DvF, I acknowledge your points, but all things considered - on the one hand we have a post about a Chronicle article, posted in a forum designated for that purpose, posted by someone who seems to have read the article. On the other hand we've got snark a bunch of us (myself included) who haven't read the article.
I've read it. The main premise is that a Uni COO is more like president of the US than president of a corporation. This is catchy in an election year, but really rather meaningless. She then works through some of the main ideas of Richard E. Neustadt's book on presidential power, and tries to apply them to University presidents. The comparisons are rather strained and quite superficial.
The only assertion with actual content is one that I do completely agree with: she criticizes authoritarian Uni leadership. However, her argument is that autocratic leadership is inexpedient, not that it is an abuse of power or violation of faculty rights and freedoms.
By the way, the author is provost of Bard College, and the OP is a former administrator at Bard College. I think starting a thread in a forum in order to praise a friend is OK, but (a) the poster should probably mention this fact, and (b) either post a link or use the correct title of the article so that people know what you are talking about. That's all I'm saying. - DvF
