The Indianapolis Star last spring put in a public records request of all e-mail correspondence between then IVY Tech Board Chairman Bruce Walkup and DNR Director Rob Carter, Jr. for a one-year period from April 2012 to April 2013. After six months, the state finally got around to responding to the request, which showed that Bruce Walkup frequently sent raunchy, sexist jokes using his private e-mail account that included on the list of recipients a number of prominent figures, including the university's president, Tom Snyder, former Daniels chief of staff Earl Goode and Daniels' sister, Deborah Daniels. It didn't appear that any of the respondents paid any attention to the e-mails other than DNR Director Rob Carter, Jr., who responded favorably to them and appeared to have a cozy relationship with Walkup.
The Star found that Walkup had sent at least one e-mail to Carter referencing his future $120,000 a year job as head of Ivy Tech's security job before the job had even been advertised to the public. Carter, a former Hamilton Co. Sheriff, got the job for which there were about a dozen job applicants. Walkup insists that he had nothing to do with the hiring as the board's chairman. It also appears that the two's cozy relationship allowed them to participate in a coveted annual duck hunting opportunity at the Goose Pond in Linton. A lottery is supposed to be used to determine a handful of hunters who can enter the state-owned preserve to duck hunt. Anyone else caught duck hunting can be issued a citation by DNR police. Carter insists that he broke no rules at DNR by arranging the duck hunting opportunity with Walkup.
Walkup was first appointed to Ivy Tech's board of trustees by Gov. Mitch Daniels, who told the Star that "Walkup is sort of a salty guy." Gov. Mike Pence had no response when contacted by the Star about the content of Walkup's e-mails, which frequently joked about erectile dysfunction and women's breast size and contained nude images of women comparing them to various animals. According to a spokesman for Gov. Pence, nobody at Ivy Tech had made requests for Walkup's removal from the board either under Pence or his predecessor, Mitch Daniels. It's kind of a joke that someone like Walkup, a mediocre former race car driver, would be appointed to Ivy Tech's board of trustees, let alone be elevated to its board chairman. He was also president of the Indiana State Fair Board at one time. Although he is no longer Ivy Tech's chairman, he still sits on its board. As corruption in state government goes, this doesn't even rank on the list of concerns. I would think the Star could have found better use of the three reporters' time who worked on this story.
I got a good laugh this morning when I got the paper. They both should be let go, I am sure they both violated policy by sending these emails. But this is Indiana! ;)
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the real world. This is how men talk about women.
ReplyDeleteThank God there's someone normal and presumably heterosexual in college education.
"As corruption in state government goes, this doesn't even rank on the list of concerns. I would think the Star could have found better use of the three reporters' time who worked on this story."
ReplyDeleteI had the same thought. The Star does not want to to dig to deep. It occurred to me is what were the qualifications either Walkup or Carter had to be appointed to their positions to begin with.
I thought that Doug Carter was the former sheriff of Hamilton County and not Rob Carter. Am i correct?
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, Bruce Walkup just got a welcome to the real world by getting the "option" to resign.
ReplyDeleteHeterosexual men who aren't self-absorbed idiots don't send out unprofessional emails when they are working on their employer's dime (in this case, the taxpayers' dime). And, real professionals don't cozy up to job candidates and imply that a job is in the bag before it is even posted, as Walkup did with Rob Carter.
I guess it will take just a few more reality checks until certain individuals understand that when you are paid to do a job, you do it and act like a professional instead of screwing around.