Political Hack with only bachelors degree is a finalist to manage 14 PA. Public Universities

[JPZenger]

Last edited Fri Aug 2, 2013, 11:18 AM - Edit history (1)

http://www.mcall.com/news/nationworld/pennsylvania/mc-pa-tomalis-corbett-higher-ed-20130801,0,5312713.story

As PA. Secretary of Education, Ron Tomalis, served on the board that ran PA.'s 14 state-owned public universities. Corbett created another position for him that paid the same amount, had no office hours, and allowed him to work from home. It now appears that he resigned to put himself in a position to become the Chancellor that manages all 14 of those universities.

The job typically pays around $350K. For that salary, PA. should be able to hire a person with top-notch qualifications in college administration.

Tomalis has NO EXPERIENCE in higher education, other than sitting on this board. Tomalis only has a bachelor's degree, which is unheard of situation in running multiple universities.

It has been leaked that Tomalis is one of the 3 finalists. The selection process used to be more public, but as a boardmember, Tomalis voted to make the selection process private. The decision is supposed to be made next week.

Tomalis does have experience with a lobbying firm that worked for private education entities and as a political hack/communications staffer in the George W. Bush Administration. He also had no experience inside public schools before he became PA. Education Secretary.

Tomalis does have experience cutting the state spending per student in these state-owned universities by 30%.

http://www.pastudentsvoice.org/index.php/tag/center-on-budget-and-policy-priorities/

This is dangerously close to the recent threat that Corbett was going to appoint the hack who ran the Dept. of Environmental Protection as a Justice on the PA. Supreme Court. That threat was averted when Senate Dems made it clear he could not pass a confirmation vote.

Excerpts:

"If Tomalis beats out two other finalists in the secret chancellor search process the PSSHE board set up in January, his paycheck would likely double. The chancellor oversees a budget of $1.6 billion and more than 12,150 employees at 14 state-owned universities, including Kutztown and East Stroudsburg. Tomalis, 51, declined to comment through the Department of Education, which he led from 2011 until May, when Corbett replaced him but let him keep his salary and work from home as special adviser to the governor on higher education.

But the fact that Tomalis previously was education secretary, which made him a voting member of PASSHE's 20-member board, is raising concern among some lawmakers and the university faculty union. They question whether he has used inside knowledge and political influence to get a leg up on the competition.

Barry Kauffman, executive director of Common Cause, said if Tomalis had a hand in steering the job search or setting resume requirements in a way that would benefit himself, he'd certainly be "dancing on the razor's edge of the Ethics Act." But Kauffman said the vote alone does not show Tomalis shaped the process."

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So in conclusion, Corbett put a hack in charge of 500 PA. public school districts even though the guy never worked inside a school. Now, he is trying to install that same hack to be in charge of 14 public universities even though the guy never worked inside a college.

[blm]

1. Corbett needs to be attacked daily as the guy who let Jerry Sandusky off the hook

and ignored the evidence against him.

[JPZenger]

2. Corbett is a voting member, along with top aide, his ed sec, head of his transition team

The board includes a couple current college students, a county sheriff and two Dem. legislators. Some of the other members include Corbett, his right-hand woman, two Repub legislators, his Ed. Sec., a top official in his transition team, a couple lobbyists, etc.

[JPZenger]

3. In 2 days, you will read that Corbett has taken control of Pa. universities by installing his boy

Corbett has always hated public universities, almost as much as he hates public schools. Unlike most politicians, he seems to take pleasure in slashing their budgets. Remember, he twice tried to cut the budgets by these PA. universities of a total 50%. Fortunately, moderates in the legislature were able to restrain him to only 25% cuts.

Now, tomorrow, Corbett will install his trusted right hand man to control the 14 state-owned universities. This is the 12th largest university system in the US. He'll be able to tell those pointy headed guys with doctorates that he's the boss. Next up, let's crush some unions, baby.

In the past, he urged these universities to open up all of their land for fracking to make up for the funds he cut from their budget. He has disdain that they graduate so many education majors, when Pa has eliminated 25,000 teaching jobs.

By next year, every PA. public university will be offering majors in fracking technology. After all, Penn State can't do it all alone.

[JPZenger]

4. Much much more on this topic

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/08/06/1229250/-PA-Gov-Tom-Corbett-R-Wants-Architect-Of-Education-Cuts-To-Be-Chancellor-Of-Higher-Education-Board#