Not Just Mr. Watson

[Caveat Emptor]

In light of the fact that the flow of information from the Albuquerque Academy Board Trustees is inconsistent and desultory, we have taken upon ourselves to reach out to individual Trustees to voice concerns, ask questions, and engage. At each turn, we have been met with dismissive arrogance. The Trustees are a self-selected closed cadre and most seem unconcerned (other than being “put out” on having to calm “ruffled feathers”) regarding the serious questions of their fiduciary failings. One Trustee even explained that since “big donors” aren’t concerned, why should the Albuquerque Academy Community be worried. Comparisons to schools across the nation, with “similar” problems, is justification enough to continue on unchecked.

It is clear that while it benefits Mr. Watson to have a Board that protects him, it also benefits this Board to have Mr. Watson succeed at any cost. This is a full-on marriage of preservative hubris.

[Kumihimo]

Thanks for the post, Caveat Emptor.

I have been wondering: how are board members chosen? Does anyone know? This certainly looks like a closed loop from our perspective. My husband and me have seen for a long time that the board and Andy just seem to feed on each other. Also, is there any limit on how long they serve? How long has Honegger been on the board? And what about the others?

Somebody wrote a post a while back about the dangers of an entrenched board. These folks look pretty darn entrenched to me – and joined at the hip to Andy and company.

[Shouldaboughtasquirrel]

Kumihimo,

From my limited understanding, and past, failed attempts to nominate individuals who would be great Trustees, the Board is chosen from individuals groomed by the Board for the Board. There are a retreads of UNM, UNM & Community Foundation, Sandia Labs and Manzano Day School–Borromean Rings, really. UNM carries most of the seats (Adballah, Pacheco, Romero-Legget, Todd, Weinstein as a contractor and McKinnon through major gifts and Gary Gordon from UNM Foundation). Which is ironic as UNM struggles with finances as an institution and in their fund raising. UNM constantly justifying the increase in tuition and value vs. cost.

The selection of Board members from groomed individuals is not unusual; what is unusual is the fact that it is the same cast of characters in Albuquerque. Surely our pool of talent isn’t that shallow.

[Cantabile]

This makes a lot of sense. Independent school boards are of course all volunteer. I remember a seasoned National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) president from many years ago who told a head of school in Boston, a friend of my wife and me, “The dirty secret of NAIS schools is the inconsistency of their boards. The best schools reliably remain the best because of great boards. But where boards are weak, the outlook is predictably grim.”

For my own part, I’ve served on a couple of non-profit boards, and to be frank, board members’ dedication and ability varied a lot. But in both cases, there was a rock-solid ethical foundation.

That’s what makes the Academy’s board so disappointing. The obfuscation, the smoke and mirrors, the failure to take ANY responsibility, and, worst of all, the obvious cover-up for Andy’s two raises – this is what makes so many so angry.

[Author]

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