The only people quoted, for the most part, are those with good things to say about Speck. The others, of course, have little or no confidence in the Joplin Globe considering the newspaper only discovered that Speck's tenure at Missouri Southern State University might be brief.
Take this passage quoting Faculty Senate Secretary Gerald Schlink:
The committee is now going to be charged with looking at the nature of the beef,” said Schlink, a professor in the biology department. “Hopefully this is not a witch hunt. We want to get enough opinions so people can look at it, and say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ so we can move on.”
Schlink said he personally has confidence in Speck’s leadership.
“The guy has done some good things,” he said. “He’s kept us afloat financially over some turbulent times. Look at the construction that’s going on.”
Meanwhile word has reached The Turner Report that a drive to save Bruce Speck's job has started, reportedly with the approval of his chief benefactor on the Board of Governors Dwight Douglas.
Most likely this is a humanitarian concern on Douglas' part since if Speck ends up losing his job he may have to sing for his supper...and in that case no one is safe.
10 comments:
Now we know the identity of one of the two who voted against createing the NoConfidence Committee (23-2 vote): Professor Schlink. He should know better than to give credit to Bruce for "getting us through turbulent times and look at all the construction that's going on..." First of all, if there was any "getting us through tough times" it was done unnecessarily on the backs of the faculty, the international programs, the soccer program,etc. Second, all the construction "going on" was planned and gotten underway by president Leon (Health Sciences building, Beimdieck Recreation building and the mansion).
If anything, professor Schlink should give full (almost exclusive) credit to board chair Douglas for all of Southern current misfortune.
Anonymous 7:52, don't confuse a PC public statement with a private vote. What one says in public may or may not match how one votes. It is foolish to think that you have "unmasked" one of the 2 no-votes based on comments to the press. A no-vote (and likewise a yes-vote) should not be interpreted as a vote of no confidence either. The vote was about the formation of a committee, it was not a vote of no-confidence.
Ahhhh. So they were being politically correct. Why couldn't they just refuse to comment? It's a better way to cover their backside.
Joplin rotarians report that Dwight Douglas has circulated petitions to save Bruce's job.
As a former chair of the board, trying to create a groundswell of support, is he not out of bounds to do this, or are the rest of the board members doing the same? Or is Douglas trying to reverse a reported 5-2 board vote in favor of Speck's dismissal by going around his fellow board members?
Rather than becoming alarmed by the apparent decimation of the MSSU administration over the past few months, MSSU faculty, and the Governing Board, should be thanking Bruce Speck for being a blessing in disquise.
Think about some of the people who have abruptly left ... John Messick, a lousy dean and an even worse VP, living proof that just because you're good in the classroom you're not necessarily ready for an administrator's desk. Don't feel sorry for him, he should thank his lucky stars that he was able to return to teaching and have some chance to salvage his legacy.
Then there is Jack Oakes; now did anybody really think he was going to be a good academic VP? Although his rapid departure was surprising, did anyone cry over it? Will anyone miss an administor whose vision of a strategic plan is empty flowcharts?
The tipping point was Terri Agee's sudden desire to "return" to teaching, which was rightfully rejected by the Board. Before Dr. Speck was hired, Dr. Agee performed the dual role of Senior VP and VP for Business Affairs; her current position materialized from the decision to make her acting president. Her decision to leave Southern at the end of the year, will save well over $100,000 per year (way more than the cost of the soccer team).
And then there is Sally Beard; yes Dr. Speck forced her out, but she never understood what it meant to be a Lion's fan in the first place. Did you ever like being told to shut up at a basketball game?
The list goes on and on; there is still more dead wood to be flushed out; let the flotsum rise up to fill the voids and get Speck-whacked into retirement.
Keep up the clear-cutting, Bruce, but learn to get over being Dr. Doom at every public appearance. Telling your faculty that things are great because they're not as bad as the worst-case Universityy in America is not much of a motivator. Faculty can be pretty resilient, but you've got to convince them there is a light at the end of the tunnel, not a train coming in the opposite direction.
Dwight Douglas is shameless, much like his protege Speck. He no doubt views attacks on Speck as attacks on him and he doesn't like it. Get used to it, Mr. Douglas, because until Speck is gone, you will be on the receiving end of the derision that you and Speck so richly deserve. And anyone who signs a petition to save Speck's job has no idea of the havoc you and he are responsible for creating at MSSU. Some in the public believe that this is all about sour grapes and budget cuts by a pampered faculty. They have no idea. None.
Anonymous 9:52:
If allowing Teri Agee to go to the classroom will save the university $100,000 and if we are better off that Messick and Oakes quit (they must have given up about $50,000 a year each by going back to the classroom), it should make us wonder why, in these recessionary days, would a well paid administrator be willing to give up so much money and future pension benefits for their families.
I guess it shows that Bruce really knows "how to save the university money."
For the sake of argument let us say that Speck is incompetent. Doesn't that mean the University that hired him is more incompetent? He had a record, you just did not look.
A public vote of no confidence will only compound the problem. This is something handled with a quiet conversation in the dead of night.
Anonymous 2:36, yes, the process that was used to select Speck was deeply flawed. I believe that Turner has outlined some of the issues though I wish he would expand upon all those that he said would be "coming up".
Sorry about the delay on following up on some of the Speck information. I have been swamped at school, but there is more coming.
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