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USC administration accepts blame for Darla Moore screw-up

USC2USC

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Aug 6, 2001
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So looks like University leadership finally put out a statement admitting the Darla Moore situation is true and was a huge error. I thought all you folks with the knee-jerk defense of our at times incompetent leadership and questioning if Mrs Moore's account of that happened could possibly be true would be interested in seeing it.

Also, the quote below from the article is very damning to Caslen...making it appear that he slow rolled any university response to be personally petty.

"Caslen and board chairman Dorn Smith knew about the death of USC mega-donor Darla Moore’s mother a day before the April 3 funeral but failed to share the information"


 
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Good PR move. Seize the high ground first. Admit to what everyone already knew. Now the ball is in the diva's court. Does she walk it back, double down, or just go dark? But we do have to get the simple blocking and tackling right at some point. This place has been an embarrassment, and it is all unforced errors.
 
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Good PR move. Seize the high ground first. Admit to what everyone already knew. Now the ball is in the diva's court. Does she walk it back, double down, or just go dark? But we do have to get the simple blocking and tackling right at some point. This place has been an embarrassment, and it is all unforced errors.

Huh? What would Mrs Moore have to walk back? Her statement was 100% true.
 
“Failed to share the information.”??????!!!!!!!

How in the hell did they not move heaven and earth to get to the funeral in Lake City?

She died in McLeod Hospice in Florence. Dr. Smith practices medicine in Florence and has admitting privileges to McLeod.
In this small community you mean to tell me Dr. Smith found out for the first time about Mrs. Moore’s serious illness AFTER Mrs. Moore’s death?

If someone had given my institution 75 million dollars or more. I would have at the least called Mrs. Moore Wednesday night. And I would have called the whole board that same night and pleaded, asked, begged, and threatened they show up at the funeral the next day.
 
Again, like the men's basketball situation, its too little too late and the damage is already done. At least they finally owned up to it. Now the real question is, will all those people that were tripping on themselves to discredit Darla Moore here also admit they wrong in assassinating her character as well.
 
Caslen is a political appointment and a political animal. The politics at USC were horribly convoluted before Caslen. At least the previous presidents attempted to keep the politics out.
His appointment brought even more politics AND from the most incompetent hacks in state government. Some of them even said, “Hire Caslen and stick it to the libs.”
My hunch is Caslen will survive and the University will be worse off for it.
 
Caslen is a disaster. The manner in which he mumbled and fumbled during the interview process should have been a red flag. But politics prevailed and he was shoved into office anyway. The damage he's done to our University in a short period of time is mind boggling.
 
I was very optimistic when Caslen was hired that we had a Non-Political person that wasn't going to be a liberal Admin type. I still don't know those answers, but I have been told first hand by a BOT member that he is socially inept and completely out of touch relating to others. This Moore situation doesn't surprise me now knowing what i've heard. This is the type thing he would shrug off as unrelated to leading the university. I suppose as a military guy, you don't have to develop social interaction skills.
 
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Caslen is a disaster. The manner in which he mumbled and fumbled during the interview process should have been a red flag. But politics prevailed and he was shoved into office anyway. The damage he's done to our University in a short period of time is mind boggling.
Unfortunetly, I have to agree with this. Sounds like Darla Moore would have been a better choice.
 
I was very optimistic when Caslen was hired that we had a Non-Political person that wasn't going to be a liberal Admin type. I still don't know those answers, but I have been told first hand by a BOT member that he is socially inept and completely out of touch relating to others. This Moore situation doesn't surprise me now knowing what i've heard. This is the type thing he would shrug off as unrelated to leading the university. I suppose as a military guy, you don't have to develop social interaction skills.
It's not necessary to hear from from a BOT member. His communication skills and ability to think on his feet are awful. How can we get rid of this boob?
 
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I was very optimistic when Caslen was hired that we had a Non-Political person that wasn't going to be a liberal Admin type. I still don't know those answers, but I have been told first hand by a BOT member that he is socially inept and completely out of touch relating to others. This Moore situation doesn't surprise me now knowing what i've heard. This is the type thing he would shrug off as unrelated to leading the university. I suppose as a military guy, you don't have to develop social interaction skills.


You got it! We should have known, re: Caslen, from previous experiences with a Navy Admiral (Arnold) who was USC's President in the late 40's. He, too, was in WAY over his head. Those guys know only VERTICAL authority and reportability - when you're Prez at USC, you have countless 'bosses' surrounding you and you better be on your social, political, and administrative toes 24/7. Caslen screwed up big time.

Even so, that last sentence in Darla's letter bothers me - she should have omitted that 'bridge burner' imo.
 
Unfortunetly, I have to agree with this. Sounds like Darla Moore would have been a better choice.
Darla Moore never wanted this job. That was just invented by Caslen supporters to discredit her criticism of the hiring process.

Our President and much of our BOT are incompetent. The criticism (including by Darla Moore) of the political strong-arming that gave us Caslen was 100% correct. Too bad many of our own wanted to look the other way because it was being orchestrated by politicians with an R beside their name.
 
I was very optimistic when Caslen was hired that we had a Non-Political person that wasn't going to be a liberal Admin type. I still don't know those answers, but I have been told first hand by a BOT member that he is socially inept and completely out of touch relating to others. This Moore situation doesn't surprise me now knowing what i've heard. This is the type thing he would shrug off as unrelated to leading the university. I suppose as a military guy, you don't have to develop social interaction skills.
Well folks, in regards to this post that I've replied to herein, as-well-as any and all others within this thread that are in regards to Pres. Caslen, all I can tell you is that you can thank Gov. McMaster for this fiasco in particular, but to our entire state legislative "system" and its setup (which is total non-typical BULL SHIT in comparison to other states and the basic concept of a "state legislative/government" in general) for yet another/the latest University of South Carolina's failure to properly and respectively function.

While I could indeed write a book as far as the factual as-well-as my personal opinion of such (i.e. how our university fails to properly function time after time after time, ESPECIALLY SO in regards to our athletic department!!), for the moment I will simply keep this post focussed on the subject of this thread: Caslen and the board's total embarrassingly display of disrespectful ignorance.

Of course, this is JMHOFWIW, so by all means feel free to have at it.

Peace!!

Gaim
 
Good PR move. Seize the high ground first. Admit to what everyone already knew. Now the ball is in the diva's court. Does she walk it back, double down, or just go dark? But we do have to get the simple blocking and tackling right at some point. This place has been an embarrassment, and it is all unforced errors.

I cannot believe the take by this poster. Calling her a "diva"! Her mother just died!!! Put yourself in her shoes.
 
Well folks, in regards to this post that I've replied to herein, as-well-as any and all others within this thread that are in regards to Pres. Caslen, all I can tell you is that you can thank Gov. McMaster for this fiasco in particular, but to our entire state legislative "system" and its setup (which is total non-typical BULL SHIT in comparison to other states and the basic concept of a "state legislative/government" in general) for yet another/the latest University of South Carolina's failure to properly and respectively function.

While I could indeed write a book as far as the factual as-well-as my personal opinion of such (i.e. how our university fails to properly function time after time after time, ESPECIALLY SO in regards to our athletic department!!), for the moment I will simply keep this post focussed on the subject of this thread: Caslen and the board's total embarrassingly display of disrespectful ignorance.

Of course, this is JMHOFWIW, so by all means feel free to have at it.

Peace!!

Gaim

Nice post.

Any University of South Carolina supporter who ever votes for McMaster again for any elected office is out of their mind. He has used the university as his personal political favors account and anyone vested in what is in the best interest of USC should be outraged.
 
Caslen, probably the entire board of trustees and Tanner has to go. I have been a diehard Gamecock my entire life and always will be for the betterment of the University. But the current regime sucks and is not good for Carolina.
What does it take to rid South Carolina of the these people? Is it Governor McMaster who would initiate something to start the process since we are apparently owned by politicians around the state house ?
 
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Caslen, probably the entire board of trustees and Tanner has to go. I have been a diehard Gamecock my entire life and always will be wether I like it or not. The current regime sucks and is not good for Carolina.
What does it take to rid the these people? Can Governor McMaster initiate something to start the process?

Are you kidding? Gov McMaster is largely responsible for the mess.
 
Agree but even more baffling is the Board member Smith from Florence. We have more serious leadership problems than I realized. A complete overhaul is needed.
Even worse, Dorn Smith is from Turbeville, which is literally right down the road from Lake City (Moore's hometown). And he and Moore are only about 4 years age difference. He's probably been acquainted with her for most of his life.
 
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Not to say I called it, because I get a lot wrong, but the Caslen hire was so deflating at the time. The spin that was used to convince people that he was a qualified and a good hire were absurd back then and are just as apparent now. 4 people were brought into interview. He was the least popular and stood out like a sore thumb. He still got the job. What a sham. I won't donate in the near future.
 
Good PR move. Seize the high ground first. Admit to what everyone already knew. Now the ball is in the diva's court. Does she walk it back, double down, or just go dark? But we do have to get the simple blocking and tackling right at some point. This place has been an embarrassment, and it is all unforced errors.

Da f are you bleating about?

Good lawd stupidity is truly a bottomless abyss.
 
I cannot believe the take by this poster. Calling her a "diva"! Her mother just died!!! Put yourself in her shoes.
Lots of us have been through that difficulty. I don't know of anyone whose reaction was to lash out at people who did not reach out. Both sides look bad. My point is that USC is trying to recover first. And that was the right move to make. Let's see what grace she exhibits.
 
Glad to see the University step up and admit fault and accept all blame. I presume Darla will graciously accept. Because she’s such a gracious lady.
 
When my mother died, the last thing I thought about was a grudge with my alma mater.

So it’s hard to understand her position.

Are you one of the largest donors to UoSC?

Do you personally know those she personally knows and feels slighted by?

It takes some next level stupidity to equate your experience and feelings with someone for whom you share (in this situation) nothing in common.

But, bleat on.
 
Are you one of the largest donors to UoSC?

Do you personally know those she personally knows and feels slighted by?

It takes some next level stupidity to equate your experience and feelings with someone for whom you share (in this situation) nothing in common.

But, bleat on.

Seems like you're still missing the point. Those things are irrelevant when your mother passes.

I don't believe you're meaning to argue that if I had more money I would care less that my mother died. I just don't think you're thinking this one out.
 
Good PR move. Seize the high ground first. Admit to what everyone already knew. Now the ball is in the diva's court. Does she walk it back, double down, or just go dark? But we do have to get the simple blocking and tackling right at some point. This place has been an embarrassment, and it is all unforced errors.
PR Rule One: When you are correct, you have nothing to "walk-back." You simply hold your ground.
 
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