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BREAKING NEWS AT KENTWIRED.COM
Monday, January 9, 2012
‘Cope Court’ donor pulls $1 million gift Doug Brown dbrow127@kent.edu A $1 million gift from Kent State alumnus Jason M. Cope and his wife, Stacie, was unexpectedly withdrawn Friday. Kent State planned to name its basketball court “Cope Court” in a ceremony Jan. 14 before the men’s game. The announcement of the withdrawal came after the Daily Kent Stater made inquiries into the past of Jason M. Cope, a 1995 Kent State finance graduate. Cope was the branch manager of a financial firm that defrauded 190 investors of $8.7 million in late 1999 and early 2000. He was one of four defendants required to pay a total of more than $19 million in penalties, according to litigation from the Securities and Exchange Commission and court documents. An email from Todd Vatter, Kent State interim director of athletic com-
munications, was received at 4:19 p.m. Friday and stated Jason Cope had withdrawn his $1 million donation “due to unforeseen changes.” The athletic department thanked Cope for considering the donation. When asked about the gift and Cope’s SEC violations on Jan. 4 — two days before it was pulled — athletic director Joel Nielsen said the donation was “in the best interest of the university and the department.” “Obviously we were aware of the litigation of 10 to 12 years ago,” he said about the man who was to become the namesake of the basketball court. “We’ve had the discussion with the donor, and we are comfortable in not only where he stands, but where we stand in that relationship.” FILE PHOTO BY MATT HAFLEY | DAILY KENT STATER Two 10-by-5 foot banners were supposed to be placed on each side of the basketball court in the M.A.C. Center in a dedication on Jan. 14. The banners will no longer be installed after the donor withdrew a $1 million donation on Friday.
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The top 5 things
Provost Robert Frank accepts presidency at his alma mater
you missed over break 1
Rachel Jones rjones62@kent.edu
Megan Wilkinson mwilki11@kent.edu
Winter break is meant to put students’ academic lives on hold until the spring, but while you were enjoying this pause at home, everything in Kent has been playing straight through. From earthquakes to the Esplanade expansion: You’ve missed a lot.
Here are the top five stories: The Portage County coroner ruled James Barnes’ cause of death as pneumonia Jan. 3. The acute pneumonia affected Barnes’ left lung. The Kent State Police found the graduate student during a wellness check in Leebrick Hall on Oct. 16.
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Read more about Barnes on page 3
MATT HAFLEY | DAILY KENT STATER
The Kent State men’s basketball team wrapped up its nonconference schedule and finished 3-2 over break. BARNES
The Kent State contractor in charge of the Esplanade expansion announced four houses will be torn down to complete construction.
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The Flashes’ final non-conference match-up was a 90-65 victory over Shawnee State on Jan. 2. The Mid-American Conference started Jan. 7 with a loss to Buffalo.
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A 4.0 magnitude earthquake shook the Youngstown area Jan. 1. Portage
Trumbull location of 4.0 earthquake
Kent McDonald
Mahoning
Youngstown
Stark Construction began Jan. 3 on East Erie and South Will o w s t re e t s . T h e Esplanade Expansion will provide students a safe and direct path from Kent State’s campus to the downtown area. PHOTOS BY COTY GIANNELLI | DAILY KENT STATER
Columbiana The U.S. Geological Survey National Earthquake Information Center reported the epicenter of the earthquake was in the McDonald area, which is five miles from Youngstown and 11 miles from Warren. Kent residents noticed the quake when items fell off shelves and the floors shook.
RACHAEL CHILLCOTT | DAILY KENT STATER
Provost Robert Frank received both his undergraduate and graduate degrees in psychology from the University of New Mexico. Tw e n t y - t w o years and three promotions later, he plans to return to his alma mater to serve as its 21st FRANK president. The University of New Mexico Board of Regents, headed by president Jack Fortner, chose Frank after a six-month search. Karen Wentworth, senior university communications representative for the University of New Mexico, said UNM picked Frank over the other candidates because of his experiences in the health sciences. Frank stated in a press release that, “the chance to be president at a university with as much potential as UNM is the most exciting opportunity I can imagine.” Frank will replace the University of New Mexico’s current president David J. Schmidly, who is stepping down from his position. “He has had some serious health issues in the last two years,” Wentworth said. Wentworth said Frank leaves Kent State for the presidential position in June 2012. Until then, Frank said he wants to continue moving forward with globalization initiatives and student retention at Kent State. Frank started his career at Kent State as provost in July 2007. So far, he has helped to establish Kent State’s College of Public Health, increased student retention rates and revised the promotion and tenure rules. Wentworth said Frank has yet to announce the goals he hopes to initiate at UNM. Daniel Mahony, dean of the College of Education and head of the provost search committee, said final candidates to replace Frank will be announced in about two weeks. “I am not personally surprised about Provost Frank getting the president job at the University of New Mexico,” Mahony said. “He made it clear in July that his goal was to actively search for a president’s position and he has the background and experience needed to get such a position.” Megan Wilkinson is the student affairs reporter for the Daily Kent Stater.
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