Editorial | Nealley's firing highlights administration's strengths, opportunity for growth
Issue date: 11/15/07 Section: Op-Ed
Dean of Student Affairs Bruce Reitman released a statement yesterday reporting that the employment of Director of Student Activities Jodie Nealley had been terminated for misappropriation of funds.
According to the statement, Nealley embezzled an estimated $300,000 from revenue-generating accounts and activities under her control. Her actions are a betrayal of trust and demonstrate a profound lack of ethics and professional responsibility.
The Office of Students Activities' mission statement claims that it seeks to "create an environment where the partnership between students and professional staff encourages student involvement, responsibility, empowerment and accountability." Nealley's actions represent an appalling failure to uphold that goal.
But all is not lost. While this incident exposed the vulnerability of our university's financial system, it also highlighted our administration's ability to proactively respond.
First, Nealley's office was audited ahead of schedule because someone called in a tip to the EthicsPoint hotline set up by the university's Audit and Management Advisory Services Office (AMAS). This hotline, which is monitored by an independent agency, is designed to allow all members of the Tufts community to report incidents of ethical impropriety.
Second, according to Reitman's statement, his office is making sure that if Nealley took money from student organizations, they will get reimbursed. The university will use its own funds to do this, demonstrating a noble desire to ensure that Nealley's misconduct does not disrupt student life.
Most importantly, the university's disclosure of the abuse shows they will not compound an already damaging incident by covering it up. A failure to talk about the details of Nealley's dismissal could have irreparably damaged the trust between the student body and the administration - particularly because Nealley's office is so closely involved with students.
Students need to be sure that the administration has their best interests in mind. Reitman's statement shows that, though one administration official put her own self-interest ahead of the responsibilities of her office, the administration as a whole is committed to keeping the student body informed and protected from her actions.
According to the statement, Nealley embezzled an estimated $300,000 from revenue-generating accounts and activities under her control. Her actions are a betrayal of trust and demonstrate a profound lack of ethics and professional responsibility.
The Office of Students Activities' mission statement claims that it seeks to "create an environment where the partnership between students and professional staff encourages student involvement, responsibility, empowerment and accountability." Nealley's actions represent an appalling failure to uphold that goal.
But all is not lost. While this incident exposed the vulnerability of our university's financial system, it also highlighted our administration's ability to proactively respond.
First, Nealley's office was audited ahead of schedule because someone called in a tip to the EthicsPoint hotline set up by the university's Audit and Management Advisory Services Office (AMAS). This hotline, which is monitored by an independent agency, is designed to allow all members of the Tufts community to report incidents of ethical impropriety.
Second, according to Reitman's statement, his office is making sure that if Nealley took money from student organizations, they will get reimbursed. The university will use its own funds to do this, demonstrating a noble desire to ensure that Nealley's misconduct does not disrupt student life.
Most importantly, the university's disclosure of the abuse shows they will not compound an already damaging incident by covering it up. A failure to talk about the details of Nealley's dismissal could have irreparably damaged the trust between the student body and the administration - particularly because Nealley's office is so closely involved with students.
Students need to be sure that the administration has their best interests in mind. Reitman's statement shows that, though one administration official put her own self-interest ahead of the responsibilities of her office, the administration as a whole is committed to keeping the student body informed and protected from her actions.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Will
posted 11/15/07 @ 3:08 PM EST
This is one of the most ridiculous editorials I've ever seen. $300,000 of our money was embezzled by the director of the OSA, and somehow this highlights strength and opportunity for growth?
I beg to differ. (Continued…)
David Marosi
posted 11/22/07 @ 2:33 PM EST
Will: You missed tghe point, the administration took the bold and appropriate step of implementing a reporting system. Something many administrations are affraid to do for fear they will hear about bad things and have to act on them. (Continued…)
Louis Shukat
posted 11/28/07 @ 11:59 AM EST
Have to agree with Will that the Administration shouldn't pat itself on the back for such a blatant failure. A University should have appropriate controls in place, as David Marosi notes, but if $10,000. (Continued…)
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