Thursday, May 24, 2007

Mass Comm Dean Gone

Is that the boot of Glenn Poshard making that "toughest decision" easier?

Anyone tell Florida Atlantic what a gem they are getting?

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Could be. We could have matched FAU's salary offer but apparently did not. However, it seems Dr. P. is moving up and as is FAU - in contrast to us. See:

http://www.fau.edu/communications/mediarelations/Releases0507/050724.php

Anonymous said...

How do you conclude that because someone took a job elsewhere that they did so because Poshard 'gave them the boot?'

PeterG said...

In the real world, this is the way we try to fire people. You tell them to go find a new job. Poshard has clearly been doing this with top administrators at SIU. If they get a job elsewhere, you aren't stuck with then forever.

I guess since the dean is doing such a good job driving the best professors away, FA might have come and recruited him, but I kind of doubt it.

Anonymous said...

Peter wrote: "I guess since the dean is doing such a good job driving the best professors away, FA might have come and recruited him, but I kind of doubt it."

Hmm? I can only speculate. Peter, and he is not alone, feels that many deadwood SIUC professors should get the boot. Perhaps Pendakur was doing just that. He is quoted as saying "I wanted to train students to be leaders in the communications industry, not just cogs in a wheel." Is his being edged out a backlash from the cogs?

I think - I fear - the pendulum is swinging away from research and high level education back toward our traditional mission of work force training and pseudo education . How many RTF majors, here or elsewhere, get professional jobs?

What does it say if we push Pendakur out and a strong growing university picks him up? Of course one person's cog may be someone else's "best".

To the 2nd anon poster: Because we did not match their offer.

Anonymous said...

What evidence do you have that Poshard did this in this case, other than your own speculation?

You also previously concluded, erroneusly, that Poshard gave Wendler 'the boot' too. Wendler was informed by President Walker back in 2004 that his contract was not going to be renewed, so Walker was the one who got rid of Wendler, not Poshard.

Anonymous said...

Peter, do you ever have an idea of what you're talking about?

PeterG said...

Sure, the problem is that it is boring to educate people constantly on things that are obvious. The human element moves around you in a mysterious fog. You guys can't understand what is clearly in front of you if you looked. Politics and political control are so difficult for SIU people, I feel sorry for you.

If we have to choose who has a problem understanding and who doesn't, who might we choose? Just because you can't understand, does that mean it isn't understandable?

Anonymous said...


If we have to choose who has a problem understanding and who doesn't, who might we choose? Just because you can't understand, does that mean it isn't understandable?


Good point, who doesn't get this?

Anonymous said...

What a fool, they're making fun of you in that quote.

PeterG said...

It is like being barked at by a little dog, they aren't big enough to back it up. These commenter's aren't smart enough to do more than amuse.

Anonymous said...

I think this discussion really points out two camps at SIU. Those who believe "research" is what higher ed is all about, and those who see higher ed as the best avenue toward getting a "good job" after graduation. Of course, from a professor's point of view, a good job is a research job. But that has to be a minority view when considered by the larger world out there. Just goes to show how insular university life really is. I think plenty of MCMA undergrads do get good jobs in the industry. Not many MCMA profs have "real world" experience. But they are great at research and theory and the academic side of things. Which is great if you're in grad school hoping to land a professor job at a university.

PeterG said...

It is funny, I thought that the really good thing about the Mass Comm programs were the real world experience. You can really run a TV program, be on camera, publish a paper, etc. That is what employers really want, graduates who get it.

Good thing there are lots of non-tenure professors and staff to run the production parts of Mass Comm isn't it? They are the backbone of practical people in the college aren't they?

Nice set of ideas, thanks.