By Union County LocalSource
By Cheryl Hehl, Staff Writer
Late in 2007 a broad probe of New Jersey colleges and universities showed the entire system was vulnerable to abuse. Serious shortcomings in accountability, transparency and outright violations of public trust were found, not to mention political influence.
When the State of New Jersey Commission of Investigation launched this probe, the storm centered on the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Rutgers University and two others.
But while those who worked on this investigation fully expected their findings would elicit the changes needed, that has not happened. It does, though, explain why universities, like Kean, are able to do whatever they choose, with little chance of state reprisal.
The State of New Jersey Commission of Investigation said after UMDNJ was cleaned up, it would be “a dangerously premature conclusion” to think the worst is over for our state universities and colleges.
Kean University has been in the middle of a firestorm raised by the Kean Federation of Teachers union. They have produced documentation that they believe proves that Kean University President Dawood Farahi falsified his academic credentials. There is also strong evidence of the president’s connection to powerful State Sen. Ray Lesniak who represents portions of Union County. But while this placed Farahi’s credibility and ability to lead in question, the state has little or no say over the issue.
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