MASSACHUSETTS COMMISSIONER OF HIGHER EDUCATION, RICHARD M. FREELAND
SPRINGFIELD – When he arrived in western Mass. yesterday morning, Richard Freeland had to have known it was going to be a topic of discussion.
Freeland, the commissioner of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ Board of Higher Education, came to Springfield to address a meeting of members of the Springfield Business Leaders for Education, and to grant time to speak to the fourth estate on data released earlier this week on student loan debt in the Bay State, along with the findings of a new Department of Higher Education report.
While those topics were discussed, the minds of much of the assembled media throng were on one track, specifically the situation currently roiling at Westfield State University, as the school’s President, Dr. Evan Dobelle, prepares to file a federal lawsuit against the school’s board of trustees and possibly Freeland himself.
“I think they did the right thing,” said Freeland of the board of trustees, who placed Dobelle on administrative leave with pay last week and began another investigation into his spending practices. “In our system of governance, local boards are primarily responsible for the hiring and firing of their president. It is their job and they’re doing their job.”
On whether or not Dobelle can continue to lead the university, Freeland said that that is a decision that will need to be made by the board itself.
“I have written a letter to the board, and that letter has become public, detailing my own views based on review of this matter,” he said. “Those views lead me to believe that it’s questionable whether President Dobelle can provide the type of leadership the institution needs. But I’m ready to trust the local board to make the final call.”
The topic of the lawsuit, which Dobelle and his attorney Ross Garber are preparing to file, came up soon after.
“I’ll deal with it when it comes. I have tried to do my job as Commissioner of Higher Education, which is to assure the proper stewardship of state funds,” Freeland said. “I believe I’ve done that job appropriately and with integrity.”
Freeland said he’s been distressed that Dobelle has “chosen to attack those who have raised questions rather than answer them.”
“It’s been unfortunate for President Dobelle and for the whole system,” he added, saying that the lawsuit would probably be a “continuation of that pattern.”
Freeland stated he doesn’t yet know the terms of the lawsuit or what he’s been accused of, but he addressed charges by the Dobelle camp that his handling of the situation is motivated by an alleged “lust” for the presidency at the school.
“I can assure you that is not well-founded. I don’t know what that was based on,” he said. “I was President at Northeastern University. I’m the Commissioner of the Board of Higher Education. I think this is my last job. Westfield is a great institution, and that’s a wonderful presidency, but I don’t think that’s right for me at this time of life.”
The 72-year old Freeland hopes that the situation at Westfield State isn’t damaging the image of the school or the state university system as a whole, but concedes that it may stain the public’s perception.
“I’ve been in the state for a long time and I know there’s public skepticism about government generally, about public higher education, and in part about state universities,” he said. “Are these really institutions which are politically oriented? Are they places where politicians take care of their friends? Are they good stewards of public dollars? This whole unfortunate story feeds into some of those negative images.”
Freeland did say that he feels the controversy is an isolated incident and not the tip of an iceberg in the state university system.
“This is not typical of what’s going on in our public institutions. I know of no other case remotely like this in any of the institutions I’m working with,” he said. “I worry there’s damage, but I’m also hopeful people watching this closely will see it’s an isolated case.”
He also gave a hint into what sort of leader he hopes to see assume the mantle of President at the University should Dr. Dobelle vacate the office soon.
“I think we need a healer,” said Freeland. “This has been a difficult time for Westfield State, and the institution has been somewhat divided. President Dobelle properly has many admirers, so it’s been a traumatic, difficult, divisive time, and we need a president who can unite the campus and move it forward.”
Regarding the status of a potential lawsuit against Freeland and the Westfield State Board of Trustees, Dobelle’s publicist George Regan released a statement Tuesday saying the federal lawsuit against Westfield State University Board Chairman Jack Flynn and the trustees has been drafted and is “quite extensive,” adding that Dobelle is reviewing the lawsuit with his counsel and is expected to file later this week.
