USC elects Gen Robert Caslen as 29th President (Official Thread)
- Thread starter JohnnySurfin
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So where in the hell is Greece? This is hilarious. Pitiful, but hilarious at the same time lol
Fubar? Wait, is that in Europe, or the Middle East? I forget....
We are a state (public school). If you don't want the limelight, don't apply for the job.
I may be confused on this one, but the last time I checked, his kids didn’t apply for the job. Did they?
When the bag boy assumes you need help to the car and you just have one bag of groceries.
I heard it’s close to Pickens so that might be part of the confusion but their cheese comes from goats so really they aren’t that different or so I’m told
Good point, but maybe even more reason for them to keep their traps shut for the sake of their father.
I don’t think there is one person that doesn’t disagree with that. They made a mistake.
Kudos to USC brass for having the stones to give a giant middle finger to the whiners. In a day and age when universities instantly capitulate to whatever bizarre and logically indefensible demands are lobbed at them by students and faculty, it's nice to see our board just turn a deaf ear to them.
Yes, Identity politics is what we need more of.
Diversity alone does not guarantee success in any endeavor, however using diversity as your primary and only criterion will usually ensure failure.
The Caslen protestors created an impossible situation for many trustees on the Board (as well as the Governor) - as soon as I saw the actions of the few back in April, I knew Caslen was in. THINK! The politics from the lofty rich to the plant worker dictated where this thing was going to go.
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It was more than a mistake. It was an outright blunder.
I agree that the BOT should be comprised of the best men or women who are qualified for the positions. Finding a diverse group of qualified individuals doesn't mean that you have to lower standards. It just means that you can't continue to look in the same country club, and will have to expand your search. I.E. actually make it a priority to diversify and fish in different ponds!
They key is what are the qualifications needed to make one the most qualified individual to determine the direction of our university. You can't tell me that a board comprised of a bunch of lawyers/want to be politicians, the governor, governor's designee, and governor's appointee provide a diverse perspective and are the most in tune with our professors, students, prospective students and alumni. Given the make up of our board, it is crystal clear why politics have continued to take precedence over the betterment of our university.
Regardless of the outcome, I think we all can agree that this situation was handled poorly from the governor using political influence to push for a candidate that he never met, to the BOT not following their own stated process, and lowering their standards to accept the same candidate that they passed on several months earlier. This entire situation was about one thing, and one thing only...Politics. Heck they even caught one of the board members on a hot mic...
"I feel lot of people those people that are demonstrating are from out of town,” the voice said over the speakers.” I've heard some of that Kamala Harris crowd is there. They got this thing all tied into the Democratic primary."
https://www.wistv.com/2019/07/19/board-trustees-member-caught-hot-mic-says-protesters-are-out-town/
What should have been a search for the best fit for our university turned into another display of our so called leaders wallowing in the political pig pen, and sadly our beloved University is the one caught in the middle. To think that the people concerned are from "out of town" and this is "all tied into the Democratic primary" shows the primary concern of the BOT and how out of tune they are.
As a proud Alumni, I hope for the sake of our university that Caslen succeeds. I also hope that the spotlight is squarely on the lack of diversity in the BOT, and our need to put better decision makers in place. As mentioned earlier we need qualified individuals that represent diverse ages, sexes, backgrounds, experiences, and ideals whose primary concern is the betterment of our university and its students. It will only make us stronger as a university moving forward.
Henry McMaster
Governor of South Carolina | The governor is the ex officio chair of the board and serves for the duration of his or her tenure as governor.
John C. von Lehe Jr., Chairman
9th Judicial Circuit | Current term, 2018-2022 | Chairman, Executive Committee | ex officio member of all committees | Board member since 1998
Hubert F. "Hugh" Mobley, Vice Chairman
6th Judicial Circuit | Current term, 2016-2020 | Executive Committee | ex officio member of all committees | Board member since 2011
C. Dan Adams
Governor's designee | Academic Affairs and Faculty Liaison Committee | Buildings and Grounds Committee | Student and System Affairs Committee | Board member since 2018
Chuck Allen
10th Judicial Circuit | Current term, 2016-2020 | Chair, Student and System Affairs Committee | Audit and Compliance Committee | Intercollegiate Athletics Committee | Board member since 2008
J. Egerton Burroughs
15th Judicial Circuit | Current term, 2016-2020 | Audit and Compliance Committee | Buildings and Grounds Committee | Student and System Affairs Committee | Board member since 2008
A.C. "Bubba" Fennell III
8th Judicial Circuit | Current term, 2016-2020 | Chair, Health Affairs Committee | Academic Affairs and Faculty Liaison Committee | Student and System Affairs Committee | Board member 2000-2002; board member since 2012
C. Edward Floyd, M.D.
12th Judicial Circuit | Current term, 2018-2022 | Academic Affairs and Faculty Liaison Committee | Executive Committee | Health Affairs Committee | Board member since 1982; board chairman, 1992-1996
William C. Hubbard
5th Judicial Circuit | Current term, 2018-2022 | Chair, Buildings and Grounds Committee | Academic Affairs and Faculty Liaison Committee | Health Affairs Committee | Board member since 1986; board chairman, 1996-2000
Richard A. Jones Jr.
Governor's appointee | Academic Affairs and Faculty Liaison Committee | Health Affairs Committee | Student and System Affairs Committee | Board member since 2018
Toney J. Lister
7th Judicial Circuit | Current term, 2018-2022 | Buildings and Grounds Committee | Executive Committee | Intercollegiate Athletics Committee | Board member since 1994
Miles Loadholt
2nd Judicial Circuit | Current term, 2016-2020 | Buildings and Grounds Committee | Executive Committee | Intercollegiate Athletics Committee | Board member since 1996; board chairman, 2008-2012
Leah B. Moody
16th Judicial Circuit | Current term, 2016-2020 | Chair, Academic Affairs and Faculty Liaison Committee | Buildings and Grounds Committee | Student and System Affairs Committee | Board member since 2009
Rose Buyck Newton
14th Judicial Circuit | Current term, 2018-2020 | Chair, Audit and Compliance Committee | Academic Affairs and Faculty Liaison Committee | Student and System Affairs Committee | Board member since 2018
C. Dorn Smith III, M.D.
3rd Judicial Circuit | Current term, 2018-2022 | Audit and Compliance Committee | Student and System Affairs Committee | Health Affairs Committee | Board member since 2010
Eugene P. Warr Jr., Chairman Emeritus
4th Judicial Circuit | Current term, 2016-2020 | Executive Committee | Intercollegiate Athletics Committee | Buildings and Grounds Committee | Board member since 2003; board chairman, 2012-2016
Thad H. Westbrook
11th Judicial Circuit | Current term, 2018-2022 | Audit and Compliance Committee | Buildings and Grounds Committee | Intercollegiate Athletics Committee | Board member since 2010
Mack I. Whittle Jr.
13th Judicial Circuit | Current term, 2018-2022 | Chair, Intercollegiate Athletics Committee | Audit and Compliance Committee | Health Affairs Committee | Board member since 1990; board chairman, 2000-2004
Charles H. Williams
1st Judicial Circuit | Current term, 2018-2022 | Audit and Compliance Committee | Health Affairs Committee | Intercollegiate Athletics Committee | Board member since 2010
Please help me here because I am not exactly up on all of this. Here is what I am asking. The Board chose a President . Did they vote and elect him, or did the Gov. select him? Is there any reason to think he will not recommend qualified people when he is in office? Is there any reason to think him unqualified? If so, what are they?
Is there a reason diversity came up frequently? Is diversity the goal or is selecting the best people for the jobs? Not disputing your point but sometimes you have to chose between the two.
I guess I don’t see the reason for all the concern.
The first and foremost job of a university president is to be a fundraiser/spokesman. Go out and gladhand the alumni and raise money.
. . ., history proves me correct, imo . . . . gladhand the legislature and be nice to the Governor . . . . . for the $$$, guys and gals, for the $$$.
Oh, I forgot. Really, really suck up to the donors. They love it and they've got money to burn. don't forget to name a classroom, building, plaza, etc. after them.
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USCBatgirl21
Well-Known Member
The BoT had reopened the process because (their words from the Friday meeting albeit paraphrased) they were unhappy with the firm they hired to present a list of candidates, they were unhappy with the candidates presented, and were listening to the complaints from the Faculty and students after the Candidate Forums on campus. They laid out a process to go through to select the President of the University in April when all this went down. Then, in the last couple weeks, upon urging from the Governor to hold a vote on Caslen only (not all the candidates, which if you're going to vote, why not vote on all 4 presented), the BoT completely abandoned the process they put in place because, basically, the Governor said so (again, their paraphrased words from Friday's meeting). They held the vote, and he was approved 11-8 with one abstain.
As for the diversity, it is an issue, not only with the candidate list, but also with the makeup of the BoT. It's not unreasonable to want a BoT and potential Presidential candidate list to more accurately reflect the makeup of the University, both Faculty, Staff and Students.
The biggest issue with qualifications is that he does not hold a PhD, which was a requirement for the job. However, we all know that people are hired everyday based on experience because it can outweigh degrees in a lot of cases. There is concern that his experience does not translate well to a tier 1 research university. I am concerned about this myself. However, I hope he surrounds himself with the right kind of advisors to make the transition as seamless as possible.
The challenge in this case is that those entities are looking for ways to trim USC's budget, so it will be interesting to see the degree to which Pres. Caslen actually 'glad hands' them and how successful he is at wooing donors in ways that benefit USC's operating budget through unrestricted donations. Provost Gabel was hired for a similar reason, and that was one of the stated reasons for hiring her at Minnesota.
Heard Caslen’s press conference today. He handled himself well. Disappointed with the way the selection happened...but it is done now. Hope he is the best yet!
Give us all an example of the specific concerns voiced by the USC Faculty Senate and the USC Student Government you term "bizarre and logically indefensible"?
The search firm presented a pool of 11 candidates. Not one female was in the group for a university where the student body is predominatly female. This group of 11 men was narrowed to a finalist list of 4 men. The board didnt choose this President. The politcal Governor of SC did. The same Gov who has never attended a board meeting since he was sworn in and admitted he has never even met Caslen. And some on the board (vote was close to evenly split) chose to bend to the Gov's strong-arm techniques. This reaks of political payback and the only reason some are going along with it is because it was actually polical influence from the side of politics they agree with. If this same thing happened with a Demcratic Governor those same folks would lost their minds.
I am not saying he is unqualified but there is plenty of evidence to cause concern. He doesnt meet the degreed qualifications listed by the university and has never led a research university of any size. Now the univesrity is in the cross-hairs of its vitally important regional accredication.
This is not about politics. It is about the independence of the unvisersity and the need for a BOT that is made up of folks that more accurately reflects the USC community. I hope this causes extreme pressure on the school to shake up the BOT. They did not have Carolina's best interest at the forefront in making this decision. Some desperately need to move on.
The board voted for Caslen, but only after the Governor contacted each representative and forced the vote. This went against the very process the BOT set forth as they did not have an opportunity to compare / contrast between a new group of finalist as stated. They may or may not have gotten the best candidate, we'll never know. Most people are not necessarily upset about Caslen, but more outraged of how this entire process went down. This now brings into question the strength of our board as well as their primary interest. I'll give some on the board credit as it was basically a split vote with the governor's appointee and representative being the deciding votes.
As for your question concerning diversity, the goal is selecting the best people for the job, however selecting the best people for the job as well as having diversity are not mutually exclusive. Some of my greatest learning opportunities I experienced during my time at Carolina came from diverse students/teachers. From being roommates with East Indian and Egyptian exchange students and learning about their history, backgrounds, and views to having open conversations about Christianity vs Islam vs Hinduism. Some of the best food I've had to this day was when my Indian roommate used to cook with his native seasonings and spices! Experiencing my first live rock shows at New Brookland Tavern, attending parties with Kappa Sigs. Meeting people from the North, South, East, and West. Being roommates with baseball players at the roost, and understanding their fascination with Dip, and getting sick the first time I tried it! Great times studying late night with my African American classmates in the business school just so that I could pass my ECON finals. All of these experiences definitely helped shape who I am today, and gives me an appreciation to understand that at the end of the day, we're all just people, and good people come in every size, shape, background and color!
The point is, having a qualified diverse group of men, women, ethnic groups, career backgrounds, etc...that more accurately reflects our student body make up helps limit group think, and will keep the direction of our University from becoming stale. As stated above, you do not have to lower standards in order to gain diversity. You just have to actively market, search, recruit different ponds than we are are currently used to. There are plenty of qualified individuals out there, and it is worth the effort to find them!
On a side note...Bill is being presented to shake up the board and question the governor's position on the BOT.
https://www.wistv.com/2019/07/22/changes-could-be-coming-board-trustees-sc-universities/
According to bylaws, the governor serves as the ex officio chair at the University of South Carolina. The governor holds the same role at the Medical University of South Carolina and South Carolina State University as well.
At every major public university in South Carolina, the governor serves in an ex officio member role on the Board of Trustees, except Clemson.
And we wonder why our friends in the upstate always seem to be shielded from these political fiascoes. smh
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USCBatgirl21
Well-Known Member
Thank you King. There is no point for the name calling, and the like, that has been thrown around this entire process. We are all adults and should be able to discuss situations like this as such.I appreciate how you articulated those sentiments.
No, but he did hire a football coach at West Point that broke Army's 14 year drought against Navy. He also played center for Army when he was a student at West Point. The man has an impeccable background. I wouldn't underestimate him if I were you.
On FGF he's unqualified because his 2 Master's Degrees don't equal a PHD in epidemiology, which apparently qualifies you to handle the role of what is essentially the CEO of a university.
When he was at West Point, Forbes named the school the #1 public school, and U.S. News and World Reports named West Point the number 1 liberal arts school during his tenure. Like most people in the military he downplays his accomplishments. You'd never know on 9/11 this guy pulled people from the burning rubble of the Pentagon, directed and assisted in the rewiring of the building's A/C system to vent the smoke from the building, and set up the command and control to communicate with the White House . He was recently awarded the Theodore Roosevelt award, the highest honor the NCAA can confer on an individual.
Despite what WOFJRP said, it actually is true. It was simply an awkward attempt at connecting with people at a university that he doesn't know anything about made in a setting that is fairly foreign to him. I'd skip the snarky comment, though.
Hey, I work for a large govt agency. We recently had an ice cream social offered as a reward for hitting certain benchmarks.
I'm kind of just now getting caught up this situation. As I understand it, his opponents were irked b/c he linked alcohol and sexual assault?
https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/state/south-carolina/article229722889.html
It's a well-known fact that alcohol is quite often a contributing factor in sexual assault, no?
https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh25-1/43-51.htm
As it is, roughly 0.2% of the student body protested and 1.1% signed a petition.
https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/state/south-carolina/article229722889.html
It's a well-known fact that alcohol is quite often a contributing factor in sexual assault, no?
https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh25-1/43-51.htm
As it is, roughly 0.2% of the student body protested and 1.1% signed a petition.
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My god you're right. That bastard said he'd even have the debate team over to his HOUSE for an ice cream social if they beat Clemson. That's it, all of those other things I posted about him are out the window. I had no idea he was promising ice cream. SHAME!SHAME!SHAME!
Wasn’t commenting on his credentials, accomplishments, or value as a human being. Thanks for all of that info though. I’m actually a fan of him from all I’ve heard outside this forum. All that to say, doesn’t mean I can’t have the opinion that some of his comments feel disconnected.
When he starts picking female ESPN sports commentators off the ground on national t.v. I'll start worrying.
Random, but ok?
Not really I looked up the word "disconnected" and it had a picture of Dabo picking ESPN sideline reporter Jeanine Edwards off the ground after you guys beat LSU. It's listed as one of the top 10 creepiest moments in sports history. It's ranked right after Joe Namath asking a sideline reporter for a kiss.
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