Heard on the Street...We hear there is a move a foot to have deposed Indiana University President Adam Herbert seated as FAMU's 10th president. Herbert, as you may recall, is a dyed in the wool Republican and the former Chancellor of the SUS. As chancellor he created the (dreaded) three tier structure and ranked FAMU in the bottom tier as a "comprehensive" undergraduate educational institution. The conventional wisdom on a Herbert appointment is that he would work well with Florida's Republican administration. That's assuming you belive that either Tom Gallagher or Charlie Christ will be elected Governor. Not to mention, wasn't it Jeb that sent Mr. Herbert packing in the first place? By-the-way, has anybody seen the polls and how the public feels about Republicans?
FAMU High Director Resigns
Marvin Henerson, director of the FAMU Developmental Research School called it quits after just three years. The 56 year-old Henderson, who has bachelor's, master's and a Ed.D. from FAMU said he was not asked to resign but reached the decision on his on. Last year FAMU (K-12) earned a "D" grade from the Florida Dept. of Education.
Baseball left out of tournament
The FAMU baseball team learned today that it would not play in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament. The 13-33 (6-12 MEAC) Rattler baseball team did not qualify for the tournament.
You're right. The Florida GOP does NOT respect Herbert. The BOR simply chose him to be the hitman for the three tier program because they thought a black face would deflect charges of racism.
ReplyDeleteThe three tier program was a public relations disaster. Herbert and the BOR also made powerful enemies FSU (principally Speaker John Thrasher) after they obstructed the university's medical school proposal.
Herbert soon became the fall guy for the BOR's troubles. It was quite pathetic to see Herbert, of all people, on the news crying racism over his ouster.
Adam Herbert is nothing but a cringing, boot-licking yes-man. He does not have the connections or pull to be a politically effective president.
Didn't Jeb fire him on a napkin?
ReplyDeleteThen posted the letter in the newspaper.
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ReplyDeletehttp://insidehighered.com/news/2005/11/04/indiana
Indiana Revolt
As an IU grad, I was excited when he was appointed. It seemed to be a good decision administratively and symbolically. Today, I am disappointed but not surprised that this has happened to Herbert. Remember, he came out of the Florida system that is rather top heavy and does not value faculty governance. Take a look at the leadership of Florida higher education today and you see a collection of political hacks leading the major institutions and a failed provost leading the system. Had the committee that selected Herbert placed him in this context then they might have given his selection more careful consideration.
Having had much experience both at IU- Bloomington and in Florida’s university system, I can second Michael’s comments. Herbert is a nice guy (I know from direct contact when he was in Florida), but he got very poor training/experience in higher education in Florida. The university system in Florida has been a joke for many, many years, since the departure of Charlie Reed and Bob Graham. IU’s system is in grave danger because of similarly poor leadership. Herbert is not a political hack. But his timidity, deriving from fear of being held accountable for making a “bad decision,” leaves him mainly with the terrible role models he experienced as he moved through the Florida system. Evidence of that flaw was already apparent during his tenure at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville. He has much better potential than the political hacks Florida puts in place, but that potential has not been developed—and perhaps now cannot be. Good luck, IU-B. You have been a great university, an oasis in the middle of ignorance and reactionary sentiment. You deserve much better.
ReplyDeleteninurta5, Professor Emeritus, at 11:22 am EST on November 4, 2005