Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Is The UNCG Moonlighting Scandal What It Appears To Be?

Yesterday, after reading my post, UNCG Using Threats And Intimitation Against Employees,
Margaret Moffett of the Greensboro News & Record wrote 3 former UNCG emplotees charged in moonlighting scandal in which she points out the charges filed against the 3 and the witness to it all:

"• David Simmons Wilson, 38, who faces six felony counts of obtaining property by false pretenses.
The warrant says Wilson, of 1127 Westridge Road, falsified his UNCG time sheet six times from 2012 to 2014.
Wilson,a photographer, did freelance work for Artisan Photography Group while on the clock at UNCG, according to the warrant, defrauded the university of $154 each time.
His court date is Oct. 30.
• Christopher Woodrow English, 41, who faces five felony counts of obtaining property by false pretenses.
The warrant says English, of 3208 Coronet Court, also falsified his time sheet five times during the same period.
His work for Artisan Photography defrauded the university of $175.12 each time.
English, a photographer, also faces six felony charges for aiding and abetting obtaining property by false pretenses.
English signed Wilson’s falsified time sheets, the warrant says.
His court date is Oct. 30.
• Lyda Adams Carpen, 48, who faces five felony charges of aiding and abetting obtaining property by false pretense.
Carpen, of 503 Woodlawn Ave., approved English’s falsified time sheets, the warrant says.
Her court date is Oct. 28."


Now I can't say as to the guilt or innocence of any of the 3. As far as I can recollect I don't know any of them but I do have some questions concerning the following part of Margaret's reporting though not necessarily directed at Margaret:

"The warrants list the witness as Paul Mason, associate vice chancellor for marketing and strategic communications.

Mason supervised Wilson, English and Carpen. Mason declined to comment on Tuesday.
Mason wouldn’t confirm the employees’ status with the university, so their status is unclear."


Without a doubt it brings into question the supervisory roll of assistant vice chancellor Paul Mason who allowed the "crimes" to continue multiple times as he "witnessed" them take place. Where was Paul Mason when all these "crimes" were going on? At the Country Club perhaps? Operating his own outside business? All questions someone should be asking as good leadership leads by example and not force.

And while these employees filled out time sheets were they in-fact hourly and not on salary? Many salaried employees fill out some sort of time sheet and yet salaried employees often come and go as they please. And if they are hourly then why not a time clock instead of easily forged time sheets? Is the expansion into Glenwood wiping out the entire operating budget? We don't know the answers to those questions.

Margaret continues:

"But a letter circulating at UNCG this week — signed by three other former employees of the university relations department — said the three were fired."

I posted that letter yesterday.

I'm also questioning the charges. Obtaining property by false pretense hardly seems like the appropriate charge for what must surely be embezzlement if true. I'm thinking these charges may be a shot across the bow of employees who are fighting another battle against the university that Chancellor Brady and the Brady Bunch would rather not see made public. Without saying anything more simply ask yourself why UNCG stats seem contrary to the UNC system.

Don't worry, even if you don't understand, Chancellor Brady knows what I'm referring to.

Update: As one of my sources inside UNCG points out: " Not sure how Paul Mason could have witnessed this massive conspiracy of time sheet shorting beginning in 2012 since he's only been around since April of this year."

That is confirmed by the Triad Business Journal.

As a matter of fact, today's N&R article UNCG says staffers stole time pokes many holes in UNCG claims with statements like:

 
"Chancellor Linda Brady and other UNCG officials would say little about the criminal case on Tuesday, citing personnel issues.

They also didn’t tell the News & Record why the employees were fired, information that state law says the university must make public."


And this:

" Mason referred questions Tuesday to Imogene Cathey, UNCG’s attorney.

 Cathey confirmed Tuesday afternoon that the employees had been fired, but she said she couldn’t answer other questions immediately."


Translated: UNCG never thought this would go public and wasn't prepared to discuss the matter. Their plan was to scare their employees into submission. Problem is, they missed 3 things: Someone told me. Margaret Moffett reads my blog religiously. And 3, Margaret is a long time friend and coworker of Betsi Robinson. And when Margaret saw Betsi's name on the letter her reporter instincts kicked in and told her there was more to the story than the Brady Bunch was telling. A lot more.

Now what could it be. Are these firings taking place because these long time employees are taking a stance against UNCG's gentrification of the Glenwood neighborhood and the excess spending on facilities that the majority of staff and students will never use?

Are the firings taking place because tenured professors are being replaced by lessor qualified individuals willing to work for much lower pay.

Could it be these firings are taking place because these has become an organized effort of students, professors and staff at UNCG who are actively working to fight excessive executive pay while layoffs and firings are taking place at every other level?

Or could it be for reasons I've yet to disclose or don't yet know? RecycleBill@gmail.com