The following letter to the editor appeared in the 9/9/05 edition of The Erie Daily Times-News. You can access it and the accompanying article ("Mistakes were made: Mercyhurst offers explanation of how it handled Garvey probe") via my "goerie" link; keyword: "WILLIAM P. GARVEY". It should be noted that, according to The Times, this statement was not only approved by the Mercyhurst Board of Trustees, it also has the approval of interim president Dr. Michael McQuillen, and Sister Bernadette Bell who is the president of the Roman Catholic Sisters of Mercy, Erie region. With that said, I present the letter:
"The Mercyhurst College Board of Trustees, first and foremost, wishes to make clear our full understanding of the extremely serious nature of the allegations made against William P. Garvey. We are called by the virtue of this institution - mercy - to sympathize deeply with all victims of abuse. The accusations leveled against Dr. Garvey involved actions wholly incompatible with the values we and the college stand for.
Second, we sincerely regret that at times our commitment to those values was not publicly visible and acknowledge that mistakes were made. None of us had ever been through anything like this, and contrary to the surface appearances, this was not a simple, clear-cut situation, especially without the perspective of hindsight.
We had to try to balance competing ethical obligations, compounded by a lack of solid evidence and the fervent denial of the allegations by a respected community leader; to adhere to legal requirements and due process concerns that foreclosed certain options; to respect personal relationships that stretched back decades, and always to oversee and maintain our fiduciary responsibilities to the college. While we understand how others in both the Mercyhurst and broader communities might disagree with the path we have traveled, we hope no one has reason to question our sincerest desire and effort, as a corporate body, to seek the good and right path.
Finally, we wish to clarify the issues that have arisen with respect to Dr. Garvey's position with Mercyhurst College. On Dec. 16, 2004, when he announced his decision to step down as president, we did terminate the investigation into his fitness to serve. Mercyhurst is indeed committed to truth, compassion and individual integrity, but we are not an investigative organization. That is the province of the civil and criminal justice system, not a college community.
On Feb. 23, 2005, Dr. Garvey immediately began a terminal sabbatical and we began negotiations to complete the remaining financial obligations of the college to Dr. Garvey under his existing contract through June 2007 and years of deferred compensation. The college expects to conclude a final agreement within 60 days.
In order to continue its mission of providing a high quality education, the Mercyhurst College Board of Trustees must now turn its full attention to hiring a president. In order for this effort to be successful, we need the wholehearted support of the entire Mercyhurst community. We truly hope that with these explanations and clarifications the Erie community will support our efforts to do so."
I find this statement so woefully inadequate. While sympathizing with "all victims of abuse" there is still no "mercy" for the specific abuse suffered by victims at the hands of Mercyhurst's own college president. Garvey should be terminated unconditionally and immediately. His contract must contain some sort of a morals clause and it should be employed to sever any interaction he has with Mercyhurst. Garvey should be banned from campus and any future school association.
I am still waiting for the "truth, compassion, and... integrity" alluded to by those who put their names to this statement. Release the results of the Palmisano investigation. Better yet, release ex-judge Palmisano to talk and answer questions about his findings.
This letter just rings hollow. It is hard to look forward with so much carnage unresolved behind. It's like trying to build a castle on a garbage heap. It will always stink.
predafile@hotmail.com
Monday, September 12, 2005
Sunday, August 28, 2005
Garvey fiddles while Mercyhurst burns
Skaboojie. Coward. Gutless wonder. For Christ's sake, stand up and be a man.
Over the years, I heard these same invectives hurled at me and my teammates. And now the tables have turned. According to the Palmisano memo to Marlene Mosco and the Mercyhurst Board of Trustees (December 15, 2004) there "appears to be merit" to the claims that the then college president had indeed sexually molested and otherwise physically abused the Rosenthals, Bruce Kennedy (and others) in their boyhood as they claimed way back on October 10th, 2004. "Cumulative facts and other information have come forth which tend to support" these allegations. And, "further, and even more significant, the information gathered in recent days demonstrates that persons - in addition to those identified in the (original) article - will level similar allegations of misconduct against Dr. Garvey." Palmisano is talking about Dr. William P. Garvey, Ph.D., serial pedophile.
Garvey thought he was untouchable. The man who would be king. An Emperor. He thought he could act with impunity and court his little harem of boys. As they grew older, Garvey would find positions for them and assimilate them into the greater Garvey order, primarily at Mercyhurst but elsewhere as well. And noone would or could do anything about it. Well, Garvey may yet turn out to be right. So far, he appears to have come away from this affair relatively unscathed. But, the barbarians are at the gate. Look at the carnage, the shame, the rumor, and the innuendo those close to him are shouldering, whether justly or not, for their loyalty. First, it was Mary Daly. Recently, Gary Bukowski, Mike Fuhrman, and other ex-player's names have surfaced. Jim Barker. Bill Welch. And now Marlene Mosco, Bill Sennett, the Mercyhurst Board of Trustees, and even ex-Secretary of Homeland Security, Tom Ridge are the latest with Garvey's egg on their face. Whatever their relative degrees of involvement, they are his public and private associates, his vanguard. These people are taking the arrows. For Garvey. What about the poor people who, knowingly or not, swore their support of Garvey in the ad that appeared October 17th, 2004, in the Erie Daily Times? Garvey has left them all hanging, holding his honor in their empty hands. And he hasn't the courage to let them know it. He has let them all continue to make fools of themselves on his behalf while he fiddles, appearing on WJET and WICU newscasts pontificating re: Mario Bagnoni's death and legacy. And then there's his involvement on community boards like C-Cubed, The Erie Historical Society... This list is long and his continued involvement is shameful. Meanwhile, Mercyhurst burns. And people and institutions suffer in his wake. What has Garvey said to you folks by means of explanation? This story gets more and more bizarre by the day and I wonder how he can look you in the face? Is he, as someone online has suggested, psychopathic as well?
Forget all that lofty nonsense Garvey fed us about courage and honor. All those Greco-Roman platitudes. Unfortunately, the only Greco-Roman influence on Dr. William P. Garvey is now all too painfully and belatedly apparent. Forget all that crap he spouts about Winston Churchill. What does Garvey's moment of crisis tell us about Garvey? When his "finest hour" came, his defining moment, Garvey's actions defined him perfectly. He tucked his tail and ran. "Retired". A mere day after the appearance of this memo that ex-judge Palmisano felt "compelled" to write, and that according to Ms. Mosco, Garvey never saw. A coincidence? Hmmm. A most "compelling" coincidence. Garvey has hidden behind the trust of the Sisters of Mercy (for Christ's sake), the skirt of Marlene Mosco, the good faith of those who have supported him, and a wall of all-too-telling silence to a host of unanswered questions that are too compelling to ignore, or skirt.
In the end, despite all the posing, lofty aphorisms, and quotes, William Garvey is simply an abuser, manipulator, and sexual predator of boys. A wolf in college president's clothing. In his own words, he is a gutless wonder, a coward, and perhaps most telling of all, a quitter. A quitter of the first order. Will he ever stand up and be a man? ("Drop your pants, bend over, and grab your ankles, Dr. Garvey. Raps or laps?") Men face the responsibilities and consequences of their actions. At least men of honor do. That's what Garvey always told us. It's time for Garvey to stand on his own two feet. Time to admit what he has done and apologize to his victims. All of us. If Garvey does not have the honor, the courage, or the guts to face the truth, why do others continue to run interference for him?
It was all merely an act, a great Greco-Roman act, to get into little boys' pants. Is that what Garvey meant by "Carpe diem"? Seize the day? How does one say "seize the boy"?
predafile@hotmail.com
Over the years, I heard these same invectives hurled at me and my teammates. And now the tables have turned. According to the Palmisano memo to Marlene Mosco and the Mercyhurst Board of Trustees (December 15, 2004) there "appears to be merit" to the claims that the then college president had indeed sexually molested and otherwise physically abused the Rosenthals, Bruce Kennedy (and others) in their boyhood as they claimed way back on October 10th, 2004. "Cumulative facts and other information have come forth which tend to support" these allegations. And, "further, and even more significant, the information gathered in recent days demonstrates that persons - in addition to those identified in the (original) article - will level similar allegations of misconduct against Dr. Garvey." Palmisano is talking about Dr. William P. Garvey, Ph.D., serial pedophile.
Garvey thought he was untouchable. The man who would be king. An Emperor. He thought he could act with impunity and court his little harem of boys. As they grew older, Garvey would find positions for them and assimilate them into the greater Garvey order, primarily at Mercyhurst but elsewhere as well. And noone would or could do anything about it. Well, Garvey may yet turn out to be right. So far, he appears to have come away from this affair relatively unscathed. But, the barbarians are at the gate. Look at the carnage, the shame, the rumor, and the innuendo those close to him are shouldering, whether justly or not, for their loyalty. First, it was Mary Daly. Recently, Gary Bukowski, Mike Fuhrman, and other ex-player's names have surfaced. Jim Barker. Bill Welch. And now Marlene Mosco, Bill Sennett, the Mercyhurst Board of Trustees, and even ex-Secretary of Homeland Security, Tom Ridge are the latest with Garvey's egg on their face. Whatever their relative degrees of involvement, they are his public and private associates, his vanguard. These people are taking the arrows. For Garvey. What about the poor people who, knowingly or not, swore their support of Garvey in the ad that appeared October 17th, 2004, in the Erie Daily Times? Garvey has left them all hanging, holding his honor in their empty hands. And he hasn't the courage to let them know it. He has let them all continue to make fools of themselves on his behalf while he fiddles, appearing on WJET and WICU newscasts pontificating re: Mario Bagnoni's death and legacy. And then there's his involvement on community boards like C-Cubed, The Erie Historical Society... This list is long and his continued involvement is shameful. Meanwhile, Mercyhurst burns. And people and institutions suffer in his wake. What has Garvey said to you folks by means of explanation? This story gets more and more bizarre by the day and I wonder how he can look you in the face? Is he, as someone online has suggested, psychopathic as well?
Forget all that lofty nonsense Garvey fed us about courage and honor. All those Greco-Roman platitudes. Unfortunately, the only Greco-Roman influence on Dr. William P. Garvey is now all too painfully and belatedly apparent. Forget all that crap he spouts about Winston Churchill. What does Garvey's moment of crisis tell us about Garvey? When his "finest hour" came, his defining moment, Garvey's actions defined him perfectly. He tucked his tail and ran. "Retired". A mere day after the appearance of this memo that ex-judge Palmisano felt "compelled" to write, and that according to Ms. Mosco, Garvey never saw. A coincidence? Hmmm. A most "compelling" coincidence. Garvey has hidden behind the trust of the Sisters of Mercy (for Christ's sake), the skirt of Marlene Mosco, the good faith of those who have supported him, and a wall of all-too-telling silence to a host of unanswered questions that are too compelling to ignore, or skirt.
In the end, despite all the posing, lofty aphorisms, and quotes, William Garvey is simply an abuser, manipulator, and sexual predator of boys. A wolf in college president's clothing. In his own words, he is a gutless wonder, a coward, and perhaps most telling of all, a quitter. A quitter of the first order. Will he ever stand up and be a man? ("Drop your pants, bend over, and grab your ankles, Dr. Garvey. Raps or laps?") Men face the responsibilities and consequences of their actions. At least men of honor do. That's what Garvey always told us. It's time for Garvey to stand on his own two feet. Time to admit what he has done and apologize to his victims. All of us. If Garvey does not have the honor, the courage, or the guts to face the truth, why do others continue to run interference for him?
It was all merely an act, a great Greco-Roman act, to get into little boys' pants. Is that what Garvey meant by "Carpe diem"? Seize the day? How does one say "seize the boy"?
predafile@hotmail.com
Monday, August 22, 2005
Sunday, August 21, 2005
The Palmisano memo
Wow! (see Erie Daily Times-News article, "Garvey's Accusers Say Memo Is 'Vindication' ", 8/21/05, via my "goerie" link; search keyword: "WILLIAM P. GARVEY") And with no further ado, the memo:
MEMORANDUM
TO: MRS. MARLENE MOSCO, CHAIRPERSON, and
MERCYHURST COLLEGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
FROM: MICHAEL M. PALMISANO (his signature appears here)
RE: STATUS OF REVIEW
DATE: DECEMBER 15, 2004
Since November 5, 2004 when the Board of Trustees retained me to conduct a review of the allegations leveled against William P. Garvey, Ph.D. as chronicled in the article published in the Erie Times-News on October 10, 2004, I have coordinated and conducted a review of the various documents and interviews of dozens of persons, including the principals identified in the newspaper article. To date, our team has devoted more than 300 hours to this review.
The investigation remains ongoing and significant information continues to be discovered and analyzed; however, the quantity and quality of such information received at this juncture of our review compels me to inform the Board of Trustees that the allegations contained in the newspaper article appear to have merit. Secondarily, cumulative facts and other information have come forth which tend to support the original allegations. Further, and perhaps even more significant, the information gathered in recent days demonstrates that persons - in addition to those identified in the article - will level similar allegations of misconduct against Dr. Garvey.
I conveyed this information to you on Monday, December 13, 2004 and also to William C. Sennett on Tuesday, December 14, 2004. I now provide the forgoing information in the spirit of our ongoing good faith attempts to keep you and the ladies and gentlemen of the Board of Trustees informed of salient developments in our review in order to arm the Board with the information necessary to preserve and protect the best interest of Mercyhurst College in general and the Board of Trustees in particular.
predafile@hotmail.com
MEMORANDUM
TO: MRS. MARLENE MOSCO, CHAIRPERSON, and
MERCYHURST COLLEGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
FROM: MICHAEL M. PALMISANO (his signature appears here)
RE: STATUS OF REVIEW
DATE: DECEMBER 15, 2004
Since November 5, 2004 when the Board of Trustees retained me to conduct a review of the allegations leveled against William P. Garvey, Ph.D. as chronicled in the article published in the Erie Times-News on October 10, 2004, I have coordinated and conducted a review of the various documents and interviews of dozens of persons, including the principals identified in the newspaper article. To date, our team has devoted more than 300 hours to this review.
The investigation remains ongoing and significant information continues to be discovered and analyzed; however, the quantity and quality of such information received at this juncture of our review compels me to inform the Board of Trustees that the allegations contained in the newspaper article appear to have merit. Secondarily, cumulative facts and other information have come forth which tend to support the original allegations. Further, and perhaps even more significant, the information gathered in recent days demonstrates that persons - in addition to those identified in the article - will level similar allegations of misconduct against Dr. Garvey.
I conveyed this information to you on Monday, December 13, 2004 and also to William C. Sennett on Tuesday, December 14, 2004. I now provide the forgoing information in the spirit of our ongoing good faith attempts to keep you and the ladies and gentlemen of the Board of Trustees informed of salient developments in our review in order to arm the Board with the information necessary to preserve and protect the best interest of Mercyhurst College in general and the Board of Trustees in particular.
predafile@hotmail.com
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
The "Merci"-ad
On October 17th, 2004, the following ad was placed in the Erie Daily Times-News in response to allegations that Dr. William P. Garvey had sexually molested young men in the Erie area over a period of at least three decades. Below I have managed to reconstruct and finally post the entire text and list of signees that appeared in the newspaper that day.
Former Players And Alumni Support Dr. William Garvey
On October 10th the Erie Times-News ran a story which made serious allegations against one of Erie's most admired community leaders, Dr. William Garvey. Clearly, no one condones the kind of behavior contained in these allegations, and it is a reminder to all of us that the protection of our children is and should remain the most important priority in our community.
We were stunned and disheartened that these allegations were made against a man we all respect and admire, and since the article has appeared, Dr. Garvey has stated unequivocally that the allegations are false, and the trustees of Mercyhurst College have initiated an impartial review and have expressed their support for Dr. Garvey as he continues to lead the College as its president.
Thus far the community has heard from the Rosenthals and one other former player, Bruce Kennedy; and from two "street hustlers". Now it's time to hear from us, former players who played with Kennedy and the Rosenthals, and from other alumni who participated in the athletic program under Bill Garvey's tenure as athletic director.
We have known Bill Garvey as a coach and mentor. We have spent countless hours with him on and off the basketball court, and never has any one of us been treated in the manner described in these allegations, nor have we witnessed such behavior.
Bill Garvey has influenced every one of our lives in ways that will never get reported in the newspaper, ways that are profoundly important to us and to our families, to St. Johns and the Erie community. He raised our aspirations, greatly improved our chances in life, and in many ways is responsible for what we have achieved as parents, as professionals and citizens-- without ever asking for anything in return. We have all benefited from his coaching and guidance and generosity of spirit, all of which have been amply demonstrated in a brilliant career spanning more than 50 years.
Chuck Rosenthal has been quoted as saying that he's not motivated by money. If that is so, we would like to challenge him to donate all of the proceeds of his book, and all the proceeds that any ancillary rights and speaking engagements would generate, to a charity whose mission is child protection. The Bill Garvey we know is a man for whom we have the greatest respect and admiration.
Bill Dopierala, Paul D. Gambill, Marlene Smith, Mary Hoffman, Patty Bielinsky, Kevin Wagner, Tom Hoffman, Vernon L. Gambill, Jr., Jeanne Buettner, Keith Hardner, Dan Bukowski, Jim Sturm, Joe Tarasovitch, Stew Donoghue, Tim Nies, Bob Nies, Mike Fuhrman, Tim Holland, Rick Fessler, Barry Roach, Dave Kosobucki, Mike Buettner, Pat Fuhrman, Joe Fessler, Jim Stevenson, Jack Stevenson, Bob Stevenson, Bob Hoffman, Dan Scully, Jim Nies, John Nies, Jim Tarasovitch, John Chojnacki, Dan Chojnacki, John Maleno, Joseph T. Fries, Dave Cousart, Bruce Chrzanowski, Dan Shade, Tom Shade, Ted Kierzek, Kathi Hoffman, Greg Hoffman, Jane Ross, Cindy Zelenak, Michael G. Hoffman, Glenn Holland, Mary Ellen Lieb, Jim Lieb, Barry Sturm, Jeff Sturm, Bob Sturm, Becky Cornish, Phil Wittingham, Heidi Shrum Patterson, Linda A. Gambill, Steve Wiley, Clifton Dobbs III, Chris Rupp, Larry Feeney, Jim Feeney, Grove A. Blanchard, Jane Fuhrmann Wagner, Debra Tarasovitch, Gary Bukowski, Patty McCallion Ross, Heather Dopierala, Lou Fallon, Gary Wieczorek, Dave Wieczorek, Vince Haibach, Patty Winiarczyk, Leo Bennett, Ted Johnson, Raymond Johnson
I am curious. Who paid for this ad? How were these people chosen and subsequently solicited? Did anyone decline? Who? Why?
This ad appeared in The Erie Daily Times-News (10/17/04) one week after the allegations first appeared in that same newspaper. Since that time, Garvey has "retired" under questionable circumstances, the Mercyhurst College Board of Directors has prematurely terminated the investigation led by ex-judge Michael Palmisano, and any information collected by that investigation has been locked up and denied the light of day. Do you all still "unequivocally" support this man?
Some of my thoughts on this ad are contained in a portion of a previous post (see "At what price silence?", June 28, 2005).
predafile@hotmail.com
Former Players And Alumni Support Dr. William Garvey
On October 10th the Erie Times-News ran a story which made serious allegations against one of Erie's most admired community leaders, Dr. William Garvey. Clearly, no one condones the kind of behavior contained in these allegations, and it is a reminder to all of us that the protection of our children is and should remain the most important priority in our community.
We were stunned and disheartened that these allegations were made against a man we all respect and admire, and since the article has appeared, Dr. Garvey has stated unequivocally that the allegations are false, and the trustees of Mercyhurst College have initiated an impartial review and have expressed their support for Dr. Garvey as he continues to lead the College as its president.
Thus far the community has heard from the Rosenthals and one other former player, Bruce Kennedy; and from two "street hustlers". Now it's time to hear from us, former players who played with Kennedy and the Rosenthals, and from other alumni who participated in the athletic program under Bill Garvey's tenure as athletic director.
We have known Bill Garvey as a coach and mentor. We have spent countless hours with him on and off the basketball court, and never has any one of us been treated in the manner described in these allegations, nor have we witnessed such behavior.
Bill Garvey has influenced every one of our lives in ways that will never get reported in the newspaper, ways that are profoundly important to us and to our families, to St. Johns and the Erie community. He raised our aspirations, greatly improved our chances in life, and in many ways is responsible for what we have achieved as parents, as professionals and citizens-- without ever asking for anything in return. We have all benefited from his coaching and guidance and generosity of spirit, all of which have been amply demonstrated in a brilliant career spanning more than 50 years.
Chuck Rosenthal has been quoted as saying that he's not motivated by money. If that is so, we would like to challenge him to donate all of the proceeds of his book, and all the proceeds that any ancillary rights and speaking engagements would generate, to a charity whose mission is child protection. The Bill Garvey we know is a man for whom we have the greatest respect and admiration.
Bill Dopierala, Paul D. Gambill, Marlene Smith, Mary Hoffman, Patty Bielinsky, Kevin Wagner, Tom Hoffman, Vernon L. Gambill, Jr., Jeanne Buettner, Keith Hardner, Dan Bukowski, Jim Sturm, Joe Tarasovitch, Stew Donoghue, Tim Nies, Bob Nies, Mike Fuhrman, Tim Holland, Rick Fessler, Barry Roach, Dave Kosobucki, Mike Buettner, Pat Fuhrman, Joe Fessler, Jim Stevenson, Jack Stevenson, Bob Stevenson, Bob Hoffman, Dan Scully, Jim Nies, John Nies, Jim Tarasovitch, John Chojnacki, Dan Chojnacki, John Maleno, Joseph T. Fries, Dave Cousart, Bruce Chrzanowski, Dan Shade, Tom Shade, Ted Kierzek, Kathi Hoffman, Greg Hoffman, Jane Ross, Cindy Zelenak, Michael G. Hoffman, Glenn Holland, Mary Ellen Lieb, Jim Lieb, Barry Sturm, Jeff Sturm, Bob Sturm, Becky Cornish, Phil Wittingham, Heidi Shrum Patterson, Linda A. Gambill, Steve Wiley, Clifton Dobbs III, Chris Rupp, Larry Feeney, Jim Feeney, Grove A. Blanchard, Jane Fuhrmann Wagner, Debra Tarasovitch, Gary Bukowski, Patty McCallion Ross, Heather Dopierala, Lou Fallon, Gary Wieczorek, Dave Wieczorek, Vince Haibach, Patty Winiarczyk, Leo Bennett, Ted Johnson, Raymond Johnson
I am curious. Who paid for this ad? How were these people chosen and subsequently solicited? Did anyone decline? Who? Why?
This ad appeared in The Erie Daily Times-News (10/17/04) one week after the allegations first appeared in that same newspaper. Since that time, Garvey has "retired" under questionable circumstances, the Mercyhurst College Board of Directors has prematurely terminated the investigation led by ex-judge Michael Palmisano, and any information collected by that investigation has been locked up and denied the light of day. Do you all still "unequivocally" support this man?
Some of my thoughts on this ad are contained in a portion of a previous post (see "At what price silence?", June 28, 2005).
predafile@hotmail.com
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