CalU President Armenti fired (Pittsburgh, California: schools, university, live)

[squarian]

An brusque change of the guard at Harvard-on-the-Mon. This story promises to be interesting to follow - Armenti was very much an old-school uni president, moulding the school in his own image and taking a distinctly top-down view of management.

the Board of Governors and Chancellor John C. Cavanaugh had spent the last few months conducting an investigation of "certain accounts at California University and the Convocation Center" and potential personnel issues regarding Mr. Armenti.

CalU president Angelo Armenti fired

[Velvet Jones]

Originally Posted by squarian

An brusque change of the guard at Harvard-on-the-Mon. This story promises to be interesting to follow - Armenti was very much an old-school uni president, moulding the school in his own image and taking a distinctly top-down view of management.




CalU president Angelo Armenti fired

I have mixed feelings about this. He really did turn the Cal U. around. It was going down hill fast in the mid 90s, enrollment was dropping dramatically. That being said, they seemed to go overboard the last few years. The arena just seems so overbuilt for a small school in a fairly rural area. If Cal U. closer to the South Hills it might have made sense, but it it too far out of the way to attract large crowds from Pittsburgh. Plus, they apparently way underestimated the debt situation, which I assume is the reason he got fired. I'm curious if that audit exposed some other dirty laundry.

[UKyank]

I'm guessing that the building of the big a$$ convention center in California, PA (even against the findings a study the school paid for which concluded the area could not support such an endeavor) that just opened last month was the proverbial nail in the coffin for him.

[squarian]

Originally Posted by Velvet Jones

I'm curious if that audit exposed some other dirty laundry.

You're not the only one!

But as far as his legacy (hate that word), Armenti did some good, especially in the early years, when the faculty were generally pretty complacent, standards rather low, and a new broom much needed to clear out the cobwebs. It may be he held on too long and began to think too much in terms of prestige projects rather than sustained good government, I couldn't say. Certainly the faculty never liked him very much - though some would say that's the mark of a good president.

[thinker103]

[FONT=Verdana]This firing is long overdue. Aside from spending issues, those close to the university, the academics, students and management of the university know that there have been problems with Armenti for years. Beautify the campus is a nice thing but the academics have been suffering for years as a result of Armenti's dictatorial and vindictive leadership used styles. The ironic thing is that he preached Covey and lead exactly opposite of the Covey philosophy. His employees lived in a culture of fear. He fired good people with outstanding skills and humane community minded traits. He refused to hire highly qualified people who had the academic credentials, impeccable job experiences and who had a history of going above and beyond to help young people be successful. He alienated the locals and the community making every effort to build his kingdom. His over the top dining and special functions spending was also out of control as he had his own gourmet chef and entertained his cronies with expensive meals.[/FONT]

[thinker103]

Does anyone know that date by which Armenti has to vacate the campus residence?

[UKyank]

Originally Posted by thinker103

Does anyone know that date by which Armenti has to vacate the campus residence?

Planning to strip out the copper piping & wiring out if it ? (just kidding)

[Copanut]

Just another ivory tower intellectual that used govt money to build a monument to himself. How this state schools get carte blanche with a checkbook is beyond me.

[squarian]

Angie apparently has decided he won't go gently into that good night.

Of course, $227K p.a. plus expenses, a car, and rather palatial lodgings with domestic staff provided, would be worth making a ruckus.

Rep. Pete Daley's quote is revealing and possibly not intentionally funny:

Whenever you have a high, prominent, hands-on man like Angelo Armenti, you always have brushfires everywhere,” Daley said. “If you don’t have people’s feathers ruffled, you’re not doing something right, because you can’t be a yes man to everyone.”