Whatever exactly led to Gene Troutman’s firing, he knows a lot about internal politics and high-level decision-making at Clemson. He is obviously in a position to embarrass the CU administration. That’s why the CU administration is so desperately applying very expensive delaying tactics against his lawsuit.

Mr. Bednar (he is not Dr. Bednar–an interesting story all by itself) was pushed into retirement after a stormy career in the Languages department at Clemson. He sucked up to the administration until 2005, when he learned he would have to retire and would not be getting any extra money to go away. Mr. Bednar is not a careful researcher. He turned against the administration only when he ran out of administrative sponsors. No one on the Clemson faculty trusts him.

The Faculty Senate leadership has no connections with either Mr. Bednar or Mr. Troutman. The resolution recently passed by the Senate makes it clear that lots of people who are not former employees have concerns about the way CU is being managed.

http://chronicle.com/news/article/4147/lawsuit-says-clemson-u-hid-cash-reserves-while-increasing-tuition

Your comments are great. No one seems to have mentioned the disgruntled students yet, so let me bring that up.

I suspected that Jim Barker was a slimeball, because I’ve been having a problem of my own with the school lately. But you are right in what you say about the school. The administration gets all bent out of shape if you even dare to email them directly. Dissent isn’t tolerated. It’s really ridiculous. Barker is running Clemson into the ground.

While I appreciate A(nother) Citizen’s love for the University -however, she/he is wrong about coverage from the major media – the total scandalous way the employees have been hoodwinked and misle in the salary debacle was covered very thoroughly by the Greenville News (I admit, they have a hard time printing truth if it’s negative toward C. Sams & Gang, the Anderson Independentmail, The State, The News and Courier, The USA Today – a many of the State’s TV outlets.

The many disgruntled employees, disgruntled alumni, disgruntled txpaers of South Carolina don’t need to depend on “wacko editorials”, they are listening to, reacting to and condemning the facts that are obvious and ugly about the Clemson Administration.

The only crazy individuals that I recognize are those who cannot read, comprehend, use logic and admit that this Administration is rotten throughout.

I am an Alumni of Clemson – am from a family of dozens of Alumni of Clemson – all have always been ardent and faithful supporters of the school. I really can’t understand why you won’t open our eyes, ears and mostly, your brain to the facts and do the same. Unless, of course, you have been on the receiving end of the rewards given to the silent and impotent Staff that are bound only to keep ignoring, keep getting fatter and slowly lose all sense of honor and credibility that you might have.

I speak the truth, have spoken the truth – the only sad part is that I haven’t really exposed some of the truly sickening acts that have been ignored and by, ignoring, have condoned.

I don’t know whre you are from – and, what your connection to Clemson is, if any – but, if you have ever respected this fine Institution, take your blinders off – the stench is all around this Administation. Take a whiff without your mask of “solid orange” filtering the aroma before it gets to your senses. You will be as appalled as I am.

Maybe they are too busy reporting on other things that Clemson is doing for South Carolina and its citizens — CU-ICAR, spinoff companies, top 22 ranking, record number of applications, record breaking research, the news of Clemson becoming #1 Happiest Students in America, etc.

Of course, you all are too blinded by your drama queen ways to see the many great things Clemson is doing. And that, is highly unfortunate…

Cola_SC – There are legit sources and the facts are in black and white – easily read – easily understood – and, the Anderson Independentmail, The State, The Greenville News, USA Today, the Spartanburg Herald are a few of the journals that have reported openly about the Clemson Administation Mismanagement and Lie – the only thing better about FITS is that they have kep the heat on a bit longer – this last out of the Tigertown Observer was just a nice little topper showing just how desparate this Administration is in trying to quieten, hide and slip away from this train wreck they’ve manuevered themselves into. Their only saving grace now will be by using the courts to do the dirty work for them by letting them hide under the protective covers of being an arm of the State. And, that is abominable – to think that the individuals in an Administration can lie, cheat, steal from their own employees, threaten and fire employees for any criticism, reward their favorites with perks and salary – and, then are protected from any action – we can only hope that the Court of Appeals will have the nerve and the creativity to get past this smokescreen and find a way to find a true verdict of guilty – for their premeditated quest for power and money at taxpayers and Clemson employee expense.

Yes, this is an outlet. It’s the only way some of us can be heard. Can’t call the local reporters from traditional outlets, can’t get editorials published — so this is what we have to try and help people see the truth.

Yes, the lawsuit is an interesting way for Clemson to argue that it is an “arm of the state” and then hear Barker talk about how Clemson should be considered a private institution because it gets less than 20% of its budget from general fund appropriations. But hey, he’s just a really slick politician who could have taught Ben Tillman himself some lessons.

Again, the stories are true. Bednar has most of his facts correct — the rest have been kept from him no matter how often he has asked. He got tired of trying to do things quietly and wait for improvement.

To Gator — US News rankings are pretty much a joke. Clemson has mastered data manipulation, walking a very thin line between lies and truth. But no, nothing has really changed. I heard the President himself say that it was just about the public recognition of the rankings.