Perhaps you can call Missouri Southern State University President Bruce Speck a uniter, not a divider.
As the Southern Watch blog noted in an April 30 post, dissatisfaction with Speck, whom the blog has termed RTV (Rich, Tenor Voice) has forced faculty members to consider a step not taken during the quarter of a century in which Dr. Julio Leon was at the university helm...seeking representation for their dealings with the university.
Since the arrival of Speck, the university has been permeated with an atmosphere of fear as programs have been cut without notification, and seemingly without rhyme nor reason, at a time when the country is having deep economic difficulties, but when the university itself appears to be in reasonably good shape.
In addition to the programs that have been eliminated, Speck, apparently at the behest of Board of Governors President Dwight Douglas, has taken substantial steps toward dismantling the university's international program.
A meeting has been scheduled for Friday afternoon with faculty members seeking to form a chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP). Approximately three dozen faculty members are reportedly involved with the number continuing to grow.
6 comments:
Bruce Speck is the worst thing to happen to MSSU. The faculty are saying enough is enough, and taking matters into their own hands.
One wonders when the Joplin Globe is going to catch up with what is going on...
Or is that maybe the editor is in support of the MSSU administration. If so, shame on her! Some journalism...
The Globe has covered the issues. It's just that Melissa Dunson will throw Bruce only softballs and does not dare ask the tough questions. Sometimes she does not understand some basic concepts, like "depreciation" when she covered the perceived financial crisis. They need a real watchdog on that beat.
You can't expect Melissa Dunson to understand depreciation when Bruce himself did not, can you?
You think the Globe will try to cover the AAUP meeting?
Maybe John Hacker will
In one case, the Administration bypassed a valid search committee to hire someone the committee had already ruled unqualified!
In another case, the Administration fired someone from an administrative position, and then imposed that same person on the faculty in a position for which he was unqualified.
The Administration issued orders that faculty were not to ask administrative people for any information, but rather must take all questions to the "top". In another, faculty were ordered not to speak to reporters or anyone from the outside who might quote them, but rather should send the reporter to the "top".
MSSU faculty are not highly paid, but that is not what they are concerned about. It is that the Administration continues to cut their pay in one unilateral move after another. It were as though the Administration wanted to alienate the faculty completely, without achieving any serious reduction in the deficit. Now why, one might ask, would any responsible Administration wish to do that?
If a union were to take hold at Southern -- and I earnestly hope it does not -- then it will have been richly deserved.
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