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Thursday, September 15, 2005


Cherchez le Chauffeur

The president of American University might be brought down in a way increasingly common among university presidents: like the now ex-chancellor of the SUNY system, Robert King, he may be done in by one of his fleet of chauffeurs:


'Reginald Green, one of Ladner's former chauffeurs, said the Ladners often used the university car for personal reasons, including requiring him to take in and pick up their laundry and the work shirts of their chef.'



One of his former chauffeurs? Does this mean that President Ladner, like Chancellor King, had a fleet of them? Recall (see this earlier UD entry) that (to quote myself):


King maintained, at state expense, a team of three chauffeurs, Tom, Ray, and Ed. Tom, Ray, and Ed were there (combined salary, $170,000 plus) at King’s bidding to transport him from place to place in the course of his busy day.



King, though, scraped along on a salary of $250,000 or so, whereas Ladner earns about $650,000. Buys a lot of chauffeurs.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

UPDATE:

Don’t They Know
It’s the End of the World?

…as UD used to love hearing Loretta Lynn sing… and now, as she considers President Ladner’s deteriorating situation, it keeps coming to mind:


The personal chef employed by suspended American University President Benjamin Ladner and paid for by the school has been let go during a probe by the university's Board of Trustees into personal and travel expenses submitted by Ladner, according to sources.

In addition, the social secretary for the president and his wife, Nancy Bullard Ladner, has been transferred, said the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing. Sally Ekfelt is now working in the president's office as an assistant to David E. Taylor, chief of staff to the president of the university, they said.



He’s got a personal chef and a social secretary. So the question is: How do you tell the President of American University from the President of America? Answer: The President of America makes $250,000 less than what the President of AU makes.

Sources knowledgeable about the case said Scruggs would sometimes be called late at night to cook dinner for the couple. Two chauffeurs who worked for the Ladners also said they often were required to take Scruggs's dirty white uniforms to a dry cleaner.


Bingo. UD wondered (see above) whether, like Chancellor King, Ladner had multiple chauffeurs.
Posted at: 9/15/2005 09:24:00 PM