from his Chief of Staff.” When I asked if their membership list was a matter of public record, she agreed but continued to refuse to confirm or deny his membership. This is absurd, especially when Senator Fumo posts this information on his personal web page.

Repeated attempts to confirm the Senator’s membership in several societies, such as his Masonic Lodge and the Order of the Sons of Italy, were met with silence. This secrecy among institutions with whom the Senator is affiliated publicly can only serve to increase suspicions that he is up to no good behind closed doors with his cronies. It is especially reprehensible in an association that claims to be a public-spirited service organization, as many of these groups do.

Almost Famous
On the lighter side, when I contacted Villanova University to confirm Senator Fumo’s Bachelor of Science in Biology in 1964, the Transcript Coordinator, Lindy Rustam, had to ask me to repeat his last name twice and then asked me to spell it. She also volunteered that he had come back for two classes in 1981 – macroeconomics and calculus – which he did not site on his resume. By her casual manner, Lindy did not appear to have the slightest idea that Vincent Fumo was a locally prominent politician. Apparently, word of their former student’s notoriety has not reached the Philadelphia suburbs.

And when Diana from the Membership Records Department of the Knights of Columbus called me back, she said that she didn’t have anyone by the last name of Sumo, but she did have a Vincent Fumo in Philadelphia.

Ancient History
I did have some trouble confirming his older biographic information. Several companies have been bought out or disintegrated. The Locust Club is now defunct. The Catholic high school he first taught at has been merged with another school whose administrator had trouble locating the Senator’s employment record from the late 1960s.

Mr. Fumo’s resume could also use some updating. I have discovered that he is no longer a Commissioner of the Delaware River Port Authority, though his replacement as Commissioner took place earlier this year. He is no longer a member of the American Bar Association, though he is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association. He is part of the National Sheriff’s Association, but no longer on the Board of Governors of the Justinian Society.

There are also a few errors of omission, things that apparently the Senator does not find important enough to list. Then again, why you would include your honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from the Pennsylvania College of Podiatric Medicine, but fail to note that you were an Elector for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (yes, in the Electoral College) in 1992 is beyond me. I think that being an Elector is much cooler.

Stranger in Town
As the saying goes, I’m not from around here. I moved to Philadelphia from central Florida four years ago, and I have no particularly strong feelings about any of the local politicians; I tend to focus nationally. I chose Senator Fumo for this project because I am a friend of his son, Vincent Fumo II. He is not a junior, because he is named after his grandfather, Vincent P. Fumo. Remember, this is a wealthy family; wealthy families can afford everything but original names for their children.

I had, of course, heard of Senator Fumo; as I mentioned earlier, he seems to have trouble staying out of the papers, so he has name recognition, even if you’re not quite sure why. I did not know about him from his son, however. In fact, I had met Vince several times before I knew he was a Fumo. I suppose the child of any celebrity becomes accustomed to the spotlight and learns not to pay attention to their parent’s picture in the paper or spot on the evening news. He was extremely obliging about getting me his father’s resume, and the Senator had no qualms about forwarding it to some woman he has never met, so apparently he is comfortable with his notoriety.

Who is Senator Fumo?
In researching the Senator, I find myself creating a picture of him in my head. He must be an interesting man. He’s a member of the American Civil Liberties Union and the Knights of Columbus. He has degrees in biology, law and business (a Wharton M.B.A., no less). He is also technically a member of the prestigious law firm Dilworth Paxson, although when I called their office and asked for him the receptionist asked, “Who?” quickly followed by “Oh! I’ll transfer you.”

Senator Fumo is quite a mix of accomplishments: he is a licensed boat captain, he has practiced law before the Supreme Court, he has maintained his Chairmanship of First Penn Bank (founded by his grandfather) after it was acquired by PSB Bancorp, and he is a licensed electrical contractor, presumably so he can do some of his own work on the properties he renovates. He was also named Crime Fighter of the Year for his work with the Crime Commission of the Delaware Valley in 1999.

He began his career as a high school biology teacher and is now arguably one of the most powerful Democratic members of the state Senate. He is Democratic Chair of the Appropriations Committee, but he does not list on his resume that he is also a member of the Communications and Technology Committee, Consumer Protection Committee, Ethics (irony is not dead) Committee, Game and Fisheries Committee and the Rules and Urban Affairs Committee.

South Philly Appeal
I infer from the fact that Senator Fumo has been re-elected every term since his first special election in 1978 that he must be very involved in his district, the kind of local politician whose constituents can count on when they have a problem. That’s why they keep him in office despite the public outbursts and implications of financial impropriety. His district is in south Philly, and you have to wonder if he could do anything that would make them turn against him. Maybe if he murdered someone, but only maybe. After all, this is south Philadelphia we’re talking about.

Senator Vincent J. Fumo is a fascinating man on paper. Researching his background has made me truly appreciate the draw of a dynamic politician. I’m not saying that I’m planning to move to south Philly just to live in his district, but I might consider it.

25-year Philadelphia photographer Jenny Lynn makes mark on Northeast

by Sarah Knowles

Over the past 25 years, blending between boundaries has become artist Jenny Lynn’s specialty. She is a photographer, fine artist and conceptual designer, known for her distinctive and diverse photographic style, which uses a mix of media. Not only is she currently based in Philadelphia, but her career has come full circle here. She graduated cum laude from Temple University’s Tyler School of Art with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in photography in 1976 and since then, has found her work well-received again and again in many of the city’s galleries.

After completing her BFA at Temple, Lynn went on to pursue graduate studies in film and television in New York City at New York University. She studied there from 1977 through 1978, though she did not complete her degree once her studies clarified that her draw to the visual arts came from still pictures and not moving ones. While in New York, a few of her pieces were displayed as part of a group show at Soho Photo Gallery in January 1980.

The show at Soho Photo Gallery was her first formal one, but certainly not her last. In 1984 she was half of a two-person show at Twentieth Century Gallery in Philadelphia, and in 1985 she was invited to be part of Tyler School of Art’s 50th Anniversary Alumni Show.

In 1987 Lynn was given a Juror’s Award for artistic excellence by juror Peter MacGill. MacGill selected two of Lynn’s untitled pieces from her “Soliloquy” series, and each piece was comprised of two gelatin silver prints. These were displayed from Feb. 1-22 at New Jersey’s Perkins Center for the Arts in a wholly juried exhibition titled “Photography 6.”

The 1990s brought Lynn’s work into the public eye more frequently, with several exhibitions and college lectures in Philadelphia, New York, and other Northeast locations. In 1990 she was part of a group show at Philadelphia’s Muse Gallery; her work was the sole subject of a one-person show entitled “Everything Echoes” held in 1993 at the Community College of Philadelphia; and in 1996 Lynn’s work was part of a juried exhibition called “Photographers Only” displayed at The Visual Club in New York City.

Guest lectures had become more frequent for Lynn as well during this time. She presented her first in 1981 at the State University of New York at New Paltz. From 1989 through 1999, however, she delivered a total of seven at the following locations: Bucks County Community College in Bucks County, Penn., the Art Institute of Philadelphia, Drexel University, Temple’s Tyler School of Art, ASMP South Florida Chapter in Miami, Fla., Mount Airy Learning Tree’s PhotoSession Conference in Philadelphia, and the School of Visual Arts in New York City.

Lynn enjoyed a particularly special honor in 1994 when she was commissioned by Michel Roux of the Absolut to produce a print ad as part of the vodka company’s Absolut Artist series. This ad appeared in publications such as Art Forum, Art News, Art in America, Art & Antiques, New York Times Magazine, New York Magazine, and Vogue.

Asa Edlind, marketing assistant for Absolut, explained the concept of Lynn’s ad. “ABSOLUT LYNN reflects the artist's style of mixing dream and reality, chance and design, word and image, collective and personal consciousness. The visual is blue and white apart from the ABSOLUT on the bottle (which is hi-lighted in yellow) and incorporates other objects which have no apparent reason for being there, such as a film negative, a spider, a butterfly or even a blackjack,” she said.

With honors such as these under her belt, exhibitions became even more frequent, often overlapping. In 1996, her work was part of three separate shows. At the Robin Rice Gallery in New York City, Lynn’s black and white piece “The Bath” was featured in an exhibition titled “Summertime.” This exhibit ran from July 17 through Sept. 8 and solely featured Graphistock photographers. Curated by Sid Sachs, another group show, “Complexity and Contradiction: Postmodernism in Philadelphia Photography,” was exhibited at the Paley Design Center at the Philadelphia College of Textiles.

The two-person show “Beyond Narrative: Photographs of Jenny Lynn and Jill Mathis” was featured at two separate galleries: The Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art in Ridgefield, Conn., and the Albin O. Kuhn Gallery. It came to an end on June 21, 1997.

That year Lynn’s work was featured in Massachusetts for the first time—in an exhibition titled “Selective Memory: Photographs of Martha’s Vineyard” at Gayhead Gallery in Gay Head, Mass. Lynn then returned to Philadelphia to present three more shows that year. Her work was featured in a group show called “Photographic Works on Paper” at Works on Paper Gallery, a one-person show called “Sight/Insight” at Philadelphia College of Textiles & Science, and as part of the Art in City Hall series in an exhibition called “Beyond the Silver Print,” which was juried by Kathleen Edwards, Martha Mock, and Richard Weisgrau.

Lynn’s work was especially well-received at her 1999 one-person show at St. Andrew’s Gallery at St. Andrew’s School in Middletown, Del. This show was titled, simply, “The Photographs of Jenny Lynn.”

John McGiff, a representative of the school’s art department, stated, “It consisted of original photographs, some of them mounted together to create an evocative surrealistic poetry of images- some stood marvelously on their own. She gave a slide show and artist's talk to the community here and everyone LOVED her and her work.”

She again lectured at Philadelphia’s University of the Arts as part of the school’s Paradigm Lecture Series in 2002, and then at Delaware College of Art & Design in Wilmington, Del., in 2003. She was granted the title “Master Lecturer” at the University of the Arts in 2003 in her third stint teaching there. Lynn had also taught at the university in 1995 and in 1988, instructing courses called “The Hand Altered Photograph” and “A Personal Approach to Commercial Photography,” respectively.

During this time Lynn also worked on a limited edition artists book that she called “Box of Blue.” This self-published venture featured a series of blue-tinted photographs boxed in a semi-clear case; it was completed in 2001. She formally debuted this book at a one-person show by the same title at Square One Gallery in New York City in early 2002.

That year she was also commissioned by Raymond Merritt to create a seven foot tall photo sculpture for a traveling exhibition called “A Thousand Hounds.” This piece, appropriately titled “DogTotem” is on the road currently as part of that traveling group exhibition. It originated in New York City on Jan. 17, 2002, at the Paine Webber Art Gallery, and will make stops at 10 more galleries before its end in March 2005. These galleries, in order, are: the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach, the Columbus Museum in Ohio, the Ross Museum at Ohio Wesylan, the Delaware Art Museum, Winnepeg Gallery, Durham Western Heritage Museum, Seibu Department Store, Keihan Gallery, University of Maryland, and Avampato Discovery Museum. More information can be found about this traveling exhibit online at http://www.cygnetfoundation.org/.

Besides the “Thousand Hounds” show, Lynn’s work has been featured in several other galleries between 2000 and the present. In 2000 she was featured in two group shows: one called “Photography: Contemporary Prospect 2000” which was displayed in Yellow Springs, Penn., and one called “Blocks & Slabs: Dimensional Works” at Philadelphia’s Wexler Gallery.
A two-person show between Lynn and painter Jeffrey Jonczyk was featured at Industry: A Gallery at the end of 2000 through the beginning of 2001.

Her work then appeared in two more group exhibitions: in “Light 2: Images from the Photography Collections,” which was curated by Andy Grundberg at the Albin O. Kuhn Gallery in Baltimore, and in “Snapshot,” a traveling group exhibition organized by the Contemporary Museum of Baltimore that ran from Nov. 2, 2000, through Feb. 4, 2001.

A show curated by Toby Jurovics at Philadelphia’s Photo West Gallery included Lynn’s work in a show called “ReViewing Photography: ThePhotoReview @25” in 2002. In 2003, Lynn gained placement at a national juried exhibition titled “Just Color” at Philadelphia’s Artforms Gallery. Her work was chosen by juror Mary Virginia Swanson.

Philadelphia law firm Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll commissioned Lynn in 2002 to produce a gelatin silver photo-grid to be displayed at the company’s headquarters. Office representative Jamie Bischoff proudly explained, “it graces our conference center on the 42nd floor of the Mellon Bank building.”

Lynn’s most recent and current show is now on display at The Print Center in Philadelphia. The one-person exhibition began on Sept. 9 and will run through Nov. 6. One can find out more about this show, which is titled “Jenny Lynn: Photo+Object+Art,” by visiting the Print Center’s website at http://www.printcenter.org.

Springsteen in Scranton, Dogs and Diplomas- University President Leads Diverse Life

Ann Kushmerick

You see a guy walking his dog, singing Bruce Springsteen. Is this your next door neighbor? Your brother-in-law? Certainly not a scholar, or a priest. But it could be Fr. Scott Pilarz, who is actually all of these things. When Fr. Pilarz S.J., Ph.D., 45, became the president of the University of Scranton last year, the student body often heard that their new chief was a dog owner and an avid Bruce Springsteen fan who quotes the Boss in most of his speeches. These popular conceptions do not seem to coincide with Fr. Pilarz’s extensive curriculum vitae. From the many papers he has delivered at conferences and seminars, to the numerous articles he has written, and the various organizations to which he belongs, he presents himself as a true academic. Perhaps because Pilarz used this resume to land the position of president of a respected university, he was motivated to present himself as a legitimate academic. But perhaps lists of speeches and journal articles on topics such as anamnesis, catechesis, and recusancy do not paint the entire picture of a man, at least not as fully as do his pet and his CD collection.

It is difficult to confirm Fr. Pilarz’s resume information thoroughly because it is so extensive and detailed. It’s hard to believe that he is only 45, since his curriculum vitae appears to portray an individual who has lived a very long and rich life. This diversity may reflect his identity as a member of the Society of Jesus, a religious order characterized by intense scholarship. Pilarz’s list of academic degrees is confirmable through many sources, since his education has been used in numerous public relations documents. He earned his undergraduate degree in English from Georgetown University in 1981. In his early years at this institution, Pilarz began to cultivate his interests in English literature and the Jesuits. A Jesuit education prompted him to pursue a Master’s degree in Philosophy from Fordham, another Jesuit run institution. He then pursued his theological studies at Weston Jesuit School of Theology, receiving his Master’s in Divinity in 1991 and his Master’s in Theology in 1992. He also earned his Ph.D. in English from the City University of New York in 1996. Pilarz’ academic history follows the Jesuit tradition of fostering both spirit and intellect.

Pilarz’s professional experience is also confirmable through many official statements. His teaching career has taken him from a Jesuit high school to the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, and back to his alma mater, Georgetown, where he served as English professor and university chaplain. Pilarz undoubtedly highlighted his varied teaching experience in his resume when vying for the president position.

Most of the organizations to which Pilarz claims to belong confirmed his membership. Their representatives were generally helpful with confirming his membership, and if applicable, his paper presentations at their conferences. These organizations generally consist of academics who focus their research on a particular area of interest. From his memberships and his scholarly publications, it is clear that Fr. Pilarz’s interest is medieval and renaissance literature, and in particular its religious aspects. Tracking down some of these organizations is tricky, since they are groups of academics from all over the world who meet every so often for conferences but have no central office. Most of the groups have websites, but not all of them are up to date. Groups such as the Medieval and Renaissance Drama Society, and the Modern Language Association were proud to provide e-mailed confirmations of Pilarz as a member. However, the secretary of one organization, the Medieval Club of New York, sent an e-mail stating that Pilarz is not a current member of her club. When asked about this discrepancy, Pilarz noted that when he moved away from New York City, he simply stopped paying dues. Now that it was brought to his attention, he will eliminate it from future resumes.

Confirming Pilarz’s paper presentations at numerous conferences involved attempting to locate the agenda for each particular conference. Some agendas were readily available on-line, but some groups with poor record keeping had little information. Some obscure organizations, such as the Rocky Mountain Medieval and Renaissance Association, were difficult to locate. Although the contact listed on their web-site was e-mailed, he did not respond. From Pilarz’s confirmed paper presentations, speeches, and radio presentations, it is clear that he not only holds advanced degrees, but that he is passionate about his research areas and takes every opportunity to discuss his interests with others.

Pilarz also lists many publications. The one book for which he takes complete credit, Robert Southwell and the Mission of Literature 1561-1595; Writing Reconciliation, can be purchased online. He also lists himself as editor of a “book project” about which no information could be found. Regarding this, Pilarz’s former teacher, fellow Georgetown Jesuit community resident, colleague, and friend, Otto Hentz, S.J., 64, Washington D.C., clarified through e-mail, “We work jointly, as time allows, on a long range project, the edition of a treatise Cardinal Robert Bellarmine in controversy with King James [sic].” Pilarz various journal entries have proved more difficult to locate. Because most of the journals are tailored to a small audience, they are not popular and therefore not available in most online databases. However, research did confirm various theatre and film reviews, along with articles on John Donne and Jesuit higher education.

Although on his resume Pilarz lists numerous committees and programs in which he participated while employed at universities, these are very difficult to confirm years later. Confirming the positions Pilarz held in the Georgetown Jesuit community is likewise tricky since the religious order tends to keep its personal business private. While it is understandable that Pilarz would try to present himself as an active employee who is concerned about many different educational and social aspects, his listing of roles such as presenter at one-day university meetings or programs seems excessive. However, on-line research on Pilarz has revealed that there are actually additional speeches and presentations which he does not list on the resume. Apparently, he is extremely involved and proud of it.

There has been plenty of media coverage of Pilarz, especially since he recently assumed the presidency of a university and published a book. This coverage has been very positive, since he is an academically respected member of a religious order. When asked about his image, a humble Pilarz responded in an e-mail, “Public perceptions/media representation aren’t things I’ve given much thought to.” When he was chosen as the new president of the University of Scranton, the media portrayed him as very scholarly. His resume appears to confirm this perception. According to Pilarz, his role as a university president causes the media to focus on his academic side. Sometimes one might forget that he is also a Catholic priest, not the most ordinary of occupations. Regarding the media’s general indifference toward his religious life, Pilarz said, “many journalists have little or no understanding of matters religious, so they shy away from my work as a priest opposed to an administrator. I see those as complimentary and mutually enriching.” As expected, public relations for both the University of Scranton and Georgetown University, Pilarz’s previous employer, paint him in the best light possible since he is a principle representative of their institutions. However, in this case their sanitized portrayal of Pilarz appears to correspond to his actual accomplishments.

While major aspects of Pilarz’s life are easily confirmed, some academic information has been surprisingly difficult to track down. However, Pilarz presentation of facts appears generally truthful, and any discrepancies are honest mistakes, e.g. listing current membership on boards and committees on which he no longer participates. He apparently put a great deal of time and effort into compiling such an extensive curriculum vitae. Yet he deserves the acknowledgment in light of the diverse achievements in his life. After verifying Pilarz’s academic and professional information, his personality is yet obscure. Perhaps an official confirmation about his devotion to the “Boss” or Jack the bulldog, glaringly absent from his resume, would be helpful. Fr. Hentz, a very helpful and candid source, warned anyone who should insult Pilarz’s native South Jersey, as he said, “They say it’s immoral to bet on a sure thing. So I will not put money on whether, given a decent interval, B. Springsteen is awarded an honorary degree by Scranton. Why would not one so grace the man who should be Pope? Were Scott a one man College of Cardinals he would be.” For Pilarz, the Boss is simply a given. He responded, “As for Springsteen, I’ve been a fan since high school. I’m a New Jersey native, so there is no surprise there.” Apparently even academics can be Springsteen loving Jersey sons.

But what of the ubiquitous Jack, the lovable former Georgetown mascot seen strolling around Scranton’s campus. Hentz does not appear to be a fan, as he commented, “Jack the bulldog trained on my rug. I can show you the spots to prove it. He is otherwise totally spoiled. Well, one exception: he will sit on command…if you repeat the command long enough for him to get tired, at which point he will sit.” Pilarz would disagree. He became so attached to the pup from Georgetown that he brought him to Scranton. He denies any claims of Jack’s spoiled or unruly nature. He simply said, “He loves his new life here.” Apparently the same can be said of his owner.

New Pres Takes Scenic Route to Univ of Texas

By John Nolan

According to F. Scott Fitzgerald, “there are no second acts in American lives.” However, the résumé of James D. Spaniolo, the recently appointed President of the University of Texas at Arlington, tells a different story. In a career spanning more that 35 years, Spaniolo worked in the fields of law and journalism before embarking on his current career path in education.

Spaniolo’s career began in 1968, when he received a BA in Political Science from Michigan State University. His first job, according to his résumé, was as the Public Information Officer (from 1969 to 1970) for the Governor’s Commission on Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice in Lansing, Michigan. However, a series of calls to the current Governor’s office did not yield confirmation of this position, and a voice mail message left for Teresa Hart of the Executive Office did not receive a response.

From there, Spaniolo returned to his alma mater, where he served as Assistant to the President from 1970 to 1972. As with the previous position, this could not be verified, due to the length of time that had passed since he held the position. Apparently, the Human Resources department at MSU does not maintain thirty years’ worth of records. Or perhaps those who were spoken to simply did not feel like looking for the information.

1975 marked the beginning of a new phase (Fitzgerald’s non-existent second act?) in the life of James Spaniolo. On May 3, he received his MPA in Public Administration from the University of Michigan, and on August 17, he earned his JD from the University of Michigan Law School. The Registrar’s Offices of the awarding institutions verified both of these degrees and dates. Armed with his new degrees, Spaniolo (according to his résumé) began his practice as an attorney with the law firm of Paul & Thomson, in Miami, Florida, from 1975 to 1977.

However, attempts to verify this piece of information were unsuccessful. Searches of the American Bar Association’s website, Yellow Pages.com, White Pages.com, and Verizon’s online telephone directory did not yield a single listing for a law firm by the name of Paul & Thomson. Further searches of lawyers with the last names of Paul and Thomson yielded numerous results. Sifting through the more manageable list of ‘Pauls’ led to an attorney named Dan Paul of the law firm, Jorden Burt. Paul’s listing on the Jorden Burt website noted that he specializes in First Amendment and libel cases. Coincidentally, this was Spaniolo’s area of specialization while at Paul & Thomson. Unfortunately, attempts to verify if Paul was indeed the ‘Paul’ of Paul & Thomson failed, as Paul did not respond to inquiries on the subject.

Yet another stage of Spaniolo’s career began when he left the law firm and went to work for the Miami Herald. From 1977 to 1985, he held a variety of positions with the newspaper, starting out as a legal consultant for the newspaper, and then in 1983, participating in Knight-Ridder’s (owner of the Miami Herald) executive development program, in order to “obtain ‘hands on’ experience in all phases of newspaper management and operations.” Once again, attempts to verify this information were unsuccessful. E-mails sent to both Knight-Ridder’s and the Miami Herald’s Human Resources departments were not answered, nor were voice mail messages left with the same departments. Interestingly, the lack of cooperation of the Miami Herald coincided with a website in which contact information was difficult to find.

1985 marked a return to Michigan for James Spaniolo, when he accepted the position of Vice President of Human Resources at the Detroit Free Press, also owned by Knight-Ridder. An e-mail sent to Administrative Manager Grace Bennett was promptly forwarded to Kirstin Starkey, who responded with a confirmation of Spaniolo’s employment with the newspaper. She noted that she had to rely on verbal confirmation from others in the office, as their databases did not go back to 1985.

After spending four years in this position, James Spaniolo returned to Miami, Florida, where he began a seven-year run as the Vice President and Chief Program Officer of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. As with the inquiries to the Detroit Free Press, an inquiry regarding Spaniolo’s employment with this organization was promptly handled, in this case, by Lynne Noble of the Human Resources department.

Seemingly, the lure of his alma mater was too great for him to resist. In 1996, Spaniolo once again returned to MSU, this time as a Professor in the School of Journalism and as Dean of the College of Communication Arts and Sciences. Administrative assistants Raye Grill and Angela Williams quickly confirmed both of these positions. During this period, Spaniolo also served on the Boards of Directors for several MSU organizations, including the Alumni Association, the University Club, and the State News, and independent student daily newspaper. Additionally, he served as the Chairperson on the Media Board for Ready to Succeed, a child advocacy program in Michigan. While all of these positions were confirmed with representatives of their respective organizations, it should be noted that Spaniolo lists them as current professional and civic activities. Actually, he does not hold any of these positions now that he is no longer working for MSU.

During his tenure at MSU, Spaniolo also managed to find time to write. The Detroit Free Press published two of his op-ed pieces (on February 1, 2001 and October 29, 2001), while the November-December 2002 issue of The American Editor published his article entitled, “The Solemn Obligation of Being Deputized.” All three of these credits, as listed on his résumé, were confirmed through searches of the publications’ online databases. On top of everything else, in 2001, Spaniolo was awarded the Scoffes Award for “[demonstrating] a sustained commitment to the academic success of the MSU football program.”

With eight years of impressive accomplishments under his belt, James Spaniolo left MSU again, to accept the position of President at the University of Texas at Arlington. He assumed office on February 1, 2004, thereby beginning yet another phase in his life and career.

The Info on Leads

Below is a brief summary of our discussion on leads.

Once you’ve compiled enough information – and you’ve answered the “who, what, when, where, why, and how” questions, it’s time to write the lead.

The lead encapsulates for the reader the most newsworthy element of your story.

Here are a few guidelines:

· Leads should be one sentence, perhaps two, in length.
· The “hook” always comes first.
· Don’t “bury the lead.”
· Save the less important details.
· Know when to use a DELAYED IDENTIFICATION lead (when the person is not widely known) and when to use an IMMEDIATE IDENTIFICATION lead (when the person is well known).
· Don’t worry if at first you sound clichéd.
· Experiment – don’t be afraid to play with pop culture references, plays on words.
· Start with a compelling noun.
· Keep it short – 25-35 words, if possible.
· Don’t waste the reader’s time with a long introductory (prepositional) phrase.
· Only lead with a person’s name if that person is well known or at the heart of your story.
· Try not to lead with when or where, unless within those elements we find the “hook” for the story.
· Try not to lead with the name (or affiliation) of the source.
· “Quote” leads and “question”+ leads should be used sparingly.
· When more than one hook happens, consider a MULTIPLE ELEMENT lead.


Here is an example of a delayed identification lead. It stresses WHAT HAPPENED and delays the specific names and identification of individuals until the second or subsequent paragraphs.

Two Jackson County men were shot early yesterday by an Owsley County man whose home they broke into, Kentucky State Police said.

The TIME ELEMENT answers the question "When did it happen?" Here is an example of how print reporters tuck the time element into the lead, often after the verb.

FAIRMONT, W.Va. — The Rev. Jesse Jackson offered words of hope yesterday to laid-off Philips Lighting Co. workers, telling them to "hold your heads high" in times of struggle.

Here is an example of how print reporters emphasize the latest developments in an ongoing story:

MURRAY — As students collected personal items yesterday from a Murray State University residence hall, investigators continued to search for clues in the ashes of a fire that left one student dead.

Here is an example of how print reporters may try to include more information into a lead. If several important things happened at a meeting, a reporter might write a MULTIPLE ELEMENT lead:

The Board of Regents voted to allow students under 21 to live off-campus if they have 60 hours of coursework and outlawed alcohol advertising by the student newspaper and athletic department.

Don't forget to have some fun with your writing. A summary lead does not have to be boring or generic:

If you have some interesting details, use them.

Here's an example of a traditional summary lead on a news story about the consummation of two pandas at the Washington Zoo:

Two pandas given to the United States by China 11 years ago have finally mated, National Zoo officials announced today.

Sounds a little pretentious to use such a formal, traditional lead on a story like that. Here's what a creative reporter did with the lead:

Hsing-Hsing and Ling-Ling have finally done their thing-thing.

Special Discovery Master Gregory Miller – a Leader like No Other

Amanda Gonzalez

Philadelphia's Special Discovery Master in the Diet Drugs Products Liability Litigation, has had a very long and respected career in the legal system. After graduating from Mount Union College in 1972 Gregory Miller served this country in the United States Navy and was about to go to Vietnam when he was offered the chance to go to Law school. The choice he made would be one that changed Miller’s life forever. A year later Miller moved from his home state of Ohio after graduating with a Juris Doctor from Case Western Reserve University in May of 1975 to begin his legal carerr.

Miller continued to serve the Navy as both the Attorney and Senior Trial Counsel of the Naval Legal Services office in Philadelphia after being admitted to the Eastern District and the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, the Naval Shipyard located in Philadelphia was shut down in 1996. Currently the Naval Services Office that handles the Northeast Region is located in Washington, D.C. I had no luck confirming Miller’s work with the Naval Legal Services office because his time with them dated back to 1976.

Miller’s work and reputation at the Naval Services Office helped him to attain the position as the assistant United States Attorney in December of 1978. After some very successful trial work Miller moved on as the Chief of the Criminal Division of the United States Attorney’s office until January of 1985. In order to get a specific break down of the dates he held each position the personnel department would have to put a request into the records department. After his work with the state Miller went to work at Morgan, Lewis & Backius (ML&B) where he was recruited because of his reputation as a good litigation lawyer and his work on various white collar and civil cases. Although this was not on his resume I was made aware of his experience at this firm when talking to one of his employees. Toby Bosniak first met Miller at ML&B and was one of the first paralegals to work with him on the Pennsylvania Blue Shield cases. Toby clearly remembers her first work with him, “Greg is excellent at delegating responsibility and recognizing people’s abilities. He challenges everyone he works with to be the best they can be.” Ms. Bosniak later joined Greg after he and his partners started Miller, Aflano & Raspanti and currently works with him on the Diet Drug litigation. Ms. Bosniak’s enthusiasm to talk about her work with Greg leads one to believe that his success comes from more than just hard work. Miller’s ability to work with people and gain the respect of many has helped launch his career into what it has become.

Miller’s Legal Experience before starting his own practice was at Hoyle, Morris & Kerr a firm that is no longer in existence. The firm has also been removed from the 2004 Legal Directory as well as Martindale Hubbell’s website. The resume does not note that this firm has since closed down. According to Florence White, Member Services, Miller became a member of the Philadelphia Bar Association in March of 1985 and has renewed yearly since then. While Miller is a very honorable Lawyer there was some difficulty in finding exactly what honors he received. He has listed that he is a member of the Criminal Law Committee of the Federal Bar Association (FBA) but after contacting the FBA I found that there is not such committee. Lisa A. Sidletsky Director of Membership for the FBA also said that she has no record of Gregory Miller as a member of the FBA.

His work at Hoyle Morris & Kerr brought Miller into contact with the 2 attorneys that would join him to create Miller, Alfano & Raspanti. Marc Raspanti first worked with Miller in February of 1987 at HM&K and said, “I immediately started working with Greg. I looked for opportunities to work with him and got to know him personally.” Many of Miller’s current employees find him to be a great mentor and leader. “Miller has become such a great leader over the years because he is so focused, decisive and driven but always maintains balance and a good sense of humor. He never took himself too seriously,” Raspanti said as he spoke about Miller’s leadership style.
Miller’s record of achievement as well as the respect he receives from all who have worked with him explains why he was Honorable Louis Bechtel’s choice for Special Discovery Master in the Diet Drug Litigation case. A Discovery Master must be respected, able to mediate between many parties while being firm and bring together a staff with good administration skills. All of which Miller has shown he can do. At a recent appearance before the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania Miller’s partner commented about the argument saying, “I defy anyone who watched Greg Miller argue before the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania this week to tell me that wasn’t one of the finest, most flawless appellate arguments you had ever seen!”

Miller continues to move audiences through a number of presentations and speaking engagements however because they are from the 1990’s I did have a difficult time getting confirmation that he did present at various meetings. I did speak to Torry at LexisNexis/Mealey’s and they did some research for me and later contacted me regarding Miller’s presentation titled Calling in the Heavy Artillery: Consultants and Their Use in Qui Tam Litigation. According to what was published in June of 2001 Greg Miller did not speak at the conference. So this could be a discrepancy on his resume or the 2000 conference that Miller may have presented at was not published.

Miller’s achievement can also be confirmed by doing a simple Lawyer rating search on the Martindale-Hubbell website where his legal ability rating is “very high to Preeminent” and his general recommendation rating is “very high.” After speaking to some of Miller’s co-workers and reviewing his various cases and presentation it seems he is quit an amazing lawyer. The respect that his co-workers have for him and the enthusiasm they have when working with him is evidence enough that Miller has earned all of the top ratings he receives.

The Path Taken By Whistleblowers

Greetings:

Check out this article from Time magazine about the officer from the Army Corps of Engineers who recently blew the whistle on Halliburton and a no-bid contract for Iraq projects:

http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/102504V.shtml#

The article really highlights what a person goes through before even deciding to blow the whistle on his or her employer - not to mention the danger faced by that person.

Cornel West finding himself at home with Princeton after leaving Harvard in 2002.

Imaani El-Burki

Since leaving Harvard in April 2002, Cornel West, one of the nations leading African American scholars and author the of best selling book Race Matters, continues to hit America were it hurts. Dr. West’s academic and professional career begins as a magna cum laude student at Harvard. Today he is the Class of 1943 Professor of Religion at Harvard’s Ivy League competitor Princeton.

Through out his career, Dr. West has been a public intellectual. West still involved in a number of organizations working toward social change. As constant advocate of African American involvement in politics, West supported Al Sharpton’s presidential campaign. He became a spokesperson for Sharpton during his run for the White House.

He is a vice president of the Center for Work-Life Policy, formerly National Parenting Association. He has been a member of the organization since 1994 and board member since 1995. According to Peggy Schiller, the Center’s Director of Administration, West was the co-chair for the organization’s Task Force on Parenting Empowerment. According to Schiller the purpose of this committee was to find solutions to the challenges confronting parents in raising children. West is currently a co-chair for a new task force, Hidden Brain Drain Colin, that began in February of this year. It was established to examine the ways in which women and minorities have become unrealized assets in the American economy.

West is also a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). According to Lucas Shapiro, youth organizer for the group, West has been its member and honorary chair for a number of years. The DSA is an affiliate of Socialist International, the largest political organization in the world. Director of the DSA, Frank L Lewellyn, never at responded to my phone calls or emails concerning the exact date that West began working with this organization.

Through out his academic career, West has written eight books, and earned numerous awards and honorary degrees. Although I could not find information on each of them, one of the better known awards that West received is the American Book Award. The award is given by the Before Columbus Foundation annually as a means to showcase excellence and diversity within American writing. According to Gunder Spards, the Executive Director of the foundation, West won the award in 1993 for his book, Prophetic Though in Post Modern Times.

The Trek to Stardom

With the support of scholarship studies, Cornel West began at Harvard University in 1970. After only three years (West graduated on June 14, 1973) he received a Bachelor’s of Arts in Near Eastern Languages and Literatures before going on to pursue a M.A. and Ph.D. in Philosophy at Princeton. West’s academic information is indeed a hot topic at the University’s Register’s Office. West’s popularity allowed Kara Taylor, a staff assistant in the office to locate his file for me within a matter of seconds. “I just looked at Dr. West’s information a couple of days ago.” says Taylor, “We are always receiving requests about him. He is one of our best known graduates”.

Dr. West went straight into graduate school at Princeton University. He earned his Master’s of Arts in 1975 and is doctorate in 1980. Verifying Dr. West’s attendance at Princeton proved to be a little more difficult. My first lead was a disappointment. I was told by John Gunshor of the Register’s Office at Princeton that West’s academic information was highly classified and he was not authorized to discuss it with me. When asked why, Gunshor’s response was that giving out such information is as he put it, “against university policy.” It seemed a little suspicious, what if I’d been an employer calling to verify a student’s attendance in order to give them a job. However when I said that I was writing a story on Professor West, red flags must have gone up around Princeton. Gusher recommended that I speak with someone in the Dean of Faculty’s Office.

When I reached the Office of the Dean of Faculty I was again met with the same hostility. The lady that answered the phone rushed me off with out giving her name. “You’ll need to speak with his assistant” she told me and quickly transferred me over to Maryann Rodriguez, Cornel West’s personal assistant. Although it was not the path that I originally planned to take I’m certainly glad that it was were I ended up. I was on my way to speaking with the one person who probably would be able to help me the most to verify Dr. West’s post-graduate record. Indeed my conversations and e-mails with Ms. Rodriguez proved to be just what I needed. She assisted me in dissecting West past achievements and the current state of his career.

While earning a Ph.D. in philosophy at Princeton, Dr. West began teaching at The Union Theological Seminary (UTS) in New York. The Union Theological Seminary is a graduate school specializing in religious education. Edie Hunter, Executive Assistant in the Dean’s Office gave me detailed information about West’s career at UTS. West taught as an assistant professor of Philosophy of Religion from 1977 until 1981. In 1981 he became the assistant professor endowed by the Marcellus Hartley Professorship of Philosophy and Religion. In 1987 he became a professor of Philosophy and Christian practice. Courses taught by West included, “Contemporary Marxist and Postmarxist Philosophy”, “Post Modernism” and “Black Theology and Marxist Thought” ( with Professor James Cone). West’s interest and specialty in Philosophy and Marxist theory is evident in his doctorate dissertation which was published in 1991 under the title, The Ethical Dimensions of Marxist Thought.

Misinterpretations of West’s Career at Yale Divinity School on Africana.com

While at Union Theological Seminary, Dr. West received a tenure track at Yale Divinity School. Yale Divinity School is a professional school within Yale University that focuses on interpretation of the Bible and Christianity as well as ministerial training. According to Grace Pauls, executive assistant to the dean, Dr. West taught at Yale Divinity School from July1, 1984 until June 30, 1987. Dr. West was an associate professor with tenure in religion and philosophy. As verified by Ms. Pauls, Africana.com’s profile contradicts this information by indicating that Dr. West was a full professor while at Yale.

In 1988 West accepted a position at Princeton as a tenured professor within the religion department. In 1993, he joined Henry Lewis Gates, Jr. and other prominent academics in the field of African American studies at Harvard University. Dr. West held joint appointment in African American Studies and Religion at Harvard.

West becomes involved with the WEB Dubois Institute for African American Research

In between Dr. West’s time at Princeton from 1988 until 1993 and his return to the program right now, he sat on the faculty of Harvard University’s religion department. Additionally, according to Karen Daulton, Assistant Director of the WEB Dubois Research Institute and the African American Studies Program West also held professorship with the institute. Although West was not directly involved in any of the institute’s research initiatives he continuously provided insight through his scholar in African American Studies. Ms. Daulton also confirmed that Dr. West had been a professor in African American studies and religion for ten years.

While at Harvard University, West became the first incumbent of the Alphonse Fletcher Jr. Professor chair. Jill Roszhart, the special projects coordinator for the African American Studies and WEB Dubois Institute for African American Research, explained to me the details of such an honor. Part of the endowment from Alphonse Fletcher, Jr. established positions or “chairs” with in the department. In other words, money from Fletcher’s contribution to Harvard supported professorship that West received. He received the appointment on July 1, 1999.

An abundance of outdated information about Dr. West floats the World Wide Web

The African American literature book club’s author’s profile, www.authors.aablc.com continues to post a biography of Cornel West stating that he is the director of the African American studies program at Princeton. However the official website for Princeton University’s African American Studies Program lists Valerie Smith has the program’s director. I contacted Dr. Smith, a professor in the history department, and she verified that she is now the director of the program. Although West may have been the director at some point, I was never able to confirm this information.

People are willing to discuss West at his former home Harvard

Although Dr. West’s withdrawal from Harvard was surrounded by controversy, his former colleagues were very willing to assist me in my efforts to verify his accomplishments. Yet personnel and staff members at West’s current professional home were reluctant to confirm his professional achievements. In spite of the Princeton “road blocks”, it was relatively easy to get to those who had worked with Dr. West to confirm his success. This, in my opinion, testifies Cornel West’s status in the academy. He is a prolific scholar in social and philosophic analysis of class, race, justice, religion, and democracy. He is both an Ivy League professor and a grass roots organizer. West’s commitment to social and political equality is obvious in each of his published books. Although some of the information that is readily available about him in public documents is out of date, this is a testament to the continuous outstanding accomplishments of Cornel West.

Bank President Caught Up In Resume Controversy

by Dana Infantino

Resumes. Interviews. Background checks. This is what usually occurs when applying for and obtaining a job. However, a recent investigation by a Com660 Drexel student revealed that a West Orange, New Jersey bank president might have faulty information on his resume.

Lewellyn Edison Savings President, James D. Smith, is accused of listing a false degree on his resume. Smith’s resume suggests he graduated from Rutgers University, Newark Campus in 1981 with a degree in Business. However, an investigation into his background suggests he never graduated at all.

Com 660 student, Dana Infantino, contacted Rutgers University Alumni Relations Director, Lisa English, to confirm Smith’s degree. She was shocked when English reported Rutgers had no record of Smith’s graduation. In an email, English confirmed that the last James D. Smith attended Rutgers University in 1975 and did not receive a degree.

Close friend and colleague of Smith’s, Deborah DeRose, was shocked at the discovery. DeRose said, “Jim has been a great colleague and president. Regardless of the outcome, he has served and will continue to serve in the banks best interest.”

Smith, President of Lewellyn Edison Savings since 1987, commented on the situation in a phone interview with Infantino. Smith said, “Rutgers is a huge university with thousands upon thousands of graduates a year. I did graduate from Rutgers in 1981 and I’ll take the appropriate measures to make sure they correct that in their database.”

Smith is attributed to the recent expansion of Llewellyn Edison Savings. Under his supervision, the bank has two new branches, one in Livingston, New Jersey and the second in Sussex County, New Jersey. Also, he has been an extremely active member of the West Orange community for years. He served on such committees and organizations as the West Orange Rotary, the West Orange Main Street Committee, and the West Orange Chamber of Commerce. In addition to these committees, Smith was active in several church projects and banking organizations in and around the area. His activeness has led to such awards as The Good Scout Award and an induction into the Essex County Hall of Fame.

Infantino confirmed all other listings on Smith’s resume and reported that, “All of Smith’s other resume listings are correct. It will be interesting to learn how this controversy plays out in the near future.”

Posting Your Articles...

Solved: how to post your articles.

Here's what to do:

First, go to www.blogspot.com. In the upper right hand corner, you'll see username and password boxes. Enter "rcbsam" in the username box and "etifwe" (don't ask...) in the password box. I trust that you'll share these bits of info with no one, not even John "Don't Hate Because I'm a Zealot" Ashcroft.

When you get to my list of blogs, click on "The Infield Fly Rule." On the next screen, click on create a post. You're in business at this point - a screen will come up that will enable you to either write the article as a post, or cut and paste it in the post.

Remember to just post one copy - no need to bring me a hard copy. I'll review them and "comment" to your post.

Remember that what appears in this box is not what appears on the blog - make sure you hit "preview" - up in the right hand corner above this box - to see how things look. The font and spacing are a little different. Otherwise, it's almost just like creating a word processing document.

Please, please, please give your article a snappy headline in the "title" box. Take your best shot - remember that a headline must have a verb in it somewhere, as in:

Man Bites Dog or...

Bush, Kerry Deadlocked or...

Eccentric Drexel Professor Finally Enables Journalism Students to Post to his Blog.

And the rest of you: remember to offer constructive criticism to your colleagues!

Good luck - email or call with questions.

Jon Stewart's Appearance on Crossfire

Here's the transcript of Jon Stewart's amazing, troubling, thought-provoking, mind-numbing (because the hosts were so dogmatic and on message) recent appearance on CNN's "Crossfire."

When a comedian (an intelligent, informed comedian) has to point out you stink at your job, it's time to get out.

I'd be curious to know what you think.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0410/15/cf.01.html

A Few Web Sites...

Greetings:

As you explore more of the wacky world of investigative reporting, make sure you visit these sites:

www.ajr.org - the American Journalism Review
www.cjr.org - the Columbia Journalism Review

www.journalism.org - a tools and advice site run by the Project for Excellence in Journalism and the Committee of Concerned Journalists.

www.poynter.org - Based in Florida (home of the dimpled chad), Poynter bills itself as a "school for journalists, future journalists, and teachers of journalism." It provides a dazzling array of resources and tips for journalists. Pay particular attention to the "Columns" link on the front of the first page.

www.muckraker.org - the home of the Center for Investigative Reporting, a San Francisco-based "nonprofit news organization dedicated to exposing injustice and abuse of power through the tools of journalism."

And finally, www.projectcensored.org - run out of Sonoma State University, this site catalogues and explores the stories that mainstream, corporate-run news organizations often miss.

Make a habit of visiting these folks early and often - oh, wait - that's how you should vote in Florida...

Take care.

William Kuhl's Shocking Experience

Hey there again:

Please post your William Kuhl leads to the blog, so that we can take a look at them and offer comment.

Remember to also bring some form of rough draft of your first article to class on Tuesday. I'll ask each of you to talk briefly (and VERY informally) about your progress thus far.

Enjoy the weekend.

Finding a Complaint...

For next week's mini-project, the goal is to obtain a complaint from a state (or federal) agency that licenses the members of a profession. You can usually find these bodies in the Secretary of State's office, or the Attorney General's office in your state.

For example, click here http://www.state.nj.us/lps/ca/medical.htm for the New Jersey's Division of Consumer Affairs' list of medical-related licensing organizations and boards.

Your next step is to contact that board and try and obtain a recent complaint (or ruling) and write a short story about it, as described in the syllabus.

If you'd like to take another path, contact a friend or acquaintance who has brought a complaint against a business or person through one of these agencies. You can write the story based on their experience.

Good luck! Post here or email me if you have questions or problems.

Mini-Project Clarification - I Hope

Let me see if I can clear up the confusion about the mini-projects:

1: Next week's visit to the Reporters Committee website should have been labeled "in-class." The only thing you have to prepare (and hand in) is the memo to John Ashcroft in which you describe your reaction to the changes in FOIA-Land. This memo should be based on your reading, your conversation with a FOIA official, and your own opinions. The memo should run between 1-2 pages. It can also take the form of a letter.

2. In the syllabus, where you see the words, "For Week 3" or "For Week 4," follow the instructions as if you were preparing a mini-project.

3. Where you see the words "In Class," we're talking about an idea or a question that we'll try to answer -where else - in class. If we don't get to the question, please feel free to try to answer it during the week and post your answers here.

4. Finally: while I would love it if you could complete every mini-project I've listed (and will throw at you in class when you least expect it), I know that time is, among other things, of the essence.

So here's the rule: the mininum number of mini-projects you are required to complete is 10 - that's right, 10. Each is worth 2 points. The "Find a Friend" project, even though it wasn't listed on the syllabus is hereafter known as "Mini-Project 1."

5. Finally finally: Bring with you to next week's class your example(s) of investigative stories, and your analyses of these stories - we'll start off with a discussion of them, and of examples I will bring to class.

I want to apologize for the confusion - as you've probably guessed by now, I really enjoy teaching this stuff, and helping you to understand it. I sometimes let my enthusiasm get the best of me.

So again: 10 mini-projects, 20 points. That's ANY 10 mini-projects. If you have any questions, please post them or email me. Have a great week.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled program.