Board hopes to study international program situation away from prying eyes

One of the methods the Missouri Southern State University Board of Governors has used in recent years to avoid the prying eyes of people who want to know how and why it is making its decisions is the use of so-called retreats.

Judging from what Board President Rod Anderson said to Joplin Globe reporter Greg Grisolano, that appears to be the method the board will use to keep the public away from its discussions of the university's international program:

Anderson also said he would suggest to other board members to hold a retreat to discuss changes to the international mission, and what the board sees as the program’s future.

While the retreats are legal, in the past, they have been held in such sites as Branson and Springfield, which makes it extremely difficult for locals to attend, which is the whole idea.

And the discussion of what to do with the international program definitely cannot be held in a closed session, so this is as good a way as possible to keep the information away from the public.

Of course, it is hard to understand how a board that has made the case that the university's financial situation is dire can justify spending extra money to hold a retreat in some other town rather than having the meeting on campus.

In a 2005 Turner Report post, I wrote this following a retreat to Branson:

The Missouri Southern State University Board of Governors continued to snub its nose at patrons, students, and employees by conducting business at a retreat in Branson.
Though it could be argued that nothing major was discussed at the meeting, which has become an annual tradition, that is beside the point. Public meetings should be held at a place that is convenient for the public to attend. It doesn't matter whether the public would actually attend, what matters is that it is afforded the opportunity to do so.

It is not easy for a civic-minded person who wants to know how the Board of Governors is running the university to drive from the Joplin area to Branson to attend a meeting. The reasons for having the retreat are sound...from a business standpoint. It makes sense for the board of directors of a business to head to some scenic spot for a get-together and to recharge the old batteries.

That being said, boards that conduct the taxpayers' business are different. Their meetings must be open and accessible. It doesn't matter if 1,000 people want to attend the meeting or just one, all anyone who wants to see the Board of Governors in action should have to do is drive to the college.

A more recent retreat was held at the home of President Bruce Speck. I Wrote about that in the Jan. 11, 2009 Turner Report:

During its Nov. 21 "retreat" at Speck's home, the media was ushered into a downstairs area while Speck and the Board enjoyed a sumptuous meal.

Apparently, if the media had the temerity to go to Speck's home for a public meeting, they had to be punished, so Alexandra Nicolas, editor of MSSU's campus newspaper, The Chart, and John Hacker of The Carthage Press were guided downstairs by Dr. Speck and cooled their heels for approximately an hour and a half, while the board enjoyed its feast.

After about a half hour, Ms. Nicolas and Hacker were joined by the Joplin Globe's Melissa Dunson and several MSSU staffers, including Derek Skaggs, director of admissions; Rod Surber of public information, and Lee Pound, who also had to wait until the meal was finished.

Only then did the board and Dr. Speck deign to come downstairs and join those whom they had kept waiting.

Whether the board members discussed any university business during the luncheon is immaterial, though we have only their word that they did not, and quite frankly, that is nowhere near good enough. The Sunshine Law does offer an exception for social or ministerial functions, but if the university is in dire financial shape as Douglas and Dr. Speck have said, then let's forget about the socializing, get back to the campus, and brown bag it around a businesslike conference table.

In the Nov. 22 Turner Report, I criticized the scheduling of these board retreats. These people were appointed to represent the public and social outings are not necessary nor should they take place. Meetings should be held in a business setting that is easily accessible to the public. Dr. Speck's house, showplace though it may be, is not somewhere that someone from the general public is going to feel welcome while public business is being conducted. And while it is more accessible to the public than the Branson outing the board took a few years back, it is still a practice that needs to be discontinued.

Retreats are a bad idea. Conduct the public's business in a public setting.

Globe explores role of international mission in MSSU turmoil

In an article in today's edition, Joplin Globe reporter Greg Grisolano explores the part Missouri Southern's international mission has played in the ongoing turmoil at the university:

Though the Globe still has not gone in depth into the situation at the university, this story is valuable in that it puts current Board of Governors President Rod Anderson on record:

“We value the international mission ... it’s a big part of the campus,” he said. “How we can fund it is the hard part. That’s where we may need to look at it. It’s important to campus life that you have these students who come from other cultures. Do you give up biology labs for that? Do you give up nursing training for that? The question is what are we willing to give up in order to get those things.”

The article also quotes Chad Stebbins, director of the international mission:

“Our students in Southwest Missouri are somewhat isolated, somewhat parochial,” he said. “They need an international experience more than anyone. If a student is living in St. Louis or Kansas City, chances are they’re going to be exposed to more cultures and have a more cosmopolitan influence on their life. A student in Joplin has to receive a global experience if they are to succeed in the marketplace.”

Certainly, these quotes are useful to the story, but in a criticism I usually level at television reporting, you cannot give a real picture of what is going on by just interviewing people from both sides and asking them what is going on. It appears Grisolano searched until he found people on both sides of the issue to quote. That's safe and it is a good idea to get in more than one viewpoint.

On the other hand, it really tells us nothing that we do not already know/

There is still a large question about the depth of the university's economic problems, and whether they have been magnified by accounting sleight of hand. If there is no major problem, and obviously at least one board member, Charles McGinty, subscribes to that theory, then this is all subterfuge designed to rid the university of programs that do not meet with former Board President Dwight Douglas' approval. And let there be no doubt about it, he may not be president any more, but Douglas is still pulling the strings.

Was Bruce Speck brought in to dismantle the international program? His record at Austin Peay clearly shows an animosity toward international studies and travel. Could that be why Douglas had no problem with Speck being the only candidate who was actually interviewed for the post?

Was Douglas looking for someone who would take a stance against his own faculty? If so, both of the two finalists appear to fit into that category. Speck's problems, both here and at Austin Peay, have been related numerous times on The Turner Report. The other finalist, former Rogers State University Preaident Joe Wiley, who dropped out of the running to take the preisdent's psotiion at Freed-Hardeman, had a lengthy record of lawsuits brought by disgruntled faculty and others, primarily in response to autocratic decisions.

If that is not the reason Douglas brought in Speck, why has he served as his campaign manager during the recent conflict, organizing petition drives and using every connection he has to make it appear that there ia groundswell of support for Speck.

If Speck goes, ehether be in 2011 or sometime before then, it is highly unlikely Douglas will be able to dominate the selection of his successor as he did after he pushed Julio Leon out of office.

This is a story that is going to require a lot of digging, something that should have been done long ago, instead of leaving it all to Greg Grisolano to begin at this late date.

Blog was first Branson media source to cover Pete Newman arrest on sex charges

Darin Codon's Branson, Missouri blog was the first Branson source to provide local residents with any information about the arrest of former Kanakuk Kamps director Peter Newman on four felony sex charges involving underage boys.

As noted earlier today on The Turner Report, the Branson Daily News waited five days from the time the charges were filed to publish its first story.

Codon's post includes the charges, court information, and quotes from representatives of Kanakuk.

Globe editorial: MSSU Board needs to get its act together

In an editorial posted today on its website, the Joplin Globe says it is time for the Missouri Southern State University Board of Governors to gets its act together:

Governors, step out from behind the closed doors, and put the public back into the public university.

Uncertainty is hanging heavy, not just for students and faculty, but for the entire community. And, it comes at a time when MSSU is pursuing the laudable goals of a new medical school and increased enrollment.

The board, not individually, but collectively, should revisit its priorities and make a public statement of where our university is headed. That should be followed by a commitment to full public disclosure in the interest of serving the greater good of the students, faculty, staff and community.

I would suggest it is also time for the Joplin Globe to gets its act together. The Globe has written strong editorials and made blanket requests for documents, but what it has not done is provide consistent investigative reporting. The future of Missouri Southern State University is at stake, whatever happens with Bruce Speck, and the Globe's staying on the sidelines since the resignation (dismissal) of Julio Leon, has played a key role in bringing the situation to this point.

Branson Daily News finally covers Pete Newman arrest

It took five days, but the Branson Daily News finally decided that the arrest of former Kanakuk Kamps director Pete Newman for four felony sex charges involving underaged boys is news.

There is nothing new in the account, which was written by Society Editor Mindy Honey.

it was still only the fourth story on the newspaper's home page, trailing behind the interest in replacing Rep. Dennis Wood, the news that work on a new bridge will start in November, and the discovery of infected snakes at a residence.

Democrats criticize Nodler/Icet Career Ladder letter

In this video by Jason Rosenbaum, Democratic leaders criticize the letter sent by Rep. Allen Icet, R-Wildwood, and Sen. Gary Nodler, R-Joplin, saying that career ladder funding for teachers for the 2009-2010 school year may not be available:

Blunt under fire for monkey joke

I have a hard time believing that Roy Blunt is a racist, but his choice of a joke during a speech Friday at the Values Voter Summit, did not exactly display Blunt at his best:

He told a tale about British soldiers who had built a golf course in India and had to adapt to the game in a whole new way. They didn’t anticipate that they’d be joined on the course by monkeys, who would swoop out of the nearby jungle, grab the golf balls and toss them around, he explained.

The golfers had to establish a firm rule. “You have to play the ball where the monkey throws it. And that is the rule in Washington all the time.”

Check out the comments at the end of the New York Times article.

Feds investigating another Democratic legislator

Coming in the aftermath of the guilty pleas of Sen. Jeff Smith and Rep. Steve Brown to felony obstruction of justice charges, comes a report from KMOX that Rep. T. D. El Amin, D-St. Louis, is the target of a corruption investigation:

Sources confirm to KMOX news that State Representative T.D. El Amin is the subject of an FBI corruption probe. The investigation includes an allegation of accepting a bribe.

El-Amin and his attorney were unavailable for comment. Earlier in the week, when asked if he was under federal investigation, El-Amin referred all questions to his attorney. Attorney Paul D'Agrosa had no comment at that time.

Rumors began to swirl around El-Amin earlier this month when he announced without explanation that he was no longer seeking his party's nomination to replace Jeff Smith in the State Senate.

Speck to KOAM: Complaints were inaccurate

Missouri Southern State University President Dr. Bruce Speck told KOAM complaints against him listed in a faculty report issued Friday to the Board of Governors were filled with inaccuracies, though he did not say what any of those accuracies are:

"There are factual errors," Dr. Speck said. "They are allegations made that are just flat out wrong because the facts are not correct. What disturbs me the most about that is that we're talking about people who are scholars. Their training is in how do you go about creating bodies of evidence."

Sounds like a good start to Speck complying with the Board of Governors' order that he improve his relationship with the faculty.

MSSU faculty committee's list of 23 complaints against Bruce Speck released

Following is the content of the MSSU Faculty Senate's ad hoc committee reoort against President Bruce Speck:

We submit the following as a preliminary explanation of why a vote of No Confidence in President Bruce Speck is both necessary and deserved. We have gathered considerable supporting evidence for this summary. Any questions or requests for clarification should be directed to Dr. Roger Chelf, Faculty Senate President.


Failures of Leadership

* Dr. Speck is unable to keep his top management team together. He has seen the resignation of Drs. Messick, Oakes, and Agee in a matter of months, all on the pretense of returning to the classroom, but all a response to what we perceive as failed leadership. These facts speak volumes. You have received correspondence from Dr. Oakes that provides specific examples of leadership characteristics lacking in Dr. Speck. The disruptions that these resignations have caused and continue to cause across the entire university cannot be overstated.

* Instead of proclaiming a vision for MSSU, Dr. Speck explains the dire state of the university and the likelihood of additional future hardship with no vision of what should be done about it. In his first “Occasional Thoughts” memo to the university community, he stated, “I have been somewhat hesitant to respond to questions about vision because I did not want to subvert the strategic planning process.” He does not seem to understand that it is his vision, as leader of the institution, that drives the strategic planning process. The president must lead the strategic planning process, which is the subject of an upcoming HLC reaccreditation focus visit. He has not done so.

* In his communications to faculty, Dr. Speck has demonstrated contempt, if not defensiveness bordering on paranoia. Some examples include: “I have no intention of reporting to the Faculty Senate or any committees established by the Senate. In addition, I will no longer allow those in administration to take requests for information from faculty members, whether representatives of the Senate or otherwise. All requests for information will come to me...” “I will not... continue to foster any notion that the Faculty Senate or faculty committees or faculty members will conduct a tribunal in which I am called to account for my decisions. If that attitude continues to persist, you can be assured that I will interpret such a posture as a violation of the social contract I assumed we had of advice and consent in a civil environment.” Such belligerent statements only serve to antagonize and demoralize.

* One of the things that has made Southern truly distinctive, aside from the low tuition, is our state-mandated international mission. Dr. Speck has been instrumental in dismantling that mission. The reductions have gone far beyond a budget cut for the Institute of International Studies from FY08 to FY09 and have been proportionately far greater than for any other program outside of sports. The decimation of the mission has produced an outpouring of concern from students, faculty, alumni, and the community. He has failed to respond to these concerns.

* Fear and uncertainty pervade the MSSU campus and morale is extremely low. Many faculty members wished to serve on this committee but did not do so because they feared for their future. Dr. Speck has himself asserted that he takes no interest in or responsibility for the dramatic decline in morale among faculty and staff at MSSU, asserting in the March 2009 Board of Governors meeting that morale is an “individual responsibility”.

Failures of Management

* Dr. Speck has failed to communicate financial information clearly and forthrightly, withholding the details of expenses and income from the Faculty Senate and the Faculty Welfare Committee. His financial team, whom he has referred to as “a wonderful, dedicated group of faithful employees who have tremendous insight” and “a stellar group of Southern devotees” was there at the origin of the crisis and provides Dr. Speck with the financial information he doesn’t seem to understand. One member of the team recently demonstrated contempt for the Board of Governors when requested to provide unaudited financial statements. The origins and extent of the current financial crisis remain unknown.

* In the midst of this financial crisis, Dr. Speck was remiss in authorizing the expense of approximately $40,000 to hire a consulting firm (Evergreen Solutions) to perform a task that is the job of the HR Director and a function of the HR Department. To date, the results of the report have not been released and actions taken have apparently not improved staff morale.

* Dr. Speck speaks without having full knowledge of a situation. For example, in a Chart article, “Dr. Speck: Nothing is Sacred” (12/05/08), he stated “The idea that honors students are required to do that (international travel) does not mean that in this time of huge financial difficulty that we are obligated to honor that. What we may do, is we may relax that requirement.” The Honors Program is governed by the Honors Program Committee, not Dr. Speck, who is not even a member of the committee. MSSU does not pay for any of the trips abroad that the Honors students take unless the students apply for and are awarded International Study Travel Grants.

Failures of Shared Governance

In response to the upcoming HLC reaccreditation focus visit to address shared governance at MSSU, Dr. Speck formed a Shared Governance Taskforce. In the charge to that taskforce, Dr. Speck specifically referred to AAUP guidelines as a basis for initiating discussion of shared governance at MSSU. Each of the following incidents is an example of an abrogation of those AAUP standards of shared governance. In addition to compromising academic integrity and fostering an adversarial relationship with faculty, these actions disrupted schools and departments across campus as faculty moved in and out.


* Dr. Speck has usurped legitimate departmental authority on a number of occasions. He over-rode a duly authorized faculty search committee by directing the committee to hire a personal favorite whom the committee had already passed over for being less qualified than other candidates.

* Without consultation with any faculty or administrator in the school affected, Dr. Speck fired an adjunct faculty member without cause one week before classes began. The class had a number of students who were part of a training program for a national company, an opportunity that Lifelong Learning had spent considerable time recruiting for and which provided the prospect of expanding MSSU’s distance learning services to this company on a national basis. That company had chosen the course based on the instructor (who had outstanding evaluations) and expressed dissatisfaction with the change, jeopardizing this relationship. Dr. Speck was informed of this and would not reconsider his decision. When all four department heads in the school contacted the Academic VP for an explanation, they were informed that “The President is not open to having a meeting related to the staffing of the business law classes.”

* We have identified other examples of Dr. Speck’s abuse of power in removing or reassigning employees, but the employees involved are unwilling to go on the record due to fear of retaliation by Dr. Speck.

* Upon the resignation of Dr. Messick as Academic VP, Dr. Speck unilaterally appointed Dr. Oakes, without the customary search or any faculty input whatsoever. Upon the resignation of Dr. Oakes as Academic VP, Dr. Speck did form a search committee, but contrary to shared governance and the benchmarking standards that he himself endorses, Dr. Speck chairs the committee and it had a single faculty member (i.e., no administrative duties). When the Faculty Senate president requested a senate representative, he was denied. Only after the threat of a no confidence vote arose did Dr. Speck decide that greater faculty representation was necessary.

* In April of 2009, the Faculty Organization approved four proposals requiring approval by the Board of Governors. When these proposals were presented by Dr. Speck at the June meeting of the Board, Dr. Speck changed the language of one proposal. While the Board has the right to amend the proposals, Dr. Speck does not have the right to alter the proposals approved by the Faculty Organization before presenting them to the Board.

* On January 9, 2009, Dr. Brad Kleindl announced his intention to step down as the Dean of the School of Business Administration. This prompted the four department heads to get together to request the appointment of an interim Dean because they believed a formal search for a replacement would not be optimal in the middle of the academic year and under the financial constraints facing the university. Their request, which was also overwhelmingly supported by School of Business faculty, was rejected by the President’s Council who decided to pursue an outside hire. That search was unsuccessful, vindicating the judgment of the department heads and faculty. Kleindl continues to serve as both Dean and Interim Academic VP which has caused disruption in the School of Business.

* After dismissing the Director of Financial Aid, Dr. Speck forced the Social Sciences Department to find classes for the former director to teach even though he lacks a terminal degree and has not been in the classroom since the early 1970’s. He currently teaches four sections of American History at MSSU.

Failures of Judgment and Public Embarrassment

* The dismantling of the international mission of MSSU has damaged the reputation of Southern. Dr. Speck even went so far as to praise the international efforts of Pittsburg State University, our closest competitor.

* Dr. Speck’s “Pink Slip Blues” song at the Rotary Club, making light of the employees’ second year without a raise and likelihood of further cuts, was in unimaginably poor taste and reflected shocking insensitivity to the several hundred dedicated folks who work for him.

* Dr. Speck has publicly stated a risk of bankruptcy for MSSU (Carthage Press, June 7, 2008) . Such statements can only serve to create fear and drive away prospective faculty and students.

* Dr. Speck wrote rambling “Occasional Thoughts” memos to the campus community. In one, he referred to MSSU as a “bachelorette” institution no fewer than four times.

* Dr. Speck auditioned to perform in a community play sponsored by the Joplin Area Catholic Schools and The Judevine Center for Autism. The day before the opening, Dr. Speck had his secretary call the director to say that he would be unable to perform after all. Gerrie Ellen Johnston, a member of the theater faculty at MSSU, was involved in the play and wrote a letter to Dr. Speck (copied to the Board of Governors) expressing her disappointment in him. Dr. Speck’s written reply included remarks that Mrs. Johnston found to be sarcastic and patronizing. It also is worth mentioning that Dr. Speck was on campus at meetings on the day of the opening performance.

* Dr. Speck fails to communicate his decisions to all involved in a timely manner. In an article in the Carthage Press (March 4, 2008), the Mayor of Carthage, Jim Woestman, stated that he was not happy about the way things developed prior to MSSU’s failure to accept the McCune Brooks Hospital building, after signing a letter of intent. He said, “Disappointment is a very nice word. We just don’t understand the lack of communication. I’ve got calls into them right now for them to meet with us and tell us what they’re going to do and not going to do…”


* The May 8, 2009 Joplin Globe carried a story on the efforts of some members of the MSSU faculty to form a chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP). The provisional vice president of the proposed local chapter described it as a professional association, stating, “There’s nobody to be adversarial with if we’re all on the same side and want the same thing—quality education for our students and quality service to our community.” Dr. Speck’s response was, “The AAUP is a special-interest group. Yes, it’s a professional organization. But the AAUP promotes that the faculty are the most important people on the campus. And that really is contrary to us working as a team where everyone is important.”

MSSU has been and continues to be damaged by negative publicity. If the Speck administration is allowed to continue, there can only be further negative publicity and likely damage to the reputation of MSSU that will take years to repair.

Respectfully submitted,

Dr. Nii Adote Abrahams, Head - Department of Finance/Economics and International Business,

Associate Professor of Economics

Dr. Roger D. Chelf, President of the Faculty Senate, Professor of Physics

Dr. K. Casey Cole, Professor of Psychology

Dr. E. Scott Cragin, At Large Senator, Associate Professor of Marketing

Dr. Linda M. Hand, Assistant Director – Honors Program, Professor of Mathematics

Dr. Danny C. Overdeer, Professor of Teacher Education

Mr. J. Stephen Schiavo, Associate Professor of Computer Information Science

Mr. Richard E. Spencer, Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice