In just a couple of weeks, Fall Semester will come to a close and students will receive their grades for the term, so it’s only fair to also dole out grades for the administration and the Board of Trustees.
The rubric I will be using for the administration is based on what they consider to be the core values of the university, commonly known as the “5 Cs”: community, commitment, civility, citizenship and character. President McDavis frequently calls on students to uphold the “five Cs” in their daily lives, but the administration may also have some work if it intends to preach these values.
Community – Grade: D
According to Ohio University’s website, a central tenet of community means we are expected “to show appreciation for diversity.” Looking around campus, it is hard to believe that the administration has shown appreciation for diversity.
According to enrollment figures provided by OU, 4.8 percent of our campus identified as African American in 2012, in contrast to the 12.6 percent of people in the state of Ohio according to 2010 United States Census data.
The Board of Trustees also has some work to do, with six of the nine voting members being older, wealthy, white men. Including the non-voting members, of the 13 trustees only one person is identifiable as a person of color.
Commitment – Grade: C+
If there is one “C” the university does well in, it’s commitment. Not in the sense that they are committed to the values of the university, but that Board has committed massive amounts of future debt to pay for capital improvement. From the Walter Fieldhouse to the Housing Master Plan, the Board has made commitments, though the wisdom of those investments is certainly up for debate.
Civility – Grade: Incomplete
All members of the university community are expected to “embrace civility in communication at all times” so that “free and open exchange can occur.” The administration is almost always polite and civil in dialogue, but open communication is so rare that is hard to give them a grade on this one. Students are not allowed to address the Board publically at their meetings.
Citizenship – Grade: D
Part of having citizenship implies the right to vote, but there are only nine trustees who have that right, and they do not even live in Athens. Students are at least allowed to vote for their student government, but significance of that is even less now given that Student Senate does not consider itself a public body.
At the very least, we should be able to elect our student trustees and they should have suffrage, but the administration has been less than enthusiastic about endorsing those demands.
Character – Grade: F
It is hard to give the university administration anything but a failing grade for character. OU’s website states, “members of the OHIO community are expected to commit to the highest standards of personal honesty and ethical behavior,” but the administration’s behavior has been anything but that.
Last spring, OU claimed they needed another tuition increase, and then Board turned around and gave raises to the administration and faculty, plus a surprise bonus for President McDavis of $62,250. Then in October, the Board of Trustees retreated behind closed doors to vote on what the Columbus Dispatch called an “illegal” pay increase for President McDavis.
After so much unethical behavior, it’s hard imagine the administration will be making the Dean’s List this year.
Matt Farmer is a senior studying education and political science. What grade would you give the university administration? Email him at mf291209@ohiou.edu
