CMI EXCLUSIVE: HEAD OF FSCJ FOUNDATION RESIGNS AND TRUSTEES THROW OUSTED PREZ A PARTY

Posted by celinemcarthurinvestigates on February 5, 2013
Posted in: Uncategorized. 2 comments

Bob Stamp RESIGNS

I told you this was coming more than a month ago.

Resignation email

Florida State College Foundation’s Executive Director Robert “Bob” Stamp has resigned.

While I shared my discovery with the local media more than a month ago, no one covered it.

Why?

Ask them. They claim they’re working for you, so you shouldn’t have any trouble getting an answer.

Let me be clear, the FSCJ scandal is currently THE most important story in Jacksonville.

I’m not saying this because I launched the ground-breaking media campaign. This is the most serious, local example of government corruption, deception and gross incompetence.   What happens—and doesn’t happen—at FSCJ impacts us all.

Stamp’s resignation supports what I first reported on March 26, 2012.  It also strongly suggests that the two ongoing state investigations have turned up even more evidence of wrongdoing.

Speaking of those investigations, when are the findings going to be shared with the College’s leadership and the public? That’s another good question for reporters to ask all the parties involved, not just FSCJ spokespeople.

I confirmed Stamp’s departure through a consistent stream of FOIA requests. Getting answers for the tough stories isn’t complicated, but it does take hard work, skills, sources and an unwillingness to give up on an issue that is critical to the health and wealth of our community.

That is what it means to be a journalist. Accept nothing less.

Here’s another FSCJ story I didn’t see or read about in the local news:

Wallace Party Invite

Did this “reception” violate Sunshine Law?

If not, why not?

How much money was spent on this party?

Where did the money come from?

Was alcohol served? (Sources say yes.)

Who was invited and why?

What was the benefit to the College?

I hope this message will inspire local reporters to get back to work.

They do get paid to do this …

In the meantime, if you have any pictures from this reception, please send them to me. Your identity will not be revealed.

UPDATE (2.7.13): Just spotted these comments in the local newspaper’s most recent article about FSCJ. These were posted after this blog was published.

Comments from local news article

Fighting the Good Fight

Posted by celinemcarthurinvestigates on November 8, 2012
Posted in: Uncategorized. 1 comment

It’s been an eye-opening eight months at Florida State College at Jacksonville, hasn’t it?

While there’s more corruption, deception and fraud to be exposed at FSCJ, I’m satisfied that my work over the past eight months is driving meaningful change at the school.

The current FSCJ President is stepping down.  The Executive Vice President has been forced out.  The Chairman of the College’s District Board of Trustees and two more Trustees have resigned. FSCJ’s major operations—including financial aid, enrollment, academic program development, and spending—are under federal and/or state investigation.

It’s a start.

I look forward to hearing the results of these investigations.

FIRST ON CMI: Senator Steve Oelrich Doubles Down

Posted by celinemcarthurinvestigates on October 24, 2012
Posted in: CMI EXCLUSIVE, Uncategorized. 2 comments

Senator Steve Oelrich wants answers.

The Republican State Senator from Gainesville just sent this letter to Governor Rick Scott asking him—again—to support his call for a grand jury investigation into the wasteful spending, gross mismanagement and unethical and illegal behavior that continues to exist at Florida State College at Jacksonville.

State Attorney Angela Corey has refused to publicly comment on whether she’ll launch a grand jury investigation.

Could there be a conflict of interest?

That clip came from an interview I did with Corey in 2009.

More to come …

CMI EXCLUSIVE: Reference Check: Early Warning Signs?

Posted by celinemcarthurinvestigates on October 19, 2012
Posted in: CMI EXCLUSIVE. 13 comments

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How does one get a job as president of a community college?

I’m sure the requirements include stellar references.

Luckily, I was able to pull up some of the recommendations Wallace provided to dazzle the FCCJ District Board of Trustees and secure his position as “visionary.”

Here are some of the highlights from his trusted references:

“… Inconsistency in handling staff, i.e., having favorites,” and ignoring altercations among administrators.”

“… He makes lots of promises and doesn’t deliver. People in the community have begun to doubt that his word is good.”

“He ‘struts around’ and acts important. I question his ethics and see him taking credit for things that are not his accomplishments.”

“He likes to be seen as the person who makes things happen – as a leader. He likes the power of the position and he likes the credit. But maybe that’s just ‘natural ego building’ in a president — especially in a short man.”

“Dr. Wallace will dazzle the Board of Trustees. He knows the right answers to tell them.”

“He gives lip service to shared governance, but there is only token distribution of power.”

“Dr. Wallace ‘doesn’t value the past.’”

“Dr. Wallace may be unsuccessful for several reasons: if he fails to get involved with faculty, if he fails to follow through on his ideas or if he does not have people in place who can implement his vision …”

“He’ll be great the first six months, but he might have problems over the long haul.”

“… He has a tendency to spread himself very thin and expects others to pick up the ball. In a larger institution, that could be a disaster because there are too many ‘balls to pick up.’”

“… he’s a ‘talker.’ He can talk his way into any job or opportunity, but he’s not there when needed. I wouldn’t want him in a position of major responsibility in a system or large institution …”

“Dr. Wallace’s ambition may conflict with the welfare of the institution.”

“He’s a ‘wheeler dealer’ who works the system incredibly well … he behaved in an underhanded and unprofessional manner.”

“Several references used the same term in describing Dr. Wallace: ‘He’s a con man.’ He will tell you what you want to hear …”

“I don’t trust him. He’s too interested in himself and his own career. He’s a ‘con man.’”

“… He needs to learn to work within the culture of the institution, to bring others along and not simply impose his own agenda.”

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“Dr. Wallace has the skills to dazzle the Board of Trustees in an interview. He knows all the right answers to get the job. Unfortunately, he may be superficial in learning the answers but not be able to do the job once he gets it. His experience has been in much smaller institutions without the complexity of an urban multi-college institution.”

I must be missing something. Was there only ONE applicant for this position?

If not, I guess the District Board of Trustees got exactly what it asked for.

As FSCJ’s new “consultant,” Wallace should first research the “best practices” of hiring a qualified college president.

Click here to read the entire report..

CMI EXCLUSIVE: Senator Steve Oelrich Reacts to Governor Scott’s Call For Inspector General Investigation of FSCJ

Posted by celinemcarthurinvestigates on October 11, 2012
Posted in: Uncategorized. 1 comment

 

Timing is Everything.

Posted by celinemcarthurinvestigates on October 10, 2012
Posted in: Uncategorized. 4 comments

This is the email that the soon-to-be President “Emeritus” Steve Wallace sent to FSCJ staff earlier today.

Emeritus? Isn’t that an honorary position, Steve?

What’s honorable about spending your 15 year reign of “tenure” systematically abusing the faculty, staff and students of Florida State College at Jacksonville at the taxpayers expense?

I think the Governor may be weighing in on your recent “retirement” announcement ordained by a complicit District Board of Trustees.

General Douglas Burnett was the only Trustee who challenged your pathetic attempt to save face.

Not even Wally Lee or the Mayor himself can save you now …

Perhaps celinemcarthurinvestigates.com will look into their offices in the near future.

In the interim, Steve, dormire bene amicus meus corrupta.

Click here for the entire TU article