[Vision2020] Facts

Fri Aug 26 15:42:00 PDT 2011

The new information provided by the MPD and the UI is very welcome.  It helps to explain at least part of the events that led up to this tragedy.

I hope the information provided by the MPD is accurate.  I hope under the time pressure to bring out this information that no errors were made, and nothing of significance got left out.  Obviously, there was not time or room to put everything that many want to know in the report;  some of the items raise some serious questions.

I appreciate the leadership shown by UI President Nellis in reversing his initial stand and addressing the information and the prevention issues.

I hope that two lessons are learned from this matter:

1.    That public institutions respond quickly, completely, and accurately with information whenever an important event raises legitimate and substantial questions.

2.    Most importantly, that we find ways to drastically lower the probability that events like the one at issue will occur in the future.

If nothing else, Watergate taught almost all except for a few slow learners, that stonewalling and lying are generally very counterproductive;  stonewalling is also anti-democratic, implying that the public does not have a right to know about and to judge its officials, and the public is not smart enough to understand.

Domestic violence is always disheartening, if not horrifying.  I wonder if the MPD might reconsider how they handle such incidents, especially when a weapon is involved.  In some jurisdictions, when such incidents are reported, an arrest is always made even when the victim does not wish to prosecute.  The arrest establishes a public court record and provides part of a baseline that the criminal justice system can refer to in the event of further offenses.

w.

From: Darrell Keim 
Sent: Friday, August 26, 2011 2:06 PM
To: Ron Force 
Cc: vision2020 at moscow.com 
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Facts

Sounds like that is exactly what UI is trying to do.

On Fri, Aug 26, 2011 at 2:03 PM, Ron Force <rforce2003 at yahoo.com> wrote:

   I believe that the public need to know overwhelms the rule.

  OK, get a court to rule that way and relieve the burden of confidentiality.

  Ron Force
  Moscow Idaho USA

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  From: Rosemary Huskey <donaldrose at cpcinternet.com>
  To: 'Ron Force' <rforce2003 at yahoo.com>; vision2020 at moscow.com
  Sent: Friday, August 26, 2011 9:15 AM
  Subject: RE: [Vision2020] Facts

  Hi Ron,

  I am aware of the code and the reasons behind it.  But, in this case because the perpetrator is dead, and because of the profoundly serious nature of the Bustamante’s  crimes, and because it appears that Bustamante’s long history of inappropriate behavior were ignored/overlooked/excused,  I believe that the public need to know overwhelms the rule.   Does Bustamante’s privacy need protecting?  Hardly.  Did UI administrators have a responsibility they failed to meet? We don’t know, but it certainly  appears that the law is being used as a shield to protect the University not to protect Dr. Bustamante.  The fear of institutional liability appears to be driving the UI not Idaho Code.  Further, it is abysmal that Dr. Pitman appears to be throwing HR under the bus.  Is it likely, as he hints, that he knew nothing about the termination of a faculty member, or the behavior that launched the investigation?  If so, what in the world is he doing to earn his very large salary?  God knows, he needs to shut his trap and scuttle into the sunset of retirement.   It is my profound hope that under the leadership of President Nellis, a demonstration of institutional ownership and responsibility will take place.  Letting the light of  truth shine into the grubby corners will demonstrate institutional integrity and genuine sorrow over this tragedy.

  Rose Huskey

  From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com] On Behalf Of Ron Force
  Sent: Friday, August 26, 2011 7:54 AM
  To: vision2020 at moscow.com
  Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Facts

  Why aren't they (the UI) talking?

  Idaho Code § 9-340C

  (1) Except as provided in this subsection, all personnel records of a current or former public official other than the public official's public service or employment history, classification, pay grade and step, longevity, gross salary and salary history, status, workplace and employing agency. All other personnel information relating to a public employee or applicant including, but not limited to, information regarding sex, race, marital status, birth date, home address and telephone number, applications, testing and scoring materials, grievances, correspondence and performance evaluations, shall not be disclosed to the public without the employee's or applicant's written consent.

  Ron Force
  Moscow Idaho USA

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  From: Rosemary Huskey <donaldrose at cpcinternet.com>
  To: 'Paul Rumelhart' <godshatter at yahoo.com>; vision2020 at moscow.com
  Sent: Thursday, August 25, 2011 10:11 PM
  Subject: [Vision2020] Facts
  There are facts available via media and personal accounts about Ernesto Bustamante that are indisputable: he was a four year employee of the University;  he held a position of power over students; and he killed one of them.  These are the ingredients of a tragedy: a violent perpetrator, an innocent victim, and a gaggle of feckless enablers.  

  I don’t really care what (if any) disease factor or personality disorder led to Dr. Bustamante’s crime.  There is no excuse, no justification that absolves him of clearly calculated, cold-blooded murder, and let’s not pretend there is.  Concurrently, his aberrant behavior was noticed and reported by students, his serial disregard of a non-fraternization policy between faculty and students, while not forbidden, should certainly have called his judgment into question. Surely over the  past four years his general demeanor was observed by professionally trained colleagues who, one can reasonably assume, are able to recognize deviant behavior occuring in front of their PhD eyes.  Why in the name of heaven was Bustamante retained on faculty for several years prior to Miss Benoit’s complaint?  Something is broken in this picture – not the least of which are the hearts of Miss Benoit’s parents, family, and friends. 

  Despite the terrible pain and loss the Benoit’s are experiencing, University of Idaho administrators have fled to the unholy sanctuary of privacy rights for a dead murderer, and by the way, conveniently sheltering themselves and the institution from any culpability.  I don’t believe I am alone, in pointing out that their graceless behavior shelters them from providing explanations on how this event came to be, and what they did or didn’t do that contributed to it.  At the very least we know that grievous  mistakes were made and sorrowfully, they can not be repaired.

  What a pity, and in my opinion a crime, that in a university of all places, a free and open appeal to truthfulness is trumped by laws which were never intended to obscure it.  Integrity has fled the scene, in favor of self- protection and a deeply flawed sense of loyalty to an institution which appears to be rotting from the inside.

  Rose Huskey

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