St. Petersburg College's hiring is under review

ST. PETERSBURG — The St. Petersburg College board of trustees launched an independent audit of the school's hiring practices Monday amid allegations president Carl Kuttler showed favoritism in hiring a friend to a $60,000-a-year administrative post.

The audit is expected to take four to 10 days, and will focus on the college's hiring practices generally as well as the hiring of Violetta Sweet, said trustee Terrence Brett.

Sweet, 33, was hired as the college's director of international studies though dozens of other applicants appeared more qualified, according to their applications.

A Bradenton consultant with no ties to SPC or Kuttler will perform the review, Brett said. Brett interviewed the consultant, Ron Hamilton of Practical Human Resources Solutions, for an hour last week. Hamilton, who is being paid $1,500 a day for his work, started Monday.

"The marching orders are to do a complete audit of hiring practices and procedures to see if there are areas we've fallen short on, or if there are areas of improvement," Brett said.

A former low-level college employee who earned $10.70 an hour, Sweet spent the past three years working at her estranged husband's jewelry store.

Sweet, a native of Kazakhstan who speaks Russian, was hired as acting director of the school's international studies program in December without a public application process. She also was sent to Washington, D.C., as a college consultant and paid $500 a day. Kuttler booked Sweet's hotel room for the trip with his credit card and arranged a tour of the White House through U.S. Rep. C.W. Bill Young, R-Indian Shores.

Comments on this article

by How to report anonymously to auditor	Oct 13, 2008 6:16 PM
Ron Hamilton, HR auditor: 941-360-8215. You can call him anonymously and he will take down the info you have. Dial *67 on your home phone before calling to block your outgoing caller ID on the other end, if you prefer.

by He is in control	Oct 13, 2008 12:12 PM
"Kuttler said through a spokesman he would comply with the audit." Nice of him to give his consent to be investigated.

by Curious George	Oct 13, 2008 12:12 PM
4 to 10 days to complete the investigation? Please do not insult us. It would take that long just to read the complaints posted on these sites. Oh wait, that?s right, PHRS has already been told to ignore them. A narrow scope of review hides much.

by The Investigator	Oct 13, 2008 12:12 PM
Ron Hamilton can not read your minds. If you are lucky, he will at least read the blogs. STOP with the innuendo. If you have names, name them. Give specific examples. If not, none of this will see the light of day.

by call ron - can't hurt might help	Oct 9, 2008 8:24 PM
ron hamilton the auditor may not want to speak about spc over the phone, but he will take down any information you have and check it out. i asked if his report will be public record. he did not know for sure, but thought that since it is a board of t

by Not what I thought it would be	Oct 9, 2008 5:44 PM
Silly me, I thought an audit that uncovered wrongdoing might come with some consequences attached, but it sounds like a report will be typed up and that's it. No accountability, no follow-up, not even a slap on the wrist. Hard to believe.

by Blog site	Oct 9, 2008 5:43 PM
In case this comments section gets shut down like others have been, here is where you can find an ongoing blog on this subject: http://blogs.tampabay.com/baybuzz/2008/09/spc-board-order.html

by Observer	Oct 9, 2008 3:09 PM
This is not the only pos that?s been filled by assignment without being posted at all. Just recently a tenure pos was filled this summer by another of Karl?s cronies. Does Ron H. know about this one or others and is he going to investigate them too?

by Cynic	Oct 8, 2008 7:59 PM
Bah! This will be, at best, a whitewash and a complete waste of $1500/day. Why bother.

by Disgusted	Oct 8, 2008 5:32 PM
Good question, 5:05pm. What IS the process to allow us to anonymously provide information to this auditor? God knows, we need one.

by SpeedyReview	Oct 8, 2008 5:06 PM
4-10 days to review hiring practices! What a laugh - really limits the number of files the god daughter has to "adjust".

by article links	Oct 8, 2008 5:06 PM
Ron H., lease read comments at end of (1) http://blogs.tampabay.com/baybuzz/2008/09/spc-board-order.html (2) www.tampabay.com/news/education/article794061.ece (3) www.tampabay.com/news/education/college/article824740.ece

by we are closely monitored	Oct 8, 2008 5:05 PM
What is the process set up to ensure all past/present SPC are able to anonymously provide names of hires where procedure was not followed, hires were unqualified FOC, non-existent positions appeared & filled. Retaliation is illegal - CMK doesn't care

by Wondering about source of recommendation	Oct 8, 2008 5:03 PM
PHRS website has "auditing" listed 10th out of 13 items under Consulting Services. Biography section mentions T&D,OD,comp/benefits,policy/handbook development,proj.mgt,merger transition, HR mgt--NO mention of auditing. Who recommended them to SPC?

by Waiting to see what happens	Oct 8, 2008 5:03 PM
The audit will take "4-10 days" - it could be over by Friday! Have something to tell them? Say it TODAY.

by SPC should be about the students	Oct 8, 2008 4:58 PM
An unsuccessful attempt has been made to speak to Ron Hamilton. He'll only speak to specific College people, then suggest ways to improve hiring?? The Board ordered an audit; spending $1500/day on a review and suggestions may be fraudulent, Carl.

by SPC	Oct 8, 2008 4:48 PM
To Want more history: More on hiring, firing, eliminating, traveling, and other spending taxpayers $$$ is right here: http://blogs.tampabay.com/baybuzz/2008/09/spc-board-order.html

by Curious George	Oct 8, 2008 4:48 PM
College policy prohibits staff from staying in any hotel that costs more than $200.00 a night. They are required to stay as much as 30 miles away from the meeting site if necessary. How much was Sweet's room at the Hyatt?

by College Employee	Oct 8, 2008 4:43 PM
Dark days are coming my friends. Retribution is on its way. As we speak, the plan is being put in place. Travel restrictions are only the beginning. Watch for e-mails in the coming weeks from Tom Furlong. You should have never messed with the King!

by Suspicious	Oct 8, 2008 4:42 PM
"St. Petersburg College's hiring is under review" as in singular..."hire"? If the auditor reads any of the previous posts it is clear that there are many questionable/unethical hires throughout the college. Investigate them all. Save us!

by Rich	Oct 8, 2008 2:38 PM
FYI http://blogs.tampabay.com/baybuzz/2008/09/spc-board-order.html

by SPC	Oct 7, 2008 3:25 PM
The St. Petersburg Times is listed under "Clients" of Practical Human Resources Solutions.

by Want more history of SPC HR?	Oct 7, 2008 3:24 PM
OK, help me understand: Sweet worked in Accts/Payable for $10.70/hr; married Kuttler's friend; worked in his jewelry store 3 years; divorced him; re-appeared w/ a 10-yr old Milk Industry BA; placed in an Admn/Prof Acting position, now perm. Correct?

by TR	Oct 7, 2008 12:26 PM
To SPC Board of Trustees & Ron Hamilton, PHRS: a fair auditor is one who has read all the information presented via the comments in response to the SPTimes articles - the only safe vehicle SPC employees may utilize in speaking out against the King.

by kevin	Oct 7, 2008 10:35 AM
Good for the college getting the ball rolling! Now it's the federal governments turn to follow up on the allegations from the blog site and begin their formal investigation too.

by Bob	Oct 7, 2008 10:23 AM
The board should also investigate the long missing grievance committee. According to SPC rules the school is suppose to have a grievance committee elected by the staff. I can't find the contact information on the college web site. Why?