…and she makes you look like the small-time petty thief that you are. All you faculty-wannabes out there who aspire to a career in higher education take note. If your career path includes embezzlement, you’d do well to consider the shining example of banker-turned-academic Karen Pletz.
From the March 31 Kansas City Star:
former president of Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences president Karen Pletz today was named in a 24-count indictment alleging she embezzled more than $1.5 million from the university, made false statements on her tax returns and engaged in money laundering.
Not part of the indictment–nor illegal in any way–are the questionable employment opportunities that Pletz made available. Standing tall for women in the workplace, and acting as a one-woman affirmative action employer, Ex-President Pletz hired not only her daughter, who lives in Hoboken, New Jersey, but also the daughter-in-law of her trusted Vice President of Institutional Advancement Douglas Dalzell–you know who that is, don’t you? The head fundraiser, of course. The one who apparently directed a staff member at the University to keep the books of his son’s Kansas City restaurants.
Says former-president-soon-to-be-convicted felon Pletz, in the February 7 Star,
“I believe we operated with integrity, and I will stand by that always,” she said. “We don’t give jobs to people who aren’t qualified or aren’t committed or aren’t weighed against other people.”
And I’ll bet her daughter’s qualifications were held up to scrutiny in a nationwide search. The Star story continues:
“It’s a very family-oriented institution,” Karen Pletz said. “Osteopathic medicine has always been about family.”
That would be the Corleone Family.
President Peltz gave this stylish mouse pad as a Christmas gift to the trusted members of her "family."
Soon to follow: the continuing saga of Embezzlement Queen Karen.
Oh, I never had friends in high places like that. I believe the union for university presidents is called La Cosa Nostra.
What is that old saw? Something about absolute power corrupting absolutely? Oh, now I remember…academic power corrupts academics.
you know if they paid the poor teachers more they wouldn’t need to do things like this.
I know. Take Pletz’s Lexus convertible (Oh, wait, you can’t. The feds already seized it.), for example. Just how was she supposed to afford that on a mere six-figure salary?
Don’t get your noses all out of joint! You need some perspective here. Lending yourself $4,800 is embezzlement. $1.5 million is clear evidence of the ability to see the “Big Picture.” Call it professional development of a very senior sort leading we should hope to a highly responsible position in the Health and Human Services Department for the ex-Prez. I’m Sure K.P. would receive a warm welcome from fellow Kansan Kathleen Sebelius and little Timmy Geitner over at Treasury might find it hard not to try and steal her away!
True, but except the job she got for her daughter, Pletz can’t say she did it for the children.
Sometimes grown ups need help too. Isn’t an adult nothing more than an old child? That’s where departments like HHS and sharpies, er, sharped eyed professionals like Dr. Pletz can bring their unique resources and talents to the aid of children young and old!