Since it looks like the fat chick is about to sing and employees are ready to spill everything to the press, maybe someone should take a look at a major factor in this trainwreck: your vote. Even if you habitually don't bother to exercise your right to freedom from taxation without representation, listen up.
All this squabble about Hawn, Stovall, Jack, RIFs, DOAs, RVPs, who did who, where and how, blah blah blah - and not a peep about the votes that made it OK for employees and students to be the real biggest losers. Tomorrow, you lose.
The Miami Herald's bit on dirt from former employees is a few hours old and suddenly no longer available online. How does that happen? And how did the land of the newly wed and nearly dead become a sanctuary for private post secondary education of the "for profit" variety? How did the sunshine state get so friendly with "the business" that it accepted ECMC's Non Profit disguise? We are back to your votes again.
The industry's Florida lobbyshop gives a “friend of FAPSC” award to politicians who support its agenda (preserving access to federal student loans with no strings attached). Those who received one in 2009 included Rep. Will Weatherford, who served as HOUSE SPEAKER from 2012 to 2014, and then-Sen. Mike Haridopolos, who became SENATE PRESIDENT in 2011-12. Lets just say the industry is well connected. That Friend Award is a pretty good sign that the recipient will shortly be very powerful. Boom! Friends with benefits, Tallahassee style.
By 2013, FAPSC was boasting to its members that the Legislature’s “transparency and accountability” push in higher education was limited to public institutions. Private, for profit colleges in Florida were sure that their cheating was immune to demands for accountability, even though student tuition is largely funded by, um....taxpayers, who um....mostly just don't bother to vote. I am betting that everyone who reads this felt some kind of pain in 2014. Well, stand by. There is more hurt on the way.
Kathy Mizerick is a former executive director of the lobbyshop (FAPSC). She is now staff director for the Education Committee of the Florida House. Mizereck signs off on the staff analysis of bills affecting the same schools that she lobbied for 2 1/2 years ago. Of course Kathy will not talk to the press about the nest she feathered, but she is not an elected official so she uses those who WE elected by voting (or not) to keep the noise down. Here's how:
The day after Kathy refused to comment, an elected official (HOUSE SPEAKER Steve Crisafulli) released a statement saying that “Kathy’s previous employment is not a conflict of interest. It is valuable experience and knowledge that helps her assist the House in crafting good public policy regarding higher education.” SURPRISE! That public policy made it so easy to cheat that it cost your jobs and as a bonus you will fund a bailout. Steve and Jack were prepared from the beginning and are probably laughing their asses off.
There is plenty more. And it is a bipartisan cluster at state and federal levels, so everyone can refrain from name calling. No matter where you are, this is really simple. I am responsible and SO ARE YOU.