DOE official fined $1,500 for using state resources

Assistant Superintendent Suzanne Mulcahy has agreed to pay an administrative penalty of $1,500 for using state resources without prior approval for research on her dissertation about homeless children in public schools.

The State Ethics Commission decision resolves an investigation that never led to a charge and entails no admission or finding of wrongdoing, according to the “Resolution of Investigation, No. 2018-1,” posted Monday on the commission website.

Mulcahy is assistant superintendent for curriculum, instruction and student support in the Department of Education. She was doing research for her doctorate in education at the University of Hawaii when she asked DOE staff to design and conduct an online survey of homeless community liaisons within the department, without getting prior approval from the Data Governance and Analysis Branch.

Four of the five commissioners signed the resolution saying Mulcahy “appears to have violated the Ethics Code,” specifically the fair-treatment provision that prohibits state employees from using their position to obtain unwarranted benefits. Commission Chairman Reynaldo Graulty dissented from the decision, dated Jan. 18.

Mulcahy was out of the office early this week and did not respond to a call and email seeking comment.