Scandals: From business to higher education
A few years ago the scandals were coming fast and furious from the business world: Enron, MCI, et. al. Now scandals and a lack of leadership are coming from our colleges and universities:
Adams State College in Colorado has fired (subscription required) its president, Richard A. Wueste, for alleged financial mismanagement and failure to follow the board's directives. Mr. Wueste faced accusations of making unbudgeted expenditures of $558,000, of adding positions and signing contracts that the board had not approved, and of failing to submit a balanced budget for the 2005-6 academic year.
At Texas A&M at Kingsville, the president has suspended (subscription required) the campus's 34-member Faculty Senate, a year after the senate voted no confidence in him. The senate noted in their no-confidence vote that the president, Mr. Juarez, decided in May 2003 "to deny promotion to a large number of university faculty, most of whose applications for promotion had been approved by departmental, college, and university committees," as well as by the provost, showing "a callous disregard for the combined wisdom of these subordinate bodies and administrators."
American University trustees announced Monday night that Benjamin Ladner will not return as president after a months-long investigation into his spending. Auditors had questioned spending by Ladner that included French wine, expensive restaurants both here and abroad and chauffeurs who ran personal errands.
It should be noted that media stories such as these do not always present both sides of the story. I certainly am not here to add to what some may perceive as bashing of these individuals. That said, what we have at best is a lack of communication and leadership with the parties involved; and at worst, some very severe ethical issues.
It seems that there has been a large number of no-confidence votes occuring on campuses recently. The art of dialogue, and a lack of commitment to work for the common good, appears to be fading fast at many universities. It seems that the principles of servant-leadership could find themselves plenty useful in higher education.
Adams State College in Colorado has fired (subscription required) its president, Richard A. Wueste, for alleged financial mismanagement and failure to follow the board's directives. Mr. Wueste faced accusations of making unbudgeted expenditures of $558,000, of adding positions and signing contracts that the board had not approved, and of failing to submit a balanced budget for the 2005-6 academic year.
At Texas A&M at Kingsville, the president has suspended (subscription required) the campus's 34-member Faculty Senate, a year after the senate voted no confidence in him. The senate noted in their no-confidence vote that the president, Mr. Juarez, decided in May 2003 "to deny promotion to a large number of university faculty, most of whose applications for promotion had been approved by departmental, college, and university committees," as well as by the provost, showing "a callous disregard for the combined wisdom of these subordinate bodies and administrators."
American University trustees announced Monday night that Benjamin Ladner will not return as president after a months-long investigation into his spending. Auditors had questioned spending by Ladner that included French wine, expensive restaurants both here and abroad and chauffeurs who ran personal errands.
It should be noted that media stories such as these do not always present both sides of the story. I certainly am not here to add to what some may perceive as bashing of these individuals. That said, what we have at best is a lack of communication and leadership with the parties involved; and at worst, some very severe ethical issues.
It seems that there has been a large number of no-confidence votes occuring on campuses recently. The art of dialogue, and a lack of commitment to work for the common good, appears to be fading fast at many universities. It seems that the principles of servant-leadership could find themselves plenty useful in higher education.
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