| Advisory Opinion request and request for approval of disqualification plan regarding new CEO of Collegiate Academics employing his wife as Chief Talent Officer. |
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Jerel Bryant was hired to take over as CEO of Collegiate on July 1, 2022. Sorya Verjee has
worked at Collegiate as the Chief Talent Officer since its founding on March 12, 2010. Mr. Bryant
and Ms. Verjee are married. Mr. Bryant will be disqualified from the following actions with regard to Ms. Verjee: adjusting her salary or benefits, disciplining her, reprimanding her, granting time off, promotions, demotions, or any other actions, approvals or authorizations concerning Ms. Verje. Stacy Martin, interim CEO of Collegiate and incoming President as of July 1, 2022, will
be responsible for any of the following actions for Ms. Verjee: adjusting her salary or
benefits, disciplining her, reprimanding her, granting time off, promotions, demotions, or
any other actions, approvals or authorizations concerning Ms. Verjee. Furthermore, Ms. Verjee will report to Stacy Martin concerning any issues she may have with her
employment at Collegiate. Mr. Bryant will report to Collegiate's Board Chair any issues he may have with Ms. Verjee as an employee of Collegiate. This plan will be in effect in the interim pending the Board's approval.
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La. R.S. 42:1119A provides that no member of the immediate family of an agency head shall be employed in his agency.
La. R.S. 42:1119C(2) provides that the the provisions of this Section shall not prohibit the continued employment of any public employee nor shall it be construed to hinder, alter, or in any way affect normal promotional advancements for such public employee where a member of public employees' immediate family becomes the agency head of such public employee's agency, provided that such public employee has been employed in the agency for a period of at least one year prior to the member of the public employee's immediate family becoming the agency head.
La. R.S. 42:1112B(1) provides that no public servant, except as provided in R.S. 42:1120, shall participate in a transaction involving the governmental entity in which, to his actual knowledge, any of the following persons has a substantial economic interest: (1) Any member of his immediate family.
La. R.S. 42:1112C. Every public employee, excluding an appointed member of any board or commission, shall disqualify himself from participating in a transaction involving the governmental entity when a violation of this Part would result. The procedures for such disqualification shall be established by regulations issued pursuant to R.S. 42:1134(A)(1).
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Adopt the proposed Advisory Opinion and approve the disqualification plan.
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| Assigned Attorney: |
Mallory Guillot |
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