Dr. Dawood Farahi
The federation, which represents 480 professors, professional staff and librarians, has accused Mr. Farahi of falsely stating that he published “over 50 technical articles in major publications”—including journals that the union claims don’t exist.
The union also alleged that Mr. Farahi, who is originally from Afghanistan and has strong political ties in Union County, lied about serving as an acting dean at Avila University in Kansas City, Mo., from 1976 to 1983. A representative at Avila couldn’t be reached for comment.
“False claims of academic achievements on official documents seriously jeopardize the academic integrity, the reputation and the accreditation of Kean University,” said James Castiglione, a physics professor and president of the teacher’s union, in a Nov. 29 letter to the board.
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The lying king of Kean
Teacher’s union alleges school president falsified credentials
By Cheryl Hehl, Staff Writer
Kean University President Dawood Farahi allegedly falsified his academic credentials in a series of deliberate misrepresentations prior to being hired in 2003, according to a recent letter sent to the Kean University Board of Trustees.
The Kean Federation of Teachers, which is calling for an independent investigation by the university board of trustees, supplied the information in a letter dated Nov. 29 to the board president, a copy of which LocalSource obtained.
According to James Castiglione, president of the Kean Federation of Teachers, a source close to the board of trustees indicated they preferred conducting an in-house investigation before this information became public. However, there has been no confirmation the board immediately launched an investigation or how they plan to address the latest controversy involving the president of this state university.
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The Kean mutiny: Faculty fights back
Teachers upset over direction of school, soaring debt; point finger at university president
By Cheryl Hehl, Staff Writer
UNION — There has been a lot of change at Kean University since Dawood Farahi took over as president in 2003, including soaring debt that went from $48 million to $350 million in just six years and faculty that gave their leader an 83 percent no confidence vote in fall of 2010.
Farahi has mismanaged the college, increased its debt by more than $300 million and compromised the education of its students, according to claims by faculty members.
There are other charges by staff that are startling, including that student fees have surged more than 62 percent since Farahi came aboard and that the university budget has escalated from $140 million to $210 million.
According to faculty members, the money is not going into the classroom, because full-time faculty staff numbers have dropped from 400 to 310, while university administrators jumped 31 percent from 124 to 165.
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Kean of the hill
Sources at school raise questions about influence of Sen. Lesniak
By Cheryl Hehl, Staff Writer
Kean University officials denied this week that powerful state Sen. Ray Lesniak wields too much influence at the Union-based college, despite what some faculty members maintain.
Lesniak, who did not respond to repeated phone calls seeking comment, has his sister and his nephew’s former wife on the Kean payroll.
According to eight Kean professors, who preferred to remain anonymous, Lesniak not only managed to get his sister Margaret Devanney a position at Kean for $86,800 a year, but also the ex-wife of his nephew, George Devanney, the former Union County manager who retired abruptly Aug. 1.
Devanney’s ex-wife, Audrey Kelly, an employee of the university since 1998, makes $129,000 a year as the executive assistant of Kean’s board of trustees since July 2004 when she was appointed to this position. This was just a year after Dawood Farahi became president of the university.
Farahi and Lesniak have close ties, according to sources close to the issue. In fact, the Kean Federation of teachers said in 2010 the president was hand picked by Lesniak for the position. In return for appointing trustees to the board that were friendly to him, Farahi put Lesniak’s relatives in high paying positions.
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Political Education
Linda Bradbury (left) and James Castiglione (center) of the Kean Federation of Teachers with Yolanda Simmons (right) of the Montclair Adjuncts Local get instructions before Saturday's Bergen Labor Walk in Paramus. Union efforts were cited as contributing factors in KFT and union-endorsed candidates winning challenging races. Oct.8.
Union Protests Kean’s Privatizing of Maintenance
By THOMAS FORTUNATO
Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Scotch Plains-Fanwood Times
UNION — Kean University campus workers belonging to the International
Federation of Professional Technical Engineers (IFPTE) Local 195 on Monday protested the University’s Board of Trustees decision to hire a private company, Meridian Property Group, to manage the grounds and maintenance of two of the university’s satellite campuses prior
to a Board of Trustees meeting. In addition to the workers, several Kean students and professors joined in to show their support.
Video: Kean University faculty, staff and students unite to oppose campus privatization
Photos: Kean University faculty, staff and students unite to oppose campus privatization
Students support workers' rights at Kean
Kean University Faculty, Staff and Students Oppose Campus Outsourcing
Threat to quality, safety, campus security and standing in community posed by misguided practice
UNION…A unified campus community is calling on Kean University President Dawood Farahi and the Board of Trustees to stop outsourcing vital campus jobs as part of a good-faith effort to restore the University’s standing in the community, save money and safeguard campus security. “Outsourcing of skilled trades and janitorial services at Kean is simply costing way too much,” said Kean mechanic Steve Pinto, chapter President of the International Federation of Professional, Technical Engineers (IFPTE), local 195, which represents approximately 135 janitors, skilled-trades workers, security officers and campus transportation workers. “Our members are committed to the campus and to Kean so it is a mistake to replace them with outside contractors, who cost more and can do less.”
Kean University Faculty, Staff and Students Oppose Campus Outsourcing
