Facts Called into Question
An anonymous comment left in response to our post, Regarding the "Other Side" of the Story tipped us off that President Bullock has sent a response to the University's faculty members regarding some of the questions raised on this site. According to the reader, "The response does... call many of the so-called facts posted on this site into question such as Pres. Bullock's salary, and other 'misrepresented public information'."
We are very interested in hearing on what grounds our report of Dr. Bullock's salary could be called into question. To this end, we have sent a request to the president to provide us with his response and we have urged him to make an address to the student body. As we noted in our e-mail to him, we, the students, alums, and friends of the University, are the ones who have a primary stake in the institution's practices.
Although we have double-checked our reports of the president's salary against the latest IRS filing, we strongly urge all our readers to examine the University's IRS 990 forms for themselves. If a discrepancy is found, we ask that you please report it to us at: whatwendtwrong@yahoo.com
We are very interested in hearing on what grounds our report of Dr. Bullock's salary could be called into question. To this end, we have sent a request to the president to provide us with his response and we have urged him to make an address to the student body. As we noted in our e-mail to him, we, the students, alums, and friends of the University, are the ones who have a primary stake in the institution's practices.
Although we have double-checked our reports of the president's salary against the latest IRS filing, we strongly urge all our readers to examine the University's IRS 990 forms for themselves. If a discrepancy is found, we ask that you please report it to us at: whatwendtwrong@yahoo.com
posted by WhatWendtWrong at 11:18 PM
30 Comments:
the facts in the website are correct according to the 2005 and subsequent IRS 990 forms.
The president's response to the blog can be heard at the scheduled "Talk With the President" on the 16 of November. If any of the anonymous parties responsible for this blog would like to attend, this is your chance to ask some hard questions. Be true journalists people. If you have questions, go to the source. I can understand the benefits of anonymity (this comment will be posted by anonymous) but some people have to step into the light for the cause if you truly believe in it. Every cause has its martyrs. Who will be brave enough to step up to the challenge? I don't mean to sound like the UD lawyers here, but I have heard that many students are growing cynical about this site due to the fact that all of these facts are presented anonymously. I would suggest starting a petition to get some hard facts. The attempt would most likely be shot down since the U is entitled to their privacy in legal proceedings, and their rights are protected. However, if the students are this outraged, then a blog is just not scandalous enough to cause sufficient social changes. I mean, the students petitioned for more parking not long ago, and they made the local paper! This has not as yet been mentioned by any news venue other than perhaps the upcoming belltower issue. Who will be the visible face of the cause if there is one?
Is the meeting on the 16th open to the public or just for current students?
WWhile I applaud the President for finally addressing the concerns that this website has voiced, I think one must acknowledge that this website might have had some cause for this meeting. I really do not think that there would have been a scheduled meeting if there had not been the collective voice of this website. I too would urge students and alumni to voice their concern at this meeting, although I am not sure if someone should reveal that they are a part of the website or not. I agree with the above poster that a cause does need a martyr. The word martyr actually derives from the Greek martur which means witness. It is with this understanding that I assert we do need witnesses to this cause of injustice. However, no one should have to throw away their vocational or academic career because they have witnessed injustice and chose to stand fast against it! In addition, the blog is not intended, from what I gather, to be scandalous. Rather, the blog is intended to highlight the scandal that exists in the University! If uncovering truth is scandalous, we are in worse shape than I first imagined.
The school is looking into filing an injunction to have this blog removed from the internet. Just some info.
I don't think a petition is really the right action to be taken here. I think there are more mature ways to handle questions than a petition with a demand for answers. It's great that the President has decided to confront these issues and make an address. I think the best solution for those with questions would be go the talk on Wednesday the 16th. Does anyone know where or what time that will be held?
From what I understand, the editors will not be able to ask any questions, because the meeting is NOT open to the public. I would think that it would have to posted if it were open. And I am a student and have not received an email. I think it is just a situation where he is rallying the troops.
I find it hard to believe that an injunction against this website would hold much water. If the site were proven to be defamatory to any particular person or libelous, then it might have a chance. However, the site has not made an effort to persecute any one person, but it has simply provided a different side of the story than the one that the university would have us believe. Taking this site off of the net would violate the 1st amendment rights of the blog editors and of every person who has voiced his or her opinion on these postings. I'm not savvy on the laws regarding the ability to remove the website of another individual without just cause, but I could be wrong. However, I don't believe that anyone need fear that an injunction would have any effect on the blog. We have our rights just as the University of Dubuque does. The fact that someone would mention an injunction just indicates that there are those who fear the repercussions that the student body and the public might bring down upon the U. If UD fears the will of the student body to exercise its collective free will, then there are bigger problems within the system than the Jeffries case.
Don't be idiots. How do you get an injunction against a blog? That is just a rumor. What would the complaint be, that UD does not like the stating of publically available information?
UD will never let students into the meeting.
Finally all the studetns are thrilled with the webpage
The meeting is for Faculty/Staff only at 3:30 in Blades hall. The rumor about the injunction is a fact and the schools lawyers are going to argue that we are making defamatory remarks about Jeff Bullock and the school's administration.
Well who ever is running this blog is doing a good job of making it much bigger than it really is. It would only take two or three people to design, write, and post all of the information and comments contained on this site. I spend my whole day at school and I have not talked to anyone who is outraged. Sure a few people are concerned, but that is a far cry from the large numbers of "outraged" students and alumi that this blog suggests. Maybe it will grow into more as time goes on, but it doesn't seem to be that big a deal at the moment.
I just heard about this blog today and decided to check it out. Nice writting. I had Jeffries two years ago in a masters class and all I remember is that he couldn't stop the liberal Bush bashing. But other than that I thought he ok, but not great.
There's been a whitewashing of the Garfield plagiarism thing. Does anyone really believe something of significance will be covered at the open meeting?
Students should demand a meeting with the Pres,. If they do not get one my Wednesday, they should take over his office and stwearts office to. It is the week befor thanksgiving so we could do it without missing much and the TH would have to cover it.
I have been a student here at UD for only a short time and have witnessed first hand the plagerism, nepatism, favoritism and downright dishonesty here at the University. The Wendt initiative calls all of us to pratice ethics which should include honesty, fairness, and the golden rule. Is this just rhetoric? All I see is hypocracy!
I only take a few classes at the UD, but haven't heard any outraged students either. It seems a group of righteous students seem hell bent on destroying the reputation of our school over something they don't even understand or know all the facts of. Maybe I'm missing something, but what is your real purpose in publishing the salaries of the administration, and what does it have to do with Jeffries? Rumors I've heard is that he was demanding a $300,000 salary for himself. Ask yourself this, isn't an investment of a $300,000 salary for President Bullock a pretty damn good investment if he can bring in donations and investments of over $80,000,000 in 2-3 years? - which, by the way, allows us all to enjoy a new library, dorms, and new science building that's going up. Obviously someone believes in him - and I'll bet they are a lot more successful than any of you bloggers. Also, if Jeffries is such a "saint" why isn't he asking you all to knock this off and let him fight the fight he started? (I remember reading someone's comment that Jeffries wouldn't even be reading this - right - just every other hour!) It seems to me that a lot of you, my fellow students (or are you faculty?) should be putting your noses back in a book and studying - especially your grammar and spelling. And while pondering why so few of us at UD seem to have character, or practice honesty, fairness and the golden rule - perhaps the first place to look would be at yourself.
Wow, you heard rumors huh? You basicaly insinuate that the group of "righteous students hell bent on destroying the reputation of our school" are acting out based on mere rumor. So you can believe the rumors you've "heard" about Jeffries asking for $300,000/year but cast doubt on what you think are "rumors" about what is really going on? How does that work?
I don't believe the editors of this site ever said that Jeff Bullock wasn't worth the raise, they suggested that perhaps the raise should not have been so high based on the fact that the University of Dubuque lost money this past year.
You also belittle the fact that the editor is just a "blogger". We do not know who the editors of this website are, and therefore you cannot cast judgement on them based on the fact that all you know about them is that they are the editor of a blog. Blogging is an extremely popular form of journalism (yes, journalism) and is also much more accessible to the layperson, as opposed to "regular" journalism which is only available to people employed by a media organization. The editor of this website could be pretty much anything outside of this blog, student, faculty, or other occupation.
Also, I don't believe this website is putting up a "fight" (im sure many people would agree with me as well). Is this website doing anything at all other than gathering and displaying information? The purpose of this website is simply to serve as a gatherer of information and display it so people who wouldn't otherwise be aware of what is happening could see for themselves. They have made no outlandish assertions, and in fact, all of their claims are based on fact (as published in the IRS 990 forms readily available on this site).
I think that anyone who is trying to blow this situation way out of proportion is trying to incite unneccesay attention. Maybe someone who thinks that grammar and spelling is more important that truth should take a look in the mirror for themselves. Maybe students aren't outraged. They don't need to be for this to be an important issue. Tuition has gone up, and there is a deficit. Why oh why would we think then to give outrageous pay raises? Most of us are still waiting for a GOOD reason. The reputation of the school will not be destroyed by this, I have a feeling it won't get that far, unless the student body wants it too. The issue at hand is something that we have a right to know about. This is OUR school, and if we think that some financial or tenure decision is wrong, in any way, we have every right to say something. There is no point in trying to belittle this blog, it is only going to inspire more people to write. No one in this situation is a puny "blogger". This campus prides itself on morality and ethics. Petty and snide comments are childish and have no place in a civilized campus. So, to those of you who would demean any person even remotely related to the University of Dubuque, take a good look in the mirror. After you are done giving insults can you still see you own ethics? Or have they quietly slipped away with your nose still in your book ?
I think this whole situation is being blown out of proportion. Bullock can't answer questions because there is a trial going on, so students on campus will have to wait until the trial starts to get some answers.
Perhaps this blog should take a look at something else a little more serious then just the Jeffries case, like how corrupt the Athletic Department is.
Perhaps someone should ask Bullock why an Athletic Director is in the President's Cabinet for the first time in UD's history? OR why the A.D. and football coaches allows rapists to still play on the football team? Or coaches having inappropriate relationships with students?
The Jeffries case is being dealt with in court and I while hold back my judgement until I get to see all the facts. Until then, perhaps UD students (and/or bloggers) should worry more about the corrupt departments on campus then the "Jeffries case".
You raise interesting point(s), but you should realize that the Jeffries this is actually part of the larger issues of mismanagement and misorganization of the entire UD facility. Everything is tied together, from the ridiculous Athletic Department faculty and all of their goings on to this Jeffries issue, which questions the ethics of the University which has supposedly placed all of it's standing on ethics themselves. Do you think $30 million dollars would be given to an institution in which ethics were so casually disregarded as it appears they have been? This goes to the core of thet University. This is a big deal.
How about looking at the personal ethics of the generous donor? How have the accusations against Dick Wendt (controlling and manipulating local and regional politics through the generous "contributions" to particular politicians for the purpose of generating laws to help his very prosperous company) been dealt with and what can the students of UD learn from all of that? Or, how about questioning just what the Wendt program is REALLY "teaching" about ethics? Or, how about the ethics of the students who are glad to take the money for tuition from the Wendt program, and grumble about the "waste of time" they HAVE to do on a weekly basis? We are all guilty and we all need to beg for mercy. We all need to be forthcoming with the facts. That, is what this site seems to be about. Not the final judgement, but the ethical mandate to do what is right, what is worthy of the positions we are called to, whether that be a student, an athelete, an A.D., a professor, a president or a financial contributor. Rather than pointing fingers and demanding others to explain their rationale, maybe there needs to be a grassroots movement of admission of unethical wrongdoing repentantly seeking forgiveness. If we can't admit the small wrongdoings, how can we expect those in influential positions to risk the very future of all our educations? We can learn from those who have made mistakes and show us honestly what NOT to do.
There may be poetic justice in the fact that this whole matter seems to have started with the delivery of a plagiarized speech by a major award recipient at the Faculty Hall of Fame Dinner in May. The substantial faculty prizes awarded at this dinner each year are stated as being based on "Teaching and Advising", and require a nomination which speaks to clearly defined criteria. This awards program is funded by a generous gift from a loyal alumnus, who also serves as a Trustee, and his wife.
The selection of recipients of the faculty awards is made by the University President. Many faculty, past and present, feel that the last two presidents, in too many cases, used the awards to reward presidential favorites, rather than to recognize outstanding faculty based on the criteria. This has been a great disservice to the University and to the donors, who had the best intentions.
In a way, then, the current discussion about alleged unjust treatment of a faculty member was triggered during the President's unjust administration of the selection process.
Is justice and fairness important in ethics??
I applaud the editors of this site. If nothing is wrong here, why hire lawyers against this blog? Why call a faculty meeting and address this site and the facts it presents? Do not let them draw your identity into the open, for the president and his cabinent run this place, and they obviously will take action against you. The snowball has started down the hill, and although it is small now, let us hope it gains mass. There are problems at UD, this is an undeniable fact. Hopefully this blog will help in the effort to propel the University in a positive direction.
Ah, yes--the library. Bullock convinced some millionaire to have a building named after the donor in order to save the donor from having that amount of money taxed. Was it five milllion dollars for the additon and renovation to the former library? And another two million or so for the second floor? But guess what? $300,000-Bullock was so good at convincing that NONE of that money went for books! Is a library a building or the books in it? Bullock knows--by his actions!
Reputation of UD! What reputation? What can you say for a Board of Trustees and a president who got rid of over 60% of its majors and over 95% of its faculty and almost all of the secretaries to erase the collective memory of UD ? Why? At its heart, the faculty resisted a faculty handbook that installed the Civil War master-slave relationship--which is what the present handbook now represents.
Ethics, the president, and the football coach--a study in selfishness. Coach is hired and bring in almost all of championship football team to UD. Instant winners--except they found out that NCAA III teams were so tough that not only did the team not have a winning season--it was lucky to get a winning game. But that is an aside. The ethical thing for the coach to have done was to tell the team members that he was flattered but for their academic well-being, they should stay at the former school to finish on time and where they are well-known socially. The president should have told them the same thing. Whenever you transfer, not all of your credits are accepted--I hope not all of the football team members' credits were accepted by the president. But then that may have been an inducement to get them here. Victims were the football team members. Ask the regular team members who were here when the new team arrived whether the coach favored his players over them or not. Unethical situations here abound.
Jeffries just an "average" teacher? That is the opinion of only one student above. But to get tenure, student evaluations have to be above average--so many students thought he was above average--or more--for many years.
What happened at the "President's Address" yesterday? Not one single word today. Anyone?
It's interesting,
The Southern Illinois University system has just named its new President. His annual salary is $292,000. The Southern Illinois University system has around 35,000 students (SIU-Carbondale, SIU Edwardsville, medical school in Springfield, dental school in Alton, and various satellite campuses throughout the US).
This is less than President Bullock is making, at a private school with barely 1000 students. I realize they are two different types of higher level institutions...but seriously, that fact alone should tell you that something is wrong here at UD.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-051118siupresidency,1,7405788.story?coll=chi-news-hed
i have heard that the meeting was to tell the faculty that "everything is fine". JEFF....are you with us here? PLEASE. Everything is NOT fine. No one trusts you dude. We're talking the students. You need to RELATE ...come on man....
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