Mary Easley files grievance over N.C. State firing

RALEIGH, N.C. — The wife of former Gov. Mike Easley on Thursday filed a grievance with North Carolina State University over her firing last month.

Mary Easley worked as an executive-in-residence at senior lecturer at the university from 2005 until Chancellor James Woodward terminated her contract last month. Woodward cited state budget cuts to programs she oversaw as the reason for the termination.

Questions about her hiring and an 88 percent raise she received last year have led to the resignations of former Chancellor James Oblinger, former Provost Larry Nielsen and McQueen Campbell, who was chairman of N.C. State's Board of Trustees.

All three have denied any wrongdoing, but a series of e-mails the university turned over to the grand jury show Campbell communicated with the governor about a potential job at N.C. State for Mary Easley and then worked with Oblinger and Nielsen to fashion a job for her.

Her hiring and promotion are among the issues being investigated by a federal grand jury looking into the former governor's dealings with friends and contributors.

The grand jury also has looked into vehicles provided by car dealers to the Easley family, the former governor's travel on private planes, his purchase of a waterfront lot in Carteret County at a below-market price and the sale of a marina in Southport to a group that included some Easley friends and contributors.

60 Comments

WRAL.com welcomes your comments on this story. All comments are moderated prior to publication based on our posting guidelines. Please review them prior to posting and if your message is not approved.

VIEW ALL 60 COMMENTS

This story is closed for comments. Comments on WRAL.com news stories are accepted and moderated between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Latest Comments

She needs to get a job practicing law and just shut up. She has done enough damage.

teacher-mom
July 24, 2009 2:13 p.m.

And, BTW, since they used the budget reason for her termination, then, yes, she IS entitled to unemployment insurance compensation. The entitlement amount, however, is capped at $494/week (including the extra $25 from the FEDS). That is for everyone who was making over a certain amount during their target period. An average salary in the neighborhood of $40,000 - $45,000 or so would have you reach the top amount. No matter how much more you earned over that, you would be entitled to no more than $494/week in UI.

jurydoc
July 23, 2009 6:35 p.m.

Well, I've posted this a number of times and will once more. NCSU violated its own written policy in terminating Ms. Easley's contract for budget reasons but NOT giving her 30 days notice. If she had been terminated for cause, she would not have been entitled to notice; however, since they invoked the program cuts/budget reason, policy 05.15.1 section 3.3 clearly states the notice requirements. You can see for yourself here: http://www.ncsu.edu/policies/employment/epa/POL05.15.1.php Therefore, pay her her 30 days and be DONE with her! Sheesh!

jurydoc
July 23, 2009 6:32 p.m.

In America, and only in America, you are INNOCENT UNTILL PROVEN GUILTY, not from hearsay or anything else. Let the chips fall as they may. She was hired and she was fired, what did she do that was wrong? So she is guilty by association not by deed, if her associates are found guilty, if not, then she is innocent. This is the LAW of our Land. Like it or not.

another opinion
July 23, 2009 6:30 p.m.

MamaDummy; I agree with you. Unless those, who we feel are guilty, are actually found guilty then by their constitutional right are innocent, like it or not. It doesn't matter if they sleep with the Devil, if they are not found guilty, then they are innocent. Right or wrong, Mrs. Easley has the right to challenge the decision to fire her. If we decide that she doesn't, due to feelings, and not facts, then we are wrong.....

another opinion
July 23, 2009 6:20 p.m.