Blowing It
Evan S. Dobelle says he blew the whistle on Westfield State University’s president, who billed the university for dozens of personal travel expenses as well as official ones. Now Dobelle has come under fire from university and state officials, and sources say he might invoke Massachusetts’s whistleblower law to shield him from repercussions. Dobelle is himself the president of WSU. “I self-reported,” he said, calling his “billing errors” honest mistakes. The university’s board looked into things (which his lawyer called an “illegal investigation”) and suspended Dobelle with pay. Dobelle is now suing the university and the board. (AC/Massachusetts Republican) ...If he files a whistleblower case, he should self-report that claim as unjustified too.Story Update: After the Massachusetts Inspector General’s Office published the results of its investigation of Dobelle’s spending, Dobelle accepted a settlement which required him to pay the Commonwealth $185,000 in legal fees (roughly 10 percent of the state’s legal fees, per the settlement). The settlement agreement also prevents Dobelle from serving in a volunteer role in a Massachusetts public institution of higher learning, but the case was closed with a conclusion of “no wrongdoing” on his part.
Original Publication Date: 27 October 2013
This story is in True’s book collections, in Volume 20.
This story is in True’s book collections, in Volume 20.
Is There a Problem on This Page? Let Me Know using the Help button lower right, and thanks.
I believe humanity is held back by the lack of thinking. I provoke thought with examples of what happens when we don’t think, and when we do. This is True is my primary method: stories like this come out every week by email, and basic subscriptions are free. Click here for a subscribe form.
Previous: Tackle the Smart Boy
Next: Are You?