DEPUTY CHANCELLOR MIKE MOSES REFUSES TO TALK ABOUT OUTSIDE CONSULTING:

Published: Sunday, February 06, 2000

MARY ALICE ROBBINS
Morris News Service

AUSTIN Mike Moses took the $190,000-a-year job as a deputy chancellor for the Texas Tech System last year with the agreement that he could do a little moonlighting.

"He was very open about it, and I hired him with that understanding," said Tech Chancellor John Montford.

Montford said it's not uncommon in higher education for chancellors, other senior administrators and faculty to take consulting jobs.

"As long as it's compatible with the scope and mission of the university, I don't have a problem with it," he said.

Montford pointed out that he sits on the board of the Fleetwood Corp., a national manufacturing company.

Moses, a former state education commissioner, said he's been asked to serve in a "paid advisory capacity" for several boards and organizations. But he wouldn't say how many outside jobs he's taken or disclose with one exception what entities he is advising.

"I'm not going to tell you that. I don't have to tell you that," Moses told Morris News Service.

The only group that Moses acknowledged having an agreement with is the Texas Association of School Administrators.

TASA Executive Director Johnny Veselka said Moses has served as an adviser to the association staff and advisory committees on education-related issues since Oct. 1. Veselka said the contract runs through the end of this year but declined to discuss what Moses is being paid.

Moses' refusal to discuss his other outside jobs raises concerns, according to officials with two government watchdog groups.

"When people won't answer questions, it tells me they've got something to hide," said Suzy Woodford, executive director of Common Cause of Texas.

By keeping quiet about who he is advising, Moses raises suspicions about the potential for conflicts of interest, Woodford said.

Tom "Smitty" Smith, state director of Public Citizen, also cited the need for disclosure of such consulting contracts so that any questions regarding propriety are "fully vetted."

Smith said the state learned a lesson in the VitaPro scandal that has rocked the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Andy Collins, former TDCJ executive director, entered into a consulting contract with the makers of VitaPro, a meat substitute, and approved the prison system's purchase of the product to feed to inmates without going through the bidding process.

While Smith said he doesn't believe Moses is involved in anything like what happened in the VitaPro case, he emphasized the need for disclosure to prevent situations like that.

Moses was required to disclose his contracts or agreements to Montford. But Montford said he can't reveal the information, which is part of Moses' personnel file.

Moses said he's not running a private consulting business out of his Tech office and that the outside employment hasn't compromised his work at Tech.

"I take care to make sure it doesn't," Moses said.

Moses oversees Tech's development program, special projects and governmental relations. Any work he does for entities other than Tech occurs on weekends, at night or on vacation days, which he takes "as needed," he said.

Although Moses said he sometimes receives calls at Tech from the companies or groups that he advises, he said he doesn't use Tech phones to conduct business.

Moses' contention that he works on his outside jobs at night or on weekends puzzled Woodford, who noted that most businesses or groups are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

"I don't see how it's possible to do an adequate job for them on evenings and weekends," she said.

Veselka said Moses' work with TASA requires only a "minimum number of days and hours" but declined to be more specific.

Morris News Service learned that Moses serves on the board of directors for William R. Hough, an investment banking firm.

Mel Schonhorst, Hough's senior vice president, said Moses has been involved with the firm for "the last month or so" but declined to say whether he receives compensation for the service.

The position involves periodic phone conversations and periodic meetings, mostly at night or on weekends, Schonhorst said.

Sources also reported that Moses has an agreement with Voyager Expanded Learning, a private curriculum company. Officials with that company did not return phone calls from Morris News Service.

Mary Alice Robbins can be contacted at (512) 482-9429

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