CSU Faculty Voice: A Letter to the Board in Support of President Calhoun

Wednesday, September 7, 2016

A Letter to the Board in Support of President Calhoun

To all members of the Chicago State University community who read this forum:

Below is a letter of support for our President which will be sent to the Board before its next scheduled meeting on September 16. Anyone who works at CSU is welcome to sign, if you wish to do so, simply e-mail me at rbionaz@att.net and I will include your electronic signature on the final letter.

Dear Chicago State University Board of Trustees:

We want to advise you of our virtually unanimous support for President Thomas J. Calhoun and we congratulate you on the excellent choice you made for the University’s president. Since January, President Calhoun has provided steady leadership and a strong public voice for the institution. We believe he possesses the knowledge, experience, skills, and ethics to lead the renaissance of Chicago State University. Since the beginning of the year, we have observed him handle his responsibilities with grace and aplomb. Following the past seven difficult months, Dr. Calhoun shares our belief that the University must begin the healing process as soon as possible. As stewards of the University’s welfare, we know you also share that belief.

As we begin to normalize operations, we are sure you want to join with us in full support of Dr. Calhoun. To do otherwise would continue the turmoil we have experienced since February and likely expose the still vulnerable University to additional harm. We are eager to begin the work of rebuilding the institution. We have the right President at the right time. We share with you the desire to see this University flourish. We desire to build on these commonalities; we know you do, too. The pieces are all here, we need only put them together. We look forward to the September 16 Board meeting with great anticipation.

Signed,

1 comment:

R. BennySep 7, 2016, 4:59:00 PM
Well said!
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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.