Graham Announces Withdrawal from Vice President Candidacy
In a campus-wide email on Thursday, Nov. 14, FSU President Ronald H. Nowaczyk addressed an investigation conducted by TBL regarding allegations against Interim Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Jeff Graham. President Nowaczyk used the occasion to share a message from Graham and to announce Graham’s withdrawal from consideration for the permanent position as Vice President of Student Affairs. Graham was one of two finalists for the position.
Graham wrote, “I am not the person I was 20 years ago. I have made mistakes in my life, but I believe I am healthier and wiser now, and the university community helped me to reach this place.” Near the end of the two paragraph message, Graham wrote, “I love our community, and I want to do what is best for the community. That is why I am asking to have my name withdrawn from the candidacy for Vice President of Student Affairs.”
President Nowaczyk accepted Graham’s request and wrote that the search committee, chaired by Mr. Leon Wyden, Jr., Vice President of Administration and Finance, would present another candidate to the campus community.
In a separate email to TBL, Graham wrote, “There are many ways for me to serve the University community and I look forward to continue to work with campus leaders and advocates.” It is unclear what position Graham will continue to hold on FSU’s campus.
The article referenced by President Nowaczyk, published by TBL on Nov. 13, detailed Graham’s employment as the Assistant Superintendent of the Maryland Department of Juvenile Justice. As a result of allegations regarding the violent culture at three camps Graham was responsible for, he and four other top officials were ousted and an FBI civil rights investigation was launched in December 1999. Ultimately, the State of Maryland agreed to pay 890 former delinquents over $4 million in cash as compensation for the abuse they endured.
The article further described Graham’s employment with The Mental Health Center in Oakland, Maryland where he was investigated by the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners for allegations of fraudulent billing. This investigation resulted in Graham surrendering his social work license in 2005.
This is an ongoing and developing story.
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10 Comments
The only “investigation” TBL conducted was a Google search of Dr. Graham’s name. In awe at the audacity to continue reporting on this topic. As was said before, we are choosy about who we allow to move on from their pasts and who we do not.
I hope the writer and “investigator” of this article and the first realizes the damage they have done to a respectable man. This is not good journalism, just “news” to stir the pot.
Regardless of where the truthful reporting came from, facts are facts!!! What you see is not always what you get……Hitler also stood and watched as people were beaten….just sayin’…..
We’re missing out on a great Vice President who has done so much for the students at this University because of your article. I’m ashamed our school newspaper has published an article with the intention of stirring up controversy and tarnishing a good man’s reputation.
Right, with that said, maybe your mother, Director of Veteran Affairs, might just get a nice raise considering Jeff Graham is her supervisor, Chet!!!!
I am proud of our school newspaper.
Journalism is about transparency. And The Bottom Line’s reporting brought much-needed transparency to our selection process. The campus community must make an **informed** decision about important administrative hirings, and The Bottom Line’s reporting gave us the opportunity to be better-informed.
Make no mistake: All of this information in the public record should be on the table when making a hiring decision of this magnitude. If after considering those compelling facts, FSU wants a Vice President with that record, then so be it, but blaming this newspaper and its reporters is simply misguided and, frankly, fascistic.
To blame The Bottom Line is to blame transparency and information itself. We should all be deeply thankful and grateful to the Bottom Line and its reporters. Their job is difficult, and they have done it well.
Cool copy and paste from the last article.
So when can we expect a slam article about the other candidates since we are so dedicated to finding out the truth about everyone’s pasts?
This is rediculous smearing a great mans name you all you be ashame of your self. This is nothing but crooked politics. I geuss that what’s being offered
I think what some folks have to realize that these are state employees paid and managing taxpayer dollars and are entrusted in caring and supervising in one case, children with behavioral and criminal problems, and in another case, young adults who while strive to be the best, may find themselves subject to university discipline. The university must select a candidate who has a history of responsibility, care, fairness and sensitivity to both the taxpayers and the well being of the students under their care. As a former colleague, I can say I felt intimidated with the way he would communicate at times either through email or personal interactions. Other times, he was soft-spoken but I could never fully trust him. FSU can do better.
The fact that all it *took* was a Google search to find out this damning information is an indication that FSU did not perform due diligence and act ethically when they hired him back in 2007. Or Dr. Graham purposefully concealed this information and no one thought to conduct a background check on a person working with students. Either way, it doesn’t speak well for the culture at this institution. I can understand that people who know and like him might be upset that this happened, but do you really think it’s *okay* that this information was not provided to all the people on the search committee? Was it really acceptable to keep this information private on campus, when it was demonstrably publicly known via prominent newspapers? We need to start using professional standards at FSU, not just moving someone up the salary ladder in Admin because he’s a “good guy.”