Have you seen the latest from Murray State? People are freaking out over the president being ousted by Steve Beshear’s Board of Regents.
Here’s a story about it.
People are literally freaking out. Some Facebook comments:
- John Spinda (Org Comm Faculty Member) — What happens when your university President is supported by a large majority of people throughout the university and also in a very deliberate and public way by Faculty Senate, Staff Congress, and every single school superintendent in your regional service area (and was sent to the KY Govenor for good measure)? If you were the university President at Murray State University, Randy J. Dunn, you would have not gotten your contract renewed. Since I am a faculty member leaving MSU this summer, I can feel free to call this what it really is, the Board of Regents acting in a way that can only be describe as gross malfeasance. This should be a very sad day for everyone at Murray State University.
- Fred Miller (Business Faculty Member) — This is a dark day in the life of Murray State University, stained by the shameful performance of the Board of Regents. When I came to Murray State, Dr Curris was President. During my career, Dr Dunn is the first and only President to enjoy the widespread support of students, faculty, administrators, staff and regional education leaders at this stage of his tenure. It is even more remarkable that he achieved that level of support by empowering the University to pursue significant new initiatives of scholarship, outreach and service during very challenging economic times. It is a shame that the Board is not willing to disclose the factors that outweighed these extraordinary accomplishments in their decision. Empowered by the Commonwealth to guide our institutions of higher learning into challenging new times, Boards of Regents may embrace that challenge and support the leaders who can meet it. Or they can retreat into parochial backwardness and hamstring the ability of the institution to fulfill this mission. The greatest shame of all is that this Board, presented with a golden opportunity to do the former, chose to do the latter.
- Dennis Johnson (Director of Bands and Orchestra, Faculty Member) — Well, good ol’ boy politics is alive and well in Murray. The best President I have ever served under was let go by our “board” today. He has the support of the faculty, staff, students, community, and regional Superintendents. Can any other President anywhere boast that kind of solidarity? This man is a great student supporter and came to my concert with his wife last night after long and arduous meetings. They could easily have begged off but they were there. Thank you Jack Rose for standing up for what is right and resigning from the board after this decision. This decision is wrong, baseless and totally political. I always thought the Board of Regents were appointed or elected to look after our best interests. Dr. Dunn, you were extremely successful at MSU and I am deeply saddened and embarrassed by this decision.
It’s almost like these folks have no concept that Randy Dunn came from the Illinois Teachers’ Retirement System.
Surely these folks realize pensions in Illinois are an SEC-investigated disaster. Right? Surely. (That’s the talking point we’re getting from the Frankfort folks)
It would be silly to think that anyone with ties to that system wouldn’t be perceived as tainted. Even if they’re stellar people with amazing leadership ability. Especially in Kentucky – the next state on the SEC list. Goodness.
That said – it’s Murray State. No matter who the leader is, it’s common sense that the good old boy system controls everything.
Note: We don’t believe having potentially been involved in any pension messes should disqualify him from being head of Murray State. Based on everything we’ve heard, he’s been solid.
16 responses so far ↓
1 done,doneandDunn // Mar 18, 2013 at 1:45 pm
The faculty are never satisfied. Dunn let the inmates run the asylum…that’s why they like him. Here is a tip, Dunn spend too much time looking for other jobs, doing videos on youtube and playing with the pep band while the university was heading backwards. How many letters did the board against Dunn? So what he got a letter from the faculty and staff senate? And those regional folks that nothing to do with what Dunn’s performance was being reviewed on. Dunn didn’t even get the letter from the regional Superintendents. His wife used her position at the Ky. Department of Education. Jack Rose helped her, the guy who resigned. The very same guy who put his name in the last MSU presidential search and probably is chopping at the bit to put his name in again. Why else would he resign? Faculty need to spend more time teaching than bitching. That’s Ky. is fails miserably at the number of folks with college degrees.
2 Chris Tobe // Mar 18, 2013 at 1:54 pm
I think he may have learned something from his time in Illinois. The SEC charge last week was on issuing bonds without disclosing the huge pension fund liabilities.
Murray and the other Universities were in a hurry to issue bonds (see link below) while they could still hide the huge pension liabilities they have from KERS and KTRS.
http://migration.kentucky.gov/Newsroom/governor/20130221bonds.htm
It looks like he spread this Illinois disease not only to Murray but to the other regional universities
3 whocares // Mar 18, 2013 at 2:25 pm
Dunn pursued every other job in the country. He showed the board of regents he wanted to be gone over and over and over. They are simply giving him what he wanted…
4 Novena // Mar 18, 2013 at 2:31 pm
“Should It Just be Called ‘Alexander University’?
I don’t know much about what is going on at MSU, but their Board should look at the mess that happened at UVA–and is still going on. Looks like MSU’s former president Curriss (widely regarded as a dictator) wants to bring in yet another “Alexander.” University inbreeding does not seem to bother him since his own regime was like the “ancien” one–that is, a royal dynasty akin to” Les Miserables.” But, another “Alexander”? Like another “Bush”? Give KY higher education a damn break for a change (we’ve already got two King Georges at UofL and UK).
5 done,doneandDunn // Mar 18, 2013 at 2:48 pm
According to the local rumor mill, the disgruntled and former faculty regent only brought up the Alexander name to draw attention away from his pal Dr. Dunn’s hidden faults and lack of transparancy. Apparently, the former faculty regent was fired by the one of the Alexanders. Guess the guy still holds a grudge.
6 done, done, and Dunn // Mar 18, 2013 at 4:50 pm
Hey Novena
The student newspaper at Murray State is reporting that former Murray State president F. King Alexander, was nominated to be the next president at Louisiana State University by the University’s Presidential Search Committee at the Board of Supervisors meeting Monday afternoon.
Looks like your “Alexander University” via former faculty regent Jack Rose’s mouth, is dead wrong. Looks like one former MSU university president is successful and the current couldn’t land a position mopping up piss at the local drunk tank. Murray is a stepping stone school for coaches and presidents. This current guy tripped on a stone fell flat on his face.
7 Novena // Mar 18, 2013 at 6:00 pm
“Done, done–You Forgot Clint”
Emperor Curris also mentioned Clint Alexander as a possible MSU crown honcho. Let’s see, King was 36 when he got the job; I think Clint is an educational administration prof at Va. Tech. Besides being related to Kern and King, I wonder what makes Clint so qualified. (But if Curris is with the search firm, it might not matter.) At least Clint’s name is more ordinary and less regal, I guess. I hope there are no Jr. Jimbo Ramseys in the offing with strings to Curris.
8 UKeye // Mar 18, 2013 at 6:18 pm
@Done,Done:
Regarding your first comment of “inmates running the prison”. Faculty and staff at any university are not criminals. And their participation in running their own university is the law.
9 Novena // Mar 18, 2013 at 7:35 pm
“Thanks, UKeye”
Those outside academe don’t seem to understand that the faculty are the core of any university. Most of them stay around far longer than students or administrators. The latter often do hop from one job to another (no matter how poorly they did at the last job). Given that academic decision-making lies primarily with the faculty, they should have a major say on what goes on. Unfortunately, we are living in a time when universities are more typically run as corporations (one of the reasons for the decline in quality of America’s higher education system).
10 UKeye // Mar 18, 2013 at 10:31 pm
What Novena said.
11 done, done, and Dunn // Mar 19, 2013 at 11:55 am
UKeye and Novena are morons. First, Klint with a K. Clint with a C speak to empty chairs on anational stage. Klint is not a Va. Tech (I highly suggest learning how to use the “internets” and “inmate running the asylum” is phrase that means It means that something is crazy, all topsy turvy – the least qualified people and most incompetent people are in charge. Faculty need to bitch less and teach more. They are always wanting more and aren’t willing to compromise. Dunn wanted to be liked so he tried to be on the same level of the faculty. When you are president you have to be a leader and learn to say “no.” Faculty are extremely importantant but they have a sense of entitlement. Dunn failed at his 12×12 and 11×11 goals, belittled and black-listed alums, held petty grudges angainst local legislators and had his ass handed to him in Frankfort. The guy isn’t ready to be a president. He’s a manager ay best and not a leader. He did get Paducah regional campus up and going but he had to have help and a Plan D to get it done. I trust that the board knew more than whats being reported.
12 Novena // Mar 19, 2013 at 1:27 pm
“Done, Done, Gone!”
You’re right about one thing: Given all the various and sundry Alexanders (I should have guessed they all had names beginning with “K”), I did confuse Klint with his brother at Va. Tech. As for your notion of faculty, you mostly know not what you speak about. I also fear that “academic freedom” is an alien concept in your universe of rant.
13 done, done, and Dunn // Mar 19, 2013 at 5:08 pm
Novena, you are either $100,000 a year Chief bitch or some introverted hack of a professor that is bitter about your tiny”office” and the insigificant role you play in life. I’m guess the latter because its spring break and you are in your meek office wishing you were somebody important. Many may not like the Alexanders but they have done more for education than anybody in the field. Since you have nothing better to do..may I suggest Rose v. Council for Better Education, look at education finance across the country, look at the record number of applicants at Long Beach or how Murray State was on the national map. A tiny far west Ky. school that was only known for basketball. The Alexanders have fought against rising costs of college while you were wanking it to your average rating on ratemyprofessor.com Don’t have to like them but bashing them without having the balls to put your name behind the comment is classless and gutless.
14 jake // Mar 19, 2013 at 5:10 pm
Hello, Pot? Meet Kettle. If you want to personally attack someone for not having the balls to use their name? User your own.
Don’t act like the small group of Conway/Walker/Beshear Democrats who tried pulling that crap with me in 2011 only to be forced in court to reveal themselves to me. It’s childish.
15 Novena // Mar 19, 2013 at 6:52 pm
“Dunn & Done”
You like the Alexanders, and I don’t hate them. I was just making reference to the possible continuation of a curious dynasty at one university–never the likes of it seen in the history of higher education. There are people out there who can lead a university without the name “Alexander.” That’s all I said and you make a humongous rant about it. End of discussion on my end, even if you want to keep up the rant forever.
16 Novena // Mar 19, 2013 at 7:00 pm
“P.S. to Dunnie Boy”
One can use a computer on the beach. It’s nice down here in Cancun. Wish you were here instead of ranting in KY, where you need to “get a life,” Mister?
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