2009.03.23
RU rising up
The first public phase of Radford University's review of 29 programs begins today (March 23). The protesters are already organizing.
Students Advocating Liberal Arts (SALA) and Demand Excellence at Radford (DEAR) had an organizational meeting Sunday. They have more actions planned throughout the week. What's spurring them on is the speeding along of the expedited review. Today the Academic Program Review Committee will review 11 programs. The committee -- made up of administrators, faculty and one undergraduate -- is scheduled to announce its vote on those programs about 7 p.m. The committee will have a similar session Friday.
The three possible verdicts, according to faculty senate president Stephen Owen, are continue (which means it can accept applications for the fall); discontinue (the program can't accept any more applications and needs to begin "graduating out" its majors); restructure (the program can't accept applications for the fall and should "reconfigure its resources to attain another potential degree program with all deliberate speed."
On Thursday, the university is holding an open forum on the campus budget. (3:30 p.m. in Bondurant Auditorium in Preston Hall) It was rescheduled twice, once because it conflicted with Radford's appearance in the NCAA men's basketball tournament.
That meeting will overlap with another open forum about students' being barred from using the Dedmon Center after its reopening fresh from a $15.7 million renovation paid for with student generated money. (4 p.m. in the auditorium in the Bonnie student center) The budget forum also conflicts with the faculty senate, which is scheduled to meet at 3:30 p.m.
SALA and DEAR say they have a budget, growing membership and a conviction that Radford is headed down the wrong track. "This has escalated from a Facebook group and angry majors to a full-fledged faculty and alumni supported group," according to Stephen Schmidt, one of the organizers.
Schmidt said in an email March 21 that SALA was closing in on 100 members and $1,000.
You can find more discussion about this here and here.
-- Tim Thornton
We should with all sincerity thank the basketball team. Their winning afforded us an additional week to educate the student body and organize multiple actions. Thank You. Thank You.
Comment by Cynthia — March 23, 2009 @ 11:35 am
I would like to encourage Radford University students, faculty, and community to come out to support S.A.L.A., as we come together to protect our great institution, Radford University. For more information on how YOU can get invovled, please visit the Facebook group at
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1295207&op=1&o=global&view=global&subj=785460138&id=778594004#/group.php?gid=57339599653&ref=mf
Comment by Alicia Ring — March 23, 2009 @ 12:29 pm
So, today the RU Inquisition met and at least one decision recommended cutting the Appalachian Studies program minor and certificate program. The process the director of RU Insitutional Research (RUIR)and the dean conniff accused Dr. Grace Toney Edwards, among the most widely respected of RU faculty, of presenting false data regarding academic achievments of the minor and certificate programs, and that the amounts of awards she has attracted to the university were false. Each of these data sets are well documented in the registrars office and the RU FOUNDATION. These "RU Officials" further said that the Appalachian Studies program had never had an administrator--a postion Dr.Edwards was assigned to in 1994 and has been evaluated for since that date by a series of deans and the current Provost, Wil Stanton. RUIR clearly has no concept of how to gather data, nor preesent it in an actually cogent and truthful manner, and conniff seems so afraid of losing his job that he would call the sky Radford Red.
What are they so afraid of? Why would they hate things Appalachian so much. Could it be that President Kyle in in denial of her own hertiage? Who knows? The trouble is that in fighting these thugs, there is a risk. It is a well known Appalachian notion that"if you lay down with pigs, no matter how careful you are, you likely will get mud and s___ on you."
A grievance through the State Department of Education, American Association of University Professors, playing it out in the public media, and a suit against the university on the grounds of RU administrative incompetence and personal character assination personal Legal moves may be the only recourse.
Radford is in shambles. I encourage the students to take back their university. IT IS BEING STOLEN!
Comment by Roudy Red — March 23, 2009 @ 8:18 pm
What's it all about Wilie?
Now, particularly with stimulus $$ coming to RU, there is a chance to weather the storm. The RU administration is talking about using the money for a rainy-day fund. I have news for Kyle and Stanton, it’s raining right now.
Students just wait until you have to come to RU and extra semester or two because these geniuses don’t seeing the fiscal value, albeit slave labor, of adjunct professors. Get your parents to ask KYLE and STANTON to answer that one. Many of the most student-engaged professors will have to sacrifice some things they now lovingly contribute so fully well and with uncommon dedication. Take away these virtual voluteers and the richness of the finest of regional university educations, student research, and outreach to the community and region are destroyed. We should have had an inkling when one of the very first decisions of the KYLE administration was to do away with the mobile medical “bus”–for some, the only medical alternative available. A grant-driven offering to the people of Appalachia. The mode of that decision has become a standard for RU.
The fact is that this all has nothing to do with fiscal conditions. It’s about the Core Curriculum–the one that could one day result in RU graduates who do not have an English course on their transcript. I can tell you what graduate school admission committees will think of that piece of paper or one without so many other courses identifiable as fundamental math or science–trash can, no evaluation, just denied admission. No liberal education, just motto courses–that is the future for RU graduates. I hope the debauched Anthropology students come back and sue when they are rejected for jobs or grad school because there is no anthropology at RU. Forensic anthropology without cultural anthropology is a technician’s degree.
This ill-conceived, force-fed core curriculum takes Radford toward becoming a trade school–no dishonor there–but a university provides a broad, liberally diverse education. That is why students come. That is why parents pay. They come and pay to find their way to a well rounded education and ultimately a profession. One must be able to discern things clearly before being forced to choose a profession–some are ready, some not, but all are far better prepared to enter a profession or further preparation when they are ruly educated.
This academic busines is not rocket engineering. I have described how life in the academy is carried out nearly eveywhere except the incipient Radford Trade School.
RTS a little louder now, RTS a little…
Comment by Roudy Red — March 23, 2009 @ 9:14 pm
Just an observation. Where in the hell is the critical mass of the RU faculty. Precious few of you have actually stood up to this ... this RU administration. Today, the punishment, meaness, retribution, madness, idiocy, and mostly the lying and cahracter assasination began in the expedited review meetings. You are next!!!
I know, I know you are afraid of losing your jobs, but my goodness why did you get in this business? Students I bet?! The students, the reason for your career are being raped. Sorry, but I'm not an english major and no theasaurus on this site.
Come on. Get with it!
Comment by Roudy Red — March 23, 2009 @ 9:24 pm
7-17=10 That's about it! Most of the principles have been abandoned.
Comment by Roudy Red — March 23, 2009 @ 9:26 pm
More grist from the Expedited Review of the Appalachian Studies program:
The committee;
--NO FEMALES
DEAN conniff (a.ka.a. Quisling--look it up!);
--Dean Conniff is the only Dean who DID NOT support his own programs. He in fact militated against his own proigrams with false data and irresponsible logic.
--Dean Conniff supported the inaccuracy of the RU Institutional Research Director (Seee Templeton below).
--Dean Conniff characterized as negative the fact that seven of the Appalachian Studies minor graduates were English majors. NEGATIVE(!!!) I ask you what possibly could be negative about these certificates awarded to teachers in surrounding counties?
--With the support of a dean like Conniff, one needs additional help getting his dagger ouyt of your back.
Director of RU Institutional Research, Deborah Templeton;
--Deborah Templeton assailed the Appalachian Studies data presnted to the Expedited Review Committee as false. Not a single data is false!
--Templeton said that since 2003, one (1) Appalachian Studies Certificate had been awarded. The program actually started in 2005, and eight (8) certificates have been awarded. When confronted by one of those that earned the certificate, who also had the names of two others, Templeton appeared flustered. Wait untik she gets all eight names, and is exposed as one of two things--incompetent or a liar.
--Templeton accused the director of Appalachian Studies of submitting false data on funding. The data presented in the expedited review materials to this committee as well as the data used in answering thier questions is absolutely accurate and substantiated by undeniable data available from the RU Foundation and sponsored contracts office. Again, Ms Templeton will be found to be either incompetent or a liar.
Thanks be to the students who recorded today's travesty of academic freedom and basic honesty. They will be able to pinpoint every lie, every contravention of academic and personal integrity. They will put the truth out there.
More, much more to come...lawyers are lurking, and some are ready to engage them.
Comment by Roudy Red — March 23, 2009 @ 11:42 pm
I received both my undergraduate degree and my graduate degree from Radford University. As a student with interdisciplinary majors and minor, I had the wonderful privilege of being taught and molded by the faculty in the Philosophy and Religion, Geology, Geography, Women’s These professors helped push me to exceed my limitations and thanks to them, I am now planning to continue my education even further.
When I do make that step to higher education, I may have the unique opportunity to explain to the admissions office why my programs—the very ones I spent six years of my life immersed in—no longer exist. They will not be able to look at Radford University and see the outstanding quality of the interdisciplinary programs available—programs that, although they have few students as majors or minors, they have hundreds of students benefit from each year. Admissions offices will not see this—they will see my degrees as historical references to what once was.
I was told that the possible elimination of my programs would not affect my future chances of continuing my education; however, I firmly believe that the histories of these majors and minors will be reduced to no more than manila folders hidden in a corner cabinet in someone’s office. No admissions office will be able to comprehend the quality of the programs that exist at Radford if they are eliminated and the focus of the school is shifted.
I came to Radford University so I would not become a number and I wasn’t. For six years, I was Shai Cullop, a student as well as friend and colleague to many faculty and staff. Now, I am sorry to say that my experience has been reduced to being a number. I have been reduced to a six digit student number. I am the 23 programs that the university is considering eliminating. I am the 43 point loss last week between Penelope Kyle and her new focus of being an athletic institution. Last night it became much more personal to me. I became the incorrect numbers touted at the Academic Review Committee Meeting. In turn, I also became the result of a misinformed vote. Students need to look at what matters to them. It’s time to stand up and be counted. They weren’t on Monday night and won’t be on Friday if something doesn’t change soon.
Comment by Shai Cullop — March 24, 2009 @ 9:24 am
Last year, The Sigal Company was hired to conduct a study on compensation issues at Radford University. The study proved what we already knew: A large number of RU’s staff is being grossly underpaid when compared to our peer institutions. President Kyle met with staff to share those results and promised she would do what was needed to make sure RU’s staff was being fairly compensated for the work they do. When asked how the budget cuts would affect her promise, she said “the budget cuts have nothing to do with this” and “The money is there, it’s up to me to find it”. President Kyle assured us that we would see the changes in our paycheck by November. It is now late March, and no salaries have been adjusted and no further communication has come from RU administration concerning this issue. I would like to know why President Kyle stood in a public forum and promised to make adjustments to salaries, only to then do nothing? When Will Stanton was asked in another public forum about the progress of the president’s promise, he “joked” that RU’s staff was going to continue to be underpaid due to budgets. I guess it’s easy for someone who received a $49,000 raise just before the budget cuts to make jokes about those of us who are still being underpaid. This is just one more reason why the RU community has no faith or trust in the administration!
Comment by Underpaid and Overworked — March 24, 2009 @ 11:02 am
Comment # 3 includes a statement that "one decision recommended cutting the Appalachian Studies program minor and certificate program." These are two separate programs, and there were two separate votes. The upshot was a recommendation to cut one of the two. To quote from an email from Steve Owen, President of the Faculty Senate: "Both the Appalachian Studies and Peace Studies minors received a majority of votes to continue, although those votes to continue were split between continuing outright and continuing while restructuring." To be specific, the Appalachian Studies minor received five votes in favor of continuance with no changes; six votes in favor of restructuring, with the program to continue in the interim; and four votes in favor of discontinuance. In sum, there were eleven votes in favor of continuance either with or without restructuring and four votes in favor of discontinuance.
Comment by Fact Checker — March 24, 2009 @ 12:00 pm
I have just spent some time perusing the RU 7-17 Strategic plan, searching for the rationale being used to gut the university's liberal arts base. The mission statement focuses on teaching and learning, and the goals are generic and could be photocopied onto any university's goal statement.
There are, however,a few phrases about streamlining educational offerings to be consistent with the goals of the university. Which goals? None of the goals outlined describe fundamentally changing the liberal arts character of RU. Was it merely assumed that to broaden Master's programs the undergraduate offerings need to be gutted? Was this sub-text made clear to those who voted for this plan?
Sorely lacking from the 7-17 plan is an undergraduate philosophy. Woops! I guess we don't need to have a shared understanding of our purpose other than enhancing "student learning." (Duh, we're a college!)
Obviously, undergraduate education is no longer a real priority, and the programs that make RU unique have no value. And the goal of rewarding and valuing expert teaching is obviously a joke, as many of those experts will be looking for other jobs when their majors are cut.
It seems that we ought to be able to expand our graduate colleges without gutting the rest of the university. We can start by trying NOT to alienate alumni, who are refusing to donate to RU because of these drastic changes. There are a lot of them.
Comment by Mari Bowling — March 25, 2009 @ 12:34 pm
Recently I attended the Society for Applied Anthropology meetings in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The demand for anthropologists to work in applied programs has never been greater. We bring analytical tools to the table to assist in translating between the needs of community and business and government bureaucracies. The results of the involvement of anthropologists in program planning, implementation, and evaluation is required in World Bank projects and foreign and domestic assistance programs regularly employ people professionally trained in the discipline. Hearing that Radford University is abandoning their anthropology major speaks to a lack of awareness of the role of anthropologists outside of the academic community and a failure of leadership. We are cultural animals and to neglect this aspect of educational endeavors, e.g., Appalachian culture, tells me that Radford in abandoning it's obligation to its students, faculty, the the taxpayers of Virginia. I hold a doctorate in anthropology and have been fully engaged both within the academic community and outside practicing my craft based upon my anthropological training. Maybe Radford requires a more aware and pragmatic leadership?
Comment by Jerry — April 1, 2009 @ 9:31 pm
To Fact Checker
Please check out the rumors about PK spending a million bucks on the new signs for campus buildings! I'd like to know if that's true. As a RU alumni I receive solicitations from the university weekly for donations. Although I've given in the past, I'm not giving any more of my money to that place until they have a new president.
Comment by Janice P. — April 2, 2009 @ 12:39 pm
Shall we blame President Kyle for the world going to hell in a hand basket too? I have been a hometown child here for 40 yrs and I have seen RU grow from being an all womans college to now being what it has become today! Everyone is suffering right now on campus as well as in our city but it does not give us the right to place the thumb down on one or two individuals! It takes many people to create a situation and it takes many people to resolve an issue or in this case many issues! Lack of communication and lack of funding have put us all at one anothers throats and I will tell you this, it is not President Kyles fault for our economy to be the way that it is and will be for quite sometime! The bashing I heard and read during the shooter on the run about Kyle was unbelievable and even moreso when one is just as scared as many of us were but yet there were those mad folks chomping at the bit to damn this woman! Put on her pants for awhile and see if you can do her job given to her any better than what she is doing right now. See who the true road-blocks are to taking away programs and other projects as well! You might come to the realization that it is many factors that play a role in cutting and restructuring not only RU but The City of Radford as well, not to mention every city and county surrounding us...and...in all do reality, every college, university, and believe it or not every state!
Comment by Bev Bishop — April 6, 2009 @ 12:52 pm