The Tressel Movement

[goodnews]

If he is able to surround himself with the right people to handle the academics I dont see how you pass on him.....  Baggage or not he brings too much to the table....  No doubt, YSU needs him more than he needs them.... 

[ysufan0505]

Happy for YSU, that Tressel would apply.  An honor in my opinion, Just mine, I don't ask that other posters agree.

0505....your attitude is overwhelming and least desired for progress.  Do you ever, where YSU is concerned,wear rose colored glasses?  Don't want to offend you but....wish you would quit the gloom and doom.

I truly wish Jim Tressel the very, very best for him, be it whatever!!!

Pita, how was my comment doom and gloom? I said interesting... Maybe he got denied the job at Akron? He was in charge of student affairs there for2 years and seemed in line to be next president. Relax..... I'm only doom and gloom about Mr. Slocum

[Wick250]

Boston,

About ten years ago, I would have laughed at this right along with you.  Having done research in the past month, I was somewhat amazed to learn that over 20% of the universities in America, including several with impeccable academic reputations, have bypassed the traditional model (Ph.D. and former professor) and hired presidents with CEO-managerial backgrounds without strong academic credentials.  At all those schools, it was understood that the president would be in control of fund raising and public relations while a strong provost would have exclusive power over academic affairs.  That is sort of becoming the 21st century model.  Following that model, Tressel becomes viable, because there would be none better at public relations and fund raising.

[ysufan0505]

I'll tell you one thing, if YSU doesn't choose Tressel, the city might riot.

[Pita]

You are doom and gloom, if I must paint you a picture....because you say he must have been denied at Akron.  Could YSU be so lucky?  Countless posts by you are so negative concerning the University.  Including, I might add your sarcasm, so noted about Coach Slocum, who if you read my posts, I respect.  Sorry you don't, but I do.  Doesn't make me right, just pointing out your negativity of the University.  No offense, just explaining.

[ScarletRook]

What this country needs is LESS academics.......running our academics!!!!!!

It is more important to have the right academics....running our academics.
When you rob Peter to pay Paul you never get an objection from Paul.

Wick I agree concerning the President position be more fundraising.  E. Gordon Gee was one of the most sought after college presidents, not because of his academics, but because he was one of the top fund raisers.  Even Harold Enarson <dating myself here> spent the majority of the time glad handing so to speak during his tenure at Cleveland State and Ohio State.  If you have a good academic board of directors I am fine with that.  A President that tries to oversee or control all areas of academics usually does not grasp the whole picture.

Randy Dunn supposedly left to be closer to his family and back to his Alma Mater.  Can't fault him on THAT point.  I can't fault Tressel for wanting to come back to Youngstown and if I am correct, the Akron position became available before the announcement of Dunn leaving.

[ysufan0505]

You are doom and gloom, if I must paint you a picture....because you say he must have been denied at Akron.  Could YSU be so lucky?  Countless posts by you are so negative concerning the University.  Including, I might add your sarcasm, so noted about Coach Slocum, who if you read my posts, I respect.  Sorry you don't, but I do.  Doesn't make me right, just pointing out your negativity of the University.  No offense, just explaining.

I said " Hmm, interesting. Maybe he got denied the Akron job?" Jesus Christ, if that's doom and gloom, might as well kick me off the board now. He applied to the Akron job first, so my thought there was if he applied to YSU, maybe he is out of the running for the Akron job and thinks he has a better chance here. Sigh.

[Pizza]

Well so much for my theory. LOL......I hope they decide on him. And I hope he picks YSU.

And Scarlett.....fundraising is "selling". And selling is business. We need business folks running things in this country. Not administrators.

[YSUinBoston]

Tressel appeals to one kind of donor---football fans.  Anyone else would or should be turned off by this hire.  While I am not a big time donor to the university, I am strongly considering withholding any donations to the university if they choose to hire a person with zero credibility in academics or research for the top job at the university.

To Wick's point----I could possibly rally around a non-Ph.D. president, but it would have to come from someone with real executive management experience...not being a football coach.  And, we are all not acknowledging this person was fired from his last major university job for breaking NCAA rules.  Granted, the NCAA is a farce...but it doesn't send a great message as a university that our top boss was once fired for breaking NCAA rules.

I just think the only two school in the country that would possibly consider Tressel's weak credentials are Akron and YSU.  If Tressel applied anywhere else, people would think it was a mistake or a typo.

[ELPENGUIN]

Message to 0505, your new name is now "Doom and Gloom" as "Mr. Negative" has already been taken.  I like that.
 
Message to the rest of you, Jim Tressel (we are not a typical university - we are going reinvent ourselves to be what a university should be the 21st century. He is exactly what we need (have him sell naming rights to every door, room, hallway, street, building, sports area etc. - I hear BP is ready and willing to name the new Beegly).  YSU needs to reinvent itself as a real university not a commuter school (you should not be allowed to apply to YSU as a marginal student - go to one of the two local community schools first).  Build new buildings (get the new Nursing School building up), hire correctly (hire teachers/professors from the real world), control the unions (we are 8 million in debt - don't dare ask YSU for more money)  (run off to professors who only exist to write textbooks, and not teach), continue the emphasis on research and development (like the Siemens Project), acquire more land (close off Lincoln Ave., create the new grass mall, etc)!
 
Message to Pita, "hon" don't worry about the comments made by "Doom and Gloom", I was criticized for a long period of time for my loyalty to Coach Robic (I know you hated his foot stomping) and I still stand behind my comments made in his behalf. He was very good to me and my family.

[YSUinBoston]

 
Message to the rest of you, Jim Tressel (we are not a typical university - we are going reinvent ourselves to be what a university should be the 21st century. He is exactly what we need (have him sell naming rights to every door, room, hallway, street, building, sports area etc. - I hear BP is ready and willing to name the new Beegly).  YSU needs to reinvent itself as a real university not a commuter school (you should not be allowed to apply to YSU as a marginal student - go to one of the two local community schools first).  Build new buildings (get the new Nursing School building up), hire correctly (hire teachers/professors from the real world), control the unions (we are 8 million in debt - don't dare ask YSU for more money)  (run off to professors who only exist to write textbooks, and not teach), continue the emphasis on research and development (like the Siemens Project), acquire more land (close off Lincoln Ave., create the new grass mall, etc)! 

This is a tall order for a new President...especially one with no serious executive management experience.  Moreover, I don't understand where in Tressel's past it would indicate he would be able to execute any of the things you describe above other than fundraising.  In fact, the only reason anyone can give as to why Tressel would be a "good" choice is his potential fund raising ability.  If this is true, I think a BS vanity title like he has at Akron or some job in the alumni office is appropriate.  Top job at a university?  Please. 

Beyond that, though, is I don't understand how a school transitions to a "real university" from "commuter school" by hiring "teacher/professors from the real world".  I don't even know what that means.  A "real university" hires the best academics they can slot from the best institutions.  While YSU isn't going to attract Harvard Ph.Ds, you should be able to fill your professor ranks with Ph.Ds from 2nd and 3rd tier graduate programs.  "Real universities" promote scholarship in their teachers.  Book writing, which you seem to dismiss above, is a part of that.  Moreover, YSU professors mainly spend their time in the classroom.  There are very, very few research oriented faculty at this university.  If you think their are, trust me...as someone who has worked at a few universities...YSU professors are first and foremost teachers. 

And...this is the crux of the problem...hiring a football coach to run your university, I feel, would be a giant red flag to actual academics and real university administrators.  Not only would it make me question the competency of the President's Office, but the Regents who thought this was possibly a good idea.  Hiring a football coach to run your university signals to the whole outside world that the decision makers at this institution "give up" and have low expectations for what YSU can be and the kind of employee it can attract.   As an alumni with great pride in my undergraduate institution, I can't accept that.  I just hope the decision makers at the university do not bow to public pressure from a ton of people unqualified to tell you what it takes to run a university by hiring someone unqualified to run a university.     

[kforbs126]

Message to 0505, your new name is now "Doom and Gloom" as "Mr. Negative" has already been taken.  I like that.
 
Message to the rest of you, Jim Tressel (we are not a typical university - we are going reinvent ourselves to be what a university should be the 21st century. He is exactly what we need (have him sell naming rights to every door, room, hallway, street, building, sports area etc. - I hear BP is ready and willing to name the new Beegly).  YSU needs to reinvent itself as a real university not a commuter school (you should not be allowed to apply to YSU as a marginal student - go to one of the two local community schools first).  Build new buildings (get the new Nursing School building up), hire correctly (hire teachers/professors from the real world), control the unions (we are 8 million in debt - don't dare ask YSU for more money)  (run off to professors who only exist to write textbooks, and not teach), continue the emphasis on research and development (like the Siemens Project), acquire more land (close off Lincoln Ave., create the new grass mall, etc)!
 
Message to Pita, "hon" don't worry about the comments made by "Doom and Gloom", I was criticized for a long period of time for my loyalty to Coach Robic (I know you hated his foot stomping) and I still stand behind my comments made in his behalf. He was very good to me and my family.

Now this is a good plan.  Need to make YSU more appealing to people outside of Youngstown. 

[ValleyTalk]

He held the position of Athletic Director for six years at YSU. Guess all of his leadership credentials should be discounted? That department has a multi million dollar budget and he was successful in that position, other than getting snubbed into the MAC.

[paladin]

 According to today's paper, Tressel applied yesterday to be YSU's Prez. He is now officially in the mix while also under consideration at Akron too.

[WelcomeToYoungstown]

Haven't posted or read in awhile, but I thought this topic might be spurring some interesting conversation when I saw the story on the news. Thanks for not disappointing.

I think if you ask most people in education, whether it's at the college level or K-12 level, what the biggest problem they face is they'd say it's lack of money. Based on the public support that came out a month or so ago from the community leaders, it seems like donations would increase with Tressel as president. I would think enrollment would increase out of the publicity he would bring, and I have to believe his speeches at recruitment events would be pretty compelling. I would also think that he could convince a respectable provost to join him. It's completely reasonable for academics to have concern, and that's something that should be discussed during the interview process. But more money = more money for professors = happy professors. More money = better academic facilities = happy professors. Respectable provost = happy professors.

I'll be interested to see the list of candidates when it's released. Hopefully there are several outstanding candidates, and, since we're all Penguins fans on this board, hopefully they are pro athletics.