State Ethics Office Rules Corey Edsall Can Coach Only This Year At UConn; Ethics Laws Broken | Page 2 | The Boneyard

State Ethics Office Rules Corey Edsall Can Coach Only This Year At UConn; Ethics Laws Broken

Status
Not open for further replies.
The state is tripping over itself in order to shoot it's own foot... this story is nauseating. Can someone please tell me that we will get this straightened out and not embarrass ourselves here?
 


>>Taking a quick look at the USA Today database of assistant coaches salaries from 2016, that $95,000 salary would rank Corey right around the 800th out of the 963 coaches they have salary information on. Corey’s compensation and experience would be right in line with other coaches in that pay range.<<

>>I think we can all understand, and (at least in a sense) appreciate why the law was formed in the first place, which was to prevent a person holding a state job from giving someone of their relation a job that they’re not qualified for, but this isn’t that. While there may have been better candidates on paper as far as experience, Corey wasn’t just handed the job fresh out of college. As many coaches do, he worked as an intern and graduate assistant before eventually getting an chance to work with his father – an opportunity that they likely both dreamed of for years. In this instance, to say that you can’t hire someone because he’s your own blood is, in my opinion, incredibly short-sighted, and is clearly not in the spirit of why the law was put into action in the first place.<<
 
While I understand the need for anti-nepotism laws I struggle with this ruling. Those laws are intended to protect us from relatives without skills being given jobs that they aren't qualified for. In this case Corey is qualified for the position having coached elsewhere and this is pretty commonplace in coaching circles. Sometimes I think there are some who just don't want this program to succeed. Frustrating.
 
.-.
UConn Statement from UConn spokesperson Stephanie Reitz.

"Randy Edsall was not a state employee when his contract was being negotiated or when he received his offer letter. He did not become a state employee until he performed work for which he was entitled to be paid. The offer letter makes clear that date was Jan. 3, 2017.

"Individuals hired by the state do not become state employees when they accept an offer of employment; they become state employees when they actually begin their jobs at the state. For example, if someone accepts an offer of state employment, but will not start their state job for six weeks, the code of ethics does not apply to them during that six-week period. It applies when they begin working for the state. This is a well-established precedent in Connecticut which has been understood and applied in cases for decades.

"In fact, the Office of State Ethics confirmed for UConn before Randy Edsall was offered employment that the Code of Ethics does not prohibit a candidate from negotiating employment for a family member as a condition of their own employment.

"In this instance, the advisory board is attempting to hold Coach Edsall and the university to a different standard than others are held to, which defies longstanding Connecticut precedent. An irrelevant case from Michigan is cited in the board’s opinion, rather than Connecticut law.

"The code of ethics does not forbid family members working in the same state departments, offices, or units as a family member who is a state employee. What the code of ethics forbids is a state employee using their employment for the financial benefit of a family member. In this case, employment and financial decisions regarding Corey Edsall – and Corey Edsall’s supervisor – are in the hands of the Athletic Director, not Coach Edsall. By establishing this management plan, the university is in compliance with the code of ethics.

"UConn respectfully disagrees with the board’s opinion, which seeks to apply a different standard in this case than has been applied in other cases in Connecticut for nearly 30 years."
 
huskymedic said:
UConn Statement from UConn spokesperson Stephanie Reitz.

"Randy Edsall was not a state employee when his contract was being negotiated or when he received his offer letter. He did not become a state employee until he performed work for which he was entitled to be paid. The offer letter makes clear that date was Jan. 3, 2017.

"Individuals hired by the state do not become state employees when they accept an offer of employment; they become state employees when they actually begin their jobs at the state. For example, if someone accepts an offer of state employment, but will not start their state job for six weeks, the code of ethics does not apply to them during that six-week period. It applies when they begin working for the state. This is a well-established precedent in Connecticut which has been understood and applied in cases for decades.

"In fact, the Office of State Ethics confirmed for UConn before Randy Edsall was offered employment that the Code of Ethics does not prohibit a candidate from negotiating employment for a family member as a condition of their own employment.

"In this instance, the advisory board is attempting to hold Coach Edsall and the university to a different standard than others are held to, which defies longstanding Connecticut precedent. An irrelevant case from Michigan is cited in the board’s opinion, rather than Connecticut law.

"The code of ethics does not forbid family members working in the same state departments, offices, or units as a family member who is a state employee. What the code of ethics forbids is a state employee using their employment for the financial benefit of a family member. In this case, employment and financial decisions regarding Corey Edsall – and Corey Edsall’s supervisor – are in the hands of the Athletic Director, not Coach Edsall. By establishing this management plan, the university is in compliance with the code of ethics.

"UConn respectfully disagrees with the board’s opinion, which seeks to apply a different standard in this case than has been applied in other cases in Connecticut for nearly 30 years."
Expand ...


Love the comment about using Michigan law/code and applying it to Ct as if it has standing. I saw that in the draft opinion.

Safe to assume the case #, 2017-2 means it's the second case of 2017. Curious as to how much these people make and what their budget is for the year?
 
Chin Diesel said:
Safe to assume the case #, 2017-2 means it's the second case of 2017. Curious as to how much these people make and what their budget is for the year?
Expand ...

The complaint was filed in beginning of year (?January ?) so I'm not sure what the case numbers are up to now... There were only 3 AO in 2016 but that is only part of what they do.
 
.-.
This is dumb. Coaches are under individual contracts with the University. Each is signed off on by people who are not coaches. The two contracts are independent of each other and each is executed by people well about Randy's pay grade. Randy can recommend all day and he may even have in his contract the power to hire/fire coaches, but that language is easily amended.
 
When you think about all the time and money that are going to be spent on this case it very well could exceed the $95k that Edsall's son is going to make yearly as part of this contract with UConn.

Just a great use of resources. Not like anybody out there who's struggling could use the money. Better served debating whether a guy's kid can coach tight ends at the state U.
 
ConnHuskBask said:
When you think about all the time and money that are going to be spent on this case it very well could exceed the $95k that Edsall's son is going to make yearly as part of this contract with UConn.

Just a great use of resources. Not like anybody out there who's struggling could use the money. Better served debating whether a guy's kid can coach tight ends at the state U.
Expand ...

Given the university's plan to appeal/challenge - yes the collective cost of this ethics panel exercise is certainly on track spend more than his salary.
 
ConnHuskBask said:
When you think about all the time and money that are going to be spent on this case it very well could exceed the $95k that Edsall's son is going to make yearly as part of this contract with UConn.
Expand ...

Hey, hey, hey, why are you opposed to a gaggle of lawyers making a few dollars off the backs of the taxpayers. Do you have something against good honest lawyers making a living?
 
.-.
OK so this seems incredibly petty maybe vindictive and he appears totally qualified in fact probably an upgrade. So is there further recourse?
 
Just further confirmation that the political hacks that run this state and their dim witted appointments are a total disaster. We need to clean our incompetent and corrupt state government house, keep Corey and never look back at this dysfunction that turned a rich state into a losing mess.
 
Chief00 said:
Just further confirmation that the political hacks that run this state and their dim witted appointments are a total disaster. We need to clean our incompetent and corrupt state government house, keep Corey and never look back at this dysfunction that turned a rich state into a losing mess.
Expand ...
First time I've ever agreed with Chief
 
Jimdish255 said:
OK so this seems incredibly petty maybe vindictive and he appears totally qualified in fact probably an upgrade. So is there further recourse?
Expand ...
Call your state legislator and ask if he will support an exception made for this circumstance.

As noted in Reitz's excellent response, this was independently negotiated as a part of Randy's deal which well below market even if you count Corey's salary as a part of Randy's compensation.

A lot of good comments above. @SubbaBub (I think) hits the nail on the head when he talks about the fact that is no opportunity for abuse here. Randy negotiated Corey's employment as a condition of his employment. Randy does not have hire/fire or compensation authority for Corey. Use those criteria for an exception and be done with this issue.
 
.-.
I went to twitter and engaged Senator Bob Duff who has been a pretty big supporter of UConn athletics. He asked for a copy of the decision so I attached a link to the article in my reply. I urge everyone to reach out some way some how to a state senator or rep and let their feelings be known.
 
Last edited:
UC313 said:
Theres not a big enough face palm in the world for this. Holy crap,this is mind numbingly stupid. I wanna know whos really got an issue with his hiring.
Expand ...

Read the full draft AO (link above) - not the news articles. UConn could have handled this much better.
 
huskymedic said:
Read the full draft AO (link above) - not the news articles. UConn could have handled this much better.
Expand ...

Upon further reading our legal counsil aint real good is it.
 
.-.
Status
Not open for further replies.

Forum statistics

Threads
168,285
Messages
4,561,434
Members
10,455
Latest member
UConnGabby


Top Bottom