'Transparency' and 'inclusiveness': maybe it depends on what the definition of 'is' is

June 23, 2008

You know, one thing Dennis Leone has been fighting for at STRS since Day One has been transparency, and we are seeing more and more rays of "sunshine" at 275 East Broad. But of course, Bill Leibensperger, in his public speech before the STRS Board last Thursday, gave Damon Asbury, our exiting executive director, all the credit for making STRS "more transparent in its operations" and "more inclusive in its decision-making."

Gee, Bill, did you happen to notice that the very day after your speech Damon told the Board he preferred the staff guidelines to be an Administrative Regulation instead of a Board Policy? I witnessed the Board's 10-0 vote against it (and acceptance of Leone's motion for it to be a Board policy instead)......and Damon did not fight it, but, hey, it was perfectly CLEAR exactly what he was after, and I hardly call that "transparency" or "inclusiveness" -- unless it means including a select, hand-picked few to bestow his transparency upon. What do you think?

Kathie Bracy