Michael Garrison | |
|---|---|
| 22ndPresident of the West Virginia University | |
| In office 2007–2008 | |
| Preceded by | David C. Hardesty,Jr. |
| Succeeded by | C. Peter Magrath (Interim) |
| Personal details | |
| Alma mater | West Virginia University West Virginia University College of Law |
Michael Garrison is an American lawyer and university president,who served as the 22nd president of West Virginia University before he resigned amid a scandal.
Garrison is a graduate of the West Virginia University class of 1992 and earned a J.D. at West Virginia University College of Law in 1996. He attended St Anne's College at Oxford University on a Rotary Scholarship from 1992 to 1993. [1] [2]
Garrison had been a managing member of Spilman Thomas &Battle PLLC in Morgantown,West Virginia. He served as Cabinet Secretary in the West Virginia Department of Tax and Revenue until 2001. [3] From 2001 to 2003 he was the chief of staff to West Virginia Governor Bob Wise. [4] Following that appointment,Garrison was awarded a Toll Fellowship from the Council of State Governments. [5] In 2009,Garrison returned to his former law firm,Spilman Thomas &Battle, [6] Garrison represented natural gas company Northeast Energy in its $42 million suit against the City of Morgantown,West Virginia. [7] Northeast sought an injunction against the city,to prevent enforcement of its ban on horizontal hydraulic fracking. Morgantown passed its ban after Northeast sited a drill pad near the city's primary drinking-water intake. The ban and the issue received increased press coverage locally [8] and nationally [9] before the ban was struck down. [10]
He lectured as an adjunct professor in West Virginia University's department of political science in the years preceding his appointment as president. [11] In 2007,Garrison was selected as West Virginia University's twenty-second president. [12]
Garrison's selection as president was controversial with some on the university's faculty;the faculty senate passed a vote of no confidence on him in April 2007. [13] The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette noted concerns about his lack of academic experience and the possibility that his inclusion among the finalists was the result of his political connections. [14] [15]
In 2008 Garrison became involved in a controversy involving the granting of a Master of Business Administration degree to Heather Bresch,who had failed to complete the required credits. Bresch is the daughter of then West Virginia Governor and former U.S. Senator Joe Manchin.
A panel led by WVU faculty members produced a report on the incident described by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette as criticising the university administration for having made "a 'seriously flawed' decision fraught with favoritism." [16] In May 2008 the faculty senate voted 77–19 to call for Garrison's resignation [17] - a demand repeated by a vote (565-39,with 11 abstentions) open to all WVU faculty at a mass meeting a week later. [18] In August 2012,West Virginia University officially closed its investigation,reaching no conclusion but foreseeing "unreasonable delays in investigating complaints of misconduct" raised questions about violations of due process rights. [19]
On June 6,2008,Garrison officially announced he would resign as President of the University effective September 1,2008. [20] He was succeeded by C. Peter Magrath on August 1,2008. [21]
In October 2008 a West Virginia grand jury decided not to indict Garrison on criminal charges relating to the degree scandal. [22]
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)