<html>
<head>
<META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 11 (filtered)">
<style>
<!--
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.EmailStyle17
{font-family:Arial;
color:windowtext;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
</head>
<body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple>
<div class=Section1>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Please post the following letter on Vision 2020. Thanks</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>------------------------------</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>June 16, 2005</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><u><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>UI’s Budget Management</span></font></u></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>An interesting situation recently evolved at Auburn
University (AU). As reported in Vera White’s excellent columns in
the April 8 and May 27 <i><span style='font-style:italic'>Daily News</span></i>,
faculty at Auburn had been in limbo for weeks, asking department leaders and
officials about the whereabouts of Michael J Weiss, Dean of Agriculture at Auburn University.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Weiss was named dean at Auburn July 16, 2004. He had
resigned from a professorship at the University of Idaho in 2003 at an annual
salary of $110,001, citing “personal reasons” and “health
concerns,” as reported in UI’s November 12, 2003 news release.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>On March 15, 2005 an Alabama community newspaper, the <i><span
style='font-style:italic'>Opelika-Auburn News</span></i>, reported that Weiss
was “under investigation” and had been put on administrative leave,
according to a statement issued by AU Interim President Ed Richardson.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>UI’s cover story of “personal and health
reasons” was less than completely truthful. I make the following
allegation. Weiss was under fire at UI for the same kind of concerns now
being investigated by AU.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Weiss, during his tenure as UI Dean, gave final approval to
offer a “golden parachute” to Shelly Thorpe, County Extension
Educator, prior to her UI resignation. She received five months of
administrative leave with pay. Remember now that UI then was experiencing
a major budget crisis. The cover story circulated within the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences was that Ms. Thorpe needed five months to regain
her health.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>In a 2004 response to a public records request from Representative Tom Trail, Danielle Hess, UI Senior Associate General Counsel, confirmed the
leave with pay status of Ms. Thorpe. When terminating UI faculty and
staff it is illegal to give severance pay but it is legal to offer a
“golden parachute.” </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Dr. Don Harter</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>1129 E 7<sup>th</sup> St</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Moscow</span></font><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>, ID 83843-3721</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>e-mail: <a href="mailto:dharter@moscow.com"
title="mailto:dharter@moscow.com">dharter@moscow.com</a> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'> </span></font></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>