… [In] South Carolina, Gov. Nikki Haley, a Tea Party favorite, tossed out Darla Moore, a longtime member of the University of South Carolina Board of Trustees who had given money to one of the Democratic candidates for governor. Haley said she wanted “a fresh set of eyes.” This would not be all that big a deal except that Moore is the biggest donor in the university’s history. She has given at least $70 million to the school, which would seem to be worth one heck of a lot of sets of eyes.
Moore is being replaced by Thomas “Tommy” Cofield, a lawyer and Haley supporter …
April 23rd, 2011 at 11:52AM
Your general reaction to universities which give board seats to big donors who are athletics backers is unfavorable, but you see this move by Haley as wrong-headed – I’m not clear why? I mean, it may well be. But just the fact that she gave a lot of money may not settle it. We had Catherine Hearst on our Regents in the UC system for a LONG time, and I mostly remember her role in requiring that all new buildings be designed with red tile roofs. The Hearsts gave a lot of money.
April 23rd, 2011 at 12:57PM
dave s. – I should have pointed out that I don’t in fact think merely having deep pockets makes a good trustee — although I don’t think this is a bad idea. I mean, if you can combine in one person an ethical human being who has a sense of what a university is AND a rich, generous person, why not. But I think what Gail Collins is pointing out is that – like some other recently elected politicians – this one advertised herself as a force for change, but instantly did what all old-time pols do: She dumped a politically incorrect trustee and put in a crony.
There was, by the way, quite a lot of protest among students about Haley getting rid of this trustee.
April 23rd, 2011 at 5:04PM
And Bobby’s back at Auburn:
http://www.greenfieldreporter.com/view/story/0199b88aa2fe4e52813e23ff02325d40/AL–Auburn-Trustees/
April 23rd, 2011 at 5:38PM
Polish Peter: Yup. Didn’t have the heart to write about it.
April 24th, 2011 at 8:05AM
I’m all in favor of tossing the old bums out – in every context other than my own (where I am a MIDDLE bum, thank you very much).