New Jersey Attorney General’s Office
Delivers Major Setback to Rider University’s
Plan to Sell Westminster Choir College
Delivers Major Setback to Rider University’s
Plan to Sell Westminster Choir College
Rider Refuses to Address AG's Inquiries,
Conceals Information Relevant to Investigation.
AG Demands Answers on Over 40 Additional Questions
Conceals Information Relevant to Investigation.
AG Demands Answers on Over 40 Additional Questions
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts
|
Dr. Joel Phillips 609-851-3627
Professor of Music Composition and Theory at Westminster Choir College Associate Grievance Officer of the Rider University Chapter of the AAUP |
Dr. Jeffrey Halpern 609-937-8981
Professor of Anthropology and Sociology at Rider University Chief Grievance Officer of the Rider University Chapter of the AAUP |
Rider University Chapter American Association of University Professors
2083 Lawrenceville Road, Lawrenceville NJ 08648
aaup@rider.edu https://www.rideraaup.net
2083 Lawrenceville Road, Lawrenceville NJ 08648
aaup@rider.edu https://www.rideraaup.net
Lawrenceville, NJ (March 28, 2019) — The union representing all faculty at Rider University and Westminster Choir College cheered in response to the March 27 letter from the New Jersey Attorney General's office to the New Jersey Chancery Court in response to the Westminster Foundation’s lawsuit that seeks to stop Rider University from selling Westminster Choir College to a foreign for-profit entity. (The full AG report is attached).
Long-time Westminster faculty member Joel Phillips said, “What struck me when reading acting AG Davenport's 35-page analysis was its diligence and professionalism. She and her team did a terrific job — despite the fact their inquiries were stymied by Rider’s persistent stonewalling.”
On June 25, 2018 — just seven days after Rider President Gregory Dell’Omo signed an agreement to sell Westminster to Kaiwen Education — the AG’s office sent the University 49 questions. Rider didn’t reply for six months and when it did, according to the AG, Rider “responded — in part — to two of the State's forty-nine inquiries,” a response the AG characterized as “less than optimal.”
Similarly, as part of its investigation, the AG asked Rider for “Meeting Minutes of the Rider Trustees for the prior three years.” What they received “were partially redacted, with many pages completely blacked-out and hundreds of pages of minutes withheld in their entirety.”
AAUP President Michael Brogan said, “The AG’s report focused only on information her team was able to ‘extract’ from Rider.” He laughed before continuing. “’Extract’ is the AG’s term. Obviously, AG’s office felt the same frustrations Westminster stakeholders have felt for over two years at this administration’s attempts to keep their underhanded actions out of the light of day.”
AAUP contract administrator Jeff Halpern said, "The AG’s letter affirms what I’ve stated all along. If Rider sells Westminster, all the proceeds must be used to benefit Westminster. President Dell’Omo can’t simply cash out Westminster and use the windfall to fund his fantasies.”
In a March 25 statement, the AAUP claimed Dell’Omo’s agreement allows the Buyer to close Westminster at any time. Rider spokesperson Kristine Brown characterized the AAUP’s interpretation as ‘irresponsible.’ However, according to the AG, “This ability to shut down WCC at any time if financial circumstances warrant (Section 7.15), makes no provision at all for the disposition of the income or the principle of the Endowment Fund.”
Halpern said, “The fact that the AG concurs with our interpretation is yet another example that even when this administration is faced with facts, it chooses to lie.” He added, “Rider is a rock-solid university and Westminster has an international reputation. We deserve better stewardship than this.”
Long-time Westminster faculty member Joel Phillips said, “What struck me when reading acting AG Davenport's 35-page analysis was its diligence and professionalism. She and her team did a terrific job — despite the fact their inquiries were stymied by Rider’s persistent stonewalling.”
On June 25, 2018 — just seven days after Rider President Gregory Dell’Omo signed an agreement to sell Westminster to Kaiwen Education — the AG’s office sent the University 49 questions. Rider didn’t reply for six months and when it did, according to the AG, Rider “responded — in part — to two of the State's forty-nine inquiries,” a response the AG characterized as “less than optimal.”
Similarly, as part of its investigation, the AG asked Rider for “Meeting Minutes of the Rider Trustees for the prior three years.” What they received “were partially redacted, with many pages completely blacked-out and hundreds of pages of minutes withheld in their entirety.”
AAUP President Michael Brogan said, “The AG’s report focused only on information her team was able to ‘extract’ from Rider.” He laughed before continuing. “’Extract’ is the AG’s term. Obviously, AG’s office felt the same frustrations Westminster stakeholders have felt for over two years at this administration’s attempts to keep their underhanded actions out of the light of day.”
AAUP contract administrator Jeff Halpern said, "The AG’s letter affirms what I’ve stated all along. If Rider sells Westminster, all the proceeds must be used to benefit Westminster. President Dell’Omo can’t simply cash out Westminster and use the windfall to fund his fantasies.”
In a March 25 statement, the AAUP claimed Dell’Omo’s agreement allows the Buyer to close Westminster at any time. Rider spokesperson Kristine Brown characterized the AAUP’s interpretation as ‘irresponsible.’ However, according to the AG, “This ability to shut down WCC at any time if financial circumstances warrant (Section 7.15), makes no provision at all for the disposition of the income or the principle of the Endowment Fund.”
Halpern said, “The fact that the AG concurs with our interpretation is yet another example that even when this administration is faced with facts, it chooses to lie.” He added, “Rider is a rock-solid university and Westminster has an international reputation. We deserve better stewardship than this.”
The Attorney General's Report