Emerson hires Jim O’Brien

Boston was home to Jim OBrien 40 years ago when he was playing for Boston College, and it was again when he coached there from 1986-97. OBrien hasnt coached anywhere in seven years — after a controversial departure from Ohio State left him with a tarnished reputation —but he had said he wouldnt mind getting back into the business if the situation were right.

OBrien completed the circle when Emerson College announced today that he has been named its new mens basketball coach.

‘‘We are extremely excited to have attracted someone with Jims talents and experience to Emerson, said athletic director Kristin Parnell. ‘‘He will help the basketball team build on its many past successes.

‘‘The more I thought about it, the more I thought it was something I wanted to do, said OBrien. ‘‘But if I got back into coaching, I wanted to stay in Boston. It fits into what I want to do in my life right now.

OBrien has been out of coaching since being fired for recruiting violations at Ohio State in 2004. He wound up suing the school and winning a $2.4 million award for breach of contract.

‘‘It bothered me a lot, said OBrien. ‘‘In 27 years in this profession, there was never one second of an issue with the NCAA about how we ran the program. And then all of a sudden this is how you get labeled. There was damage, and it really bothered me a lot.

Although Emerson has had success in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (conference titles in 1998 and 1999, and six other appearances in the conference title games), it went 10-16 last season, and coach Hank Smith, according to a statement from the school, ‘‘decided to leave the college to pursue other interests after 16 years.
OBrien, who also coached at St. Bonaventure (1982-86), had been banned by the NCAA after the problems at Ohio State but was reinstated in 2008.

OBriens departure from BC also was marked by controversy and acrimony involving recruits of his who were denied admission by the college. OBrien ultimately sued BC for slander and breach of contract, a case that was settled out of court.

At Ohio State, OBrien guided the Buckeyes to the Final Four in 1999, but there was another recruiting controversy. In September 1998, OBrien was pursing Alex Radojevic, a Yugoslavian who would never play at Ohio State or any other college. OBrien sent a check for $6,000 to Radojevics mother, who was trying to support a family in country torn apart by civil war.

Since Radojevic never played for Ohio State, OBrien did not tell school administrators about the payment until six years later, when more violations were committed during the recruitment of another foreign player, Boban Savovic.

Ohio State was placed on probation and had its appearance in the 1999 Final Four vacated, among other penalties. OBrien was terminated by the university but wound up winning his lawsuit. His coaching career had been in limbo until today.

Mark Blaudschun can be reached at blaudschun@globe.com.

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Primary school hires libel lawyers over council ‘slur’

Durand Academy in Stockwell, south London, is suing Lambeth Council amid claims emails sent by a leading official were defamatory.

The two parties are set to clash in the High Court after three messages from the council’s chief auditor raised concerns about the management of the school.

Judges granted the school leave to sue in November and Durand has reportedly spent £200,000 hiring libel lawyers Carter Ruck and public relations specialists PLMR to help fight its case.

The school – ranked “outstanding” by Ofsted – insisted it was taking the action to “vindicate” its reputation and said the council had refused to offset the court battle by making an apology.

Any legal fees are funded by income privately generated by the school, it added.

Durand is one of a small number of primaries handed academy status, which gives the school almost complete independence over its own budget, curriculum, admissions policy, academic year and staff pay.

As reported in the Telegraph last month, it has also become the first primary in the country to buy its own free, state-run boarding school to educate secondary-age pupils.

But the latest disclosure has been branded a waste of public money.

Mike Harris, head of advocacy at Index on Censorship, said: “The vast majority of the Durand Academy’s funding comes from the public purse.

“Is employing top libel lawyers Carter-Ruck to sue a local authority a good use of our money? Taxpayers lose either way.

“The Government is currently re-writing our libel laws. It must ensure that public bodies and large corporations cannot bully their critics into silence.”

Four of 35 Bay City All Saints Central High School graduating seniors earn full-ride scholarships

BAY CITY Four of All Saints Central High Schools 35 graduating seniors earned full-ride scholarships to four-year institutions this year, good for 11 percent of the entire class.

Those students attribute their success to the environment of their high school, which they say is conducive to academic achievement.

Its really the small classes, said Cody Lesniak, an 18-year-old All Saints senior who earned a full-ride scholarship to Saginaw Valley State University, where he plans to study mechanical engineering.

Theres more one-on-one teaching, and you actually get to ask questions.

There are 16 students for every teacher at All Saints Central High School, according to Principal John Hoving. That figure is better than the 18-to-one state average and is also the best in Bay County, where most high schools see 20-plus students per teacher, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

Theres definitely something to be said for (smaller class sizes), Hoving said. Not only are the students more relaxed, but theres far more opportunities for that one-on-one with the teacher.

Every day, the student gets a chance to ask questions and to interact with the teacher. With the great teachers that we have at All Saints, that really adds to the value.

Mykaela Hopps is All Saints valedictorian this year, graduating Sunday with a 4.12 grade point average and a full-ride scholarship to SVSU, where she plans to study theater and psychology.

She says small class sizes and the All Saints community benefited her.

At bigger schools you dont get the same academic opportunities, Hopps said. The community is really, really close at All Saints. We have parents that come to the games and plays who dont even have kids in the school anymore.

Samantha Boswell also earned a full-ride scholarship to SVSU with a 4.05 grade point average, ranking fifth in the class. Shes undecided as to what shell study in college.

Paul Kuczynski is in the same boat. The 17-year-old turned down a full-ride scholarship to Aquinas College in Grand Rapids to pursue an education at Notre Dame.

Kuczynski, who was one of just 600 students nationwide to record a perfect score on the ACT in 2010, said he wanted a more challenging experience.

I just wanted to go somewhere more exciting, more academically difficult, he said. Im looking forward to it, honestly, for a wide range of people with different backgrounds.

Kuczynski, too, said he benefited from small class sizes at All Saints.

Some of my classes had less than 10 people, he said. You pretty much know everyone and get to interact with everyone here.

Hoving said the successes of the Class of 2011 come as no surprise.

This group of seniors was a really high-powered group, he said. They kept people on their toes. When you have students that motivated, it makes everybody rise to the occasion, including teachers and staff.

Some days they could really make us pull our hair out. But other days, their creativity and their joy was really contagious.

Hoving credited a lot of All Saints academic achievements to early involvement by parents.

I cant emphasize enough the language arts skills that our students have very young at this school, he said. I give parents the kudos there for starting their kids young. We build on the great foundation theyve laid.

Valley leading economic indicator declines for May

For the eighth time in the past nine months, the San Joaquin Valley Business Conditions Index climbed above growth neutral, but the leading economic indicator for the region declined in May for the first time in 2011.

Other May survey results at a glance:

• Higher commodity prices push wholesale inflation skyward.
• Few companies expanded real estate space utilization via new construction and/or leasing over the past six months.
• A rising number of companies expect to reduce real estate space utilization via new construction and/or leasing over the next six months.

Overall index: The index, produced by Dr. Ernie Goss, a research associate with the Craig School of Business at California State University, Fresno, dipped to 54.3 from April’s 56.7. An index greater than 50 indicates an expansionary economy over the course of the next three to six months. “For the first time in 2011, the region’s leading economic indicator declined. However, the index remains at a level pointing to positive economic growth in the months ahead. Our survey results, while still somewhat weaker than the national ISM survey outcome, point to improving economic conditions in the next three to six months,” Goss said.

Employment: The hiring gauge slipped to 55.6 from April’s 56.6. “Manufacturing firms in the area have added net new jobs for each month of 2011,” said Goss. “This growth has spilled over into the rest of the economy. Even with recent growth, the area’s employment level is down by more than 25,000 jobs. Our survey indicates that the area will continue to add jobs through the third quarter of this year. However, that growth is likely to be muted by historical standards.”

Wholesale prices: The prices-paid index, which tracks the cost of raw materials and supplies, dipped to a still inflationary 84.2 from 85.6 in April. “Higher commodity prices, especially for energy products, continue to reduce the profitability and hiring for manufacturing firms, especially food processors, in the area,” said Goss.

“Firms continue to report unacceptably high inflationary pressures at the wholesale level. Even though the Federal Reserve (Fed) indicated it would end its buying of long-term U.S. Treasury bonds, quantitative easing 2 (QE2), this summer, I expect the Fed’s record low short-term interest rates to continue to weaken the dollar and push inflation above the Fed’s comfort zone,” Goss added.

In May, survey participants were asked how their firms have changed their real estate utilization over the past six months and how their real estate utilization will change for the next six months.

Approximately 3.3 percent indicated that they had expanded real estate utilization while less than one percent reported reducing real estate space utilization over the past six months. The remaining 95.7 percent indicated that their real estate utilization had not changed.

“For the next six-month period, approximately 15.6 percent indicated that they expect their firm’s real estate space utilization to expand while 21.0 percent anticipate a reduction in real estate space utilization,” said Goss. “The remaining 63.4 percent indicated that their real estate utilization would not change over the next six months.”

One survey participant reflected the lack of enthusiasm for expansion, saying, “I am currently looking for a space about half my current size. Our lease runs out in December so we will begin searching in earnest next quarter.”

Business confidence: Looking ahead six months, economic optimism, captured by the May business confidence index, declined to 57.1 from 62.5 in April. “Higher commodity prices, elevated unemployment rates and a weak construction sector continue to restrain the economic outlook for the Valley economy,” said Goss.

Trade: New export orders for May were healthy. The May export orders reading climbed to 63.7 from April’s 57.5. The area’s import index sank to 59.9 from 66.5 in April. “While the Federal Reserve’s cheap money policies are pushing domestic prices upward, they have served to reduce the value of the U.S. dollar thus making U.S. goods more price-competitive abroad. Those same policies have increased the price of imported goods,” said Goss.

Inventories: The inventory index, which tracks the change in the inventory of raw materials and supplies, sank to 48.3 from April’s 55.0. “The decline in inventory levels reflects reduced economic optimism among survey participants as they became slightly less confident about future sales growth,” said Goss.

Other components: Other components of the May Business Conditions Index were new orders at 56.9, down from April’s 59.1; production or sales at 57.4, down from 60.1; and delivery lead time at 53.3, up from 52.8 in April.

The Craig School of Business uses the same methodology as a national survey by the Institute for Supply Management, formerly the Purchasing Management Association, which has formally surveyed its membership since 1931 to gauge business conditions. The overall index, referred to as the Business Conditions Index, ranges between 0 and 100. The overall index is a mathematical average of indices for new orders, production or sales, employment, inventories and delivery lead time.

BU’s Chambers in mix at Penn State

According to multiple sources, Boston University men’s basketball coach Patrick Chambers has emerged as a leading contender to become the next coach at Penn State. Penn State athletic director Tim Curley is expected to make a final decision between Chambers, who has guided BU to back-to-back 21-14 seasons the past two years, including an NCAA tournament berth this season and University of Milwaukee-Wisconsin head coach Rob Jeter in the next few days, Chambers, who has strong Philadelphia roots and came to BU to replace Dennis Wolff two yaers ago from Jay Wright’s staff at Villanova, talked to Penn State officials earlier this week and emerged as one of the leading contenders primarily because of the Philadelphia connection, which Penn State officials feel is a strong credential to take over the job of running what many people feel is the toughest job in the Big Ten. Chambers recently agreed to a contract extension at BU through the 2015-16 season.

GOP lawmakers defend education cuts while Carrollton Public Schools leader Craig Douglas calls state reductions to schools ‘too deep’

SAGINAW The Republican-led Legislature has cut future education funding to schools and could lead to staff or service cuts at some districts, officials say.

Carrollton Public Schools Superintendent faces around a $500,000 cut “and that may be low,” said Superintendent Craig C. Douglas, who testified about the impact the loss of dollars would have on his district at a state Senate hearing in March.

“The cuts are too deep,” said Douglas, noting a $650 million surplus in the state school aid fund.

School districts will receive a minimum of $6,846 for each pupil, a decline of 6 percent. Districts that show best financial practices could receive $100 more per student.

Douglas said it was wrong to move money dedicated to K-12 education through Proposal A to higher education and also wrong to cut higher education dollars.

But Sen. Roger N. Kahn, R-Saginaw Township, said the state constitution allows the state to use school aid money for both.

The lawmaker also said other state agencies have taken steeper cuts and legislators voted in 2009 to take a 10 percent pay reduction.

I took a 10 percent pay cut this year, Kahn said. I dont know whether Mr. Douglas is taking a pay cut.

“He needs to explain why a less than 2 percent cut is too deep when he’s given 21 percent salary increases (to staff) over the last five years,” Kahn said.

He also criticized the high cost of health insurance, saying the district paid $21,000 a year to cover a teacher with a family.

The Board of Education has given teachers base wage increases amounting to 6.9 percent under labor pacts the past five years, Douglas said. The superintendent couldn’t say how much teachers have earned in additional pay through years of experience, known as step increases, or extra compensation for higher degrees. Carrolltons average teacher salary last year was above $51,000, ranking the district 433 out of 775 public and charter school systems, he said.

Kahn said legislation he sponsored will require schools to report to parents how well the district has fared in areas such as statewide test scores, administrators pay, and drop out rates, among other measurements. Douglas said much of that information is available on the school districts website.

State Rep. Kenneth B. Horn, R-Frankenmuth, said if Douglas negotiates with school employees over how to handle the reductions it wont be as big (a cut) as he thinks.

The cuts to schools are less than some state employees will face, such as state Department of Corrections workers, who face a 16 to 20 percent reduction in pay, Horn said.

We had to look them in the eye and make some very tough decisions, he said.

State Rep. James N. Stamas, R-Midland Township, said K-12 education reductions were reasonable compared to the first proposal of a near 5 percent reduction.

Its one that says lets make sure we are focusing on our kids, the Midland Township Republican said.

The News could not immediately reach state Rep. Stacy Erwin Oakes, D-Saginaw, for comment Friday. In an interview this month, she explained why she voted against the cuts in the House.

The schools are struggling as it is, so why take money from the schools? the lawmaker said. Its just unconscionable to fill in budget gaps (with money) from the school aid fund. … all the while giving tax breaks to corporations. Its just not an equitable, shared sacrifice.

Education comprises more than 25 percent of the state budget and remains a top priority, said state Sen. John R. Moolenaar, R-Midland and vice chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

We have a significant structural deficit that we needed to address in a responsible way so it does require everyone to participate, he said. I believe Michigan is on a better financial footing now and moving forward I think its going to require school boards, and teachers and staff to work collaboratively to make it through these tough financial decisions.

Lawmakers approved a $46 billion spending package in the fastest time in three decades, according to Kahn, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. The budget passed largely along party lines last week was $1 billion less than last year.

Republican Gov. Rick Snyder won support for some of the most significant changes in the tax structure and state funding in decades.

GOP lawmakers say a $1.7 billion tax cut for businesses, but a 6 percent flat tax on corporations, as part of the package will mean more jobs for Michigan. The elimination of tax exemptions on some pensions makes the system fairer for those who already pay taxes on retirement income, they say.

The result could bring in $1.42 billion more in additional income taxes. Critics say its a tax shift from business to residents at the expense of programs such as education.