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The University of Wyoming is a two ring circus.
- Thread starter Cowboy Junky
- Start date
McPeachy
Well-known member
TracyRingolsby said:
Just because you use your name, doesn't give you credibility. In fact, you have been asked for further explanation and facts on a lot you have posted here. Is it because you DO post with your real name the reason why you won't go there - and provide these facts and explanations - knowing it would be career suicide for you?
I was told one of your besties was one of the fine folks "let go" and you have held a personal grudge ever since. Even more so, diving into the rumor pool and posting about things you know 50% about - without the evidence to back it up. Who was it exactly Tracy, that Sternberg parted ways with, that really pissed you off? Both message boards would like to know I am sure.
McPeachy
Well-known member
HR_Poke said:
I used to think that way as well. And then I witnessed what happened when Bucky was fired, and Schroyer put in place - with the massive loss of season tickets and massive loss of CJC donors. They (UW athletics led by Burman) don't give a shit about what a booster has done in the past, how long they have been season ticket holders, or how much they give every year (if it is less than $10,000). And sometimes $10,000 doesn't even matter.
SDPokeFan said:
This is a true statement, the good ol boys win again, and medocrity is where we stay and belong I guess....i don't understand the State of Wyoming and people wanting to remain the same year in and year out, isn't it time to keep up with the rest of America??? Being an Alumni I am a bit ashamed by this, there's more to life than Laramie, Wyoming.
I have it on fairly good authority that the dismissal of Sternberg was necessary. I cannot go into many details, but will say that, for the long-term good of the insitution, it had to happen.
I understand the frustration. I understand the concern about taking a step back and settling for mediocrity. But there are good things that will come out of all of this. First, we have the Engineering School study that will set at least one college on the course of becoming a Tier 1 institution. Second, none of the old deans that were relieved of duty are coming back. Naturally, this provides the opportunity for innovation and change. Third, we have Dick McGinity. I know him very well. He is a very, very smart guy. He knows Wyoming - even if he is not from here. He lived near Dubois - which says a lot in and of itself, as most rich dudes choose Jackson...he chose Dubois. He has a military background, which is rigorous in demanding order and alignment to mission. He has patience and he is very calm, cool and collected. I have great confidence in him to do right by my University and my Pokes.
In terms of Sternberg, I never really knew the guy. He seemed like an odd duck and struggled with communication and thinking and acting strategically. I do believe he did the right thing in purging some of the institutional leadership, but he messed up on "how" part of positive change. Meat cleavers work in the private realm. They don't in public institutions, particularly university settings.
So here is the deal, the budget session is fast approaching. Many in the Legislature and elsewhere will see this as an opportunity to gut the UW budget and wait for clear signals from Laramie as to direction...mainly so they can move money away from UW to another coffee can or project. This absolutely cannot happen. Thus, while your instincts may tell you to exhibit anger and frustration and to seek retribution, remember that when you talk to your legislator, they will listen and react accordingly. We know that many want to defund or underfund UW - they will do just that if there is not pressure to do otherwise.
I understand the frustration. I understand the concern about taking a step back and settling for mediocrity. But there are good things that will come out of all of this. First, we have the Engineering School study that will set at least one college on the course of becoming a Tier 1 institution. Second, none of the old deans that were relieved of duty are coming back. Naturally, this provides the opportunity for innovation and change. Third, we have Dick McGinity. I know him very well. He is a very, very smart guy. He knows Wyoming - even if he is not from here. He lived near Dubois - which says a lot in and of itself, as most rich dudes choose Jackson...he chose Dubois. He has a military background, which is rigorous in demanding order and alignment to mission. He has patience and he is very calm, cool and collected. I have great confidence in him to do right by my University and my Pokes.
In terms of Sternberg, I never really knew the guy. He seemed like an odd duck and struggled with communication and thinking and acting strategically. I do believe he did the right thing in purging some of the institutional leadership, but he messed up on "how" part of positive change. Meat cleavers work in the private realm. They don't in public institutions, particularly university settings.
So here is the deal, the budget session is fast approaching. Many in the Legislature and elsewhere will see this as an opportunity to gut the UW budget and wait for clear signals from Laramie as to direction...mainly so they can move money away from UW to another coffee can or project. This absolutely cannot happen. Thus, while your instincts may tell you to exhibit anger and frustration and to seek retribution, remember that when you talk to your legislator, they will listen and react accordingly. We know that many want to defund or underfund UW - they will do just that if there is not pressure to do otherwise.
JimmyDimes
Well-known member
The University of Wyoming needs to seek leadership outside of the state. We need a breath of fresh air and new leadership that wasn't already involved with the university. The current leadership is not the answer. It is the status quo.
Poke in Billings
Well-known member
I think Lawpoke's got it right. The board of trustees were implementing change at UW when they brought in Sternberg. I seriously doubt that goal has been altered.
The problem was Sternberg's methods. An effective leader will sell himself...his vision and strategies to the institution he leading. Not everyone will agree with any leadership, but if mistrust and disrespect becomes rampant, the leadership fails.
I think you guys and your "the good old boys club has won, we're stuck with mediocrity", is way off the mark.
As a cowboy fan, we need to keep alive the dream of arriving at the destination, but we better revel in the journey. Take it from an old fart--its much more about the journey and a lot less about the destination.
The problem was Sternberg's methods. An effective leader will sell himself...his vision and strategies to the institution he leading. Not everyone will agree with any leadership, but if mistrust and disrespect becomes rampant, the leadership fails.
I think you guys and your "the good old boys club has won, we're stuck with mediocrity", is way off the mark.
As a cowboy fan, we need to keep alive the dream of arriving at the destination, but we better revel in the journey. Take it from an old fart--its much more about the journey and a lot less about the destination.
For HR:
(1) Little to no trust among the faculty and staff, which will lead to a loss of good faculty and an inability to recruit new, good faculty (sure, you can poke at the entrenched, mediocre types - I love to myself - but the outward impression is that the ship doesn't have a rudder and is ran by a shifty-eyed President, which = no good candidates for provost, deanships and professorships and the brightest and best students)
(2) Diminishing trust among legislators, especially key members in leadership, especially in a budget session and especially this budget session when you could be in line for some great one-time project and endowment match funding
(3) Loss of private fundraising opportunity (see #4)
(4) Loss of goodwill with key donors and UW supporters
(5) General sense of being the outsider with no friends to help him achieve his vision - even if it was great, he had high-centered himself with few friends around to help push him off the log
(6) Caviar taste
(7) Anger and resentment from local business leaders in and around Laramie
As I noted, I still think you will see change...and a lot of it...but now it has a snowball's chance to make it through the gauntlet without immediately being labeled as a conspiracy.
(1) Little to no trust among the faculty and staff, which will lead to a loss of good faculty and an inability to recruit new, good faculty (sure, you can poke at the entrenched, mediocre types - I love to myself - but the outward impression is that the ship doesn't have a rudder and is ran by a shifty-eyed President, which = no good candidates for provost, deanships and professorships and the brightest and best students)
(2) Diminishing trust among legislators, especially key members in leadership, especially in a budget session and especially this budget session when you could be in line for some great one-time project and endowment match funding
(3) Loss of private fundraising opportunity (see #4)
(4) Loss of goodwill with key donors and UW supporters
(5) General sense of being the outsider with no friends to help him achieve his vision - even if it was great, he had high-centered himself with few friends around to help push him off the log
(6) Caviar taste
(7) Anger and resentment from local business leaders in and around Laramie
As I noted, I still think you will see change...and a lot of it...but now it has a snowball's chance to make it through the gauntlet without immediately being labeled as a conspiracy.
HR - As to:
1. In terms of Dubois, I was at UW at the time he was El Presidente. They didn't like what he did sometimes, but there seemed to be a rhyme or reason for his action and he adequately signaled it and explained it to them. They would fume and even blow up from time to time, but never like this. Further, he had folks that had bought in to his style and that were willing to help mollify the masses. To be absolutely clear, I agree that our faculty and staff are too entrenched. They have lived dumb, fat and angry...without suffering consequences for a long, long time. Hopefully, the shift in the deans and in Old Main (read, the Provost Office) will alter that some. This said, tenure promotes and furthers such behavior to a degree that it is not easily uprooted and transformed.
5. That was part of it, but actually very minor from what I am hearing. Let's just say that he wasn't on the first team or even one of the first couple guys off the bench when it came to filling up the donation coffers. Spending them? First team all the way.
One other thing, the word was getting around other academic and other circles that UW was becoming a trainwreck...I guess the question before the trustees was whether to cut their losses or ride out the storm and hope that it didn't get worse. We know the path they chose...
1. In terms of Dubois, I was at UW at the time he was El Presidente. They didn't like what he did sometimes, but there seemed to be a rhyme or reason for his action and he adequately signaled it and explained it to them. They would fume and even blow up from time to time, but never like this. Further, he had folks that had bought in to his style and that were willing to help mollify the masses. To be absolutely clear, I agree that our faculty and staff are too entrenched. They have lived dumb, fat and angry...without suffering consequences for a long, long time. Hopefully, the shift in the deans and in Old Main (read, the Provost Office) will alter that some. This said, tenure promotes and furthers such behavior to a degree that it is not easily uprooted and transformed.
5. That was part of it, but actually very minor from what I am hearing. Let's just say that he wasn't on the first team or even one of the first couple guys off the bench when it came to filling up the donation coffers. Spending them? First team all the way.
One other thing, the word was getting around other academic and other circles that UW was becoming a trainwreck...I guess the question before the trustees was whether to cut their losses or ride out the storm and hope that it didn't get worse. We know the path they chose...
As was at UW under Dubbie and Buchanon and I remember hearing constant ranting from ASUW and faculty about how much they hated that east coast d-bag and wanted him gone because he didn't know how we did things in Wyoming. My only gripe with him was parking. But no president ever addressed parking so that's not unique. Even if Sternberg was a bad president I think they could have handled the whole situation better. The way they handled it makes us look like a joke.LawPoke said:
I don't disagree that this could have been handled better...and right now we do look like a bit of a joke. The process clearly did not ferret out what it needed to, which has to be studied and fixed before they go out again. My fear is that we would have been a big, smoldering pile of already burned dog poo had nothing been done.
