The news broke today that University of Tennessee President Joe DiPietro had terminated Beverly Davenport as Chancellor of the UT Knoxville Campus. Good, fine, great job, Joe.
Former Mayor Victor Ashe seemed to hint around the edges of this in his "Shopper News" column last week. Darn skippy that the "slap at the UT board reflects long-term public frustration". The Lady Vols name issue and the Nike contract were just two of the symbols of the Olympian arrogance displayed by the Knoxville campus administrators. The fact that this same administration is overpaid is another symbol.
If one sends one's offspring to UTK, one hopes for value for the bucks spent. In plain speak, you put your hard earned dollars on the line, you want your kid to get a job, in his/her field, in the area. Sex Week does nothing to further this goal. Is that clear?
The Knoxville campus was not giving value for the dollars spent and was stunningly condescending to the folks who foot the bills. Twenty-five thousand Lady Vols fans agree. Dumber than a box of rocks.
And, speaking of remarkable stupidity. Have you read President DiPietro's termination letter to Chancellor Davenport? You can read it here from the "The Tennessean". Check out my shocked face...
Davenport is a Professor of Communications who cannot "Communicate". Just stop for a minute and let that sink in. A Professor of Communications who cannot "Communicate". She couldn't listen and wouldn't take help. Chancellor Davenport wouldn't take responsibility and couldn't collaborate. She was in the bloody freaking job for just over a year. She sucked at her job and she still got a raise from $585,000 to $700,000.
It would be so pretty to think that the University of Tennessee Knoxville administrators would learn from this. It would be lovely to think the statewide University of Tennessee system would learn from this. The University of Tennessee was the lifeblood of this area. East Tennesseans were passionate in their love for the Knoxville campus. Arrogance and bad hires along with an inability to listen and a failure to communicate have drained the passion from the relationship.
Governor Haslam, Board of Trustees listen and take this on board.
Former Mayor Victor Ashe seemed to hint around the edges of this in his "Shopper News" column last week. Darn skippy that the "slap at the UT board reflects long-term public frustration". The Lady Vols name issue and the Nike contract were just two of the symbols of the Olympian arrogance displayed by the Knoxville campus administrators. The fact that this same administration is overpaid is another symbol.
If one sends one's offspring to UTK, one hopes for value for the bucks spent. In plain speak, you put your hard earned dollars on the line, you want your kid to get a job, in his/her field, in the area. Sex Week does nothing to further this goal. Is that clear?
The Knoxville campus was not giving value for the dollars spent and was stunningly condescending to the folks who foot the bills. Twenty-five thousand Lady Vols fans agree. Dumber than a box of rocks.
And, speaking of remarkable stupidity. Have you read President DiPietro's termination letter to Chancellor Davenport? You can read it here from the "The Tennessean". Check out my shocked face...
Davenport is a Professor of Communications who cannot "Communicate". Just stop for a minute and let that sink in. A Professor of Communications who cannot "Communicate". She couldn't listen and wouldn't take help. Chancellor Davenport wouldn't take responsibility and couldn't collaborate. She was in the bloody freaking job for just over a year. She sucked at her job and she still got a raise from $585,000 to $700,000.
It would be so pretty to think that the University of Tennessee Knoxville administrators would learn from this. It would be lovely to think the statewide University of Tennessee system would learn from this. The University of Tennessee was the lifeblood of this area. East Tennesseans were passionate in their love for the Knoxville campus. Arrogance and bad hires along with an inability to listen and a failure to communicate have drained the passion from the relationship.
Governor Haslam, Board of Trustees listen and take this on board.
