Michael Garrison (politician)

Michael Garrison is the former president of West Virginia University, succeeded by C. Peter Magrath on August 1, 2008.^[1] A graduate of the WVU class of 1992 and earned a J.D. at WVU in 1996 after attending St. Anne's College, Oxford University on a Rotary Scholarship.^[2][3] He lectured as an adjunct professor in West Virginia University's department of Political Science in the years preceding his appointment as president.^[4] Garrison had been managing member of Spilman Thomas & Battle pllc in Morgantown. In 2003, Garrison was awarded a Toll Fellowship from the Council of State Governments ^[5] following his tenure as Chief of Staff to West Virginia Governor Bob Wise from 2001-2003.^[6] He served as Cabinet Secretary in the West Virginia Department of Tax and Revenue until 2001.^[7] In 2007, Garrison was selected as West Virginia University's twenty-second president.^[8]

Garrison's selection as president was controversial with some on the university's faculty; the faculty senate voted no confidence in him in April 2007.^[9] The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette noted concerns about his lack of academic experience and the possibility that his inclusion among the finalists was the result of his political connections.^[10][11]

In 2008 Garrison became involved in a controversy involving the granting of an MBA degree to Heather Bresch, who had failed to complete the required credits. A panel led by WVU faculty members produced a report on the incident described by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette as criticising the university administration for having made "a 'seriously flawed' decision fraught with favoritism."^[12] In May 2008 the faculty senate voted 77-19 to call for Garrison's resignation^[13] - a demand repeated by a vote (565-39, with 11 abstentions) open to all WVU faculty at a mass meeting a week later.^[14] In August 2012, West Virginia University officially closed its investigation, reaching no conclusion but foreseeing "unreasonable delays in investigating complaints of misconduct" raised questions about violations of due process rights.^[15]

On June 6, 2008, Garrison officially announced he would resign as President of the University effective September 1, 2008.^[16] In October 2008 a West Virginia grand jury decided not to indict Garrison on criminal charges relating to the degree scandal.^[17] Some news accounts alleged a friendly relationship between Garrison and the Governor, but the official WVU investigation ended before reaching the same conclusion.^[15]

After leaving West Virginia University, Garrison returned to his former law firm, Spilman Thomas & Battle,^[18] Garrison's more recent work includes representing natural gas company Northeast Energy in its $42 million suit against the City of Morgantown, West Virginia.^[19] Northeast is seeking an injunction against the city, to prevent enforcement of its recent ban on horizontal hydraulic fracking. Morgantown passed its ban after Northeast sited a drill pad near the city's primary drinking-water intake, and the ban and the issue have received increasing press coverage, both locally ^[20] and even nationally. ^[21]

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