UNCG Chancellor Linda Brady issues a statement clarifying her role in Mary Easley’s hiring at N.C. State.
Today’s N&O reports that Brady blew the whistle on N.C. State Chancellor James Oblinger after system President Erskine Bowles had already been in contact with McQueen Campbell:
Bowles, who was not in the UNC-system president’s job at the time of the job creation, said Oblinger’s story started breaking down when he got a call from Campbell after the newspaper series. Campbell didn’t disclose much, but did say that he had told Oblinger that Mary Easley was interested in joining the university.
Bowles reacted strongly, asking Campbell to resign his trustee position, though he had no power to force it. Bowles confronted Oblinger, and the chancellor said he couldn’t remember the exchange.
Then, about a week ago, Brady called Bowles.
“She said she wanted me to know that Jim Oblinger had been the one who talked to her about this,” Bowles said.
Bowles said he again confronted Oblinger.
“Once again, he told me he just didn’t recall that,” Bowles said. “I struggled some here. But that’s two conversations that he didn’t remember. Still, I’m sticking with him at that point.”
Then, five days ago, Oblinger produced the e-mail messages.
Yet Brady clammed up when the N&O contacted her back in April, stating simply “I wasn’t involved in that” and “I’m sorry that I can’t help you.”
