Today’s projected high is 86.

Current temperature at 11:30?

87.

This calls for a day long nap I think.

To bad I have all these errands to run first…

HA! HA! HA!

Hope Michigan is paying you well, traitor.

WVU has an Interim President.

I know nothing about him, but here’s an article he wrote for the Journal Chronicle of Higher Education on tenure.

A google brings up some blurbs here and here and here.

ADDENDUM the First:
Here’s the WVU Press release.

As his military service was in the mid 1950s, I don’t see him as a candidate for the position as that would make him a minimum of 73. Looks like he’ll be a great interim though, and precisely what the University needs right now.

I was sent these by Stacie, but didn’t get a chance to post them until now. When Brian and Stacie were at Kennywood, they discovered these AWESOME prizes you could win.

I should expect as much from Pittsburgh.

How West Virginians see America.

Some of the states will be more funny to West Virginians than others, but all in all it’s awfully funny.

(via Not My Blog)

Took the day off from work, however, we were still out the door by 8:30, heading for the WV State Craft Fair at Ripley.

We met my brother and his wife at Parkersburg, and then continued together to Ripley. Most of what I ought I either bought right way or saw right way and bought later. My only mistake was not buying the dark blue hanging glass globe first thing, because I had to settle for a lighter blue one when I went back.

Michael somehow ended up with the camera while we were at the fair, so I only have a couple pictures.
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Just checked, and the State Arts and Crafts fair at Ripley is July 3rd through the 6th this year.

Here’s to hoping temperatures aren’t as hot this year.

Took him long enough. I was beginning to think he was as tone deaf as Bush.

WVU’s president to resign Sept. 1

West Virginia University President Mike Garrison says he’ll resign Sept. 1 to end the controversy surround the awarding of a master’s degree to the governor’s daughter.
By The Associated Press

West Virginia University President Mike Garrison says he’ll resign Sept. 1 to end the controversy surround the awarding of a master’s degree to the governor’s daughter.

Garrison told the Board of Governors on today that only he can stop debate and it’s the most difficult decision he’s ever made.

Garrison’s nine-month administration has been dogged from the start by the degree scandal and the sudden departure and lawsuit involving a former football coach. His presidency started last Sept. 1.

Garrison says no one member of the board asked him to leave and each has been a counselor and a friend.

The board called his decision an unselfish action that should begin a period of healing and recovery.

See also here.

Also? This:

Here are a couple suggestions for the next Presidential search:

First, don’t use anyone from the last search committee. Second, consider offering a salary that’s at least as much as the offensive coordinator of the football team. And third, understand that running WVU or any major university of its size requires a unique skill set.

My take on this, under the cut.
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As much as Manchin isn’t my favorite state politician, I appreciate his statement regarding the scandal and the resolution.

I am not in a position to make a recommendation to them in this instance even if I wanted to because, regardless of what it might be, it would not be viewed as being made objectively – and I absolutely understand and accept that.

I don’t think he was involved in the scandal, although I do believe that the fact he is governor strongly influenced Garrison’s decision making.

The WV Board of Governors met today in a closed session to discuss Garrison.

No decision was made in the three hour meeting.

The reporters asked several of the BOB members questions after the meeting, and I was amused by one response.

When asked if the discussion involved Garrison, (Steve Goodwin) said, “I don’t think it takes too much imagination.”

I also heard that when Garrison made several unannounced appearances at graduation ceremonies across campus, there were graduates who refused to shake hands with him, as well as a rumor that some faculty members who spoke out against Garrison have had their offices moved, however, that is just a rumor.

It astounds me that in the face of all of this, including two votes of no confidence, Garrison can continue to act as if nothing is wrong, and as if his continued presence was not only a hindrance to the functioning of the university, but an embarrassment to the state.

Hmmm… Let’s see, what are the current conditions?

Why they’re crappy!

What about the next couple days?
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The follow-up to the Faculty Senate vote happened today. The Faculty Assembly gathered for a vote of no confidence and demand for Garrison to resign.

First off, this was not the best time to have a Faculty Assembly. The semester ended this week, and summer session doesn’t start until this week, so nine month faculty members may be gone, and if you work full time, this is a good time for a vacation. So getting all the faculty members to attend was not going to happen. So there were not enough members for a quorum, however, they agreed to take an unofficial vote (not that if there was an official vote it would make the slightest bit of difference).

91% of the faculty voted that Garrison should resign in the wake of this scandal.

This comes on top of the news yesterday, from Rich Rod’s deposition. I’ll quote from the Metro News article:

Rodriguez says he was told months before Garrison was hired that he was going to be the new President. Rodriguez said he talked to Board of Governors members Steve Farmer and Drew Payne about Garrison. Rodriguez said of Farmer, “I felt he had great influence, in particular, because he told me months before President Garrison was elected that he was going to be the next President of West Virginia.”

Also:

Rodriguez admitted that when he signed a contract amendment just prior to the 2007 season that he did not ask that the $4 million buyout be reduced or eliminated. He reiterated his contention that he had been told by new WVU president Mike Garrison that the buyout would be reduced or eliminated should he choose to leave.

Why is this important? Because Garrison wasn’t yet President before the 2007 football season.

Unsurprisingly, Clinton is projected to win big in WV. So it’s simply a mater of how big the win is.

Of course there are still plenty of local races that are important.

If anyone is interested in keeping track of the state elections, live results are available on the Metro News site.

First and foremost, my concern is for the race for the State Supreme Court of Appeals. I am really hoping that Spike Maynard loses–and loses big in the primary. His associations with Blankenship are beyond disturbing, and I’d really like to see him out. Then we just have to wait until Brent Benjamin–the Republican Justice whose election was bought and paid for by Blankenship–comes up for reelection.

So I’ll be up for awhile this evening paying attention to the local results, and wondering how big of a blow-out Clinton’s win will be.

Oh, I was still unable to vote for a write in candidate with the stupid electronic voting. Time to write another letter.

ADDENDUM the First:
It looks that for a variety of reasons Joe Manchin is getting a run for his money for governor. The Garrison-Bresch scandal seems to have taken a toll, with many voters supposedly giving a protest vote to Kessler.

ADDENDUM the Second:
I decided to make a batch of cookies while listening to the results. Heard Hillary’s speech, and it wasn’t too bad. She’s nowhere near as good as Obama, but she held her own, and made many nice references to WV.

Manchin took the Democratic primary for Governor as expected, however, as of now, Kessler has 26% of the vote. Additionally, WV Public Radio asked him about today’s news that Rich Rodriguez has claimed that 1) Garrison–who was not even University president at the time–promised him that the $4 million buyout clause would not be enforced and 2) Manchin pushed Rodriguez to sign the 2007 contract.

Manchin pretty much said that Rich Rod has gotten to big for his britches and just needs to suck it up, pay the $4 million, and quit crying.

For the local House of Delegates race, Charlene Marshall is leading with Barbara Evans Fleischauer a close second. All four candidates look good to go up against Cindy Frich in the fall.

And most importantly, Spike Maynard is still in LAST place for the State Supreme court of Appeals race. Let’s hope he stays in last place and is soundly thumped.

ADDENDUM the Third:
Spike Maynard is now in third place, but he’s still eight points behind Menis Ketchum with 88% of precincts reporting in.

Natalie Tennant has taken the race for Secretary of State.

It’s very strange. As much as race and gender were supposed to be factors in the presidential primary, we’ve got a lot of women who won primary elections this year, and the top winners for the 4th district House of delegates are women.

So I wonder how much is gender and race, and how much boils down to “knowing” one candidate versus feeling that another candidate is a stranger come to call. Because if there is one state that Bill Clinton helped Hillary, it has been in WV. Because West Virginians feel like they know Bill Clinton. They’re comfortable with him and understand him. And they were willing to let those feelings roll over onto his wife.

Hillary said tonight that she would campaign hard for whoever the Democratic nominee is. Let’s hope she keeps her word and spends time in WV this summer and fall.

ADDENDUM the Fourth:
With 90% of precincts reporting in, Spike Maynard is still down 9 points.

Good.

I’m going to bed; I have to work and teach in the morning.

VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! VOTE!

It’s Primary Election Day in WV!

Remember to do your civic duty and head out to the polls.

This year I’m going to ASK about the ability to write-in-candidates, and if it’s not an option, ask if there is a paper ballot, and if not, I’m going to write cranky letters again.

VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! VOTE!