Public comment on 6-month crime reporting lapse expected at U-M Regents meeting
The University of Michigan is expecting public comments at a Board of Regents meeting today regarding the six-month delay in reporting child pornography found in an employee area of University Hospital.
University of Michigan president at a Board of Regents meeting
Fitzgerald did say that members of the public have signed up to discuss the topic during the public comments forum, which takes place at the end of the meeting.
Today's meeting at 3:15 p.m. in the Regents Room of the Fleming Administration Building is the first official meeting of the Board of Regents since AnnArbor.com first reported the six-month lapse in January.
The regents, however, have known about the lapse since at least December.
Regent Katherine White has called the six-month lapse "extraordinarily disappointing" and said the university is "working to correct the communication lines" between the school's police department and security operations.
Pediatric and internal medicine resident Stephen Jenson, 36, was charged with four counts of possessing child pornography in December, seven months after the porn was discovered. During those months, Jenson continued to work with children.
In its internal report, U-M said the reporting lapse was due in part to a poor decision by a lead attorney at the university's General Counsel's Office and unclear communication lines between hospital security and school police.
Regents are also expected to discuss roughly $155 million in dormitory construction and a proposal to eliminate age limits for the president and other executive officers.
Kellie Woodhouse covers higher education for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at kelliewoodhouse@annarbor.com or 734-623-4602 and follow her on twitter.
Comments
The Black Stallion3
Thu, Feb 16, 2012 : 9:25 p.m.
Let's get to the bottom of this, find out who was wrong and get them off the payroll of the U of M. This should prove to be very interesting if done fairly.
pu2um
Thu, Feb 16, 2012 : 4:26 p.m.
Can Suellyn Scarnecchia for coming up with this faulty device to keep Coleman any longer. Her legal judgment on the university's trespass warning policy didn't hold up to scrutiny. She didn't know that the practice was a violation of civil rights, but she thinks this is discrimination. Really?? Eliminating age limits at this time is an obscene move. The initiative is a defiant slap to many in the community who have serious concerns regarding Coleman's brand of leadership. She has brought in a lot of bucks and built quite a dynasty, but ten years is more than enough. It may be difficult to conduct a search in the midst of a scandal but delaying could prove more costly. The Board will serve the public best by directing their energy into an outside search for Coleman's replacement. Undoubtedly the new president will require a higher salary. But that's the price of finding someone who can handle all the skeletons still in the closet and create a culture befitting this institution.
trespass
Thu, Feb 16, 2012 : 4:24 p.m.
The Regents are elected. The two incumbents have wisely chosen not to run again but we all need to hold the candidates feet to the fire and make sure that we elect people with integrity who will protect this institution from a corrupt administration. We don't need any more regents who just want to enjoy the country club atmosphere and use the Regents' box at the football game to smooze their business clients. Elect Regents with qualifications as educators and who will recognize the problems and fix them.
bunicula
Thu, Feb 16, 2012 : 4:18 p.m.
why are they still protecting and hiding the name of the GC "lead attorney" (who is no longer in office) from the public ???
a2citizen
Thu, Feb 16, 2012 : 6:21 p.m.
Keep asking...I am wondering this also.
Ron Granger
Thu, Feb 16, 2012 : 3:40 p.m.
At this point, it is all lip service. It seems clear that they cannot investigate or discipline themselves.
JustMyOpinion
Thu, Feb 16, 2012 : 2:01 p.m.
They should be discussing accepting the resignations of Mary Sue Coleman and Ora Pescovitz, or firing them. It is the only reasonable and effective start to countermeasures of this failure.