It's been just two years since Virginia Commonwealth University was rocked to its foundation by the Rodney Monroe degree scandal.
The last thing the university wanted was more controversy.
But they've got it now.
The university announced this week that an outside consultant is going to do a performance check of VCU"s new president, Dr. Michael Rao, just 16 months into his reign. Rao's gala inauguration has been delayed.
Print media outlets are reporting rumors that Rao's wife, Monica, has been meddling in personnel matters after Rao eliminated his chief of staff position.
Adding a little fuel to the fire is Monica Rao's paid position as VCU's International Alumni Relations Liaison. She makes $34,000 annually.
Soon after he arrived here, I asked Rao about his wife's role at the university, something that came up at his last school, Central Michigan University, where she also had a paid position.
He said, in essence, that he and his wife are a package deal.
"I made a very strong case to our Board of Visitors that this is my partner," Rao replied, "and this is someone who will give everything she has to the university."
Monica Rao is hospitalized and seriously ill with breathing problems.
The latest tremor at VCU; an unusually restrictive confidentiality agreement that Rao requires those working under him to sign.
That agreement forbids discussing office affairs and Rao family business with anyone, including lawyers and clergy. Even just an "anticipated violation" would de dealt with harshly, including immediate court action.
"Transparency is very important," said VCU journalism major Cat Leth. "VCU is not a corporation. To restrict somone's speech, even with friends and family, like it says in the agreement, it's unfair. And now that the story is coming out and it has to do with the operation, people losing their jobs, that's definitely something people need to be able to talk about in open forum and figure out exactly what's going on and how to fix the situation."
Kent Willis with the Virginia American Civil Liberties Union said the agreement doesn't pass constitutional muster.
"A public employee, no matter where they are in the government, has a right to speak out on matters of public concern," Willis said. "That's a U.S. Supreme Court case, it's guaranteed to every public employee by the First Amendment to the Constitution."
Willis said there are numerous legal issues raised by the contract. But, he said, the bottom line problem with the contract "is the attitude. This is a contract that says 'I'm not transparent. I don't want you to know what is going on. I'm running a closed shop.'"
A closed shop played a role when VCU gave a degree to former Richmond police chief Rodney Monroe when he only took a few hours worth of classes there. Two key university officials had to step down and the school's accreditation was even at risk.
You would think openness would now be a top priority at VCU.
The last thing the university wanted was more controversy.
But they've got it now.
The university announced this week that an outside consultant is going to do a performance check of VCU"s new president, Dr. Michael Rao, just 16 months into his reign. Rao's gala inauguration has been delayed.
Print media outlets are reporting rumors that Rao's wife, Monica, has been meddling in personnel matters after Rao eliminated his chief of staff position.
Adding a little fuel to the fire is Monica Rao's paid position as VCU's International Alumni Relations Liaison. She makes $34,000 annually.
Soon after he arrived here, I asked Rao about his wife's role at the university, something that came up at his last school, Central Michigan University, where she also had a paid position.
He said, in essence, that he and his wife are a package deal.
"I made a very strong case to our Board of Visitors that this is my partner," Rao replied, "and this is someone who will give everything she has to the university."
Monica Rao is hospitalized and seriously ill with breathing problems.
The latest tremor at VCU; an unusually restrictive confidentiality agreement that Rao requires those working under him to sign.
That agreement forbids discussing office affairs and Rao family business with anyone, including lawyers and clergy. Even just an "anticipated violation" would de dealt with harshly, including immediate court action.
"Transparency is very important," said VCU journalism major Cat Leth. "VCU is not a corporation. To restrict somone's speech, even with friends and family, like it says in the agreement, it's unfair. And now that the story is coming out and it has to do with the operation, people losing their jobs, that's definitely something people need to be able to talk about in open forum and figure out exactly what's going on and how to fix the situation."
Kent Willis with the Virginia American Civil Liberties Union said the agreement doesn't pass constitutional muster.
"A public employee, no matter where they are in the government, has a right to speak out on matters of public concern," Willis said. "That's a U.S. Supreme Court case, it's guaranteed to every public employee by the First Amendment to the Constitution."
Willis said there are numerous legal issues raised by the contract. But, he said, the bottom line problem with the contract "is the attitude. This is a contract that says 'I'm not transparent. I don't want you to know what is going on. I'm running a closed shop.'"
A closed shop played a role when VCU gave a degree to former Richmond police chief Rodney Monroe when he only took a few hours worth of classes there. Two key university officials had to step down and the school's accreditation was even at risk.
You would think openness would now be a top priority at VCU.
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