CSU Faculty Voice: Chicago State Community College

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Chicago State Community College

R.I.P. Chicago State University.

It did feel very much like a funeral this morning on the fourth floor of the New Academic Library just before CSU's five-member Board of Trustees (two with expired terms) announced its decision to hand over the leadership to their much favored local candidate Wayne Watson. Dr. Yan Searcy even used the word "funeral" in his very eloquent statement to the Board of Trustees.

And like most funerals, dirty little secrets start to come out. After being abjured by name by several members of the campus community, Reverend Finney finally let loose at the end of the morning with the reporters. If anyone was playing the race card here, he said, "it was the white-controlled media." Other comments going around town are painting the protests to the search process at CSU as fostered by a few disgruntled "white faculty." Hmmm. I wonder where those ideas started?

Most distressingly absent at the funeral this morning was the new alleged "reformer" Governor Quinn who could not muster up the courage to send a condolence card to the CSU Faculty Senate in response to their plea for the Governor's intervention in the entirely flawed presidential search process. Reverend Finney has obviously been very busy the past few weeks and according to a few of the commentators this morning "got" to the Governor. With what? Promises of southside (i.e. black) votes? At any rate, there are many southsiders and others on campus who do not vote with their skin, Governor Quinn. You might want to consider just whom you did alienate. I believe Governor Quinn needs to hear from us again, let him know that he's not fooling anyone with pious statements of integrity unless he acts. If you have supported the actions of the faculty, staff and students who have called the hiring of Wayne Watson a farce that is essentially going to make Chicago State the crown jewel in Watson's community college system, voice your opinion. The Governor's Office info: http://www.illinois.gov/GOV/contactthegovernor.cfm

And stay posted. There is more to come...

2 comments:

CSU HistoryApr 29, 2009, 8:00:00 PM
Also, please comment on this one

http://www.chicagopublicradio.org/Content.aspx?audioID=33851
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CordayApr 29, 2009, 8:42:00 PM
Thanks for the link Sarah.
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Add comment

Thanks to Haki Madhabuti

"1. He/she must be a scholar of national note, with significant peer review publications and books in his or her field. There must be no doubt as to his/her standing in the community of scholars. This would also include a history of the candidate’s participation in the appropriate professional organizations.

2. He/she must have served with distinction as the administrative head of a major unit within an institution of higher learning or at the important position of Provost and/or Dean. Of course, prior service at the presidential level is preferred.

3. He/she must have a documented history of raising significant monies from the private and public sectors. At most major and research one universities it is not unusual to expect the president to come with a plan to raise in excess of half a billion dollars or more in the first few years.

4. The prospective president must have a consensus buy-in from the faculty, students, administration and staff, therefore, arriving with a unity mandate to lead by joining a University community that has bought into his or her vision for the future."

From an open letter to the CSU Community, 2009.