The only sound onlookers heard for three minutes on the sunny afternoon of April 17 was the clicking of cameras as photographers snapped away and the slight spring breeze rustling through the trees' branches.
Thirty-three students, faculty, and staff lay on the strip of grass between the sidewalk and the new Simmons College sign with their eyes closed, homemade maroon and orange ribbons draped around their necks, and their hands resting either on their stomachs or holding the hand of the person who lay next to them.
When junior Kathleen McKendry's cell phone alarm went off, marking the end of the three minutes, she sat up, told the lie-in participants they could get up, and thanked everyone for coming.
The students lingered on the corner of Avenue Louis Pasteur and the Fenway, chatting with their peers, answering journalists' questions, and giving hugs and support to those remembering Ross Alameddine, one of McKendry's best friends from high school and a student who died in the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University massacre last year.
The lie-in at Simmons, the only one in Boston, was part of Protest Easy Guns' national campaign on the one-year anniversary of the Virginia Tech massacre.
McKendry, the protest organizer, was contacted by Protest Easy Guns' founder Abby Spangler to organize the protest with the understanding that she was responsible for getting 32 people to participate and see about doing the protest on Simmons property, neither of which were easily accomplished.
"I had to go through Simmons to see if we could do it on Simmons property because if I didn't do it on [their] property then I would have to go through the city of Boston and get permits and the detail police workers, which I went through all the hassle anyway because Public Safety wanted to make sure since it was so close to public property that I didn't need permits and whatnot.
"So that took about a whole month's worth of jumping through hoops to get settled and I had everything settled and ready to go about four days before the protest," she said.
While she had the issue of location secured a few days before the actual lie-in, the issue of getting the bodies in place for the protest came down to the last minute.
"That day I was anxious because for a good while I only had 22 people, and I waited an extra five minutes and I still only had 22 people, and then, I said, 'All right, I guess that's all who are going to show up. So I guess we're going to lay down.' And then we were about to lie down and my best friend was like, 'Oh, hold on. We have more.'
"And then I got another 11 people within a matter of seconds, who either showed up or we pulled from off the street that were very interested in doing it, which made me happy. In total, we had 33 people, and that made me feel really good because it was one more than my intended goal," she said.
McKendry was also happy with the amount of media coverage the protest received, because "what's a protest that doesn't get noticed?" She said that photos taken at Simmons were used all over the country-from the Washington Post to a small Texas newspaperand around the world. One of the photos, taken by an Associated Press photographer, showed up on Yahoo! France.
Despite the timeliness of the protest with the announcement earlier this semester that Simmons' police officers will be armed as early as August, McKendry said the two are unrelated.
"Personally, I don't see the point because in an event like Virginia Tech, there were officers there that were armed and the killer had locked everybody inside, so there really wasn't anything they could do," McKendry said. "But I'm not uncomfortable with the idea or completely opposed to it. The whole message of our protest group isn't against guns, it's against how easy it is to get guns.
"We just want national background checks done, and also to close the gun show loop hole, which is in many states you can go to a gun show and buy a gun from an unlicensed dealer-walk in, get a gun, and walk out. That shouldn't be allowed to happen," she said.
Simmons was one of five schools in Massachusetts to participate in the Protest Easy Guns protests two weeks ago; the other schools were Harvard University, Wellesley College, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, and Clark University. Simmons' lie-in had participants from Simmons, Wheelock College, Emmanuel College, Northeastern University, Boston University, Roger Williams College, and Bridgewater State College.
This article was originally published here: http://media.www.thesimmonsvoice.com/media/storage/paper829/news/2008/05/01/News/Students.Protest.Gun.Policy.On.Vtech.Anniversary-3752921.shtml
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Was Susan Scrimshaw fired?: Scrimshaw's abrupt departure leaves many questions
After serving less than two years at Simmons College, Susan Scrimshaw has begun her transition out of the presidency, which will end with the academic year. The announcement, sent out to the entire community via e-mail last Thursday, shocked many at the college and has led to questions that Board representatives have been hard-pressed to answer.
Those questions include:
- Did Scrimshaw really quit or was she fired?
- If she quit, why is she receiving a severance package?
- If she was fired, why? And why now?
The Board's response to many of those questions has been to insist that it was Scrimshaw's decision to leave because of a consulting opportunity. In another e-mail to the community, Scrimshaw said, "I have the chance to take the first real sabbatical of my decades-long career and pursue some significant opportunities to engage in work that promotes public health on the international level and to undertake a specific consulting assignment."
Few believe it.
"In totality, the statements concerning her leaving strain credulity. There are elements in the statements that appear to be contradictory. It is not common when someone resigns to provide with severance package," said Geoff Turner, associate professor of psychology.
The explanation strains credulity because of the severance package, the timing, and the fact that a number of people feel this is inconsistent with Scrimshaw's commitment to the College. One source said Scrimshaw planned on being here for 10 years, and another said she planned to retire from this job.
In fact, when Vice-Chairman Steve Jonas made that claim at an open forum on Friday, he generated groans and boos from many of the 200 faculty, staff, and students in attendance.
Peering through the smoke and mirrors
Multiple sources, independent of each other, said that Scrimshaw was fired.
The anonymous sources cited in this article would not go on the record, either out of concern for their job and position within the College or for Scrimshaw's exit deal.
One aspect that stands out as odd to many is the sabbatical the Board is giving Scrimshaw. To some it appears they are paying her to leave. And the exit deal is contingent on her staying quiet.
At the forum, Zachary Abuza, political science and international relations department chair, asked if Scrimshaw was under a gag order because she had said so little publicly about her leaving.
"I think a really significant mischaracterization of what is done in any situation like this," said Helen Drinan, current chair of the Board and soon-to-be interim president. "And I have 25 years of human resources experience to stand behind that. There is almost always a mutual agreement to remain confidential about any agreements surrounding any executive's departure for everyone's well-being."
A source with details of Scrimshaw's departure said that Scrimshaw, as well as others aware of what is currently confidential information, is unable to speak about the situation because it puts her severance package at risk.
Scrimshaw and Presidential Assistant Brenda Boyer were contacted five times via e-mail requesting an interview about her departure before and after the announcement came out; they replied to none. In a chance encounter, Scrimshaw said the only question she could answer was about the weather.
A reporter for the online publication Inside Higher Ed said, "While Scrimshaw did not respond to requests for an interview directly, the college released a reply from her in which she said that an opportunity that she wasn't at liberty to discuss had emerged and had led her to the 'particularly difficult' decision to leave."
Janie Ward, professor and department chair of Africana Studies, said that she hopes that Scrimshaw will eventually share with the community what her future plans are and what led her to the decision to leave.
One thing that remains unclear is if Scrimshaw was fired, why was that decision made?
Some think that the issue was the strategic plan, specifically the costs associated with the proposed initiatives. Abuza asked if the Board took a vote of confidence on the plan, to which Drinan said there had been no vote on the plan.
"What we do not have with the strategic plan is any sense of what that's going to cost. We have been asking for that as a board since last October and we have not seen it," Drinan said.
"Now, it is now in a place where obviously no decisions can be made . . . until we have that, because we may love all the ideas, but we may not be able to afford any or all of them at one time," she said.
Some also think it has to do with the so-far-failed provost search.
Turner thinks that neither of these things are grounds for firing Scrimshaw, and sees the problem lying more with the Board than with her. "Either they're not supporting the president enough or they have unrealistic expectations or they made a bad decision when they hired her.
"I see this as a problem that stems from the Board of Trustees," he said.
One example is that during Scrimshaw's first year, she was sent on about 40 trips, meaning she was away from campus for most of the year, leaving the senior administrators to run the College and not giving her the opportunity to get her feet grounded.
Another example is that the Board approved four retention contracts, which undermined her ability to hire her own team. Concerns have been raised about the impact the four retention contracts had on Scrimshaw's ability to do the job for which she was hired.
According to the Board, the contracts were given to Vice President for Administration and Planning Lisa Chapnick, Vice President for Finance and Treasurer Bert Goncalves, Vice President for Advancement Kristina Schaefer, and College of Arts and Sciences Dean Diane Raymond to ensure a smooth transition between former President Dan Cheever and Scrimshaw.
Scrimshaw, however, said in an earlier interview that she thought the contracts were not fair because they limited her in terms of who she could hire.
All four administrators will receive their bonuses on July 1. Chapnick will receive $100,000, Goncalves will receive $120,000, Schaefer will receive $87,500, and Raymond will receive $80,000, according to the College's 2004 Form 990, a tax form all nonprofits have to file.
Because this decision was made behind closed doors by the Board, it is unlikely that the full details will be known, or at least not for a while.
There are some on campus who accept the Board's explanation and are angry because she is leaving Simmons at such an inconvenient time, considering the empty provost and new senior vice president of finance and administration positions, the unfinished strategic plan, and the fact that Commencement is less than a month away.
Drinan said at the open forum held on Friday that it probably would have been better if the announcement came out at or after Commencement, but "that turned out not to be possible for reasons beyond the Board's control. That's all I can say about that."
Drinan said that the Board was pressed because Scrimshaw was eager to have the announcement made, but others speculate that the timing was actually determined by the schedule of the Simmons Voice.
On Monday, April 29, e-mails were sent to Scrimshaw and to Lucia Quinn, previous chair of the Board and current chair of the Board's compensation committee, stating that the Simmons Voice knew of the impending departure and requesting an interview.
On Tuesday, the director of Public Relations, Diane Millikan, contacted the newspaper and set up an interview for the following day with Jonas. Millikan stressed the importance of keeping the information quiet.
On Wednesday, Jonas and Millikan asked for specifics about what time the Simmons Voice would be distributed on either Thursday or Friday. The reporter informed them that the story would not be published until the following week. Jonas, again, stressed the importance of keeping the information gained from the interview quiet until after the announcement.
On Friday, Quinn received another e-mail stating that the Simmons Voice knew that the Board had fired Scrimshaw. Quinn declined to comment.
Many are curious about the "consulting opportunity in public health" that is pulling Scrimshaw away from campus.
A source said that Scrimshaw currently has no job lined up for after Simmons, which they think explains another reason why she has not said anything-there is nothing to announce.
Looking back
Many praise Scrimshaw for the changes she has implemented in the short time she has been here. She has been credited with refocusing the College on academics, restructuring the leadership, and taking a stand on issues of inclusion and human rights.
"She's worked very hard for Simmons and she really cares about Simmons, and the Board really appreciates her contributions over these two years," Jonas said.
Many faculty echoed sentiments of admiration for her accomplishments for Simmons. Gary Bailey, associate professor in the School for Social Work, said that Faculty Senate encouraged Scrimshaw to reconsider her decision to leave. "I think that's important because usually you would think that someone would leave where they're not getting along with their faculty, and I don't think that's true at all here."
Ward singled out Scrimshaw's response to the hate crimes as a sign of her commitment and leadership. "Her actions during the hate crime incidents was remarkable," she said. "It showed real leadership, true leadership to kind of step right up, jump into the middle of the fray, be absolutely clear about what Simmons stands for and what it will not tolerate."
Not everyone sang her praises, though. Some faculty said they feel she lacked vision and the ability to get things done, citing the provost search and the strategic plan. Others expressed concerns over her interpersonal skills, in terms of interacting with faculty, alums, and donors.
Moving forward
According to Jonas, Scrimshaw and Drinan will work to actively transition the College from one to the other during May and June. "We expect some good teamwork from the two of them. I think there is great mutual respect between Helen and Susan, so that should go quite well," said Jonas.
"And Susan will move on to other things beginning in July, and Helen will be full-time and fully ensconced here," he said.
Few have expressed concerns with Drinan's leadership or management ability. Many have used the word "competent" when describing her. Drinan left her position as senior vice president of Caritas Christi Health Care System officially at the end of April and will take over the College on July 1. She has two degrees from Simmons: a Masters from the Graduate School of Library and Information Science, and a MBA from the School of Management.
However, there are concerns over the length of her term, her academic credentials, and whether she can keep the College on the path to national prominence.
While the Board's decision to replace a departing president with a trustee is not out of the ordinary for how most colleges and universities find an interim president, the length of Drinan's term has raised eyebrows.
Scott Jaschik, an editor for the online publication Inside Higher Ed and a reporter who has covered institutions of higher education for 20 years, said that the two-to three year timeline to find a new president caught his attention.
"Some colleges do turn to a board member as interim, but typically only for a short time period while the board does an immediate search. What really stands out here isn't selecting a trustee, but doing so for a 2-3 year period," he wrote in an e-mail.
"More typical is for boards to turn to a senior administrator at the college to be interim. Sometimes a retired administrator will be asked back," Jaschik said.
An example of that is when in February 2006, Harvard University President Lawrence Summers resigned and was replaced by former Harvard President Derek Bok, who served for one year until then Dean of the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study Drew Faust was named the new president.
Simmons followed a similar plan in 1995 when Jean Dowdall was replaced by interim president Cheever, although an outsider, but former president at Wheelock College, who a year later in 1996 was inaugurated at the College's sixth president.
The reason this is a long-term appointment is because "we have a senior team to finish rebuilding and plan to get done and we want to get all of that stuff in and stabilized and then evaluate our options for a national search and move on from there," said Jonas.
One challenge that Drinan faces is filling the positions of provost and senior vice president of finance and administration. Jonas is not concerned that this change at the top will have a negative impact on either searches.
"I think because Helen is so known and so supportive of the existing agenda, I don't think candidates get concerned that we have either a problem, turmoil, or a change in direction, so this should look pretty comfortable and smooth here," said Jonas.
"And the fact that we have Helen as, you know, identified as interim president, but with a two to three assignment, I think we get the advantage of both having stability and the opportunity for senior players to be candidates in the next round," he said. "We're in hot pursuit of some very attractive candidates and hope to be able to land a good one and get them here within a reasonably short period of time."
Some wonder whether it is a good idea to have the provost search continued in spite of the recent change in presidents. "I was surprised to read Steve Jonas' comments in Inside Higher Ed, where he said the provost search is ongoing," said Turner.
"I think it would be incredibly destabilizing to hire an external provost at this time with no president, no senior vice president for finance and administration," said Turner. "To add somebody else external to that top tier management right now, I see as destabilizing. Now it's possible that they'll find some great candidate now, and that would be fabulous.
"But if it happens over the summer, there'll be less chance for the faculty to be involved in the search. I think that can only lead to problems. If they decide to not involve faculty in the search that would really lead to problems among the faculty," said Turner. "But the fact that they're continuing leads me to believe the Board doesn't understand the academic cycle."
Another issue surrounding Drinan's appointment is her lack of academic credentials. While some feel that requiring someone to have a Ph.D. to run an institution of higher education is elitist, others feel that it will lead to problems because of a lack of understanding between Drinan and the faculty.
"The Board is obviously aware that she has not worked in higher ed before," said Jonas. "The Board's aware that she does not have a Ph.D., and the Board, as I hope everyone in this room who is responsible for educating our students, believes in the promise and potential of everyone.
"The Board feels that Helen, with her background and capability, is capable of doing that for the next two-to three years. Her role is not to drive the academics of the institution, that will fall to her with the help of a provost, who one way or another will have a place here," said Jonas.
"Her role is to coordinate the entry of a senior team," he said. Drinan must get them to "come on board and has to work on completing the strategic plan and completing the agenda that Susan has begun, and get those things to begin to be implemented. So that is the agenda, and it does not take a Ph.D. to do those things over the next two years."
Jessica Rudis contributed reporting on the forum.
This article was originally published here: http://media.www.thesimmonsvoice.com/media/storage/paper829/news/2008/05/01/News/Was-Susan.Scrimshaw.Fired-3752923.shtml
Those questions include:
- Did Scrimshaw really quit or was she fired?
- If she quit, why is she receiving a severance package?
- If she was fired, why? And why now?
The Board's response to many of those questions has been to insist that it was Scrimshaw's decision to leave because of a consulting opportunity. In another e-mail to the community, Scrimshaw said, "I have the chance to take the first real sabbatical of my decades-long career and pursue some significant opportunities to engage in work that promotes public health on the international level and to undertake a specific consulting assignment."
Few believe it.
"In totality, the statements concerning her leaving strain credulity. There are elements in the statements that appear to be contradictory. It is not common when someone resigns to provide with severance package," said Geoff Turner, associate professor of psychology.
The explanation strains credulity because of the severance package, the timing, and the fact that a number of people feel this is inconsistent with Scrimshaw's commitment to the College. One source said Scrimshaw planned on being here for 10 years, and another said she planned to retire from this job.
In fact, when Vice-Chairman Steve Jonas made that claim at an open forum on Friday, he generated groans and boos from many of the 200 faculty, staff, and students in attendance.
Peering through the smoke and mirrors
Multiple sources, independent of each other, said that Scrimshaw was fired.
The anonymous sources cited in this article would not go on the record, either out of concern for their job and position within the College or for Scrimshaw's exit deal.
One aspect that stands out as odd to many is the sabbatical the Board is giving Scrimshaw. To some it appears they are paying her to leave. And the exit deal is contingent on her staying quiet.
At the forum, Zachary Abuza, political science and international relations department chair, asked if Scrimshaw was under a gag order because she had said so little publicly about her leaving.
"I think a really significant mischaracterization of what is done in any situation like this," said Helen Drinan, current chair of the Board and soon-to-be interim president. "And I have 25 years of human resources experience to stand behind that. There is almost always a mutual agreement to remain confidential about any agreements surrounding any executive's departure for everyone's well-being."
A source with details of Scrimshaw's departure said that Scrimshaw, as well as others aware of what is currently confidential information, is unable to speak about the situation because it puts her severance package at risk.
Scrimshaw and Presidential Assistant Brenda Boyer were contacted five times via e-mail requesting an interview about her departure before and after the announcement came out; they replied to none. In a chance encounter, Scrimshaw said the only question she could answer was about the weather.
A reporter for the online publication Inside Higher Ed said, "While Scrimshaw did not respond to requests for an interview directly, the college released a reply from her in which she said that an opportunity that she wasn't at liberty to discuss had emerged and had led her to the 'particularly difficult' decision to leave."
Janie Ward, professor and department chair of Africana Studies, said that she hopes that Scrimshaw will eventually share with the community what her future plans are and what led her to the decision to leave.
One thing that remains unclear is if Scrimshaw was fired, why was that decision made?
Some think that the issue was the strategic plan, specifically the costs associated with the proposed initiatives. Abuza asked if the Board took a vote of confidence on the plan, to which Drinan said there had been no vote on the plan.
"What we do not have with the strategic plan is any sense of what that's going to cost. We have been asking for that as a board since last October and we have not seen it," Drinan said.
"Now, it is now in a place where obviously no decisions can be made . . . until we have that, because we may love all the ideas, but we may not be able to afford any or all of them at one time," she said.
Some also think it has to do with the so-far-failed provost search.
Turner thinks that neither of these things are grounds for firing Scrimshaw, and sees the problem lying more with the Board than with her. "Either they're not supporting the president enough or they have unrealistic expectations or they made a bad decision when they hired her.
"I see this as a problem that stems from the Board of Trustees," he said.
One example is that during Scrimshaw's first year, she was sent on about 40 trips, meaning she was away from campus for most of the year, leaving the senior administrators to run the College and not giving her the opportunity to get her feet grounded.
Another example is that the Board approved four retention contracts, which undermined her ability to hire her own team. Concerns have been raised about the impact the four retention contracts had on Scrimshaw's ability to do the job for which she was hired.
According to the Board, the contracts were given to Vice President for Administration and Planning Lisa Chapnick, Vice President for Finance and Treasurer Bert Goncalves, Vice President for Advancement Kristina Schaefer, and College of Arts and Sciences Dean Diane Raymond to ensure a smooth transition between former President Dan Cheever and Scrimshaw.
Scrimshaw, however, said in an earlier interview that she thought the contracts were not fair because they limited her in terms of who she could hire.
All four administrators will receive their bonuses on July 1. Chapnick will receive $100,000, Goncalves will receive $120,000, Schaefer will receive $87,500, and Raymond will receive $80,000, according to the College's 2004 Form 990, a tax form all nonprofits have to file.
Because this decision was made behind closed doors by the Board, it is unlikely that the full details will be known, or at least not for a while.
There are some on campus who accept the Board's explanation and are angry because she is leaving Simmons at such an inconvenient time, considering the empty provost and new senior vice president of finance and administration positions, the unfinished strategic plan, and the fact that Commencement is less than a month away.
Drinan said at the open forum held on Friday that it probably would have been better if the announcement came out at or after Commencement, but "that turned out not to be possible for reasons beyond the Board's control. That's all I can say about that."
Drinan said that the Board was pressed because Scrimshaw was eager to have the announcement made, but others speculate that the timing was actually determined by the schedule of the Simmons Voice.
On Monday, April 29, e-mails were sent to Scrimshaw and to Lucia Quinn, previous chair of the Board and current chair of the Board's compensation committee, stating that the Simmons Voice knew of the impending departure and requesting an interview.
On Tuesday, the director of Public Relations, Diane Millikan, contacted the newspaper and set up an interview for the following day with Jonas. Millikan stressed the importance of keeping the information quiet.
On Wednesday, Jonas and Millikan asked for specifics about what time the Simmons Voice would be distributed on either Thursday or Friday. The reporter informed them that the story would not be published until the following week. Jonas, again, stressed the importance of keeping the information gained from the interview quiet until after the announcement.
On Friday, Quinn received another e-mail stating that the Simmons Voice knew that the Board had fired Scrimshaw. Quinn declined to comment.
Many are curious about the "consulting opportunity in public health" that is pulling Scrimshaw away from campus.
A source said that Scrimshaw currently has no job lined up for after Simmons, which they think explains another reason why she has not said anything-there is nothing to announce.
Looking back
Many praise Scrimshaw for the changes she has implemented in the short time she has been here. She has been credited with refocusing the College on academics, restructuring the leadership, and taking a stand on issues of inclusion and human rights.
"She's worked very hard for Simmons and she really cares about Simmons, and the Board really appreciates her contributions over these two years," Jonas said.
Many faculty echoed sentiments of admiration for her accomplishments for Simmons. Gary Bailey, associate professor in the School for Social Work, said that Faculty Senate encouraged Scrimshaw to reconsider her decision to leave. "I think that's important because usually you would think that someone would leave where they're not getting along with their faculty, and I don't think that's true at all here."
Ward singled out Scrimshaw's response to the hate crimes as a sign of her commitment and leadership. "Her actions during the hate crime incidents was remarkable," she said. "It showed real leadership, true leadership to kind of step right up, jump into the middle of the fray, be absolutely clear about what Simmons stands for and what it will not tolerate."
Not everyone sang her praises, though. Some faculty said they feel she lacked vision and the ability to get things done, citing the provost search and the strategic plan. Others expressed concerns over her interpersonal skills, in terms of interacting with faculty, alums, and donors.
Moving forward
According to Jonas, Scrimshaw and Drinan will work to actively transition the College from one to the other during May and June. "We expect some good teamwork from the two of them. I think there is great mutual respect between Helen and Susan, so that should go quite well," said Jonas.
"And Susan will move on to other things beginning in July, and Helen will be full-time and fully ensconced here," he said.
Few have expressed concerns with Drinan's leadership or management ability. Many have used the word "competent" when describing her. Drinan left her position as senior vice president of Caritas Christi Health Care System officially at the end of April and will take over the College on July 1. She has two degrees from Simmons: a Masters from the Graduate School of Library and Information Science, and a MBA from the School of Management.
However, there are concerns over the length of her term, her academic credentials, and whether she can keep the College on the path to national prominence.
While the Board's decision to replace a departing president with a trustee is not out of the ordinary for how most colleges and universities find an interim president, the length of Drinan's term has raised eyebrows.
Scott Jaschik, an editor for the online publication Inside Higher Ed and a reporter who has covered institutions of higher education for 20 years, said that the two-to three year timeline to find a new president caught his attention.
"Some colleges do turn to a board member as interim, but typically only for a short time period while the board does an immediate search. What really stands out here isn't selecting a trustee, but doing so for a 2-3 year period," he wrote in an e-mail.
"More typical is for boards to turn to a senior administrator at the college to be interim. Sometimes a retired administrator will be asked back," Jaschik said.
An example of that is when in February 2006, Harvard University President Lawrence Summers resigned and was replaced by former Harvard President Derek Bok, who served for one year until then Dean of the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study Drew Faust was named the new president.
Simmons followed a similar plan in 1995 when Jean Dowdall was replaced by interim president Cheever, although an outsider, but former president at Wheelock College, who a year later in 1996 was inaugurated at the College's sixth president.
The reason this is a long-term appointment is because "we have a senior team to finish rebuilding and plan to get done and we want to get all of that stuff in and stabilized and then evaluate our options for a national search and move on from there," said Jonas.
One challenge that Drinan faces is filling the positions of provost and senior vice president of finance and administration. Jonas is not concerned that this change at the top will have a negative impact on either searches.
"I think because Helen is so known and so supportive of the existing agenda, I don't think candidates get concerned that we have either a problem, turmoil, or a change in direction, so this should look pretty comfortable and smooth here," said Jonas.
"And the fact that we have Helen as, you know, identified as interim president, but with a two to three assignment, I think we get the advantage of both having stability and the opportunity for senior players to be candidates in the next round," he said. "We're in hot pursuit of some very attractive candidates and hope to be able to land a good one and get them here within a reasonably short period of time."
Some wonder whether it is a good idea to have the provost search continued in spite of the recent change in presidents. "I was surprised to read Steve Jonas' comments in Inside Higher Ed, where he said the provost search is ongoing," said Turner.
"I think it would be incredibly destabilizing to hire an external provost at this time with no president, no senior vice president for finance and administration," said Turner. "To add somebody else external to that top tier management right now, I see as destabilizing. Now it's possible that they'll find some great candidate now, and that would be fabulous.
"But if it happens over the summer, there'll be less chance for the faculty to be involved in the search. I think that can only lead to problems. If they decide to not involve faculty in the search that would really lead to problems among the faculty," said Turner. "But the fact that they're continuing leads me to believe the Board doesn't understand the academic cycle."
Another issue surrounding Drinan's appointment is her lack of academic credentials. While some feel that requiring someone to have a Ph.D. to run an institution of higher education is elitist, others feel that it will lead to problems because of a lack of understanding between Drinan and the faculty.
"The Board is obviously aware that she has not worked in higher ed before," said Jonas. "The Board's aware that she does not have a Ph.D., and the Board, as I hope everyone in this room who is responsible for educating our students, believes in the promise and potential of everyone.
"The Board feels that Helen, with her background and capability, is capable of doing that for the next two-to three years. Her role is not to drive the academics of the institution, that will fall to her with the help of a provost, who one way or another will have a place here," said Jonas.
"Her role is to coordinate the entry of a senior team," he said. Drinan must get them to "come on board and has to work on completing the strategic plan and completing the agenda that Susan has begun, and get those things to begin to be implemented. So that is the agenda, and it does not take a Ph.D. to do those things over the next two years."
Jessica Rudis contributed reporting on the forum.
This article was originally published here: http://media.www.thesimmonsvoice.com/media/storage/paper829/news/2008/05/01/News/Was-Susan.Scrimshaw.Fired-3752923.shtml
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