Quote from the Texas Tribune

[java]

"I thought the State of Texas had in the past two years reached the outer limit of political intrusion into academic institutions," Rawlings said, "but apparently not: now a board appointed by a lame duck Governor, and, astonishingly, a lame duck Chancellor, are threatening to oust a highly accomplished and popular president of Texas’ flagship university, and a national leader in higher education."

Rawlings, AAU

The link: http://www.texastribune.org/2014/07/04/cigarroa-tells-powers-resign-or-be-fired/

Two paragraphs from the end of the article, I found a very interesting summary of Cigarroa's actions. Up until this point, I felt he was caught in the middle of The Guv and Powers, now I believe it is possible Cigarroa is a puppet for Perry. If true, throw him out, too, and don't let him within 40 miles of UT-SA.

Take out the trash at the State Capital and start at the Governor's mansion which Perry and Anita so sadly abused for so long.

 

[Juan]

This issue unfortunately has a lot of identity politics involved.  There are smokescreens and diversions and campaign-style mudslinging.

However, there is still the underlying factual allegation that Powers used his office to secure the admittance to the law school for some family members of legislators who could not otherwise gain admittance to the law school.

If this allegation is true then it is a serious breach of ethics and he should be fired for it.  

It is immaterial to this issue who --

(1) Powers' detractors may be (whether Rick Perry, Johnny Manziel, Bozo the Clown or Fidel Castro); and/or 

(2) Powers' friends may be.

 

[java]

This issue unfortunately has a lot of identity politics involved. There are smokescreens and diversions and campaign-style mudslinging.

However, there is still the underlying factual allegation that Powers used his office to secure the admittance to the law school for some family members of legislators who could not otherwise gain admittance to the law school.

If this allegation is true then it is a serious breach of ethics and he should be fired for it.

It is immaterial to this issue who --

(1) Powers' detractors may be (whether Rick Perry, Johnny Manziel, Bozo the Clown or Fidel Castro); and/or

(2) Powers' friends may be.

Juan,
With all due respect, if you look at the facts, not at the articles, a small percentage of students were admitted, some were not. If Powers was indeed using his influence, they all would have been admitted. Did you read the next to last paragraph? On my iPad, the copy/paste feature is flaky this am, so I will summarize: Cigarroa first launched an internal investigation, then he called it off. Problem? Probably didn't find a blasted thing. Then, he launched an external investigation, and now without getting anywhere, suddenly, he does this. What? Who paid whom off, and when?

I don't want any legal 'mumbo jumbo'. I want a real explanation, and I don't want one from a lawyer well-placed by Guv. I know you are a great guy, but you must admit, some of the best 'lawyer jokes' are told by, well, lawyers. At least, the ones that I've heard.

Talk about influence peddling, want to 'splain how Bush, II and Gore were admitted to their respective alma maters? Wasn't it to the bastions of academic integrity, Yale and Harvard? C'mon, let's get real here. Bush II and Gore are well-documented.

I would like to know how Perry got his degree from A&M? Bribery, payoffs? Inquiring minds want to know.

btw, what is a 'factual allegation'? It sounds like complete bs to me, with all due respect. Look at the percentages.

 

[Juan]

Ex Dallas Cowboy honcho offers his solution

— Twitter API (@twitterapi) November 7, 2011

 

[3xhorndad]

Juan,

With all due respect, if you look at the facts, not at the articles, a small percentage of students were admitted, some were not. If Powers was indeed using his influence, they all would have been admitted. Did you read the next to last paragraph? On my iPad, the copy/paste feature is flaky this am, so I will summarize: Cigarroa first launched an internal investigation, then he called it off. Problem? Probably didn't find a blasted thing. Then, he launched an external investigation, and now without getting anywhere, suddenly, he does this. What? Who paid whom off, and when?

I don't want any legal 'mumbo jumbo'. I want a real explanation, and I don't want one from a lawyer well-placed by Guv. I know you are a great guy, but you must admit, some of the best 'lawyer jokes' are told by, well, lawyers. At least, the ones that I've heard.

Talk about influence peddling, want to 'splain how Bush, II and Gore were admitted to their respective alma maters? Wasn't it to the bastions of academic integrity, Yale and Harvard? C'mon, let's get real here. Bush II and Gore are well-documented.

I would like to know how Perry got his degree from A&M? Bribery, payoffs? Inquiring minds want to know.

btw, what is a 'factual allegation'? It sounds like complete bs to me, with all due respect. Look at the percentages.

Java......

Great call.....I like your thinking...

PS.....going one step further, I'd like to know how Bush II got into pilot training.......He was way down the list, and then voila,,,,somehow he got selected......Hmmmm.. Who would have thunk it....

 

[Juan]

Talk about influence peddling, want to 'splain how Bush, II and Gore were admitted to their respective alma maters? Wasn't it to the bastions of academic integrity, Yale and Harvard? C'mon, let's get real here. Bush II and Gore are well-documented.

Legacy admission is actual policy at those schools.  They do it somewhat openly.  

What is alleged to have happened here is not.  It is a rules violation.  Everyone knows it and the consequences.

I would like to know how Perry got his degree from A&M? Bribery, payoffs? Inquiring minds want to know.

Again, I could care less what aggy does.  We are supposed to be better than them and, in most cases, we are.

Plus, I have always generally hated the "two wrongs make a right" excuse.  

And, in any event, to the point -- none of that has any bearing on whether Powers breached his duties and contract in this matter.

btw, what is a 'factual allegation'?

It is something to be distinguished from opinion, which is what I am trying to get you to focus on here.  In the law, generally it is used as a formal term that is factual and material, and that is provable as true.

 

[armadillo slim]

juan--get off your high horse.  it happens here, it happens at a&m, it happens at harvard, and cal, and michigan, and every other institution in this country.

do you honestly believe perry hasn't used his influence to help friends kids get into a&m?  do you honestly believe every member of the BOR hasn't done the same thing?

you need to stop pontificating and come back down out of the stratosphere.   your holier than thou shtick is wearing thin.

the simple of fact of the matter is that this is an inquisition designed to divert attention from the Hall impeachment and the fact that a meddling, incompetent, D student, cheerleader governor is trying to force his 10 cent view on the premier academic institution in the country.

if this BOR acquiesces to this, they need to be rounded up, tarred and feathered and ridden out of town on a rail.

 

[Topstarr]

juan--get off your high horse.  it happens here, it happens at a&m, it happens at harvard, and cal, and michigan, and every other institution in this country.

do you honestly believe perry hasn't used his influence to help friends kids get into a&m?  do you honestly believe every member of the BOR hasn't done the same thing?

you need to stop pontificating and come back down out of the stratosphere.   your holier than thou shtick is wearing thin.

the simple of fact of the matter is that this is an inquisition designed to divert attention from the Hall impeachment and the fact that a meddling, incompetent, D student, cheerleader governor is trying to force his 10 cent view on the premier academic institution in the country.

if this BOR acquiesces to this, they need to be rounded up, tarred and feathered and ridden out of town on a rail.

Yes, slim you are correct and to the point.   HOOK'EM

 

[Duke C #11]

It is bad for an Aggie governor to plot to sabotage UT academics. It is far worse for UT folks to assist.

 

[Randolph Duke]

This issue unfortunately has a lot of identity politics involved.  There are smokescreens and diversions and campaign-style mudslinging.

However, there is still the underlying factual allegation that Powers used his office to secure the admittance to the law school for some family members of legislators who could not otherwise gain admittance to the law school.

If this allegation is true then it is a serious breach of ethics and he should be fired for it.  

It is immaterial to this issue who --

(1) Powers' detractors may be (whether Rick Perry, Johnny Manziel, Bozo the Clown or Fidel Castro); and/or 

(2) Powers' friends may be.

If the president of a university believes someone should be admitted, that is all the qualifications the person needs. People who would seem to be unqualified or marginally qualified are admitted to universities every year. Hell, affirmative action is entirely based on admitting seemingly unqualified people into every university in the nation. Without knowing more of the particulars, not one of us can say whether anyone admitted should have been admitted or not. If members of the legislature want to make phone calls for constituents or even for their own kids to gain admissions into the university, good for them. Its a perk of the job. A lot of very accomplished individuals got their opportunity in life because someone took a chance on them and gave them an opportunity. The president of the university should have all the leeway in the world with respect to admissions. 

 

[streettopeschel]

It is bad for an Aggie governor to plot to sabotage UT academics. It is far worse for UT folks to assist.

i personally sabotaged UT academics from the years 1977-82.

 

[java]

juan--get off your high horse.  it happens here, it happens at a&m, it happens at harvard, and cal, and michigan, and every other institution in this country.

do you honestly believe perry hasn't used his influence to help friends kids get into a&m?  do you honestly believe every member of the BOR hasn't done the same thing?

you need to stop pontificating and come back down out of the stratosphere.   your holier than thou shtick is wearing thin.

the simple of fact of the matter is that this is an inquisition designed to divert attention from the Hall impeachment and the fact that a meddling, incompetent, D student, cheerleader governor is trying to force his 10 cent view on the premier academic institution in the country.

if this BOR acquiesces to this, they need to be rounded up, tarred and feathered and ridden out of town on a rail.

I want to know who the swing vote is and what Perry and his cronies have on said board member.  They have something on Cigarroa and the swing vote board member, otherwise this would not be happening.  Ironically, Perry is the dirtiest politician that Texas has seen in many, many years.  It may take time, but because the man has made enemies of some of the most powerful and influential people in the State, Perry will be outed.

Perry's legacy will be one of corruption, strong-arm tactics, and ignorance.  That he holds an undergraduate degree from a university in Texas is a joke.  He is a plastic Ken doll with no soul and no conscience.  I find it humorous than he aspires to national office.  Does he really think he can keep his foot out of mouth that long?  He is an embarrassment.

 

[java]

juan--get off your high horse.  it happens here, it happens at a&m, it happens at harvard, and cal, and michigan, and every other institution in this country.

do you honestly believe perry hasn't used his influence to help friends kids get into a&m?  do you honestly believe every member of the BOR hasn't done the same thing?

you need to stop pontificating and come back down out of the stratosphere.   your holier than thou shtick is wearing thin.

the simple of fact of the matter is that this is an inquisition designed to divert attention from the Hall impeachment and the fact that a meddling, incompetent, D student, cheerleader governor is trying to force his 10 cent view on the premier academic institution in the country.

if this BOR acquiesces to this, they need to be rounded up, tarred and feathered and ridden out of town on a rail.

You go, slim.

The swing vote needs to find his cajones, and let the Perry cronies do their worst.  Perry will be out of office soon, and he will be vulnerable.  He has made some powerful enemies, enemies that cannot wait to see him with egg all over his face.  

 

[bcherry168]

juan--get off your high horse.  it happens here, it happens at a&m, it happens at harvard, and cal, and michigan, and every other institution in this country.

do you honestly believe perry hasn't used his influence to help friends kids get into a&m?  do you honestly believe every member of the BOR hasn't done the same thing?

you need to stop pontificating and come back down out of the stratosphere.   your holier than thou shtick is wearing thin.

the simple of fact of the matter is that this is an inquisition designed to divert attention from the Hall impeachment and the fact that a meddling, incompetent, D student, cheerleader governor is trying to force his 10 cent view on the premier academic institution in the country.

if this BOR acquiesces to this, they need to be rounded up, tarred and feathered and ridden out of town on a rail.

Agree completely with Slim on this. People have been getting preferred admission since forever. Not to many, too often, but everyone in a position of influence gets asked to do it, and frequently.

I can remember when I was in law school a certain Speaker of the House got in.....twice. Flunked out both times. That was over 50 years ago, and nobody was going to fire Page Keeton.

This is all about forcing Powers to go along with all of Perry's "reforms" some of which would do great harm to the University's academic standing.

This isn't about admissions, its about a political power play.

 

[java]

Legacy admission is actual policy at those schools.  They do it somewhat openly.  

What is alleged to have happened here is not.  It is a rules violation.  Everyone knows it and the consequences.

Again, I could care less what aggy does.  We are supposed to be better than them and, in most cases, we are.

Plus, I have always generally hated the "two wrongs make a right" excuse.  

And, in any event, to the point -- none of that has any bearing on whether Powers breached his duties and contract in this matter.

It is something to be distinguished from opinion, which is what I am trying to get you to focus on here.  In the law, generally it is used as a formal term that is factual and material, and that is provable as true.

Juan, why approach this as one does in a court of law?  Perry's minions gave Powers the ultimatum on Wednesday or Thursday prior to the 4th of July holiday.  It hit the press on the 4th.  He was to resign by end of day on the 4th, a national holiday.

They certainly aren't using a court of law.  They are using the court of public opinion and scare tactics.  Screw them!  This isn't about the law, or admissions, or ethics.  This is a power play and dirty politics.  

 

[jfrankdobie]

The top students in the state by rank are guaranteed admission up to 75% of the freshmen class admissions which is about the top 7%. The other 25%  are admitted based on many arbitrary criteria and I doubt that you will ever find a published list of those requirements. They can use recommendations provided by the students if they wish along with honors, leadership qualities, etc. so having the president or other well known persons putting in a word for the students is not a violation of any rules as far as I know. Law school--I am not familiar with their rules but no doubt they rely on recommendations as well as GPA and other qualifiers. So I am not sure what all the hullabaloo is about the president or anyone else giving a recommendation that is accepted by Admissions as long as the top 7% get in since that is the  law.. I am not sure how much leeway the president  has in stepping in and saying that a certain student should be admitted even if Admissions hasn't. This is apparently the sticking point.

 

[monarch]

cigarroa's statement​

http://blog.chron.com/texaspolitics/2014/07/ut-chancellor-cigarroa-breaks-silence-calls-relationship-with-powers-fractured/​

 

[DougNTexas]

Perry has worked for the State his entire life and coming from a poor family he has done well on the Government tit. He is worth millions and millions.

 

[Topstarr]

I have nothing to say and I will not.......I have a loss of words to write.