Luis Proenza to retire

[ZachTheZip]

Improving academic profile by letting more people in? Doesn't that just bump up the number of students at a university? So, we let in an extra 5,000 to get 50 really good students and the rest can have weekly appointments in the Encouraging Department? Terrible idea and plan if you ask me. It seems to me that the academic profile of a university is increased by top notch academic programs(which Tressel has never been involved with), hiring top notch professors (which Tressel has no experience in), securing research grants (which Tressel has no experience in or experience in hiring people who do), teaching the newest and greatest to top notch students (which Tressel has no experience in).

tosu is the flagship university of Ohio. They are going to get a disproportionate amount of state funding. It's something we have to live with. I see nothing in Tressel's resume, with the exception of his hiring "encouragers" (makes me feel like I'm writing about a pre-school) or his ESPY nomination that says to me he knows how to maneuver in the halls of government.

We don't let more people in by increasing applications. UA can only allow so many students in, because there are only so many professors and only so many classes. It's somewhere around 5,000 but I don't recall exactly where they set the cap. So say that normally 5,500 would apply. You take the best 5,000 or however many meet our new academic standards (it used to be first-come first-served with open enrollment). We send the rest to junior college or one of the CCs that we've recently partnered with. If you increase the number of applicants, you still take only 5,000 students, but you take the best ones from the increased number, which naturally increases the average test scores and other metrics that academics like to pretend are indicators of future success.

As for Tressel maneuvering his way through the state government, I doubt you'll find anyone out there with more connections to state legislators than James Tressel. Don't underestimate the network he built.

[Balsy]

As for Tressel maneuvering his way through the state government, I doubt you'll find anyone out there with more connections to state legislators than James Tressel. Don't underestimate the network he built.

I'll contest that one. I bet you can find quite a few people with as many connections to state legislators as James Tressel has. I can make a list in my head right now of people I know who would have a massive network of connections with state legislators, and all of them you would never have heard of and were never coach of State Ohio University.

But you seriously think because JT was head football coach at State Ohio, that they would gladly bend their ear for him? How many times as football coach did he go roam the halls of the statehouse...or the Riffe center...I'm going to say not often if none at all.

Even with that said; you're assuming the state legislature is worth a damn, or capable of listening to anyone past themselves, or their own personal political agendas. I mean, if I were a state legislator and were approached by the newly selected, former (disgraced) coach of State Ohio football, I would quickly begin looking into reevaluating the process of appointing University Trustees.

[Dave in Green]

If rising through the professorial ranks is important to anyone, the Toledo guy is not exactly a sterling example. His career has been built primarily on accounting and finance, not academics. According to readily available historical documentation, two consistent philosophies that have been associated with him over the years are cost-cutting and privatization of education. Those qualities may appeal to some and not to others. Just like Jim Tressel he has his supporters and detractors.

A troubling issue in his background is his sudden and unceremonious departure from DePaul University. Apparently it was very secretive, as there's little documentation available other than a couple of brief stories from the Chicago Tribune that report his surprise suspension quickly followed by his resignation from DePaul after a special meeting of the school's trustees. If we dig deep enough we can find skeletons in everyone's closet. We're just more familiar with some than with others.

As far as I'm concerned, the most important advantage UA's trustees have in evaluating Jim Tressel is that he's held a high-level executive position at UA for the past couple of years. They've had a chance to measure exactly what kind of job he can do at UA with the increasing responsibilities he's been given. Of course it's possible that one of the other candidates could do an even better job at UA. But UA's trustees would need to rely more on second-hand data to predict that.

[GP1]

But you seriously think because JT was head football coach at State Ohio, that they would gladly bend their ear for him?

We think a lot alike on this. It is so unbelievably childish to think anyone in the State House gives a crap about Tressel any longer. Why? Because he can't do anything for them anymore. The only thing he could do before was get his picture taken with them so they could put it on some campaign literature or website. They would get their photo taken in a second with Meyer right now and the might even pretend to care about what he says, but not Tressel.

Tressel is a product of the past. Tressel becoming President is not a forward looking move on the part of the University at all. He is a near Social Security age man with his life experience as a football coach. Only in a struggling midwest region is this background taken seriously. It's a sad comment on almost every level. The problem for us is this backward and odd thinking is about to place an unqualified person into the Presidency of our school.

[GP1]

If rising through the professorial ranks is important to anyone, the Toledo guy is not exactly a sterling example. His career has been built primarily on accounting and finance, not academics. According to readily available historical documentation, two consistent philosophies that have been associated with him over the years are cost-cutting and privatization of education. Those qualities may appeal to some and not to others. Just like Jim Tressel he has his supporters and detractors.

A troubling issue in his background is his sudden and unceremonious departure from DePaul University.

First of all, what is wrong with accounting and finance? Ohio universities have been in the process of bankrupting themselves with the "building process" for decades now and the bill is going to come due. An accounting and finance guy is probably a better guy to have in charge than the guy in charge of the Encouraging Department.

Change the words DePaul University to The Ohio State University and the same thing could be said about Tressel.

[LZIp]

First of all, what is wrong with accounting and finance? Ohio universities have been in the process of bankrupting themselves with the "building process" for decades now and the bill is going to come due. An accounting and finance guy is probably a better guy to have in charge than the guy in charge of the Encouraging Department.

Change the words DePaul University to The Ohio State University and the same thing could be said about Tressel.

But its okay for him and not okay for JT. Glad you are looking at this from an unbiased perspective!

[skip-zip]

No experience.

Questionable moral clarity.

Potentially his hire making us the laughingstock of the Ohio University system.

QUESTIONABLE moral clarity?? You're being kind, don't you think?

Not that I normally think public opinion should be a deciding factor, but I should share some of the e-mails I have gotten from people across the country. Just the fact that he's gotten to THIS point in the process is spreading a tremendous amount of laughter in reference to my alma mater, along with the "you don't think they are seriously aren't going to hire this guy, do you?" questions.

My wife got a voice mail from a friend in Texas asking for confirmation, because she thought it was a joke. When she called them back, they STILL couldn't believe it wasn't a joke.

I can only imagine what will happen if he would get hired. It will explode. Embarrassing indeed.

[LZIp]

Please share. I keep hearing about all of this national scoffing from you and GP1, but have yet to see any proof.

I'll be waiting.

[skip-zip]

It would make us a national laughing stock. Other than YSU.....YSU, can anyone think of another school in Ohio that would take this guy this seriously. We are competing for a guy who is also looking at the YSU job.?.? If that 's the best we can do, then I'm very concerned about the results of what has been going on at UofA over the past 20 years.

This is a great point. Let me elaborate.

If this guy is prime Presidential Material, where's the competition for his outstanding services? OSWho just hired a president too. Did they court him as a candidate? Was his name even mentioned at all? Even as a possibility?? At the school who's robotic followers still worships him? Where 100,000 people at a football stadium roared when his ex-players were carrying him around the field in iconic fashion at a recent football reunion? A reunion that the school invited him to, and wanted him to attend?

If some people would actually stop for a moment....and really THINK about all of this....and genuinely examine his career and his history.....I don't know how it can't make you really sick.

[skip-zip]

Please share. I keep hearing about all of this national scoffing from you and GP1, but have yet to see any proof.

I'll be waiting.

Just go to the "comments" sections at the bottom of national articles that have popped up recently about him being a candidate. You'll see the same thing.

[eguins]

At the rate of speed YSU is going, you won't have to worry. They have already stated that they will pick their next President on May 8th and negotiate a contract with that individual with an announcement 1-2 weeks after.

I do take offense to the shots at the educational status of YSU, as I am a proud graduate of the school and can say unequivocally it prepared me extremely well for the challenges I encounter each day in my career. However, that is a topic for another day.

Again, I'd expect Tressel to be picked at YSU before Akron. If you haven't noticed, YSU is expediting the process, and they aren't doing that for nothing.

[Balsy]

We think a lot alike on this. It is so unbelievably childish to think anyone in the State House gives a crap about Tressel any longer.

Tressel is a product of the past. Tressel becoming President is not a forward looking move on the part of the University at all..... It's a sad comment on almost every level. The problem for us is this backward and odd thinking is about to place an unqualified person into the Presidency of our school.

I couldn't agree more GP1.

[skip-zip]

A troubling issue in his background is his sudden and unceremonious departure from DePaul University. Apparently it was very secretive

Sorry guys. Just catching up on news and comments.

This one really got my attention.

My first thought is, if another candidate curiously left a former position rather abruptly with no further details ever emerging, I wonder how it would be judged in terms of professional integrity in comparison to another candidate who, among many other things over the entire length of his career, allowed a team he was the LEADER of to play an entire season with ineligible participants, concealed the evidence, lied when he was caught and shamelessly stayed on the job (at least temporarily), then launched a series of ridiculous excuses about why he did it, and THEN had an unceremonious departure of such magnitude that Sports Illustrated turns this person's series of events into a featured cover story. And that only covers the LAST year at his previous employer.

You decide.

[Dave in Green]

If we only look for the negative, that's all we'll see. If we only look for the positive, that's all we'll see. Either way is really easy. We pick a position, see only what supports our position, and our confidence that we picked the right position is continuously reinforced. The only problem is that it doesn't mean that we're right. The hard route is trying to be objective, remaining open to all the pros and cons, weighing them against each other and trying to objectively select the best of many imperfect options. I see the pros and cons being presented here, and it's mostly football fan talk, which makes a lot of sense since this is a sports forum. Back in the real world, UA's trustees have to make a difficult decision, and they have to do it objectively in the best overall interests of UA. A lot of what's being said here is irrelevant to that decision. But it absolutely belongs on a sports forum, so keep it coming.

[skip-zip]

The hard route is trying to be objective, remaining open to all the pros and cons, weighing them against each other and trying to objectively select the best of many imperfect options.

That's exactly what I did in my last post. I presented the facts as they related to each candidate, and asked the masses to decide

Dave, by the way, I still haven't sent my letter to the selection committee. I need to get on that. And I will still take your valuable advice which you gave to me earlier in this thread.

[GP1]

Again, I'd expect Tressel to be picked at YSU before Akron. If you haven't noticed, YSU is expediting the process, and they aren't doing that for nothing.

Please hurry and save us from making a huge mistake.

[GP1]

Back in the real world, UA's trustees have to make a difficult decision

Do they? They have set it up from the beginning for Tressel to get the job. All of the rest is ceremony. I don't believe for a second that anyone other than Tressel is going to be selected because they have taken the easy road of letting Proenza decide the next President.

[ZachTheZip]

http://www.ohio.com/news/break-news/it-s-time-to-accelerate-change-ua-presidential-finalist-says-with-video-of-forum-1.484208

The first of what I expect to be three presentations full of easy questions and non-answers.

[Dave in Green]

Didn't realize that Dr. Nykiel is 68, same as Dr. Proenza. Makes Jim Tressel look like a kid at 61.

[GP1]

http://www.ohio.com/news/break-news/it-s-time-to-accelerate-change-ua-presidential-finalist-says-with-video-of-forum-1.484208

The first of what I expect to be three presentations full of easy questions and non-answers.

Why would they even bother? The deck is stacked in Tressel's favor. He'll give a fluff fulled presentation on his successes in the Encouraging Department in which he looks really polished and people will swoon.

[Valpo Zip]

Would 3 extra years of schooling 30 years ago and 3 letters after his last name have any impact on who he is today?

- I hope you never need a surgery, but if you ever do, would you go to a plumber to cut you open and operate on you or to an MD? do the few years of schooling and the two letters after his name have an impact on who he is today?

- Would you elect a Chinese to be the president of the USA? why not? does his birthplace and the little piece of paper have an impact on who he is today?

- If they're available for the same cost, would you get a BMW or a KIA? do the few letters on the car have an impact on its value and performance?

[zippy5]

Oh gosh.

[ZachTheZip]

Toledo guy is streaming now. http://www.uakron.edu/live/

[LZIp]

Read the most recent issue of Crains Cleveland and there were two articles in it in favor of JT becoming the next prez. If I can find them online I will share.

[Hilltopper]

- I hope you never need a surgery, but if you ever do, would you go to a plumber to cut you open and operate on you or to an MD? do the few years of schooling and the two letters after his name have an impact on who he is today?

- Would you elect a Chinese to be the president of the USA? why not? does his birthplace and the little piece of paper have an impact on who he is today?

- If they're available for the same cost, would you get a BMW or a KIA? do the few letters on the car have an impact on its value and performance?

This post is so full of strawmen, you might want to avoid going anywhere near a flame. You might catch on fire.