AJC expose on Paula Wallace and SCAD (Atlanta, Savannah: how much, lawyers)

[Newsboy]

In case you missed it, the Atlanta paper published a HUGE investigative story on Sunday delving into the questionable finances and management style of Paula Wallace and SCAD. The "exclusive" report, occupying most of the front page and three full pages inside, was prompted by the news earlier this year that Wallace is the highest paid college president in the U.S.

HOW THEY GOT THE STORY:

'The Atlanta Journal-Constitution set out to document how Wallace built SCAD into one of the state’s best-known institutions of higher education — and how she has benefited along the way.

The AJC interviewed several dozen current and former faculty members, employees and students, as well as Savannah residents, experts on nonprofit organizations, lawyers and artists. Many, especially those directly connected to SCAD, would not speak on the record because they had signed non-disclosure agreements and feared the school would sue them.

The newspaper examined tax returns that SCAD, a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization, filed during the past 20 years, as well as court cases and real-estate records in Chatham County, and a reporter attended SCAD’s Savannah Film Festival and visited SCAD’s campus in France.

Wallace declined to be interviewed and the school would not answer written questions."

It's a fascinating read!

Selling a dream at SCAD

[ajc100890]

As a native Savannahian, I have mixed feelings on SCAD. I think their internal policies are questionable and I’ve heard they treat their employees poorly on more than one occasion. I don’t really think they should be non-profit, tax exempt. The IRS has obviously not seen an issue with their tax status or at the very least publically challenged it in the last 40 years.

That being said, I don’t know understand the journalistic benefit to calling out the woman for how much she makes. She built a company (in this case a college). She built it from 70 students to 14,000 students. The article even mentions how much input she retains for a school that large.

We all have the free will to research the qualifications and practices of higher education facilities. It’s on the student to decide if they want to purchase this product (in this case an education).

Personally, I wouldn’t pay $50k / year for an education. I did my research and started my architecture degree at Tech for the bargain basement price of $5k a year for tuition. I did make the decision to not go to sCAD for this exact reason... the qualifications weren’t worth the money.

I think the “they poach students with celebrities” argument is ludicrous. Again people have to make decisions, and whether someone actually goes to SCAD because Liam Nelson visited seems ridiculous.

SCAD has brought this City back to life and that is an invaluable service, that would never have been replicated. We’d still be the trashy cousin of Charleston “with a dirty face” if it weren’t for SCAD.

[masonbauknight]

Originally Posted by ajc100890

. We’d still be the trashy cousin of Charleston “with a dirty face” if it weren’t for SCAD.

Um, well -- I think Savannah would've "arrived" without SCAD. Yes, SCAD did help to stabilize downtown. But even circa 1977, downtown Savannah was already ahead of where other second-tier GA downtowns are in 2017. (The only possible exception: Athens.) Savannah would still be light-years ahead without SCAD, just fewer light-years.

"Trashy cousin of Charleston" -- I'd hope it still is in some ways. And was Savannah really "trashy," or is it that Charleston was (still is) a snooty southern sorority girl out shopping?

[bellhead]

Originally Posted by ajc100890

As a native Savannahian, I have mixed feelings on SCAD. I think their internal policies are questionable and I’ve heard they treat their employees poorly on more than one occasion. I don’t really think they should be non-profit, tax exempt. The IRS has obviously not seen an issue with their tax status or at the very least publically challenged it in the last 40 years.

That being said, I don’t know understand the journalistic benefit to calling out the woman for how much she makes. She built a company (in this case a college). She built it from 70 students to 14,000 students. The article even mentions how much input she retains for a school that large.

We all have the free will to research the qualifications and practices of higher education facilities. It’s on the student to decide if they want to purchase this product (in this case an education).

Personally, I wouldn’t pay $50k / year for an education. I did my research and started my architecture degree at Tech for the bargain basement price of $5k a year for tuition. I did make the decision to not go to sCAD for this exact reason... the qualifications weren’t worth the money.

I think the “they poach students with celebrities” argument is ludicrous. Again people have to make decisions, and whether someone actually goes to SCAD because Liam Nelson visited seems ridiculous.

SCAD has brought this City back to life and that is an invaluable service, that would never have been replicated. We’d still be the trashy cousin of Charleston “with a dirty face” if it weren’t for SCAD.

Investigative journalism is at it's heart designed to change public policy in the US by exposing secrets which government, power people, or entities do not want in the public realm. This article is intended for us as citizens to question whether a person running or owning in her case a non-profit entity such as scad should be allowed to run it for a profit and benefit from it. This is why I have a bone to pick with a couple of your comments above. The benefit of calling out her salary is, Paula Wallace is running a non-profit organization which is tax free, but is being operated at a profit. She is the highest paid non-profit employee in the United States & is being paid millions more than her colleagues running much bigger and more prestigious institutions of higher learning.

I would have no issues with her if SCAD was paying taxes on their profits non at all, but as it is a non-profit and is tax free I do have an issue with it.

[gentlearts]

I think there tends to be a lot of jealousy when someone builds a business and makes a lot of money. It’s sour grapes. Why shouldn’t someone, who built the school from the ground up, be able to profit from it? If students weren’t willing to pay, she wouldn’t have been successful.

I sent the article to my DIL who got her undergrad and masters in architecture at SCAD. She feels as though she got a good education there, but she thought it was way too expensive, compared to other schools. She still admires Paula Wallace for her accomplishments.

[bellhead]

Originally Posted by gentlearts

I think there tends to be a lot of jealousy when someone builds a business and makes a lot of money. It’s sour grapes. Why shouldn’t someone, who built the school from the ground up, be able to profit from it? If students weren’t willing to pay, she wouldn’t have been successful.

I sent the article to my DIL who got her undergrad and masters in architecture at SCAD. She feels as though she got a good education there, but she thought it was way too expensive, compared to other schools. She still admires Paula Wallace for her accomplishments.

I have no issues with someone making a profit from running a business, which pays taxes. My issue is she is running a non-profit but is being paid like a fortune 500 CEO and not paying taxes.

[gentlearts]

Originally Posted by bellhead

I have no issues with someone making a profit from running a business, which pays taxes. My issue is she is running a non-profit but is being paid like a fortune 500 CEO and not paying taxes.

I can’t argue with that, but if what she is doing is legal, then the laws should be changed. If she’s within the law, then there’s not much that anyone can do about it.

[bellhead]

Originally Posted by gentlearts

I can’t argue with that, but if what she is doing is legal, then the laws should be changed. If she’s within the law, then there’s not much that anyone can do about it.

Which is why I like the AJC piece of investigative journalism. Investigative journalism is at it's heart designed to change public policy in the US the article was intended for us as citizens to question whether a person running or owning in her case a non-profit entity such as scad should be allowed to run it for a profit and benefit from it.

[vanyali]

Originally Posted by gentlearts

I can’t argue with that, but if what she is doing is legal, then the laws should be changed. If she’s within the law, then there’s not much that anyone can do about it.

What she is doing isn’t legal, that’s the problem. But the IRS sometimes needs to be alerted to situations like this before they can fix them. That is why newspapers are so valuable. I am so happy that the AJC published this. I nearly spent $$ to put my daughter in a summer program there. But now I want nothing to do with the place. It isn’t reputable.

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by vanyali

What she is doing isn’t legal, that’s the problem. But the IRS sometimes needs to be alerted to situations like this before they can fix them. That is why newspapers are so valuable. I am so happy that the AJC published this. I nearly spent $$ to put my daughter in a summer program there. But now I want nothing to do with the place. It isn’t reputable.

I wouldn't say that, nor would I say that this situation would have impacted the quality of your daughter's experience there in any meaningful way.
As a former academician that taught Art History for 32 years at the college level, and as a former gallery owner and art consultant, I have long been acquainted with SCAD administration and faculty. I would characterize the faculty I know as accomplished, engaged and united in an earnest desire to mentor and promote the future careers of their charges. The list of notable alumni is impressive as well, and I'll include my daughter on that list (Class of 2011, now a successful graphic designer in California).

https://www.ranker.com/list/famous-s...ents/reference

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savann...Notable_alumni

https://www.dallasnews.com/life/life...nd-Design-5285