Down, and Out of West Virginia

For those of you not in the know, after living in, working for and generally supporting the State of West Virginia for 34 years, I recently left my position at Concord University for a higher paying job with more career opportunities at a university in Ohio.

Not that this was really part of my grand plan. If I'd had my wish, I certainly would have stayed at CU or at least in WV for the rest of my career, but there comes a time when you have to decide that you know how valuable and capable you are, even if others fail to see it. So, after TWO rejections by Marshall, (in which the SAME PERSON got the job I wanted TWICE; see if I ever apply there again) and a continuing tradition by Concord of refusing to promote from within, I took the hint and moved on. It may be a little irrational, but in some ways I feel that my state, or at least those who lead its higher education establishment, rejected my service. So, with that in mind you can understand my appalled reaction to this story from the WV Political Sweatbox, detailing the scandle of greed and ungrateful attitude of someone theoretically working for the people of WV. That someone who is a convict and abuser of the public trust can so casually throw away a job at a salary that would have kept me in WV is more than galling, and as my wife pointed out, a little sad of all concerned.

It just seems like WV continues to encourage the many of its loyal, capable sons and daughters to leave while making room for the outsiders, the incompetent and/or the visionless.