Flunking common sense

Oh, the irony.

On the recent performance evaluation of the once and future S.C. State University president, trustees had to rate George Cooper's ability to maintain a professional image in state government.

The real question is: who evaluates these jokers? And, what's the next grade below "F"?

On Thursday, the South Carolina State board -- with two brand- new members -- voted to rehire Cooper as the university's president just two weeks after he got a D+ rating.

In an inspired bit of revisionist history, they also voted to expunge his firing from their minutes.

Isn't it a little late for that?

Board members who smartly opposed this debacle have considered jumping ship, lawmakers are requesting a Legislative Audit Council investigation, and -- in some scenarios -- the state's oldest historically black public college could even end up under the control of another university.

And you know what? The S.C. State board members who rehired Cooper can't say a thing about it -- they brought this on them- selves.

They have ruined the reputation of a South Carolina institution.

Bipartisan stewing

Before the board even took its ill-advised vote Thursday, state Sen. Robert Ford was collecting signatures for a Legislative Audit Council investigation.

An LAC report is the Legislature's holy grail, a truly independent report that rarely fails to fascinate -- and uncover malfeasance.

It will be interesting to compare the LAC's report with the $100,000 audit the S.C. State board recently voted to fund.

Of course, if they contract for audits like they bid out work for the James E. Clyburn Transportation Center, it'll never get done anyway.

Ford, once among the university's biggest supporters in the General Assembly, is making some pretty sharp allegations.

And between Thursday's fiasco and the millions missing from the transportation center (which Post and Courier reporter Diane Knich has been chronicling), Ford says it's time for a legislative audit.

And it didn't take long to get bipartisan support for his audit request, including state Sen. Chip Campsen and state Reps. Chip Limehouse and Wendell Gilliard.

"We cannot let that school be run into the ground," Ford says.

It's not about race

To put this disaster in perspective, the board has just rehired a guy who told The Post and Courier he doesn't really know where all the money for the transportation center went. But it's OK, his supporters say -- it's more important to have stability at the university.

This is stability?

Ford -- showing real leadership here, primary voters -- speculates the General Assembly could wind up putting S.C. State under the auspices of USC, or even Clemson, until the institution restores a little confidence among lawmakers (well, that could take a while).

You know, it wasn't too long ago that USC was under fire because it was in danger of losing its sole black trustee. The Legislature had to step in to stop that from happening. So imagine the political ramifications of a school with an almost entirely white board of trustees controlling the purse strings at the state's oldest historically black public college.

But if it causes the national media to parachute in and criticize the state again, so be it.

Racism didn't bring us to this one -- complete stupidity did.