“I think my concerns that I expressed here today, if you are talking about the faculty, was that the cart is before the horse,” Douglas said. “I merely asked has the faculty senate developed procedures, that it would be fair to have written procedures of what procedure is going to be followed in developing any sense of resolution to call for a vote of no confidence. In this country we believe in due process and fairness and that’s based on written procedures so that everyone knows the rules before you go in and we’re already to the point in the press of talking about a preliminary report when on Aug. 31, I got a letter from the president of the faculty senate saying that his group would develop procedures and he indicated, apparently as I understand it, it’s not.
It takes real nerve for the man who was in charge of a search process that ended up with only one person interviewing for a $180,000 a year position to lecture anyone else on how to develop proper procedures. If Douglas had followed proper procedures, the turmoil at Missouri Southern might be non-existent.
21 comments:
I watched the replay of the Board meeting on TV Sunday night and was appalled at the treatment Dr. Chelf received at the hands of Board member Douglas. For some unexplained reason, Mr. Douglas took it upon himself to act like a desperate defense attorney trying to save his client from the hangman's noose.
Even more than Bruce Speck, Dwight Douglas is the real villain here. Determined to run MSSU himself, he forced out Julio Leon and hired someone he could control like a puppet.
Why doesn't someone investigate Douglas's conflict of interest, in serving both as a Board member and Freeman Hospital's attorney? It's a conflict of interest because Freeman has the contract for MSSU's health insurance, and it hasn't been bid out for five years! Just ask St. John's if they think it's a conflict of interest for Douglas to serve in both roles.
Governor Nixon: if you or any of your staff read the Turner Report, please send someone to investigate the dirty dealings going on at MSSU.
Is it ethical for a member of the Board of Governors to act as the campaign manager for an embattled university president? Dwight Douglas asked numerous people to write letters and sign petitions on behalf of President Speck. In my book, this definitely crosses the bounds of what's appropriate for a board member.
I think the AAUP chapter at MSSU should expect an increase in memberships in the near future. The president of the AAUP chapter should take this opportunity to send around an informational email.
Is this a drinking game? PROCECURES! PROCEDURES! PROCEDURES!
In all seriousness, has anyone alerted the Chronicle of Higher Education to this story? They generally enjoy investigating and reporting on such things.
It would certainly throw a whole lot of uncomfortable light on the Board of Governors.
Dwight Douglas has stopped representing the university and is now operating as Speck's personal attorney.
Douglas' lack of knowledge about the university was in full view when he lectured about due process for Speck when referencing the faculty handbook. The president is an administrator_not faculty_and any due process that he should receive should be detailed in a 'process' written by the board.
A vote of no confidence is a non-binding message to the board. We already know how Dwight will respond when his hand picked, last man standing candidate receives such a vote.
Dwight Douglas is the most smug, self-absorbed individual I have ever witnessed. He cares nothing about the best interests of MSSU. He is only concerned about his own legacy which he has hitched to his protege Speck who he protects at all costs. If you're out there, Jay, please relieve us from the tyranny of "Little Napoleon's" reign. And while you're at it, get rid of the rest of Douglas' sycophants on the board.
Watch out. Nixon might appoint Wyman and Brooks back on the board. Then Douglas will have his accomplices back, and Freeman Hospital will get its Medical School.
We are sending you help. We have developed good procedures in handling and covering up c*ap.
B. Benboytal,Nixon"s Chief E-Coli Investigator, Jefferson City
I wonder why our distinguished state senator has been so quiet through all of this...
In regards to comments made by board chair Anderson and a Mr. Allgood (a lionbacker) in a Joplin Globe article about the international mission being at the center of the controversy. The following comments also are directed to Douglas and Bruce:
The issue is not about having to choose between international programs and biology labs or nursing, Mr. Anderson. All three are vital parts of the educational mission of Missouri Southern. If in fact we are living through the most challenging economic condition in decades ( and we are) and if the university were going through a financial crisis (and it is not), then the logical choice would be between the wasteful spending of more than 2 million taxpayers dollars in sports programs that are not vital to the university and the preservation of its vital mission (international programs included). No contest here.
The unnecessary spending of millions of taxpayers dollars on sports programs at Missouri Southern and the other state institutions should the focus of the Joplin Globe and the Missouri media.
What (thorough) investigators could uncover would be appalling.
In addition to the no-confidence vote on Bruce and the board, the faculty senate should pass a resolution calling for a state audit of the spending of taxpayer dollars on sports programs at Missouri Southern and other state colleges. Let's see if Susan Montee can justify this outrageous spending of scarce state resources while our destitute senior citizens suffer because of the reduction in state aid for health at the hands of the likes of Nodler and Icet.
Anonymous 9:07
Get over getting beat up by the jocks in junior high. A well administered athletics program would bring lots of benefits to the students, university, and community. The students who participate in sports learn a variety of life skills. Yes, teamwork is one, but so is individual responsibility - a trait particularly lacking among today's youth.
Sports bring a more diverse student population to a university. Look at the hometown's of MSSU's athletes. The international program brags about exposing MSSU's parochial students to the world. Well, sports brings a wider group of students to MSSU that enrich the lives of all their classmates.
A winning sports program in football or men's or women's basketball would help build the university's prestige and endowment. Fact. Look across the border at Pitt State. Winning football even at the Division II level builds community and alumni pride and support and, thus, donations for other capital projects and programs.
The annual profit and loss statement may be red, but you can't argue that football has hurt PSU. I suspect it has generated or rather helped build relationships that led to millions in giving. Finally, every time an athletic team is mentioned on the news or in the paper is free advertising for the university. It is really good if they are winning.
MSSU needs a real AD. We need to avoid the nepotism (Corn) that led to failures like Frazier and Beard. We certainly don't need any clown hired under the supervision of Speck and Douglas.
There may be a complaint to the Missouri Bar Association in the offing. DD is confusing his role as a public servant and a personal advocate. As far as the sports thing, check out a book called "Beer and Circus." There is little evidence that sports programs pay for themselves over the long term at most schools. What is does is help raise money for local businesses on game day (hotels, restaurants, etc.), but there is little gain for the college or university itself. I have no problem with sports, but like the international mission the question is, "how are we going to pay for it"? I would love to to know what it cost to send a student to Omaha to lose a game v sending him to Paris. In a bad economy sports program should be put on hold in favor or academic programs, unless they can should they make a clear profit for the university.
Two million is two million. I don't care about Pitt State. These are hard times and sports should pay for themselves or they should be out of the mission of colleges and universities.
Let the lionbackers fully support the MSSU sports if in fact they love them so much. As it is, they get to have their "jock" entertainment really cheap, at the expense of meaningful academic experiences for the students.
Where do you think that $2 million goes? Only a fraction pays for the gas for the bus ride to Omaha. Most of that money is scholarships. Do you want MSSU to cut millions in scholarships? Look at who receives the scholarships. Do you want to kick them off campus? Any suggestion of cutting sports is myopic.
just as myopic as cutting $140000 from the international program in order to satisfy an even more myopic board chairman
The faculty senate has no obligation or reason to develop procedures to be followed.
Votes of no confidence at colleges are just that, an expression of lack of confidence on someone's ability.
Once the faculty holds the vote, make it public and then, as always, the ball is on the board of governors court.
The board is not obligated to do anything either, but they must live with the consequences.
So far they have committed themselves to pay an ineffective leader nearly half a million for the next two years.
As far as cutting sports scholarships is concerned they already did when the new "no combo" rule went into effect. In the last year there's been a hard and fast rule installed that you only get one scholarship. Full-ride, great. $300 offer? That's all you get. This completely crippled the foreign languages department and put a heavy pinch on some athletes as well.
I would rather spend scholarship money on what is its named from --- that is SCHOLARSHIP! Not running the ball. Again, if athletics were a money maker then they could fund their own D**N scholarships, like other programs on campus are now being asked to do.
Pitt State football with 8000-10000 fans per home game is definitely a money maker. Gate revenue and sponsorship alone is a goldmine.
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