Questioner: Anonymous
Posed to: Pamela Chally, Interim Provost and VP of Academic Affairs
Is it true that Dean Rainbolt “found” 1.7 million dollars that had gone unaccounted for in his college?
Where were these funds found and how is it possible they were not known of all along?
Could these funds have been put to use in hiring faculty and adjuncts rather than having departments going directly to Academic Affairs to ask for funds to put on courses?
Could the use of these funds for instructional purposes have facilitated an increase in graduation rates and perhaps retention as well?
Is it true that Dean Rainbolt discussed with the COAS chairs the possibility of using these funds for faculty and staff raises?
Would such plans not involve circumventing the contract, the union, and human resources?
Would such plans not exacerbate pay inequities across the university as a whole?
What is the responsibility of Academic Affairs for oversight over the budgetary workings of COAS?
Will Provost Chally continue to allow Dean Rainbolt to hold classes teaching members of his college about budgets?
Does Provost Chally accept these developments as evidence of budgetary incompetence and will this evidence be used in her decision concerning the strong vote of no-confidence in Dean Rainbolt?
Response in writing by Provost Chally:
The dollars are being reviewed. Most were known about and regularly used to pay for summer school. Dr. Rainbolt is aware that faculty raises are not possible without Union negotiation and there was no intent, whatsoever, to circumvent UFF. All College budgets are overseen through Dan Moon and Anne Hoover, including the COAS budget. The budget classes Dean Rainbolt is teaching do not specifically discuss how to “find” money or what to do once “found.”
