Programs have been cut, faculty members left without pay increases for the second straight year, and the innovative international program is on life support, but that hasn't taken off the smile off Missouri Southern State University President Bruce Speck's face.
Not only is Speck still smiling, but he's still carrying a jaunty tune, as he showed Rotary Club members Thursday at the university.
Speck performed his own version of the Marty Robbins classic, "Singin' the Blues," making light of the economic situation that has university employees who are not pulling down the president's hefty salary, wondering how they are going to make ends meet.
But heck, it was a Rotary Club meeting. Those guys are doing all right, so Speck entertained them with such winning lines as:
"there's nothing left for me to do,
but furlough all of you"
I wasn't there, but I am sure Speck had to pause to wait for the laughter to subside.
The text of Speck's song is printed below:
Well,I never felt more like singing the blues
'specially when my name's in the news
the headlines, they got me singing the blues
Well, I never felt more like cryin' all night
'specially when the budget's tight
the payroll, it's got me singin' the blues.
The budget that I thought was mine
is disappearing line by line
There's nothin' left for me to do
but cut your budget, too.
Well, I never felt more like runnin' away
but where would I go to get better pay
upward mobility, it's got me singin' the blues
Well, I never felt more like singin' the blues
'cause I never thought that I'd ever lose
my assistant, it's got me singin' the blues.
Well, I never felt more like cryin' all night
'cause givin' a pink slip don't seem right
job security, it's got me singin' the blues.
The office space I thought was mine
is gone and I'm told not to whine
There's nothin' left for me to do
but move in the cubicle with you
Well, I never felt more like runnin' away,
can't do that until payday
relocation, it's got me singin' the blues.
Well, I never felt more like singin' the blues
;cause most of my colleagues got the bad news
unemployment, it's got me singin' the blues.
Well,, I never felt more like cryin' all night
the economy's bad and nothin' seems right
no more Starbucks, that's got me singin' the blues.
The raises that I thought were due
my boss tells me they won't come through
there's nothin' left for me to do,
but furlough all of you.
Well, I never felt more like runnin' away
but I need to update my resume
retirement, it's got me singin' the blues.
From all appearances, it is the faculty, staff, and students at Missouri Southern State University who should be singing the blues.
(Now for the good news. The accompanying video is by someone named Bruce that we would prefer to hear sing._
Several years ago I read a (supposedly true) story about a newly hired manager at a tech-based European business.
ReplyDeleteHe took the job knowing motivation was low and productivity was down.
One day he went down to the production line and actually worked on the line to help out.
After a while one of the production workers became comfortable enough with the new manager that he asked "You're not very good at this... why do you make so much more than us?"
The manager replied "If you don't do your job well, you lose your job. If I don't do my job well, many of us will lose our jobs."
This is sad. Terribly sad. He not only cuts our budgets, gives us no raises for two years, diminishes our university mission, and then he the gall to parody our misery in a song to a bunch of rotarians...
ReplyDeleteThe man has no concepts of decency or dignity.
What is the board of governors thinking, for heaven sake!
I have been one of Dr. Speck's few supporters, believing the guy at least deserved a fair chance. But this crosses the line, and I can no longer even pretend that he should be MSSU's president any longer. This was crude, crass, unfeeling, and shows an utter disregard for any human dignity. The man should be fired immediately.
ReplyDeleteI know many Joplin rotarians and I seriously doubt there was much laughter.
ReplyDeleteClass and leadership disappeared from Missouri Southern when Leon left.
I am amazed at how tame the MSSU faculty are. By now, at my university, we would have had an immediate uproar, vote of no confidence, and calls for the president's resignation from our faculty senate.
ReplyDeleteI am a Southern graduate and it's hard to see how much my alma mater has regressed in the last two years.
This petty and vindictive leadership style has Southern employees singing the blues.
ReplyDeleteWhere is the humor in mocking the situation that has been created by his own administration?
Those of us who were cut from the payroll last year in order to save the university money aren't laughing, either. I find this beyond heinous. He should be flummoxed.
ReplyDeleteSpeck needs to go, but you would never know if Southern Watch and the Turner Report didn't cover the unfolding tragedy of Speck's presidence. It's sickening that the Joplin Globe has fallen so far from its once admirable reputation as a decent newspaper. Perhaps when Speck leaves he can take Carol Stark with him.
ReplyDeleteDwight Douglas legacy:
ReplyDeleteTwo years of Misery at MSSU.
Board of Governors legacy:
Two years of Misery at MSSU.
Nodler's legacy:
Two years of Misery at MSSU
Bruce's legacy:
Two years of hell at MSSU.
I know all of you who have only met Bruce casually think he's a jovial, back-slappin' heckuva guy, but behind closed doors he's a meanspirited, temperamental, get-even SOB. Now, we could probably accept that if he made solid decisions on behalf of the university and was a visionary leader. But that ain't the case.
ReplyDeleteSorry for selecting such a guy for the Presidency, especially for ignoring the warning of some colleague of mine: "watch out, he'll just be a pawn of his big boss." What was the agenda? - "cut, cut, cut all of them, they get way too much money compared to my job." Who is the suffering most? I and all my colleagues. A few weeks ago, I learned that he was involved in a civil rights lawsuit. So, my colleagues, I ask you to accept my humble apology, although we were right in the first choice (Joe Wiley). Unfortunately, we were not lucky to have this clown instead.
ReplyDeleteAlso, colleagues, please think about bread for your family before one openly criticizes "The Czar of MSSU," as it seems that nothing is anonymous on the internet these days. Please respect the "Czar of MSSU" with all your heart and soul from now on.
ReplyDeleteA Czar for MSSU!.... What have we come to...
ReplyDeleteAnother Dwight Douglas Legacy:
MSSU (Missouri Soviet Socialist Union) and a culture of fear, spying, uncertainty,and distrust. MSSU's KGB has now moved to the old Matthews Hall.
The rats are abandoning ship (they don't even last eighteen days onboard)...
Thanks for such enlightened leadership, Napoleon!...
Well, lets not forget that the last Czar of Southern left us with over 2M in debt, lowered tuition, a board of governors that were afraid of him, no recruitment program the local community college free to expand where ever they want, even in Webb City only three miles away and he smiled all the way off campus. I don't think that bruce is doing the best job ever, but what should he do? Budget has to get undercontrol, spending has to slow, we have to get students, find new money, build better facilities, expand our programs, and find funding for the international mission. None of these problems were created by Bruce. I say blame the board of governors, they didn't do anything to stop Julio, and have yet to admit that to the campus community.
ReplyDeleteBruce ain't all good, but he didn't pick up a thriving program, how else should he try to fix things. Now his sense of humor is pretty off beat most of the time, and that gets under my skin but he is trying to slow down the landslide
To Anonymous 6:32 am:
ReplyDeleteNow, all that is the try-and-failed Douglas tactics: blame leon for everything. After two years, we know better. 2 million debt? We know now about depreciation and the accounting deception. Build better facilities? Bruce and Dwight are now boasting about a new student recreation center that Jiulio conceived and planned (including the da.. $150 fee that we nontraditionals have to pay without being able to use the da.. facility) and Leon finally got the money for a new Health Sciences building that is going up crooked in its new location. Find funding for the international mission? The int. mission had its own funding. Bruce and Douglas took the funds away and are using them to fund higher salaries for top administrators and a new vp!
Bruce has an offbeat sense of humor? He has no(common)sense, period.
He ain't fixing nothing! he is destroying everything.
... I am only interested in the truth, I need to know where and when this Rotary meeting was and I need to have independent verification that this truly is the lyrics to a song performed by B. Speck ... we need to have facts not gossip ... once this is verified, i.e. show me the proof, I will "take it to the limit."
ReplyDeleteSomeone, please verify this story for me!
John
John,
ReplyDeleteI was at the meeting. No reporter was there from TV or the papers that I recognized, but there was that big photographer from the Globe (is his name T. Rob Brown). No pictures ever appeared though. But it was around noon in the student union snack bar area.
So, anonymous 4:06 pm :
ReplyDeleteIf you were there, is it a rumor or not. Did Bruce sing the song as mentioned by Randy?
Were the Rotarians amused? Did they join in the singing or were they embarrased?
TELL JOHN!
You would have to ask individuals if they were amused. It isn't a rumor. It happened.
ReplyDelete"(including the da.. $150 fee that we nontraditionals have to pay without being able to use the da.. facility) "
ReplyDeleteOh quit your da** whining. You "aren't able" to use the rec center? Really, and why not? Do explain how you are paying the fee and not able to use it... People just don't get it. They whine that MSSU sucks and then when there are attempts to make it more like a "real university" everyone bi***es about it. Yeah they want a real university but want someone else to pay for it. Maybe the taxpayer should demand that you pay the entire cost of your education rather than receive the 35-40 percent subsidy (that's for those who aren't getting grants or subsidized student loans... for those the percent is higher). I bet that would really bug those folks that bi*** about their subsidization of the rec center. Freakin' whiners STHU.
To Anonymous 8:13:
ReplyDeleteNon-traditional students often can't attend events on-campus or make use of facilities such as the rec center because they have full-time jobs and families. They simply don't have time. When they're on campus they are attending classes. But the rec center fee is mandatory.
And non-traditional students are NOT the majority of MSSU students. The way this works, the way public education works, is that some people pay for something and do not directly use what they are paying for. Again, the taxpayers of Missouri who are not getting a college education are still footing the bill for 35-40% of your education. MSSU needs to improve its image in the community and there are a number of ways that can be done. One way is to draw quality students to the campus--the rec center is a part of that plan. People like to badmouth MSSU--it does no good for students/alumni to badmouth their alma mater because all it does is lessens how people view them! "Oh you went to THAT second-rate institution." How is that worthwhile?
ReplyDeleteIt's time for the board to recognize their mistake and to ask for Bruce's immediate resignation. The most discredited Board member(s) would resign as well. Brad could serve as interim President until the search committee did it's duty; Glen could serve as Provost until that committee did it's job. Faculty should be well represented on the search committee; and it should move along smartly! Meanwhile, serious consideration should be given to reversing the most egregious errors of Speck's tenure, such as cuts in travel.
ReplyDeleteWe should get on with the rebuilding of a fine regional institution.
Brad and Glenn won't do. You need to rebuild confidence and trust, even during the new search.
ReplyDeleteKleindl and Coltharp are fine people but they do not have the qualities required to inspire "followership"
Flehc Regor sings, "Oh what a beautiful morning, oh what a beautiful day"
ReplyDeleteAny truth to the rumor going around that Speck is being fired over this?
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing how highly educated individuals can be so petty and greedy. How can the problem created by Leon and the board be corrected in a wave of the magic wand. Without looking at the death of the economy, I would hope that the business school folks would pipe in here and explain that it takes time, and two years is not time, and for matters of fact, it has not been two years for Bruce, it will be two years in late August that Julio grinned his way off campus, Speck didn't take the office until Feb. Without funding from the state, no money in the bank, a faculty that expects him to just pull budget out his butt, what do you expect him to complete. The international program HAD NO MONEY when the Czar left, there was no money for campus maintenance. The student health center was a program on its way without anything but the minimal state funding which is questionable and the student fee, before Speck arrived, he just had to deal with the mess. Brad, John, Glenn, and Terri are good people, but they were here when the problem was created and were as afraid of the king as anyone, so why should they be expected to be able to resolve any of the problems now??? Give the new leader a chance by listening, trying to HELP, and quit Bi_ _ _ ing.
ReplyDeleteThe international program had an annual two million dollar appropriation from the State of Missouri. Speck immediately started diverting it to other purposes, including Athletics.
ReplyDeleteRandy:
ReplyDeleteThis thread still has plenty of life left. Could you move it back to the forefront?
You are the only one left who posts about Southern's problems. SouthernWatch is going out of business and the Globe just plain refuses to investigate anything at the college.
Quit blaming Leon... Doesn't work anymore. We were doing fine until Nodler gave us Dwight Douglas. The wheels came off when Douglas and his board accomplices took over the running of our school and hired a puppet to do their bidding.
ReplyDeleteDouglas, you wanted to be university president so badly. Now you are, and we are paying the price.
Wow. What a disappointing board meeting. What's it going to take? I guess now it's up to the faculty.
ReplyDelete