American Academy of Arts and Sciences Chief under Scrutiny

The Boston Globe reports that LeslieBerlowitz, President of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, misrepresentedthat she held a doctoral degree from NYU on at least two grant applications filedwith the National Endowment for the Humanities. The story also asserts that she misstated her work history at the school.  Purported copies of the grant applicationswere made available here.  The Globe furthernotes that “[i]ncluding false information infederal grant applications … could potentially violate two separate statutes.” 

In addition, the Globereports that Berlowitz’s total compensation was almost $598,000 for the fiscalyear ending March 2012, and that she “also frequently travels first class,dines on meals prepared by the academy’s caterer, and requires staff tochauffeur her between the office and her apartment building along the CharlesRiver in Cambridge, according to former board members and employees.” Willdisclosure of this information prompt a governmental inquiry?  It is too early to tell. The Globe continues:

[Massachusetts] AttorneyGeneral Martha Coakley, who is charged with overseeing charities inMassachusetts, declined to say Tuesday whether she planned to examineBerlowitz’s pay, which the Globe found to be higher than the salary of mostcollege presidents.

For a presentation of the factsthat is more favorable to Berlowitz’s actions, see this coverage in the NewYork Times.  The Times reports that Louis W. Cabot, chairman of the Academy’s executive board, describes Berlowitzas having the board’s “unqualified support.”  Further, accordingto both newspaper accounts, the Academy blames the misstatements on a staff errorand states that Berlowitz’s résumé on file with heremployer does not contain the inaccurate information. 

JRB