When Does Emeritus Not Really Mean Emeritus? When Applied to Chicago State Of Course

As you can see from the definition, emeritus is an honorary title. I'm not sure that the adjective is meant to apply to some deadbeat hanging around the university in a newly spruced up office drawing a salary for doing basically nothing (save protecting his cronies as much as he can). Does anyone really believe that this person can write a coherent paragraph let alone a book? Perhaps he can solicit help from one of the other literary giants in his administration.

Here is a copy of the letter that went out this afternoon. I have several comments/questions. There is no such position anywhere in the CSU Board of Trustees governing documents. The only emeritus position is Professor Emeritus. Has the Board created that position for the outgoing president? If so, when did that occur? Did the Board vote in open session on the President Emeritus position? When? What necessity existed for the creation of such a position? What are the criteria for such a position? How many other former Chicago State presidents have been honored in this way? Why did this announcement come from the employee and not the Board? Who call the shots here at Chicago State? Does a lame duck president still dictate to the Board?

Wayne Remains--what is the Board of Trustees thinking?

With the insipid address to the "CSU Family," we are informed today by the man himself that he is granted the title of "President Emeritus" by his lackeys on the Board of Trustees and will remain at CSU through spring 2016.

One phrase comes to mind: WTF?

Aside from possibly acting as a buffer to protect the likes of his favorite administrative cronies for another six months, what is this about?  If anyone can tell me how this is good for a university that needs to rebuild and to heal from the malignancy of this presidency, please enlighten me.

The incoming president should be furious. Why was he hired to begin in January?

This convinces me more than ever that CSU is in existence for the students second. Its first role is to benefit the politicians and their friends. We have a long-time reputation as a dumping ground for the politically connected in the state of ILL. Well, this is the biggest dump the pols have ever given us.

Below is the drivel the "CSU Family" received earlier today:

Dear CSU Family,

It has been an honor and a pleasure to serve as the 21st president of Chicago State University.  As I look back over the last six years, I am proud of what we have been able to achieve together.   The experiences I have had during my tenure at CSU have strengthened my belief that education is the solution to many of the world’s challenges.  I am so grateful to all of the students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends who have shared my vision of a new and improved CSU, where students are educated, engaged, embraced, enlightened and empowered.

Dr. Thomas Calhoun will assume duties as the 22nd president of Chicago State University on January 4, 2016.  Please join me in extending a warm welcome to our new president and offering him our steadfast support.

At the request of the CSU Board of Trustees, I will continue my commitment to the university through the end of my contract, which ends June 30, 2016.  During this period, I will take on a new role as President Emeritus and relocate to my new office in the CSU library.  In my capacity as President Emeritus, I will serve as a resource to the incoming president, assist with fundraising activities, and engage in research.

I am excited to embark on this new phase of my personal and professional journey, a journey that began almost 50 years ago. I believe in CSU’s mission and I look forward to assisting in the university’s efforts to honor its commitment to teaching, research, service and community development.  I look forward to working with President Calhoun during the transition, having time to focus on my research interests, and spending more time with my family.

I want to express my sincere appreciation to you, the students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends of Chicago State University, for your support during my presidency.

Travel safe during this holiday season, and above all, take time to enjoy your family.

With warmest regards,


Wayne D. Watson, Ph.D.
President
Chicago State University

See the President of CSU dissemble before your very eyes...

The CSU website may be streaming a tagline ad nauseam to "Watch President Watson testify at the State Capitol" every time you log on, but a far more interesting interview is from Chicago Tonight, Eddie Arruza interviewing presidents from four ILL universities. Watch President Watson here--scroll to @11.18 minutes into the tape to hear how he raised standards, Raised Standards...RAISED STANDARDS!

http://player.pbs.org/widget/partnerplayer/2365609421/?player=WTTW&chapterbar=true&autoplay=false&endscreen=false&topbar=true

raised our standards raised our raised our standards managed enrollment raised standards not paid out any lawsuits turned around standards managed enrollment raised standards not paid out any lawsuits turned around managed enrollment raised standards not paid out any lawsuits turned around raised our standards managed enrollment raised standards not paid out any lawsuits turned around raised our standards managed enrollment raised standards not paid out any lawsuits turned around raised our standards managed enrollment raised our standards managed enrollment raised standards not paid out any lawsuits turned around raised standards not paid out any lawsuits turned around raised our standards managed enrollment raised standards raised our standards managed enrollment raised standards not paid out any lawsuits turned around not paid out any lawsuits turned around raised our standards managed enrollment raised standards not paid out any lawsuits turned around raised our standards managed enrollment raised standards not paid out any lawsuits turned around raised our standards managed enrollment raised standards raised our standards managed enrollment raised standards not paid out any lawsuits turned around not paid out any lawsuits turned around raised our standards raised our standards managed enrollment raised standards not paid out any lawsuits turned around managed enrollment raised standards raised our standards managed enrollment raised standards not paid out any lawsuits turned around not paid out any lawsuits turned around raised our standards managed enrollment raised standards not paid out any lawsuits raised our standards managed enrollment raised standards not paid out any lawsuits turned around turned around raised our standards managed enrollment raised standards not paid out any lawsuits turned around raised our standards managed enrollment raised our standards managed enrollment raised standards not paid out any lawsuits turned around raised standards raised our standards managed enrollment raised standards not paid out any lawsuits turned around not paid out any lawsuits turned around raised our standards managed enrollment raised standards not paid out any lawsuits turned around raised our standards managed enrollment raised standards not paid out any lawsuits turned around raised our standards managed enrollment raised our standards managed enrollment raised standards not paid out any lawsuits turned around raised standards not paid out any lawsuits raised our standards managed enrollment raised standards not paid out any lawsuits turned around turned around raised our standards managed enrollment raised standards not paid out any lawsuits turned around raised our standards raised our standards managed enrollment raised standards not paid out any lawsuits turned around managed enrollment raised our standards managed enrollment raised standards not paid out any lawsuits turned around raised standards not paid out any lawsuits turned around raised our standards managed enrollment raised standards not paid out any lawsuits turned around raised our standards managed enrollment raised standards not paid out any lawsuits turned around raised our standards managed enrollment raised our standards managed enrollment raised standards not paid out any lawsuits turned around raised standards not paid out any lawsuits turned around raised our standards managed enrollment raised standards raised our standards managed enrollment raised standards not paid out any lawsuits turned around not paid out any lawsuits turned around raised our standards managed enrollment raised standards not paid out any lawsuits turned around raised our standards managed enrollment raised standards not paid out any lawsuits raised our standards managed enrollment raised standards not paid out any lawsuits turned around turned around raised our standards managed enrollment raised standards not paid out any lawsuits turned around raised our standards managed enrollment raised standards not paid out any lawsuits turned around raised our standards raised our standards managed enrollment raised standards not paid out any lawsuits turned around managed enrollment raised standards not paid out any lawsuits turned around raised our standards managed enrollment raised standards raised our standards managed enrollment raised standards 

Guess Who Is Getting Office Space in the Library?

For those of you wondering when our departing president is actually leaving campus, the answer is: apparently never. Remember 2009? Richard Daley, likely tired of this academic and administrative fraud's act, cashiered him from City Colleges, but as a reward for something, local politicians insured he was able to surface as Chicago State's new president. Now it's 2015, and after nearly destroying CSU, someone in the university has decided that he needs office space in the library--apparently to write a book. In addition, he's supposedly going to have at least one support person working with him in this endeavor. For me this raises several questions. First, how much is this going to cost the taxpayers? We don't have a state budget, but we can spend money for this. Second, who authorized those expenses and the allocation of university office space for someone who should be embarrassed to show his face on campus? Third, how long is this arrangement supposed to continue? Here are some photographs taken yesterday that show the two offices allocated to the outgoing president and his support staff. You'll note the work being done in one of the offices. Certainly here on the beautifully maintained Chicago State campus, this is a project of the highest priority. Honestly, you can't make this stuff up.

Do Not Cross Big Daddy

In the waning days of Wayne at CSU, drama that seems to cling to him, is again reaching operatic proportions. CSU was in the news last week and the rats’ nest of Illinois politics was on full display. You’d think we’d be used to it by now. The stink of it has hung over this campus since the “grasping, clutching ole” pol in the Cook Building set foot on this campus. 

In true Chicago style, true, cynical Chicago political style, Cook County States Attorney, Anita Alvarez, handed down a 17-count indictment for theft, official misconduct, wire fraud, and computer fraud on former CSU Vice President for Enrollment Management LaShondra Peebles and her mother, Shirley Kyle. Alvarez claims Peebles and Kyle bilked the great state of ILL out of $4,450 in a ghost payroll scheme.

That’s right, $4,450.00.

Seriously, this is the best the Cook County Attorneys could do? “Chump change” isn’t it by Illinois (and CSU) corruption standards, even IF Peebles really did it?

So, trot out the little fish for public scorn and condemnation, ignore and shield the barracudas. Let the long-term abusers of the public trust at CSU continue to slop at the trough. Pathetic.

And so chickenshit.

The link for the article in the Chicago Tribune about LaShondra Peebles is here:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-chicago-state-fraud-arrest-20151112-story.html

I’ve summarized the dull document below.

Lest you think, however, that Anita Alvarez and the crack investigative team at the States Attorney’s Office is going to swoop down on CSU and really clean house—think again. The only signed “witness” to the document of charges against Peebles is CSU Detective Michael Jones. Does that name ring a bell? He was the police officer who applied a chokehold to CSU student Jokari Miller at a CSU Board of Trustees’ meeting in 2014 (Miller refused to take off his baseball cap inside the meeting). See this post for a perspective on that issue:

http://csufacultyvoice.blogspot.com/2014/05/is-chicago-state-university-or.html

One wonders how it came into Det. Jones’ head to single out LaShondra Peebles for investigation among all the administrators on campus? What could have motivated him? And should the rest of us now feel free to start sending reports of acts of corruption to CSU’s very own Elliot Ness?

Moral of the story: if you cross Big Daddy, he will not just take you down, fire you and ruin your career, he will try to crush you.

LaShondra Peebles’ experience with Wayne Watson follows the pattern that my colleague discerned last year in a previous blog post:  http://csufacultyvoice.blogspot.com/2014/09/brittany-bailey-and-willie-preston.html (Sept 1, 2014). It goes like this:

1.  Demand unquestioning loyalty from anyone closely associated with you (and especially in your debt for their job)
2. Test that loyalty by insisting your employee do something that is distasteful, possibly illegal or criminal or to go along with same

·        2006 Maria Moore, former General Manager of WYCC-TV at City Colleges was directed by Watson to condone and overlook the use of WYCC-TV for “personal friends and political cronies”… “including but not limited to Emil Jones, Jr., Jesse Jackson, RainbowPUSH Coalition, Clinton Bristow, and Chuck Bowen.”

·        2010 Jim Crowley, lawyer at CSU, directed to restrict the flow of information to Chicago Tribune reporters and a faculty member requesting FOIA material on Watson’s expenses at the presidential residence before he was officially employed on campus

·        2013/2014 LaShondra Peebles. Interim VP at CSU, alleges Watson attempted to coerce her to "sign off" on a million dollar contract, and to file false charges against Dr. Phillip Beverly for sexual harassment.

3. If the employee shows no “loyalty” (i.e. willingness to do your bidding) threaten and then fire that person

4. If they bring a lawsuit claiming unfair firing, begin a smear campaign to muddy their reputation and deflect the heat they brought on you (muddy the narrative)

5. Use any tactic your influence gives you, the police, the courts, to crush the individual who has so defied you:

·        Jim Crowley: charges were filed against him with the Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission so that he was unable to obtain employment with a law firm after being fired from CSU;

·        Willie Preston (student): was expelled from the university and filed two bogus charges against him: one for criminal trespass, the other a total fabrication to obtain an “order of protection” for Angela Henderson who abetted Watson in this matter. Both actions were subsequently dismissed in the Circuit Court;  

·        Jokari Miller (student) was arrested on campus, charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest for refusing to take off a baseball hat at a Board of Trustees meeting, subjected to a police chokehold during the arrest. Interesting that an old arrest warrant against him suddenly appeared just before he was to testify against CSU in a court case.

·        Dr. Phillip Beverly, faculty member, critic of the administration, was the subject of an investigation by a firm Watson hired for almost $30,000 in an attempt to dig up dirt and find or coerce witnesses to file bogus charges against Beverly (see payment to Laner Muchin);

·        LaShondra Peebles: alleges the most egregious actions including coercion to backdate a contract that was in excess of $1 million and to file sexual harassment charges against faculty member Phillip Beverly.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-chicago-state-sexual-harassment-lawsuit-met-0320-20150319-story.html#navtype=related-content

6. Wait years, force individual litigants to pay lawyers out of pocket while you use state attorneys and private attorneys on the taxpayers’ dime for your own defense. In the end, lose the case, the taxpayers of Illinois will pay the lawyers. The price tag for CSU is over $1 million for Watson’s defense, bogus investigations, attacks on the faculty blog, all by private firms (Pugh, Jones and Johnson; Smith Amundsen; Laner Muchin; Gonzalez, Saggio and Harlan; Fisher Phillips; Husch Blackwell). Personally, Watson has not lost a cent.

What a racket. And there are other individuals who could be listed as the collateral damage to these incidents.

LaShondra Peebles crossed Big Daddy. Her indictment last week is part of the performance of power that Wayne Watson uses to delay and deflect his own brand of thuggishness. We have seen this opera before. And it’s a stinker.

Peeble’s indictment papers (30+ pages) are repetitive—I’ve highlighted the main sections below.

1.     THEFT [Peebles/Kyle] in furtherance of a single intention and design knowingly obtained or exerted unauthorized control over government property, to wit: U.S. currency, in an aggregate amount and exceeding $500 and not exceeding $10,000 in value, an amount of approximately $4,450, the property of Chicago State University, a unit of government, intending to deprive Chicago State University permanently of the use or benefit of the property…

2.     THEFT [Peebles/Kyle] in furtherance of a single intention and design knowingly obtained or exerted unauthorized control over government property, to wit: U.S. currency, in an aggregate amount and exceeding $500 and not exceeding $10,000 in value, They created an impression Shirley Kyle was working hours when they knew she was not, the property of Chicago State University, a unit of government, intending to deprive Chicago State University permanently of the use or benefit of the property..

3.     THEFT [Peebles]… knowingly obtained or exerted unauthorized control over government property… in value, an amount of approximately $2,700, the property of Chicago State University, a unit of government, intending to deprive Chicago State University permanently of the use or benefit of the property…

4.     THEFT by “…knowingly obtained or exerted unauthorized control over government property… in value, an amount of approximately $2,048, the property of Chicago State University, a unit of government, intending to deprive Chicago State University permanently of the use or benefit of the property…

5.     THEFT “…by creating an impression which was false and which she did not believe to be true, to wit: she created an impression that she was authorized to pay PMO501 when she knew that she was not…an amount of approximately $2,700, that she intended to permanently deprive the owner of the use and benefit of the said property…

6.      THEFT “…by creating an impression which was false and which she did not believe to be true, to wit: she created an impression that she was authorized to pay PMO501 when she knew that she was not…an amount of approximately $2,048, that she intended to permanently deprive the owner of the use and benefit of the said property…

7.     OFFICIAL MISCONDUCT: [Peebles] being an employee of Chicago State University while in Official capacity, To Wit: Director of Compliance/Interim Vice President for Enrollment Management, with the intent to obtain a personal advantage for herself or another, performed an act in excess of her lawful authority, to wit: she committed theft, in that she hired Shirley Kyle, her mother, and approved payment to Shirley Kyle from Chicago State University for hours Shirley Kyle did not work…”

8.     OFFICIAL MISCONDUCT: [Peebles] being an employee of Chicago State University while in Official capacity, To Wit: Director of Compliance/Interim Vice President for Enrollment Management, with the intent to obtain a personal advantage for herself or another, performed an act in excess of her lawful authority, to wit: she committed theft by using a Chicago State University Credit Card as payment to PMO501…

9.     OFFICIAL MISCONDUCT: [Peebles] being an employee of Chicago State University while in Official capacity, To Wit: Director of Compliance/Interim Vice President for Enrollment Management, with the intent to Obtain a personal advantage for herself or another, performed an act in excess of his (sic) lawful authority, to wit: she committed theft by using a Chicago State University Credit Card as payment to PMO501…

10. OFFICIAL MISCONDUCT: [Peebles] being an employee of Chicago State University while in Official capacity, To Wit: Director of Compliance/Interim Vice President for Enrollment Management, with the intent to Obtain a personal advantage for herself or another, performed an act in excess of her lawful authority, to wit: she commited computer fraud when she accessed a Chicago State University purchasing program and approved a contract on behalf of the Purchasing Department when she did not have the authority to do so…

11.  OFFICIAL MISCONDUCT: [Peebles] being an employee of Chicago State University while in Official capacity, To Wit: Director of Compliance/Interim Vice President for Enrollment Management, with the intent to Obtain a personal advantage for herself or another, performed an act in excess of her lawful authority, to wit: she commited computer fraud when she accessed a Chicago State University purchasing program and approved a contract on behalf of the Legal Department when she did not have the authority to do so…

12.  WIRE FRAUD: [Peebles] devised or intended to devise a scheme or artifice to defraud, or to obtain money or property by means of false pretenses, representations, or promises and for the purpose executing the scheme or artifice, transmits or causes to be transmitted any writing, signals, pictures, sounds, or electronic impulses by means of wire, radio or television communications from within this state, to wit: She made an electronic payment, an amount of approximately $2,700, via paypal to PMO501 using a Chicago State Universiy Credit Card when she did not have authority to do so…

13.  WIRE FRAUD: [Peebles] devised or intended to devise a scheme or artifice to defraud, or to obtain money or property by means of false pretenses, representations, or promises and for the purpose executing the scheme or artifice, transmits or causes to be transmitted any writing, signals, pictures, sounds, or electronic impulses by means of wire, radio or television communications from within this state, to wit: She made an electronic payment, an amount of approximately $2,048, via paypal to PMO501 using a Chicago State Universiy Credit Card when she did not have authority to do so…

14.  COMPUTER FRAUD: [Peebles] knowingly accessed or caused to be accessed a computer or any part thereof, or a program or data, with the intent of devising or executing any scheme or artifice to defraud, or as part of a deception, to wit: she made an electronic payment, an amount of approximately $2,700, via paypal to PMO501 using a Chicago State University Credit Card when she did not have authority to do so…

15. COMPUTER FRAUD: [Peebles] knowingly accessed or caused to be accessed a computer or any part thereof, or a program or data, with the intent of devising or executing any scheme or artifice to defraud, or as part of a deception, to wit: she made an electronic payment, an amount of approximately $2,048, via paypal to PMO501 using a Chicago State University Credit Card when she did not have authority to do so…

16. COMPUTER FRAUD: [Peebles] knowingly accessed or caused to be accessed a computer or any part thereof, or a program or data, with the intent of devising or executing any scheme or artifice to defraud, or as part of a deception, to wit: she accessed a Chicago State University Purchasing Program and approved a contract on behalf of the Purchasing Department when she did not have the authority to do so…

COMPUTER FRAUD: [Peebles] knowingly accessed or caused to be accessed a computer or any part thereof, or a program or data, with the intent of devising or executing any scheme or artifice to defraud, or as part of a deception, to wit: she accessed a Chicago State University Purchasing Program and approved a contract on behalf of the Legal Department when she did not have the authority to do so…

Our Administration Hard at Work Trying to Discipline Faculty for Crimes They Had Not Committed

Before I went back to graduate school to continue my education, I spent significant time in supervision and management, both in law enforcement and in the private sector. One of the things I learned quickly was to never act precipitously, since you can look like a complete ass when your assumptions are proven wrong. Here at Chicago State, our administrative standard seems to be peremptory, arbitrary, and precipitous action, resulting in some administrator looking like an ass.

As most of our readers know, the death throes of our administration have given us an continuing array of systemic failures and disastrous decisions the past few months. However, our intrepid administrators in these final days of this fetid regime still get aroused by the opportunity to mete out discipline to some miscreant faculty or staff member. When the administration's enthusiasm for vengeance runs into its basic administrative incompetence, the result can be downright embarrassing (at least to someone with the capacity to feel embarrassment). Recent communications from our "Ethics" Officer provide a textbook example of what I'm describing here.

Once again this fall, we had to complete that astoundingly cynical "Ethics Training." The window for doing the computer training ran from October 1 through October 30. Everything apparently went smoothly until the "Ethics" Officer determined that two faculty had, in fact, failed to complete the training. This, of course, is a "serious" violation of the rules here at Chicago State (which our administration always scrupulously observes). Since the well-being of the entire academic enterprise hung in the balance, our stellar "Ethics" Officer swung immediately into action, dashing off a threatening letter to the unfortunate faculty, demanding a meeting before the university lowered the boom on them for their "non-compliance" with a "university directive." The "Ethics" Officer informed one faculty member that s/he had only completed 43 percent of the training, and the other that s/he had only completed 54 percent of the training. Both were informed that a "sanction is being considered." The two faculty were also ordered to contact the Ethics Office by November 12 to make appointments for a meeting on either November 16 or November 17. Obviously this urgent matter had to be dealt with, even if the union representatives these faculty are entitled to have at such a meeting might not have been able to meet on either of the dates indicated in the imperial summons. True elementary school disciplinary practices on display here. The signature on the letter seemed designed to strike fear into the hearts of these faculty scofflaws--"Judge Bernetta D. Bush (ret.)" Wow!

With things looking bleak for our two poor faculty victims and with the "Ethics" Officer salivating at the chance to hang a couple of faculty skins on her belt, these faculty members threw a wrench into the machinery. Lo and behold, they both produced a "Certificate of Completion . . . for the successful completion of Ethics Training for University Employees." Both certificates bore the date of October 30, 2015, which was within the time period for completion of the training. Although the faculty notified the "Ethics" Officer they had completed the training, they have not been afforded the courtesy of a follow-up letter rescinding the meeting demand. Really a professional way to handle this.

Below are redacted copies of both the letter from the "Ethics" Officer and the "Certificates of Completion" produced by the faculty members. As an aside, since I had another career before becoming a university teacher, should I start signing everything "Alameda County Sheriff's Department Sergeant Robert E. Bionaz, #466 (ret.)"? What do you think?

Future Expectations

So a colleague at another university asked me what I expected from our new president when he arrives. Given a list of more than forty items on the Faculty Senate's Fix Matrix, there is much to be repaired but my first concern is the protection of the academic enterprise at the university. That said, I told my colleague it was imperative that the new president find a real provost to manage the academic affairs division. The university cannot stand the incumbent for one more incompetent moment. Her list of failure is long and deep. From academic dishonesty to no university experience, to wrong headed decision after wrong headed decision, even my thirteen year old daughter when presented with the data surrounding her performance, asks me why is she still there. Given that she is still a child, I don't dare share with her how the adult world can work sometimes. So I just tell her that the world is often about who you know and that merit doesn't always get you a job. Bless her heart when she says "Daddy, that isn't fair", a sentiment shared by most at the university. 

I was asked by another colleague if I would share these feelings with the new president before or when he arrives and I told them I was professionally obligated to protect our students and my colleagues from any further damage at the hands of an incompetent and failed provost. More succinctly, I will tell Dr. Calhoun when he gets here that a new provost, even an interim if he isn't bringing someone, is absolutely necessary. I would prefer that person be on the ground before the spring blood ritual known as the class cut session. The departing provost should have nothing to do with the academic enterprise and given her zeal for eliminating courses that our students need, she should be given other duties. 

Given the university's propensity for having employees with terminal degrees man the admissions desk, maybe that would be a good place for her to end her employment with the university. 

There's a great leadership maxim about not having others do something you wouldn't do yourself. Well here's a great opportunity to show some leadership. Resign as provost and ask to serve in an admissions capacity. The many other opportunities that have been presented have ended in failure. Maybe this last one won't.

And then again.....

47 days

How Much Has Administrative Cronyism Cost Us?

Courtesy of the Way Back Machine, we can take a stroll down memory lane and revisit the cronyism of the past six years. As we all know, our departing president is fond of hiring his cronies into key administrative positions here at Chicago State, regardless of their demonstrated qualifications or abilities. Even basic dishonesty is not sufficient to eliminate one of Baldy’s cronies from consideration for a senior administrative position. Let’s take a look at the pricetag for these various hirings and evaluate the results. As always, this is my interpretation and any errors are exclusively mine.

First, we will break down the hires into several categories: 1) the original cadre, brought mainly from City Colleges; including the girlfriend. Four of these five people are still in place and continue to blight the university with their presence. 2) Cronies filling jobs created out of thin air just for them. 3) Cronies whose applications or resumes contained demonstrable lies. Despite Human Resource policies calling for termination for willful falsehoods on application materials, these persons retained their positions and were even promoted. There will be some overlap as some persons fall into more than one category. Here are thumbnail sketches:

We begin with the fabulous five. These persons came with our new president and four still remain. This is truly the “inner circle.” First hired was Renee Mitchell as Human Resources Director. Mitchell came from CNA Insurance and may have been acquainted with the president’s girlfriend who also worked there as basically a clerk. According to the university web site, Mitchell holds a Ph.D. In reality, she has a Doctor of Management from the University of Phoenix, a degree that can be acquired in around three years at a cost of $54,000. During her tenure as HR Director, Mitchell has been a reliable rubber stamp for a number of bad decisions. She is aware of the lies on the application of the girlfriend. Total salary paid since 2009 for Mitchell: $843,000.

Two days after Mitchell, Ronnie Watson arrived. The Police Chief, known for his dog and spectator shooting abilities, faithfully executed all of our president’s wishes. During his tenure, the Chicago State police department featured one of its officers choking out a student during a Board of Trustees meeting, in full view of the president and various other “dignitaries.” Mercifully, this guy retired at the end of June. Total salary for Ronnie Watson: $766,000

Next hired was Patrick Cage, the university’s General Counsel. Cage came with the new president from City Colleges and has also rubber stamped a number of bad decisions, most notably, the firing of James Crowley which resulted in a judgement now approaching $4.5 million. That Cage had no need to compete for the job seems apparent given the perfunctory two-page resume he submitted for the position, which included a 13 year gap in employment. Total salary for Cage since 2009: $946,000.

Then the girlfriend, Cheri Sidney, came along. She possessed absolutely no qualifications for a senior management position anywhere and lied about her academic credentials on her application materials. Nevertheless, the new president created three successive jobs for her in less than two years, each new job coming with a nice pay increase. Since her placement in a senior Enrollment Management position, Chicago State’s enrollment has declined by 34.1 percent, to its current anemic count of 4767 students. Total salary paid for Sidney: $704,000.

Also hired early in the new administration (probably late November or early December) was Bernetta Bush, the “Ethics” Officer. Our soon-to-be gone president brought her along from City Colleges, where he appointed her Ethics Officer on December 10, 2007. A previous Ethics Officer had refused to countenance our departing president’s abuse and subsequent unlawful termination of a City Colleges administrator that ultimately cost the District $1.175 million. Bush, who also serves as our departing president’s personal counsel (is that a conflict of interest?) has dedicated herself to fighting for our president’s good name; without much success. Total salary paid for Bush: $516,000.

Next we come to people for whom the president created jobs. I’ve already mentioned Sidney, but in August 2011, the president brough Maricela Aranda from City Colleges and installed her as an Associate Vice President of Administration and Finance, even though that division already included both a Vice President and another Assistant Vice President. Aranda was so special, the administration created a new budget sub account just for her. Total salary paid to Aranda: $674,000.

Later that same year, our president created another senior administrative position for Damon Arnold, who had apparently been relieved of his duties as the Illinois Director of Public Health. Our president installed Arnold as the Director of the new Public Health program at a salary of $140,004. At his hiring, the program included 4 (four) students. He later became an Assistant Dean of the College of Health Sciences, possibly in recognition of his great work in the Public Health program. Notably, Arnold applied for his initial position on the afternoon of his first day at work, since the position had only been created by the president two days earlier. While he worked at Chicago State, Arnold apparently frequently failed to come to work and was actually asked to account for his whereabouts on more than one occasion by Health Science administrators. Arnold left the university sometime in 2014 I believe, and I have no idea what he’s currently doing. Total salary for Arnold: $389,000.

Sometime in the 2011-12 fiscal year, the president created the position of Executive Assistant to the President for Napoleon Moses. Although Moses seemed actually competent and was certainly personable, no one really understood why such a position existed. The university funded Moses’s salary by transferring money from the Internal Improvements account. Moses departed in May 2013. Total salary for Moses: $314,000.

In August 2012, Tyra Austin, who had apparently caught the attention of Cheri Sidney, began working as an Assistant Director of Financial Aid, another position created by the president, apparently just for her. Austin, who had not even acquired a Bachelor’s degree in anything, also demonstrated an ability to be frequently absent from work. Austin falsified her resume to gain employment. However, even after being notified of that fact, the administration did nothing. To her credit, Ausin ultimately resigned her position in mid-2014. Unfortunately, before she left, her total salary came to $120,000.

Our final category includes those administrators whose application materials featured demonstrable lies, falsehoods, or misrepresentations. In a university with a shred of integrity, these misdeeds would result in termination. Not here, of course. I’ve already discussed Cheri Sidney and Tyra Austin, but our current Provost, Angela Henderson, also falls into this category. Originally hired as the Vice President of Enrollment Management, a position for which she had no previous work experience or apparent qualifications, Henderson needlessly claimed she would receive her terminal degree in June 2011, when she had not even begun her research. She also neglected to include a nearly six-month long change in work duties while at City Colleges. Ultimately, the president hired her into the Interim Provost’s position, even though she had yet to complete her terminal degree, which she received in August 2013. While Henderson led Enrollment Management, the school’s enrollment declined by 17.2 percent in two years. Her performance as Provost has been equally disastrous: Two comments from one of our senior administrators illustrate. In late 2014, this:
“West Campus - apparently Henderson is telling everyone we are opening the west side campus for classes in February. The site hasn't been approved by either IBHE or HLC yet. Frankly, I don't believe they even have the site applications in yet.” Remember the West Side Campus? What happened to that?

Then recently: “Henderson's decisions really are our downfall: the closing of BOG, the move from a nationally standard 10 day census to a 38 day census, pilfering from the gaming scholarship money to use for her needs, and CommomApp. Just devastating.” The price tag for Angela Henderson: $869,000.

Obviously, this is not an exhaustive list of all the administrative crony hires that have occurred during this administration, these are just some of the most expensive. Altogether, we’ve spent $6.1 million on these various administrators since October 2009. The results? Catastrophic.

Image Priorities

So most of you loyal readers realize how damaged the reputation of the institution is as a result of the current group "administering" the university. It doesn't help when the lead story about CSU today is about an accused ghost pay-roller. The real story that is missed today by a regime obviously focused on other issues is the presence of 30 Cuban students at the university being covered by the CBS program 60 Minutes. You may have heard of this show. It's correspondents recently interviewed President Obama.

Much to my dismay, there were no university officials in the music room where these students were performing. There were no high ranking (more highly paid) officials to make comment to the 60 Minutes correspondent. There was no university photographer shooting photos for the press release to print media outlets. There was no coverage on the CSU website.

The ineptitude of this administration will continue until its last day apparently. A great publicity opportunity squandered. 

Thanks to my long serving colleague Mark Smith for his work in welcoming these Cuban students to their first cold weather. 

49 days

Twice in one week????

So I didn't think I would have two in one week, but here's another one you can put in the "Only at CSU" column. The spectacularly failed president is now trying to find out how to raise morale at the university that he has managed to almost destroy over the past six years. I don't know if that's irony, desperation or stupidity but there it is. I asked one of my long suffering colleagues what the regime could do to raise morale and the response was a caustic "just f@*#in' leave."

And upon reflection, I heartily concur.

49 days

Advising Redux: The Mechanics of the Monstrosity

Just how bad is the advising situation? Fleshing out some of the points made in the earlier post by my esteemed colleague, I can say that it has all the problems associated with this administration’s obsessive need to unilaterally impose its will on the university. Before getting into the substance of this post, I want to emphasize that nothing that follows should be construed as a criticism of those unfortunate men and women doing the advising. They are being exploited by the university, many of them work without benefits, without sufficient training and subject matter expertise, learning on the job in a position where an advising mistake can cost a student months of time and thousands of dollars. The full measure of their exploitation should become clearer as this post progresses.

At present, the university apparently employs a grand total of 15 (fifteen) advisors for its undergraduate population of better than 3300 students (these figures are from September 3, when the enrollment stood at roughly 96 percent of the final total). The advisors are split into two categories, 6 (six) advise Freshmen (students with fewer than 30 credit hours), 9 (nine) advise all other undergraduates. The advising loads are staggering and the division of duties is lunatic.

The average advising load for the 6 First Year advisors is 93 students. The assignments frankly make no sense. The Colleges of Business, Education and Health Sciences each have one advisor for all First Year Students, while 5 of the 6 advisors are responsible for students in the College of Arts and Sciences. The advising loads range from a high of 109 students to a low of 69. Here are the various assignments—Advisor 1: University College (half), Criminal Justice and Sociology (Arts and Sciences), total students: 93; Advisor 2: College of Education (all majors), Biological Sciences, Pre-Medical and Pre-Dental (Arts and Sciences), total students: 69; Advisor 3: General Studies, Art and Design, CMAT, African American Studies, Geography, History, Liberal Studies, Music, English, and Spanish (Arts and Sciences), total students: 80; Advisor 4: College of Health Sciences (all majors), total students: 97; Advisor 5: College of Business (all majors), all undecided students, Political Science (Arts and Sciences), total students: 108; Advisor 6: University College (half), Mathematics and Computer Science, Chemistry, Engineering, Physics, Psychology (Arts and Sciences), total students: 109.

The 9 advisors doing the rest of the undergraduate advising have an average advising load of 273 students. The division of duties could have been devised by Rube Goldberg. Five of the nine advisors advise students in the College of Health Sciences, two advise students in the College of Education, two advise students in the College of Business, and seven advise students in the College of Arts and Sciences. All the advisors but one have advising responsiblities in multiple colleges, and one advises students in three different colleges. The advising loads range from a high of 302 students to a low of 219. Here are the various assignments—Advisor 1: Early Childhood, Primary and Bilingual, and Elementary Education (Education), Health Information Administration (Health Sciences), total students: 276; Advisor 2: Accounting, Finance, and Management Information Systems (Business), Community Health (Health Sciences), total students: 288; Advisor 3: Psychology (Arts and Sciences), total students: 294; Advisor 4: Individualized Curriculum, General Studies (Arts and Sciences), Nursing, L through Z (Health Sciences), total students: 285; Advisor 5: Criminal Justice, Political Science (Arts and Sciences), total students: 302; Advisor 6: African American Studies, History, Sociology, Liberal Studies, and Geography (Arts and Sciences), total students: 281; Advisor 7: CMAT, Art, Music, Computer Science, English (Arts and Sciences), total students: 219; Advisor 8: Management and Marketing (Business), Engineering, International Studies (Arts and Sciences), total students: 290; Advisor 9: Secondary Education, Career and Technical Education, PE and Recreation (Education), Pre Physical Therapy, Pre Occupational Therapy (Health Sciences), Pre Health (Arts and Sciences), total students: 225. Currently, students in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Spanish, and undecided have no assigned advisor. Makes perfect sense no?

I will not revisit the potential difficulties cited in the previous post, but I can say anecdotally that this abominable creation is not working so well. I’ve had three students complain about their experiences in the advising center, one who said he waited an hour to see an advisor who then could not even answer basic questions. One again, the administration demonstrates its lack of competence, once again, it shows its contempt for the students, staff, and faculty at Chicago State.

Centralized Advising?????

So this one goes into the “Only At CSU” column. To wit, the centralization of advising at the university. What in the world is the provost thinking? This decision is so misguided that I am at a loss as to where to begin in de-constructing how ridiculous this is. So here we go.
First, the decision to remove faculty from undergraduate advising disregards several decades of precedent. Faculty, as subject matter and disciplinary experts, have provided advising since I arrived on the campus in the fall of 1991. Part of this university’s culture is its faculty-student relationship. CSU has small class sizes and no classes taught by graduate students and advising done by faculty. This inane decision works to undo that relationship and take away one of the key selling points of the institution. That seems odd (or appropriate) given the 30% decline in enrollment overseen by this administration. It is almost as if the regime wants students to leave the university and tell their friends not to come here.
Second, this applies only to undergraduate students. Faculty will still do advising for graduate students until the provost finds some way to screw that up as well.
Third, given the complete administrative incompetence of the provost, I am worried that all of the appropriate paperwork for hiring and compensating the professional advisers will not be completed and somehow they won’t be able to advise in the critical inter-session period. The selection of these advisers also presupposes that they understand the curriculum they are advising on to the point that they can appropriately substitute courses as needed. This function is critical as the administration has cut a historic number of courses, many required for graduation, during the past several semesters. As a faculty adviser, I have an obligation to my discipline and my students. Professional advisers have no such obligation and in most cases limited curricular experience in the disciplines they are advising in.
Fourth, I am curious whether this was a response to the Union’s demand to bargain over faculty being told they must do advising in the advising center. It seems a bit disingenuous for the general counsel to want to talk about this subject all the while the provost eliminating faculty from undergraduate advising. That speaks to how no one in this administration can be trusted to work collegially or in good faith.
Fifth, given the physical construction of the advising space I am curious about the potential for FERPA violations and other privacy concerns. Often advising doesn’t just consist of course selection but includes professional or personal advice. Those conversations can’t be held in that space. So when the administration parrots start chirping about things being “student centered” it is clear to me those are just words with no substance behind them.
I am curious if this is just another in a line of actions being taken by a failed administration in its last days to prove to the incoming president that the university isn’t actually as dysfunctional as it has been portrayed. There seem to be a number of initiatives that qualify as too little, too late. 

Sixth, this comes as registration has been scheduled two weeks earlier than normal. Were advisers ready for this change? Were students ready for a change mid year. Usually when significant changes are undertaken in the middle of the academic year it is an indicator of a systemic malfunction. Sort of like hiring a new president to take over in January instead of in July. It shows something is broken. Or in this case something is being broken by an administration that has no earthly idea what it is doing.
Finally, I was reading a book from a former US Army special operations officer and one of the life lessons he saw repeated over and over in his service was “listen to the guy on the ground.” This is something that this administration has steadfastly refused to do. None of these senior administrators have any experience with our students the way faculty do. Listen to the faculty! In this case, we know more than you do. I realize that may hurt the feelings of thin skinned administrators and that is the reality. This centralization plan is going to fail spectacularly. Faculty can’t do and shouldn’t do anything to change that. Let the provost fail again on her own. We will of course be in the position to say “I told you so.”

51 days