A lot of people are grumpy about U of A’s spending spree on one
home
Retired BJ
political writer Abe Zaidan is so spot-on with his withering words on the
University of Akron’s Taj Mahal for its president’s house that I just had to
re-run it here.
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| Abe Zaidan |
The cost of house renovations is going up. That's particularly true when it's the
University of Akron president's house, as you are about to see.
Karen Farkas of the Northeast Ohio Media Group reported today that the bill has come to $950,000 so far.
University sources say some of the cost was covered by private donations. Oh? OK, let's have it. Who are they? Or in the effort to rebrand, has the leadership forgotten that UA is a public entity.
As Farkas noted, UA officials said the repairs were much needed, having been neglected for 15 years. Somehow, it's hard to believe that former president Luis Proenza, a fellow who always sought the very best, could have suffered such neglect for so long. But he didn't require the conversion of two bedrooms into a master suite for Scott Scarborough's inlaws.
Farkas reported that Taylor Construction and Stathos construction "were paid a total of $375,000 for electrical, heating, plumbing and renovations including the conversion of two bedrooms into a master suite".
Lawrence Burns, the new UA vice president of advancement who, like Scarborough, came from the University of Toledo, attempted to justify the expenditures when the university's internals were awash in debt.. Burns said the work was a 20-year investment. In that case, perhaps the next' president's inlaws would also enjoy the updates without further investment .
Trustees chairman Jonathan Pavloff also approved the heavy spending, saying it would enhance "university fund-raising and relationship building."
Relationship building? Why do I feel that I'm falling well behind in understanding such institutional terms? My world turns on leaky faucets and flickering light bulbs.
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For Grumpy Abe's web site, go to
grumpyabe.blogspot.com/
Karen Farkas of the Northeast Ohio Media Group reported today that the bill has come to $950,000 so far.
University sources say some of the cost was covered by private donations. Oh? OK, let's have it. Who are they? Or in the effort to rebrand, has the leadership forgotten that UA is a public entity.
As Farkas noted, UA officials said the repairs were much needed, having been neglected for 15 years. Somehow, it's hard to believe that former president Luis Proenza, a fellow who always sought the very best, could have suffered such neglect for so long. But he didn't require the conversion of two bedrooms into a master suite for Scott Scarborough's inlaws.
Farkas reported that Taylor Construction and Stathos construction "were paid a total of $375,000 for electrical, heating, plumbing and renovations including the conversion of two bedrooms into a master suite".
Lawrence Burns, the new UA vice president of advancement who, like Scarborough, came from the University of Toledo, attempted to justify the expenditures when the university's internals were awash in debt.. Burns said the work was a 20-year investment. In that case, perhaps the next' president's inlaws would also enjoy the updates without further investment .
Trustees chairman Jonathan Pavloff also approved the heavy spending, saying it would enhance "university fund-raising and relationship building."
Relationship building? Why do I feel that I'm falling well behind in understanding such institutional terms? My world turns on leaky faucets and flickering light bulbs.
===============================
For Grumpy Abe's web site, go to
grumpyabe.blogspot.com/
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