Last October, Florida Atlantic University’s consultant on the proposed dental school told a skeptical Faculty Senate committee that all was well with the project, even though FAU had pushed back the opening by a year, to 2027.
That consultant is Joel Berg, a pediatric dentist. He has been the consultant since the fall of 2022, after the Board of Governors approved FAU’s proposal for the school. That proposal presumes that the school would be financially sustainable and not drain FAU’s overall budget.
In October 2017, however, Berg resigned as dean of the dental school at the University of Washington. The school was running a $36 million operating deficit. Berg resigned, the university’s provost said, to make way for “fresh leadership to resolve [the school’s] urgent financial challenges.”
Berg had been dean since 2012. According to news reports, the deficit had reached $29 million by 2015. The university’s faculty council rejected Berg’s turnaround plan because he had based it on “faulty assumptions.” By 2018, the deficit was up to $42 million, and the interim dean had resigned.
In addition, Berg agreed in October 2017 to a deal with the Washington State Executive Ethics Board. The deal, under which Berg agreed to pay a $4,000 fine, stemmed from allegations that as dean he “may have violated” state ethics law “by using state resources for his private benefit or gain by using state resources for his outside business.”
Berg had three consulting jobs while serving as dean. According to the agreement, “The complaint further alleged that [Berg] had a private interest in vendors and potential vendors used by the School of Dentistry.”
Investigators concluded that Berg “had an interest in his personal endeavors, including use of staff time for his personal benefit, in conflict with the proper discharge of his official duties” as dean. “Additionally, Dr. Berg used his position as a supervisor to secure special privileges.”
Investigators found aggravating factors in the violations. Actions such as Berg’s, the agreement stated, “significantly reduce the public respect and confidence in state government employees, they were continuing in nature and Dr. Berg was in a position of management.”
Under the deal, Berg waived his right to a hearing. The board reduced the potential fine from $6,000 “on the condition that Joel Berg complies with all terms and conditions” of the deal “and commits no further violations” for two years.
Last year, Berg founded Execudent, an Arizona-based dental consulting firm where he is chief executive officer. Execudent’s website says Berg conceived the company by “drawing from his experiences as a visionary entrepreneur, industry-shaping connector, and thought leader.”
In 2023, the Legislature allocated $40 million toward the dental school—$30 million for construction and other non-recurring costs and $10 million toward operating expenses. This year, FAU has submitted four budget requests for the school totaling roughly $130 million. (This is an updated figure from Tuesday’s post.)
Last year, FAU said one goal of the school would be to ease the debt burden on new dentists, thus allowing them to practice in underserved areas. The website Student Loan Planner says the University of Washington dental school produces “highly competent” graduates but is a “financial train wreck.” In-state tuition grew at one of the fastest rates over the last 10 years among the country’s 66 dental schools.
I wanted to ask Berg why he believes that FAU’s dental school would be financially viable and meets the university’s state goals for the program. I also wanted to ask about his resignation from the University of Washington.
In an email that came too late for this post’s deadline, Berg said I could direct questions to FAU’s director of media relations. “He will ask me and/or others to assist in response as needed.” I will update after I get those responses.
Morgan the sea turtle returns to Gumbo Limbo
One of Gumbo Limbo Nature Center’s resident sea turtles is back home in Boca Raton. It’s unclear, however, when—or if—the other will return.
On Wednesday, city officials announced the arrival of Morgan. She came to Gumbo Limbo in 2014 after a boat struck her. Morgan’s injuries mean that she must live in captivity.
Ten months ago, the city arranged for the transfer of all turtles to other facilities as part of the non-profit Coastal Stewards assuming control of the turtle rehabilitation program. Separate from the city, the group must receive a new permit from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) before the turtles in rehab can come back.
Cane is the other resident turtle. A spokeswoman said the FWC must determine whether Cane could safely go through another transfer, “He may not come back,” the spokeswoman said. “We’re at the mercy of the FWC.”
A Coastal Stewards spokeswoman said the group will meet with FWC officials on Friday. “We are in the final stages of the permitting process, and once FWC finishes reviewing the written application the last step is a site inspection.”
Boca approves Glades Road mixed-use project
Boca Raton City Council members this week unanimously approved the proposal for a mixed-use project on the south side of Glades Road just west of Dixie Highway.
Landowner Investments Limited plans to construct two buildings called Glades Station East and Glades Station West. The combined 30,000-square-foot project is to include restaurants, retail and offices.
Speakers generally praised the project, saying that it will improve a neglected part of an industrial district. One woman worried about residents east of Dixie Highway being tempted to cross the Florida East Coast Railway tracks to reach Glades Station. Mayor Scott Singer responded, correctly, that people already should know to use only designated crossings.
Mayor Petrolia suggests limiting successive petitions to city
Delray Beach Mayor Shelly Petrolia last week raised a topic that also has drawn attention in Boca Raton.
During a workshop meeting, Petrolia and city commissioners heard proposals to allow pedicabs and communal living projects like old-school boardinghouses. Each idea had come before the commission previously and lost.
As Petrolia noted, such petitioners bring back their ideas each time the commission changes, in hopes of getting a different result. After two failures, Petrolia suggested, perhaps all five commissioners should have to agree before the same person can pitch an idea. If not five, she said, perhaps the standard should be a supermajority of four.
Similarly, former Boca Raton City Councilwoman Andrea O’Rourke wanted a majority of the five-member council to agree before any member could sponsor a private development request known as a text amendment. If no colleague shows support, O’Rourke said, why waste the staff’s time in reviewing the amendment?
Petrolia didn’t get much support, primarily because staff time isn’t involved in getting an item to a workshop meeting. Petitioners get perhaps 10 or 15 minutes to make their case. An idea advances only if there’s commission support.
Several recent proposals in Boca Raton have consumed staff time only to gain no support beyond the council member who sponsored it. O’Rourke’s idea still makes sense.
Coco Gauff wins match ahead of Australian Open
Playing half a world away, Delray Beach’s Coco Gauff last week won her tune-up for next week’s Australian Open, the first major championship of the year.
Gauff won the event in Auckland, New Zealand, after being forced to a third and deciding set only in her final match. Gauff won her first major at last year’s U.S. Open.
