Cecilia Chang- NY Mag
- Thread starter Moose
- Start date
Amy,
Thank you for entering the discussion regarding Harrington and the St.John's University.
The PharmachD program is a six year program.
The below link indicates that For the Fall 2012 semester 288 students entered the PharmD program. Would you have us believe that the low 41% non graduation rate is caused by these students which have among the academic credentials of entering students?
Thanks for your response.
Link
http://www.stjohns.edu/academics/graduate/pharmacy/about/fast_facts_about_the_college.stj
No, you are correct. I was just pointed that out. My major argument was that the 41% is not that poor based upon the demographics. As a faculty member, I am certainly not happy with those numbers. However, when you target certain admission populations and accept students with lower academic standards, you can't realistically expect a high graduate rate. We have to change our philosophy in the type of student we are targeting and then improve retention.
beast of the east
Active member
There is no public information to confirm this. yet.
this just came out an hour agp.
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2013/03/turmoil-at-st-johns-as-president-fights-back.html
seems like Harrington came back from Rome with bad news.
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2013/03/turmoil-at-st-johns-as-president-fights-back.html
seems like Harrington came back from Rome with bad news.
I am the one that wrote that Harrington was asked to resign which he will. Obviously i can't go into details or name sources but everything will come out in next few days.
As mentioned before there is a MAJOR scandal that will put St. John's in headlines. You will all hear it this week.
beast of the east
Active member
FH is angrily proclaiming innocence, and is trying to silence the Torch. Instead of trying to bully them, and trampling their constitutionally protected freedom of speech, he should reply to their charges, which have been printed elsewhere. If he is indeed innocent, he should disclose:
1) What has he done with the very expensive gifts that we now know were paid by the university. Why, if he was so uncomfortable accepting them, did he not report them to his order, relinquish them, and they could be sold. Where are those expensive watches that he and Rob Wile received?
2) What happened to the thousands of dollars in cash given to him by Ms. Change. If it was given to charity, if they were charitable organizations, where are the receipts for those donations. If he gave the money to individuals in need, please produce access to those people who can verify they received the money. What is the total amount received? Why keep large sums of cash locked in an office drawer with no accounting, no bank account, no reporting to the IRS?
3) What other university employees received interest free loans as part of their compensation other than Rob Wile? Was FH aware that Rob Wile was soliciting donations from those BOT members, at least one of whom derived income for contractual work done for the university. Was FH aware that Wile took three years to repay that particular contractor.
4) What other candidates were interviewed for the Chief of Staff position given to 24 year old Rob Wile? Who else interviewed Wile and the other candidates? What other than a bachelor's degree and being a well conditioned athlete qualified Wile for the job?
5) Why did FH, a priest with a vow of poverty, enter into a corporate business relationship with Wile in a for profilt real estate venture, underwritten by loans form the university and BOT members? What happened to the profit? What is the propriety of a Catholic priest and president of a university entering into a business relationship with a lay subordinate? What Board members of Vincentian leader was made aware of this relationship?
6) With most priests who vacation travel with other priests, or close friends in their own age group, why have you chosen to travel to a beach resort with a 20-something subordinate? How could a catholic priest encourage an unmarried couple to vacation together at that resort?
7) How could you allow Chang to be reimbursed for expenses without submitting any receipts? What "CEO" as FH referred to himself, accepts any credit card bills without receipts, no less those written in Chinese? Why run those receipts, an accounting function, through Rob Wile, Chief of Staff?
8) Why does a key University Employee, Wile, with daily responsbilities live in Haworth, NJ, 26 miles, 2 bridges away from Jamaica, easily a 90-120 minute daily commute? Where does he stay during the week, presuming the commute is too harsh for someone with vast responsbilities.
9) What drove HArrington to pay Wile $549,000, far above any university employee. What qualifies Wile, with only a bachelors degree in an academic setting, to be chief of staff of those possessing Master's and PhD's, some with multiple post grad degrees?
Many other legitimate questions need to be answered. This is not a witch hunt.
STJ FinLaw
New member
IF Peter D'Angelo really said that the Board did not even "consider" asking Fr. Harrington to resign, that is amazing. I can't believe that is true. Just putting such an inexperienced person as Rob Wile into the Chief of Staff position warrants questioning of Harrington's judgement. Having major embezzlement happen under your nose for 20 years by a woman who was suspected of having her husband murdered, accepting lavish gifts from this woman with no questioning of their source or the appropriateness of accepting them, promoting undisclosed loans to your favored chief of staff from a Trustee and University contractor where the loans benefit Harrington by funding a joint real estate purchase. None of this causes D'Angelo to "consider" Fr. Harrington's status? If true, I'm afraid D'Angelo is also part of the problem, and his complacency (or delusion) about St. John's academic reputation ("We don't want to be Boston College") is not what I would want from the Chairman of the Board.
I just spoke with a clergy member of the BOT, could not really comment on anything just stated an investigation is going on. I asked if there is a bigger scandal out there he said he hopes to God there is not, and just said Peter Vescey was probably refering to the current scandal.
One thing to note he did not go out his way to tell me Father Harrington was a great President and deserves the benefit of the doubt and should remain as leader of SJU.
I hope all members of the SJU community pray for a positive resolution to this scandal that humbles the corrupters and brings a stronger leader to the forefront.
One thing to note he did not go out his way to tell me Father Harrington was a great President and deserves the benefit of the doubt and should remain as leader of SJU.
I hope all members of the SJU community pray for a positive resolution to this scandal that humbles the corrupters and brings a stronger leader to the forefront.
beast of the east
Active member
Don't be so quick to jump to conclusions. Our BOT are extremely successful, extremely savvy people. If they asked for a resignation before the investigation that they authorized was complete, they would look very foolish if the investigation turned up nothing improper. I think D'Angelo and the rest of the BOT knows the same facts we do, and when the investigation is complete, will act accordingly. Since FH has befriended each of them, this will be a very difficult move for them individually. I have faith that they will act properly if the investigation proves the allegations printed thus, and not engage in moral relativism in weighing FHs contribution to campus improvements.
STJ FinLaw
New member
Agreed. Which is why I said "IF", but I don't think he should have made that statement at this time. Why say anything about the Board's considerations on this matter? And to day the Board has not even considered Harrington resigning puts him in an awkward position if Harrington does wind up resigning at the Board's request. It goes to his credibility. That plus my concern that he is not placing St. John's academic reputation as a high enough priority is frustrating to me.
beast of the east
Active member
Thanks for your reply. If D'Angelo chose his words carefully, which I believe these BOT type almost always do as a rule (not all the time though), what he probably said is true. They haven't considered asking for a resignation, because they don't have all the facts. Once they have the facts, if they are as alleged, I believe they will allow for a graceful exit. If the allegations prove to be true, and there is no action, I am pretty much premanently done as an SJU contributor, as I believe thousands of alumni will do the same - including some BOT members.
beast of the east
Active member
For those concerned, apparently there is no new investigation, just a review of the facts already presented. FH is maintaining there are many inaccuracies in the articles printed. The basic facts remain: Envelopes filled with cash, never reported. Luxurious gifts including watches that only the richest can afford. Vacations at 5 star resorts. All accepted from "donors" never identified by name. All reimbursed by University dollars, not with receipts, but by credit card bills written in Chinese. A chief of staff elevated at age 24, without experience or the typical academic qualificiations. A business relationship between a vow of poverty priest and a subordinate, all financed by university and BOT loans at zero interest. At least one of those loans from a BOT member who derived income from contracted work with the school.
Apparently, there is no resignation forthcoming. Not even close.
Our BOT are all hand picked by FH. To an extent each BOT position has a seat that is paid for, bought with stupendous donations, usually the excess of fantastic wealth. All have close relationships with FH, apparently closer to FH than nearly all SJU faculty, staff, and other Vincentians. I'm not saying there is anything improper, but their decisions on how to proceed in this case can very well be clouded by self-interest (their board positions at stake), moral relativism (what is a few hundred thousand stolen when hundreds of millions have been raised), or by friendly relationships with a president who literally made it his business to be close to the board. There are many fine men on the BOT who would take great offense at the above inferences. They carry themselves with integrity, and see themselves rightfully as men of conviction and faith. I hope that those same men have the great moral capacity to stand up, verify improper dealings of FH and Wile, if any, and perhaps at personal risk, be guided by their convictions and faith, recommend the changes necessary to restore moral leadership at St. John's.
Of course, if all of the above reported allegations are without merit, FH should be prepared to give a full public accounting refuting each and every charge, offering proof when reasonable that the charge is false.
The Church has still not recovered from a scandal where the apologies were not enough, where horrific crimes were not reported to authorities, and by a leadership who simply waited for the laity to get over it and move on. Many did move on, to other Christian faiths, or a secular life devoid of religious attachment. A faith was shattered, with no earthly ramification. To a small extent, a failure to act here by the BOT if the charges warrant it, would only compound these damages. Personally I would be relieved to find that all of the charges against fh are without merit.
STJ FinLaw
New member
If what you are saying comes to pass, and the Board bows down and does nothing, that would be very disturbing. Just given Harrington's and Wile's own statements in the testimony they provided, they accepted lavish gifts with no sufficient controls or questioning of their source, and they oversaw completely deficient payment of questionable expenses by Chang. That alone warrants some action. And unless NY Mag has done some extremely shoddy reporting, the real estate deal and the loans to Wile seem like straightforward facts.
I hope some action or statement from the Board comes soon so at least we know where they stand.
I hope some action or statement from the Board comes soon so at least we know where they stand.
If Harrington calls himself the CEO then he should be treated as such. All CEO's are responsible for the actions of their subordinates, just saying i didn't know doesn't cut it, what are you 5 years old? "I'm sorry I didn't know" ... sure no problem Donald just be more careful next time.
He needs to be gone, there needs to be a complete revamp in the administration of the University, and drawing out the process is just a slap in the face to current students and alumni, I will not donate any more until he is gone, anyone that calls me asking for donations I will tell them the same thing.
He needs to be gone, there needs to be a complete revamp in the administration of the University, and drawing out the process is just a slap in the face to current students and alumni, I will not donate any more until he is gone, anyone that calls me asking for donations I will tell them the same thing.