CSU students oppose presidential finalists

More than 100 students and alumni of Chicago State University voiced their opposition this week about the two finalists for university president the school’s board of trustees decided on and accused the selection process of not being transparent.

The $75,000 search process for a successor to former President Elnora Daniel and Interim President Frank Pogue netted two “lousy” candidates – Carol Adams, Ph. D and Wayne Watson – with political baggage and is an “insult” to the university, said Michael O’Connor, a spokesperson for Students for the Ethical Selection of Our new President. The group is comprised of current and former students of the university.

Pogue took over after Daniel resigned last year under a cloud of suspicion of financial impropriety. Daniel remains on the university’s payroll until her contract expires later this year.

Adams and Watson made separate appearances at the school. Adams, on Monday, and Watson, on Tuesday, faced the students, faculty and alumni of the school, who grilled the two about their past and why each is the best choice to lead the school.

Adams, 64, is secretary of the Illinois Dept. of Human Services, and Watson, 63, is the chancellor of City Colleges of Chicago. He plans to retire in June.

The students were mainly concerned with Adams’ handling of a scandal when a sexual harassment suit was filed a few years ago by a member of her staff, and Watson’s “union-busting” methods four years ago.

In 2003, Adams’ then-chief of staff and an assistant to the chief of staff had to share a hotel room on a business trip. The female chief of staff changed into a pair of silk pajamas and made advances towards the male assistant, according to the lawsuit. The assistant refused the advances and slept on the sofa. He later filed a sexual harassment claim.

The Cook County College Teachers Union blasted Watson for not being involved in union contract negotiations and retaliating against employees who supported a three-week strike in 2005.

O’Connor said there has been no transparency or accountability in the vetting of the presidential applicants that began last November, and the board made two poor choices.

“If there was no baggage, our consideration of the two would be different,” O’Connor said. He, along with other students on Monday, wore black pants and green T-shirts in solidarity that read on the front, “We spent $75,000 on a presidential search and all we got were two lousy candidates,” and on the back, “Retain Dr. Pogue til a new presidential search is done.”

The head of the Student Government Association said the finalists deserve a fair chance.

“I feel the board of trustees took the best position in finding the best candidates for the university,” said Rufus Jackson, president of SGA.

In a statement, the five-member board said, in part: “By design, every constituent group was represented on the search advisory committee: faculty, Student Government Association, alumni, administrators, civil service personnel, deans, the provost and the community…The search committee had access to information about each of the 34 applicants in the pool…was directly involved in the process until the candidate pool was reduced to 12 semi-finalists.”

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Westside Wisdom

According to the article, the students who interviewed the two finalists raised some good points about critical incidents in the careers of both individuals. However, I believe in the broader scheme of things, both finalists have extensive lists of stellar and innovative accomplishments that they both bring to the table from their respective experiences. In my view their potential as committed visionary leaders who happen to come from Chicago by far outweighs the singular negative incidents highlighted in the article.

Kashif

Chicago State right now is not even a good high school. It is obvious from the antics of these students that CSU needs sound newleadership and these students are not capable of judging who would be a good leader any more than they were at preparing for college. If they were so smart they would not have ended up at Chicago State. They should be protesting their individual lousiness.

will

Why I go to CSU? Its a HBCU, Legacy, and Pride. I went to University of Illinois in Urbana and the coursework was about the same; the only difference is diversity and money. So if you want an good education at a reasonable rate CSU is a great choice. We don't want that to change due to more bad leaders and Mr. Kashif you should know the schools you bash and the ppl they produce. You maybe working for us, if you work.

gideon

Good morning/afternoon and how are you? I am an alumni of Chicago State University (CSU) and I have also thought Political Science at the institution and I think it is a travesty that the final two candidates for the President of CSU have track records that does not possess a great deal of integrity, honesty and trust. I am a very proud West Indian (Trinidad) and it's quite apparent that with everything else that goes on in Chicago politics is the order of the day in the search for a new President. How can a search committee spend $75,000 and end up with the two finalists of Dr Watson and Dr Adams? I consider that gross disrespect and it seems as though the school and the board of trustees have absolutely no direction and no vision. The last couple Presidents' of CSU left a legacy that we all would like to forget and about and judging from the two finalists we now have it seems as though we are heading down in the same direction of failure. There have been people who were been put into positions at CSU that simply do not have the knowledge, skills and ability (KSA) to promote the university and I am now confident in saying that instead of moving forward, CSU is regressing at a rapid pace. I hope that something is done and done fast, but with some positive direction to ensure we make the right choice for President of CSU in order to enhance to development and progress of the university.

CSU students oppose presidential finalists

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