Editorials

UC Official Resigns Amid Allegations of Favoritism By CATRIONA STUART Special to the Planet

Tuesday November 08, 2005

The second-highest ranking University of California official resigned suddenly Friday amid allegations of favoritism in hiring and possible conflicts of interest. 

Now, the university’s lawyers and auditors are investigating what role Provost M.R.C. “Marci” Greenwood, may have had in hiring her son for an internship at UC Merced. Investigators are also looking into Greenwood’s promotion of friend and veteran biology professor Lynda Goff to an executive position within the UC system, according to a statement released by UC Chancellor Robert Dynes late on Friday.  

Goff was vice provost at UC Santa Cruz when Greenwood tapped her for position at UC headquarters to design the new California Teach program, a UC initiative to increase the number of credentialed K-12 science and mathematics teachers. The two had worked alongside each other during Greenwood’s eight-year tenure as chancellor of UC Santa Cruz.  

The investigation, sparked by inquiries by the San Francisco Chronicle into the women’s financial relationship, revealed that Greenwood and Goff owned rental property together at the time of Goff’s promotion, said Dynes in his statement. 

“It appears that Provost Greenwood may have been involved in Dr. Goff’s hiring to a greater extent than was appropriate given that her business investment with Dr. Goff had not been properly and fully resolved in accordance with conflict of interest requirements,” said Dynes. 

Greenwood did not return calls for comment, and Goff’s office declined to comment further on the resignation. 

“It seems like there’s more than meets the eye here,” said Chris Krohn, the former mayor of Santa Cruz who met with Greenwood every two months while she was a chancellor. “She doesn’t resign over something like this.” 

Krohn said Greenwood was not considered a dishonest person within the tight-knit Santa Cruz community, and the resignation came as a shock, “to put it mildly,” he said.  

Greenwood’s absence at Friday’s installation ceremony for the new Santa Cruz chancellor, Denice Denton, was widely noted, said Krohn. 

A second high ranking administrator, Vice President for Student Affairs Vincent Doby, was placed on paid leave pending an investigation into whether he inappropriately helped Greenwood’s son, James Greenwood, secure an internship last August.  

UC spokesman Brad Hayward described the $45,000-a-year senior intern position as being for mid-career professionals interested in a career in student affairs.  

The close scrutiny of Greenwood’s hiring also comes after a Chronicle request for information filed on Oct. 25, according to published reports. UC did not respond to either of the inquiries until after Greenwood’s resignation was announced Friday, the Chronicle reported. 

Top UC officials moved quickly to minimize the damage, temporarily assigning executive vice provost Wyatt “Rory” Hume to step in for both Greenwood and Doby until a replacement can be found. Hume is a former executive vice chancellor at UCLA and president of the University of South Wales in Australia. 

Though Greenwood’s resignation was effective immediately, Hayward said that the investigation will move forward. A tenured biology professor, Greenwood may return to teaching within the UC system, Hayward said.  

Greenwood had resigned in order to return to her academic work, said Dynes in his statement. Hayward would not comment on whether Greenwood had tendered her resignation voluntarily. 

“The change in leadership shouldn’t be dragged out, especially when there are questions about the impropriety on behalf of the official,” said Patricia Sullivan, director of the Center on Education Policy. 

Public scandals within university administration, said Sullivan, can have a ripple effect on other areas of the school. It can color the community’s view of the institution and may also have an impact on student enrollment. 

The UC Board of Regents drew sharp criticism recently after they suggested using private donations to augment top administrators’ salaries. A study conducted by the board found that UC administrators’ salaries are lower than at comparable private institutions.  

“Any parent that is going to write that huge check wants to make sure that the university can run itself,” Sullivan said. 

Dynes, however, was careful not to cast the specter of controversy over others within the statewide UC system, especially Goff who now heads up the multi-million dollar science and math teacher-training program which she designed. 

Goff was named director of California Teach in late August, after an executive search committee unanimously recommended her for the position, according to an earlier UC statement. 

As director, Goff earns $192,100 a year. 

“This in no way reflects on Dr. Goff, her credentials, or the terms and conditions of her appointment,” Dynes said. “This involves only the appropriateness of Provost Greenwood’s role in her hiring.” 

Dynes stressed that there was “no presumption of wrongdoing” on the part of either Doby or James Greenwood, adding that Greenwood is “reportedly making a valuable contribution.” 

Doby, who had worked at UCLA for 30 years before being promoted to UC headquarters, is well known for his efforts to increase educational opportunities for students of diverse backgrounds. In 1986, he co-founded the Young Black Scholars program, a college prep program for black high school students.