ASUO accounting coordinator
Jenny Neiwert, sister-in-law of ASUO
Accounting Coordinator Jennifer Creighton-Neiwert, was paid more than $11,000 in student money while working in a two-and-a-half-year temporary student government position in which there were no applications accepted or job interviews conducted, according to a former ASUO receptionist and employment documents obtained by the Emerald.
In September 2004, the Emerald reported that Creighton-Neiwert’s husband, Dean
Neiwert, had been paid more than $850 to
perform contracted Web site work in July 2003 and April 2004 for the ASUO. ASUO President Adam Petkun in May 2004 told Creighton-
Neiwert about concerns from ASUO staff
members about the appearance of nepotism
after his hiring, and the two decided to ban the hiring of family members in the ASUO.
Creighton-Neiwert’s resignation was
announced in a Feb. 23 e-mail from Petkun.
According to the e-mail, Creighton-Neiwert is leaving her job as ASUO accounting coordinator — a position she’s held for more than five years — on March 6 to begin working as
an accountant for the University Physical
Activity and Recreation Services.
Creighton-Neiwert would not comment on her resignation or her sister-in-law’s hiring.
Jenny Neiwert could not be contacted Wednesday for comment.
Employment documents show that Creighton-Neiwert worked as Jenny Neiwert’s direct supervisor throughout Neiwert’s
August 2001 to January 2004 period of
employment at the ASUO. Neiwert, who
has never attended the University as a student, worked as a part-time temporary ASUO
administrative assistant and earned a total
of $11,837.18 in incidental fee money.
Former ASUO receptionist Laurie Rice,
who worked under Creighton-Neiwert until Rice’s termination Aug. 21, 2001, said she didn’t know exactly what Creighton-Neiwert’s role was in hiring her sister-in-law but that EMU
Director Dusty Miller, Creighton-Neiwert’s
immediate supervisor, wasn’t involved in
the hiring.
“The student staff and Jennifer did the hiring process; Dusty wasn’t involved at all,” Rice said. “All I know was that Jen was the boss in that office and Jen had her working there.”
Miller said Creighton-Neiwert’s “role
was the normal role of someone hiring a
temporary employee using all
applicable guidelines.”
Miller, who signed two of
Neiwert’s employment documents, said he couldn’t remember
many details of Neiwert’s hiring, including why she was hired,
the employment needs of the ASUO Executive staff at the
time, whether Creighton-Neiwert recommended her sister-in-law or the length of time Neiwert worked.
The Oregon Administrative
Rule governing family relationships and employment states
that “Discrimination in favor of candidates who are related to
persons involved in, or with an
effective influence upon, the
selection process is prohibited.”
However, University Director of Policy and Legal Affairs Randy Geller stated in a letter to the
Emerald that Neiwert appears to be in compliance with the rule. The rules state, in part, that no
relative of somebody currently employed by the University may be denied equal access to a job based on family relationship.
“No members of the faculty
or administration shall participate in making recommendations
or decisions involving the employment, compensation, promotion, leave of absence, grievance
adjustment, termination, or in
the supervision of their relatives without prior permission of their immediate supervisor,” part of
the rule states.
Petkun, who said he’d
heard about Jenny Neiwert’s
previous employment at the ASUO but didn’t know details until
the Emerald contacted him Wednesday, said Neiwert’s hiring was “not something I would
have liked to have seen under
my administration.”
Rice said Creighton-Neiwert hired both family members and friends
to work in the ASUO.
“She had her husband working for her,” Rice said. “She had people coming in and out that were
her friends … She could easily get them hired.”
Because no applications
were submitted — including from Neiwert — for the position, the Emerald was unable to determine whether Neiwert had the necessary qualifications. The job, as specified by an Oregon University System written description,
requires either two years of general clerical experience; an associate’s degree in office occupations or office technology; or graduation from a private business school with a certificate in office occupations or office technology and one year of general clerical experience.
Miller also said he didn’t
remember exactly what Neiwert’s qualifications were.
Rice said she didn’t know
Neiwert’s qualifications but said she knew that “(Neiwert) didn’t know a darn thing.”
Rice said Neiwert received about a week’s training by former
University student Allyssa Walton, who left the ASUO to attend law school, while Rice received no training for her position. After Rice’s termination and Neiwert’s week of training, Neiwert called Rice at home to ask how to do something, Rice said.
“She didn’t know what the hell she was doing,” Rice said.
Rice said Neiwert was hired
without any application process. Rice scheduled all interviews for open ASUO positions at that time and no official interview was
conducted with Neiwert, she said.
“All I know about Jenny is she showed up one day in the office,” Rice said. “There was never an
interview process, so she was hired without any competition.”
Rice said about 300 applications had been sent in for the position that Rice accepted.
University Human Resources Employment Manager Chris
Lonigan said temporary jobs do not have to be advertised, an
exception to a University policy that requires all state jobs to be listed with the employment
department. Neiwert started in
August 2001 with a pay rate at $10.74 per hour and finished in January 2004 at $11.30 per hour.
The pay is similar to pay received by others who have similar jobs at the ASUO, according to
employee history forms. From
February 2003 to September 2003, current ASUO Programs Administrative Assistant Brandy Ota
received $10.81 per hour. Former ASUO Administrative Assistant Shawn Rubino started in
October 2001 at $11.13 per hour and finished in February 2004 at
$13.44 per hour.
Petkun — who is not Creighton-Neiwert’s boss but collaborates with her — said he was glad
he spoke with Creighton-Neiwert after he took office, and
they agreed to ban hiring family members in the future.
“I’m glad it’s something we’ve moved on from as well, and it won’t be happening again,” Petkun said, adding that he, ASUO Vice President Mena Ravassipour and members of the ASUO Student Senate plan to look at the
ASUO Green Tape Notebook before they leave office to clarify
some rules, including the rules governing hiring processes.
