Welcome

It is with great sorrow that we come together today with the departure of our president and dear friend, Fr. Julio Giulietti, S.J. We have all come here to seek the truth, and to know and understand what has happened within the university walls and what has become of the reputation of WJU. In this light, please invite anyone to read the blog and feel free to comment as you wish.

Any posts with profanity are not welcome, otherwise, please speak your mind. You are a part of this university and we want to hear your voice!

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Happy Holidays! (An open letter)

What is going on with the situation involving the inappropriate dismissal of Fr Giulietti without affording him due process?   I will use this opportunity provided by your holiday greeting to say how much I was offended by Davit McAteer's dismissal of what I consider valid concerns expressed by well respected and well intentioned alumni. I am also disappointed that my previous reply to an alumni communication went unanswered.  Until this situation is resolved to my satisfaction, I have eliminated WJU from my estate planning and do not intend to make any further investments in WJU.  The inappropriate conclusion about the probable reasons for the dismissal drawn by DJ McCann in the Blithe Spirit blog were exactly my speculation when I first heard about it, and I am relieved to learn from others who know him well that my assumptions could not be true.  This form of character assassination is inexcusable in a Christian institution and those involved are no longer qualified to hold their entrusted board positions (including the Jesuit Board that actually initiated the firing).  This is not the behavior my classmates and I and experienced in our years at Wheeling College.  So my question to WJU and the Jesuit community remains, what are you going to do to rectify the intolerable action by the two Boards?

Don Powers, '63
ex-Student Body President '62-63

6 comments:

  1. WJU in the news: Dec. 1, 2009, WJU has just announced a new partnership with Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College in Boone County, WVa. This goes hand in hand of course with Sen. Byrd's new earmark for $2,584,000 for a Mining and Industry Safety Technology and Training Innovation Center to be located at Wheeling Jesuit University.

    http://www.legistorm.com/earmark/37495.html

    What a wonderful opportunity for unemployed miners looking to jump-start a new career in mine safety inspection! Not to mention an opportunity to name another office on campus after Senator Robert Byrd and/or his dearly departed spouse. Let's just hope whoever they put in charge of "sponsored programs" this time knows how to read federal cost accounting standards.

    Here's an interesting trivia question: Which is greater, the number of coal miners killed throughout the U.S. in mine accidents over the past 175 years, or the number of unborn children killed by elective abortions in the U.S. the last 11 months?

    Hint: It's not even close.

    Contributions by J.D. McAteer / Shepherdstown WVa:

    $1000 Clinton/Gore (1996) (NARAL Rating 100%)
    $250 Al Gore (1999) (NARAL Rating 100%)
    $250 Democratic Natl Comm (2000)
    $500 WVa State Dem Committee (2003)
    $250 Democratic Natl Committee (2004)
    $200 John Kerry (2004) (NARAL Rating 100%)
    $250 Robert Byrd (2006) (NARAL Rating 50%)
    $250 Jay Rockefeller (2007) (NARAL Rating 100%)
    $250 Anne Barth for Congress (Byrd's former state director) (NARAL endorsed)
    $250 Barack Obama (2008) (NARAL Rating 100%)

    The board of directors lost confidence in Fr. Giulietti? What a joke. Our beloved alma mater is devolving before our eyes into a re-training program for unemployed coal miners.

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  2. More management changes at WJU.

    Rev Timothy Brown, S.J., former Maryland Provincial, has been named to the board of trustees. Margaret Helm is now chair of the board of directors, replacing William Fisher. Two additional directors are also elected: James O'Malley ('92) and Christopher Helmrath.

    Complaints about the Giulietti outrage might be best directed at this point to the six new directors listed below.


    William Bresnahan, Esq., (’64)

    Adam S. Monks, CPA (’64).

    David C. Haddad, Ph.D (’64).

    James F. Will

    Christopher Helmrath

    James R. O’Malley (’92)

    Of the six new directors, one is a real estate lawyer, four have credentials in business/ finance / accounting, and one is a former mathematics professor / college administrator.

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  3. Just some clarification:

    Margaret Helm did indeed assume the role of Chair of the Board of Directors; however, the shady Mr. Fisher still holds a seat on the Board.

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  4. While some of the new members of the Board of Directors look good on paper, only time will tell if they can join forces and stand up to the clique of WJU alumni Directors which disgracefully attempted for eighteen months to fire Fr. Giulietti and to the remaining Trustees: Gleeson, Stockhausen and O'Donnell who actually dismissed him.

    It must be remembered that WJU alumnus Bill Bresnahan, a recent appointee, previously served a three year term as a Director and was instrumental in planning and executing the firing of former WJU President George Lundy. His ties to the alumni clique are strong and widely known.

    Unless and until the Directors who have clearly demonstrated their ineptitude, malice and arrogance in the Giulietti matter are removed and Trustees Gleeson, Stockhausen and O'Donnell follow them out the door, confidence in the WJU "recovery" will not happen.

    All of these people have brought disgrace to Wheeling Jesuit. They have earned the contempt in which they are held by the public and the WJU community. The future success of the university depends upon their removal.

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  5. Regarding Bill Fisher and his seat on the Board, the above writer is correct. He has only resigned as Board Chair.

    Until 2006, the Board Bylaws allowed members no more than two consecutive three year terms. In September, 2006 Fr. Joe Hacala left the Presidency for health reasons and the Board took that opportunity to make some changes beneficial to themselves.. The Bylaws were changed and now members Haller, Yarnall and Fisher are serving extended terms without limit. Haller and Yarnall were appointed in 2001. Fisher began his first term September 11, 2003. All clearly longer than the appropriate six year limit.

    Maybe the "new" Board should take a look at this as they begin their own terms.

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  6. I would like the "anonymous" who has so "helpfully" posted news about the political contributions of new directors, and of VP McAteer to post some of his own charitable contributions for our enlightenment. Is he/she presuming that we are all anti-Democratic as well as wanting an ethical, transparent process for our alma mater?

    ReplyDelete