CSU Faculty Voice: Remember the Maria Moore Lawsuit at City Colleges?: Here's How Much Watson's Behavior Cost the Taxpayers of Chicago

Monday, October 5, 2015

Remember the Maria Moore Lawsuit at City Colleges?: Here's How Much Watson's Behavior Cost the Taxpayers of Chicago

As has been chronicled on this blog, the James Crowley case is hardly the first instance of costly managerial misconduct by Wayne Watson. Some time ago, I speculated on the damages awarded to Maria Moore in her lawsuit against Watson for unlawful firing, harrassment and sundry other allegations. Now thanks to the miracle of FOIA (and the responsiveness of an institution other than Chicago State), it is possible to determine exactly how much Watson’s malfeasance cost the City Colleges.

First, Moore actually filed her lawsuit after Watson had become president of Chicago State. Second, while there is a confidentiality agreement in the settlement, it is not binding on parties not involved in the suit. Third, settlement agreements involving public agencies are public information. I’ve included a copy of the memorandum I received from City Colleges to insure that the vituperative occupant of Admin 313 knows that this information came through a request under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act.

Here’s the damage: total amount of the settlement cost the City Colleges (not Watson, of course), $1,175,000, broken down as follows:

To Maria Moore for lost wages: $252,014.
To Maria Moore for damages: $468,026.
To Robin Potter and Associates (attorneys for Maria Moore) for legal fees: $329,163.56
To John P. DeRose and Associates (attorneys for Maria Moore) for legal fees: $125, 796.44.

Just to emphasize, the City Colleges settled this lawsuit. If it had gone to trial, the City Colleges would most likely have lost with the resulting damages close to James Crowley territory. However, the City Colleges Board of Trustees recognized a loser when they saw one and did the responsible thing. Compare that to our own Board throwing more money down the rathole in order to appeal the Crowley verdict.

If you are counting, Wayne Watson has cost the taxpayers of Cook County at least $1,175,000 and has the taxpayers of Illinois on the hook for an additional $4,000,000 in the Crowley case. When will the Board put an end to this madness?

Here are the relevant documents:

2 comments:

johnApr 7, 2016, 9:14:00 AM
Yes i am totally agreed with this article and i just want say that this article is very nice and very informative article.I will make sure to be reading your blog more. You made a good point but I can't help but wonder, what about the other side? !!!!!!THANKS!!!!!!
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UnknownMay 27, 2020, 5:00:00 PM
I'll tell you about the other side. Mariah Moore is a thief, a liar, and a fraud. She stole a HUGE amoount of money from the tv stations she worked at, in Syracuse and Tallahassee. I KNOW THAT FOR A FACT. She steals, everywhere she goes, she lies, and she points her finger at others, accusing THEM of stealing. I suspect she initiated this lawsuit to cover up and divert attention from her own theft, just like she has done so many times before. Someone really needs to take a close look at that witch. She needs to be in prison, not counting another wad of money that she got by illicit means.
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Thanks to Haki Madhabuti

"1. He/she must be a scholar of national note, with significant peer review publications and books in his or her field. There must be no doubt as to his/her standing in the community of scholars. This would also include a history of the candidate’s participation in the appropriate professional organizations.

2. He/she must have served with distinction as the administrative head of a major unit within an institution of higher learning or at the important position of Provost and/or Dean. Of course, prior service at the presidential level is preferred.

3. He/she must have a documented history of raising significant monies from the private and public sectors. At most major and research one universities it is not unusual to expect the president to come with a plan to raise in excess of half a billion dollars or more in the first few years.

4. The prospective president must have a consensus buy-in from the faculty, students, administration and staff, therefore, arriving with a unity mandate to lead by joining a University community that has bought into his or her vision for the future."

From an open letter to the CSU Community, 2009.