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"Some college administrators seem so distracted with fund raising, academic infighting, and community initiatives that they set up their emergency communications departments very poorly. Training is poor to nonexistent, secretaries are pressed into service with tremendous responsibilities for running 'notification systems' 24/7 and on weekends because no one else knows how to do it and the administration won’t pay for additional staff. Procedures are seat-of-the-pants and dependent on HIPPO (highest paid person’s opinion), except when something like Virginia Tech happens and there is some sort of scramble to do something different." --Donna
Most Colleges Avoid Risk Management, Report Says
Jill Biden Shines a Global Spotlight on American Community Colleges
Speaking at a Unesco conference in Paris, the vice president’s wife stressed the importance of two-year institutions to the nation’s educational goals.
Connecticut Public Colleges Lose 200 Professors to Early Retirement
Administrators are scrambling to plug holes in their course schedules for fall, with most expecting to do so by hiring more adjuncts or increasing class sizes.
U. of Georgia Paid 2 Fraternities $2.4-Million to Relocate, Contracts Show
The two were among five with houses on property where the university plans to build new academic facilities.
New Allegations in Admissions Controversy at U. of Illinois Suggest Ex-Provost Played a Role
Linda P.B. Katehi, the incoming chancellor of the University of California at Davis, has insisted she knew nothing of the admission of politically connected applicants at Illinois.
Sonoma State U. Foundation May Lose $350,000 on Loan to Former Board Member
The foundation will be forced to issue fewer scholarships in the 2010-11 academic year because of a diminished endowment, a university official said.
College Suspends Student for Working in Gay Pornography | 58
President Obama's Visit to Notre Dame Carries Barely a Hint of Controversy That Preceded It | 58
Drug Sting Nabs 21 Students at U. of Illinois | 57
Faculty Members and Union Protest Staff Layoffs at Temple U. as 'Cruel' | 57
North Dakota Board's Vote Puts 'Fighting Sioux' Mascot on Thinner Ice | 57
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May 17, 2007
Dartmouth Alumni Elect Another 'Insurgent' Trustee
Alumni of Dartmouth College have elected a fourth petition-driven candidate to its governing board of 18 trustees. Stephen F. Smith, a Dartmouth alumnus and law professor at the University of Virginia, bested a slate of three candidates selected by the Dartmouth Alumni Council, according to results released today.
On his Web site, Mr. Smith argues that Dartmouth should retain the qualities of a small college, emphasizing both teaching and research, and that the college’s administration has become a bloated bureaucracy. Mr. Smith also disputes allegations that his candidacy was part of a conservative scheme to take over the board.
“I have been subjected to innuendo suggesting that I’m somehow a stooge for hidden conservative forces,” Mr. Smith writes. “I am, in fact, a truly independent candidate. No one and no group — liberal, conservative, or otherwise — is controlling or bankrolling my campaign.”
It’s easy to see why some critics have questioned Mr. Smith’s ties to conservatives, as he received scads of endorsements from right-wing groups, media outlets, and even William F. Buckley. The recent rise of insurgent candidacies, at Dartmouth and elsewhere, is a new front in the culture wars.
In a written statement, James Wright, Dartmouth’s president, said he looked forward to working with Mr. Smith and noted that he has good relations with the three other insurgent trustees. —Paul Fain
Posted on Thursday May 17, 2007 | Permalink |Comments
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Though I did not vote for Mr. Smith, I have read his material and will be watching to see if his conservative approach (though not necessarily “right wing” helps Dartmouth excel in its stated mission. His performance as a trustee bears watching to see if his deeds match his word.
— Robert T. Carter, Class of 1959 May 18, 10:39 AM #
I had no idea that the Chronicle of Higher Education had become a liberal bastion without balance.
Nowhere in your article do you point out that Professor Smith grew up on poverty and has overcome that obstacle. Nowhere do you point out that Professor Smith is an African-American—which you no doubt would have pointed out if you believed that he was in agreement with your point of view. Nowhere do you point out that Professor Smith’s main opponent in the trustee election was endorsed by none other than George Will—a noted conservative if there ever was one.
And your use of the term “insurgent” was clearly used for no other purpose than to elicit a negative emotional response.
Shame on you for your lack of fairness in reporting, and your lack of even-handedness.
Peter E. Tracy
Class of 1968
— Peter E. Tracy May 27, 11:05 PM #