WOO HOO! OSU President Resigns from Massey Energy Under Pressure from Progressives!

[mod mom]

Press Release
For Immediate Release
CONTACT: Brian Rothenberg, 614 441-9145
ProgressOhio Statement on the Resignation of
E Gordon Gee from Massey Energy Board
"Dr. Gee sent the right message today by resigning from Massey Energy's Board of Directors. As was obvious to the nearly one thousand ProgressOhio members who asked him to resign, his presence legitimized bad corporate behavior.
"If there is a lesson in this, it is that university presidents should not let their names and the legitimacy of their titles be co-opted by bad corporate actors who seek to use academics to legitimize poor behavior.
"As for the people who have to live with Massey, we had hoped President Gee would turn over his stock to local community and environmental groups, helping them to continue exerting pressure on Massey leadership. We can only wish Don L. Blankenship, who epitomizes corporate hubris, will also someday resign."

- Brian Rothenberg, Executive Director of ProgressOhio



Background:

Green groups want OH college pres. off coal board
By: The Associated Press | 13 May 2009 | 11:56 AM


COLUMBUS, Ohio - Environmentalists are intensifying their calls for Ohio State University President E. Gordon Gee (GHEE) to step down from the board of a Richmond, Va.-based coal mining company in advance of the company's shareholder meeting Tuesday.

The 65-year-old Gee has sat on the board of Massey Energy Co. since 2000 and chairs its safety, environmental and public policy committee. Environmentalists view the company's use of the controversial extraction technique known as mountaintop shearing as counter to Gee's public efforts to promote green energy jobs.

Gee has said he believes he can do more good on the board than off it. Company filings show he earned $219,261 in cash and stock from Massey last year and holds 28,191 shares of company stock.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/30724223

[DireStrike]

1. He resigned of his own will?

If he was not forced to resign, at least we know he's not one of the pathological powermongers that seem to run everything these days. Maybe he should have been kept and reasoned with.

Of course, I dunno anything about the guy. I base this solely on the fact that he actually resigned in the face of public pressure, and thus has some respect for the public.

[mod mom]

3. There was a push by the progressive community in Ohio to place pressure on him about this.

Seemed it worked this time. OSU has worked at improving it's image. It's harder to get into, when in the past it was seen as a school anyone could get into regardless of grades. I'm sure he didn't want the bad press on this. It wasn't worth it.

[thereismore]

2. Gee is also known to be a Mormon. Just sayin. nt