Roosevelt Wilson, editor and publisher of the Capital Outlook, has written yet another one of his brilliant and poignant "Against the Grain" columns. In it he describes the atmosphere in which FAMU faculty and staff must labor as a "culture of oppression". FAMU has been reduced from an intellectual mall, an academic icon, to a labor camp, where employees have been reduced to day laborers, Mr. Wilson wrote. They (facutly & staff) labor under a system where the universal solution to every real or imagined problem is firing people, he added.
Mr. Wilson further noted,"today the university's enrollment of students, its number of National Achievement Scholars, average SAT scores and grade-point averages are the lowest they have been in 15 years."
You can read all of his thoughts here: AGAINST THE GRAIN
Roosevelt Wilson has such a powerful ability to articulate and get right to the point. RN and the Capital Outlook are like a one-two point. RN provides up-to-the-minute news 24/7 and the Outlook gives us in-depth commentary and analysis.
ReplyDeleteWilson's hard-hitting commentary is causing real problems for the Bryant administration, which is struggling to find credible voices to rally to its defense. Wilbert Hobbs and Joseph Wright, the most outspoken Bryant defenders, are pure clowns. No one takes them seriously. Hobbs and Wright appear to be helplessly ignorant and naive when it comes to what's really going on in Rattler Country.
God help those mislead sheep in the pulpits.
What is Wilbert Hobbs's problem? Is he actually in touch with reality? Or does he simply base his opinion columns on those bogus press releases out of Lee Hall?
ReplyDeleteI'm here to tell you, what Roosevelt Wilson says is right on the $$. I can tell you first hand that morale is beyond low at FAMU. I know this because I teach there and have been a faculty member there for well over fifteen years. NEVER, and I mean NEVER, has morale been this low--not even when Fred Gainous was in the seat for two years. No one is appreciated for the incredibly hard work that is done on behalf of the students. All we hear are complaints, complaints, complaints. It's very, very difficult to want to (and actually go to) work at a place that has so little regard for your contributions and dedication. The students are, for the most part, great kids, but when the administration treats its faculty and staff like CRAP, it makes our job wholesale difficult. CVB and DA have taken the university to the abyss. I'm not sure what can be done to bring us out of this slump. If it were not for the innocent students (and parents!) who trust us to give them our best and all, I don't know how we'd make it from one day to the next. Castell Bryant needs to pack her bags and take the next flight out of Tallahassee, and she needs to make sure that her provost has a first-class ticket as well.
ReplyDeleteOn behalf of the faculty and staff at FAMU:
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU Roosevelt Wilson for your unwavering efforts to provide the community with the truth about the University; for serving as the voice for the employees who may not be in a position to speak out; and for your courage and your tenacity to "go against the grain".
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!!!!!!!!!
Roosevelt Wilson is the best thing to happen to the faculty at FAMU in a long time. While we know that sometimes his voice may be a bit subjective, we also know that he tells the truth about what he sees and knows. For this, the faculty--of which I am a member--appreciate his candor. I'm proud to teach at FAMU, however, it has become increasingly difficult to continue being upbeat for the students. They, too, feel the wrath of the interim president and the administration. We are not only laborers in the vineyard, we are laborers in the halls (of academia). And the thanks and appreciation we get is less than the bale of cotton CVB would have us pick if it were at all possible for her to do that. Thanks, Roosevelt. We need you, because many of us, for fear of CVB's pen and tongue, remain silent and, as you can see by all of the anonymous correspondenes, faceless.
ReplyDeleteWilbert Hobbs is out of touch with the day-to-day realities of what is really going on at FAMU. No one should pay him any attention. The man is as clueless as an Eskimo in Japan. What does he know? Not one, friggin' thing. He writes these crazy columns and just simply doesn't know what the zip he's talking about. I think he oughts to do what he does best--keep on the robe and stay in the pulpit. But if he's spewing this kind of rhetoric in the pulpit, I don't see how his congregation can sit there and listen to that drivel.
ReplyDeleteIt was hilarious to see Wilbert Hobbs taking pot shots at RN in his latest column. He said he didn't need "some website" to tell him what's going on at FAMU when he could simply talk to Castell Bryant.
ReplyDeleteHobbs preaches about the need to tell the truth, yet he can't see through Bryant's flagrant lies. Does he not realize that practically EVERYTHING Bryant said about the so-called "financial clean-up" was a fairy tale?
If Hobbs believes his support of Bryant will give her any moral credibility with the FAMU public, then he is dead wrong. This woman has torn many FAMU employees' lives apart without any justification or due process. Yet, Hobbs wants us to believe that she is a saint and is simply doing "God's work."
I don't know what God Hobbs thinks he worships, but it's certainly not a God of justice, fairness, or integrity.
I am ever so grateful that Roosevelt Wilson has finally seen the light and saved from the lies and deceit of CVB & Co. As you may recall, he was down with Castell earlier on when she launched the "civil war" on the previous accomplishments at FAMU. I thank God for his salvation. I applaud Mr. Wilson and pray that he keeps on his present course. By the way, there are more than 100 former employees that have been dismissed from FAMU since January, 2005. I know because I am one of them and many of us continue to communicate and keep track of each other. We are confident that justice will prevail and FAMU will rise again among the elite institutions in this country. More importantly, we continue to pray for our colleagues that are left behind to endure the fate of such a mean-spirited and cold-blooded group of individuals. In addition, we pray for that the BOT will see the light just like Mr. Wilson and do their jobs. It is difficult to understand how well Castell has continued to pull the wool over their eyes and blind-side them. "FAMU will rise again"!
ReplyDeleteI hope everyone who is reading this and agrees with Wilson's comments will either shoot him an email saying so or give him a thumbs up when you see him around town. He needs to be encouraged. Let him know that we appreciate what he's doing and are behind him 100%!
ReplyDeleteIsnt it time to close the doors? Every school in the university is crap. Its time to pull the plug on this bannanna republic. Keep pharmacy and arch. and kill the rest of the programs.
ReplyDeleteDon't close the doors, just merge the administration with FSU. There is too much overlap. Why two purchasing departments, two registars, two financial aid offices, two presidents?
ReplyDeleteTK would whip this shyt into shape.
When? After Holton finish kicking his arse up and down Copeland. TK has enough problems to deal with both personal and professional.
ReplyDeleteTo Mr. Wilson and the RN--thank you so much for keeping us informed about what is going on at FAMU! The comment about merging sounds like it comes from a white student at the School of Architecture. If you are so unhappy with the orange and green then choose the other why are you here? Oh I forgot for status quo only. We will not merge and just like the anonymous said FSU has their own problems just like every other institution in this country.
ReplyDeleteAhh....the real goal of cassie & co has now been verbalized....to shut down FAMU.
ReplyDeletethere are white students on campus? how de hellll did dat shyt happen?
ReplyDeletesorry for the mean comments. i was only trying to verbalize my perception of common trains of thought in the community and trying to be funny. i love famu. as for the orange and green, well... i appreciate the green, but the orange doesn't do much for my complexion.
ReplyDeleteWilbert Hobbs does have a problem. It is with those who would sacrifice the good of the University and our children by trying to create a cataract of sympathy to go back to the old days of do nothing and change nothing.
ReplyDeleteWe have been forced, whether we like it or not, into a new day. Given the improvident
drivel from those whose posts are "Anonymous", and the statements of hope that the students of this institution are expressing, I find it incredible that 8 people have gained a foothold to influence so many.
To the anonymous poster who suggested that I am as "clueless as an Eskimo in Japan." I ask that you say why. Identify yourself and let us discuss the issues.
Let me end with this admission. I was at a point "clueless" about SBI. In fact, I did not know that it was , with all the corporate support, and excellent work done by Dean Mobley, headed for a parlous time because of a lack of accreditation. With all my parent might, I tried to persuade my only male child to stay in the program and get his MBA.
I failed, but he did not. He is now a Harvard MBA graduate.
There was a strange thing that happened when I sent him the message that some of his instructors were being let go.
He emailed me back saying "now they can make real money" Rather than seeing my articles as those of opprobrium, maybe, just maybe, those who read this blog will see that they are articles of reason.
Someone please tell me what is the real problem? The Interim President is certainly not. Oh yes, please identify yourself with your Alumni number.
Wilbert O. Hobbs
PS. I invite you to hear what my congregation hears. then judge. We worship every Sunday at 11:00 am in the Chaires Community -- Call me!
^^^This guy is delusional. Do not respond to his rantings. Bernadette Powell had him pegged from the start.
ReplyDelete>>>Wilbert Hobbs does have a problem. It is with those who would sacrifice the good of the University and our children by trying to create a cataract of sympathy to go back to the old days of do nothing and change nothing.<<<
ReplyDeleteEnrollment is down.
Research is down.
These are the very fundamental activities that make a university. And yet, you applaud the interim administration that has inflicted this pain?
Bryant shut down the recruitment program and replaced it with nothing. She slashed the research division in half. How are these decisions helping our university?
You talk about going back to the "old days of do nothing and change nothing." Bad change must be resisted. Bryant is reversing years of academic and financial progress at our institution.
Start looking at the facts~
Wilbert Hobbs talks about changing FAMU for the better, but he had absolutely nothing to say when James Corbin rigged two successive presidential search processes (for Fred Gainous and Castell Bryant).
ReplyDeleteHow can a man of the cloth ignore such flagrant wrongdoing? How can he ask us to condone such attacks against our institution's integrity?
The efforts to rig the upcoming presidential search process are ongoing (and regularly reported here on RN). Yet, Hobbs wants us to believe everything is okay.
Thank God there are real FAMUans out there who actually understand reality.
Maybe Roosevelt Wilson can give more insight on who pushed Castell. Believe me, Corbin had nothing to do with the hiring of Castell.
ReplyDeleteAs I recall, Castell left FAMU as a secretary to Alvin Hollins and Roosevelt Wilson. Someone needs to ask the question why was Roosevelt so chummy with Castell until he understood that she was no longer his "girl-Friday". The old adage " what will make you laugh -- can make you cry" Seems to apply.
As a former student, I want to know why these so-called professors seem not to have offers from other institutions? are they dumb**ses or what? In the real world, a year's severance pay is more that enough to tide you over. Maybe they want to stay to continually take advantage of the students that they are asked to teach. My experience is that most of those released deserve to be in the trash heap of recently fired.
ReplyDeleteCorbin had everything to do with hiring Castell. He directly threatened Larry Robinson and told him not to apply because Castell already had the job.
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, Corbin, Challis Lowe, and R.B. Holmes all colluded on Bryant's behalf during the search process. All three of them had identical #1 and #2 candidates for the position.
Corbin is continuing to lobby trustees and powerful state officials to try and get Bryant to remain on as the permanent president.
Roosevelt Wilson was indeed an early cheerleader for Bryant. It's reasonable to believe (because of his deep sources in the FAMU community) that he knew about the efforts to rig the process in Bryant's favor and deliberately turned a blind eye to them.
However, Wilson has finally snapped out of his pro-Castell hypnosis and is finally telling the truth again. And I, for, one could not be happier.
So you point is?
ReplyDeleteSo -- he lied before?
ReplyDeleteNo. He didn't lie. He simply chose silence when he should have been raising up his voice for integrity and fairness.
ReplyDeleteEverybody makes mistakes. Many of us in Rattler Country made the mistake of not pushing Fred Humphries to make long overdue improvements in customer service and financial accountability. If we had been proactive in solving these problems before, then it would have been much harder for Castell Bryant to come to power the way that she did.
Like it or not, Bryant convinced many FAMUans that she was the answer to long-standing problems that Humphries had left behind. Everyone but a few misinformed and/or stubborn FAMUans now understands that Bryant is the most incompetent and ruthless individual ever to sit in Lee Hall. However, there were many good, well-meaning Rattlers who were fooled by her. I believe Roosevelt Wilson is one of them.
It's time to forgive Wilson for his very obvious misjudgements of the past and work with him to provide solutions to grave university leadership problems that we face at present.