New student trustee chosen
Ohio University has a new student trustee. On Wednesday evening, Ohio University President Roderick McDavis announced that Sharmaine Wilcox, a sophomore studying international business and accounting, was Gov. John Kasich’s pick to serve as one of two student liaisons on the Board of Trustees. She beat out fellow sophomores Jordan Kelley, Ben Mathes and Joshelyn Smith for the position.
First, we want to extend our congratulations to Wilcox. It’s an exciting opportunity for her and we wish her luck in the position.
But we have to ask, was Wilcox a worthy choice?
In February, The Post published a Q&A with the four finalists for the job, and upon rereading it after the gala, it’s clear the governor’s choice makes a lot of sense.
Let’s review:
In response to a question about whether the candidates supported student trustee voting rights:
Kelley: Yes.
Mathes: Yes.
Smith: Yes.
Wilcox: “I’m kind of in between right now.”
In response to a question about whether the candidates thought the Board of Trustees was accessible to students:
Kelley: No.
Mathes: No.
Smith: No.
Wilcox: “Currently, I feel that the board is fairly accessible … but I would like to make it more accessible.”
In response to a question about whether the candidates thought the student trustee position was effective:
Kelley: No.
Mathes: No.
Smith: No.
Wilcox: “I do feel like it is a very effective position ...”
Wilcox also said that she didn’t know much about the guaranteed tuition model and that she supported the Capital Improvement Plan. So, in sum, the board got someone who already thinks everyone’s doing a great job and isn’t going to push for changes the trustees aren’t interested in making. Sounds like they found exactly who they were looking for.
Jim Christian’s off to Boston
It’s official: Ohio men’s basketball coach Jim Christian is heading to Boston College.
First and foremost, congratulations are in order. Boston College is an Atlantic Coast Conference-affiliated university with a significantly higher athletic pedigree than the Harvard on the Hocking, and the move was undoubtedly a good one for Christian and his family.
However, we’re down in the dumps for the Bobcats who aren’t allowed to follow their ambitions to the schools of their choosing midway through their careers without penalty: the players. Their reactions to Christian’s choice were mixed, as you can read on our front page, but we know that hiring a third coach in four years can’t be easy on the team.
Imagine having three academic advisers over the course of four years. That instability can’t feel good, nor can the knowledge that your mentor is leaving you behind for a bigger (probably much, much bigger) paycheck. We don’t blame Christian for taking the job (who wouldn’t?), but throughout the changeover process our thoughts are going to be with the student-athletes.
Judging by the social media speculation in the wake of Christian’s departure, there seems to be a wealth of qualified candidates to replace him. A couple names familiar to Bobcats fans dot the list: former Ohio assistant coach Dustin Ford, who followed John Groce to Illinois; Jeff Boals, a former Ohio standout player and current Ohio State assistant; and Bacari Alexander, a former Ohio assistant coach who currently serves in the same capacity at Michigan.
Ohio Director of Athletics Jim Schaus is known for making splashy hires, but we think many Bobcats fans would like to see a familiar face in their game programs next season.
We urge him to consider giving them a serious look.
Editorials represent the majority opinion of The Post’s executive editors.
