WVU president to be announced Friday

Hippie Killer deserves a major award for the (4.00 / 1)

service he's done for WVU, or at least transparency in WVU's governance and operational methods.

And you're to be commended for this blog and the link, Carnacki.

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by: epbluefan @ Tue Mar 03, 2009 at 21:22:26 PM UTC

An educator I know, a WVU grad, says... (0.00 / 0)

this is, on the face of it, a disappointing turn of events.

A provost from Towson and a no-spring-chicken president from CCNY as the two finalists for president of a major research university and the state's flagship academic institution, isn't only uninspiring, it's depressing.

The person's caveat is that either candidate or perhaps even both may be extremely talented and highly qualified, but, on paper, the individuals' backgrounds don't seem to say much for WVU's reputation these days as an institution of higher learning for ambitious, top-tier educators with sit-up-and-take-notice national credentials.

Just at a glance, and this is based on nothing more substantial than that, my take is that the gentleman from Towson is the "Garrison type" candidate, the CCNY guy is the "Duane Nellis type" candidate.

The West Virginia political good ol' boy culture hasn't served the state well in recent years, just looking at the WVU presidential search and the case currently before the US Supreme Court.

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by: benjaminwalter @ Wed Mar 04, 2009 at 09:48:47 AM UTC

Additionally... (0.00 / 0)

my educator friend, who PI'd a major grant from a majorly major national institution that is beneficial to WV and WVU points out, as Hippie Killer does, too, that it is nevertheless encouraging that the two finalists come from outside the WV political culture, unlike Garrison and his predecessor, Hardesty.

But, I'd add that...what? Like that wasn't going to be the case after the eMBA scandal?

As for Hippie Killer's Fifth Column, it's the best by far of the politically nondenominational blogs in this state.

Although characterizing it as "politically nondenominational" is a tad misleading. Hippie Killer's politics are decidedly progressive, and so are those of many of his regular posters. The commentary by HK, as well as what's to be found in many, many of the posts, is often exceoptional.

I'm not prepared to say that Buzzardbilly, Hippie Killer and West Virginia blue represent a New West Virginia Redneck Renaissance, but the Internet revolution sure as hell found its way to our state in recent years. My hope is the revolution's only beginning.

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by: benjaminwalter @ Wed Mar 04, 2009 at 12:00:52 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

pay, reputation or economic insecurity? (0.00 / 0)

Do you think the finalist pool is so lacking because WVU isn't paying enough or because the school's reputation has taken a major hit? Or, could the general economic insecurity also be keeping people from wanting to change jobs?

I'm just relieved to see WVU getting a non-political appointment. This is a critical first step. The next steps will be equally important for reputation rehabilitation.

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by: Clem Guttata @ Wed Mar 04, 2009 at 13:57:47 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Clem, you've gotta consider all three, but the one that (0.00 / 0)

makes the least sense to me is economic insecurity. Don't buy it. A significant step up from, say, up-and-coming provost at a major research institution or from president of a slightly lesser than WVU research university should be more than enough to be attractive notwithstanding the economic climate.

Ambition's ambition, and WVU should be, and in the past has been, that kind of very desirable stepping stone.

 

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by: benjaminwalter @ Wed Mar 04, 2009 at 15:02:49 PM UTC

[ Parent ]