President Herbst is on the march again

[Nostical]

She just let go of The Provost (head academic officer of the school), who coincidently, like Jeff Hathaway, happened to come to UConn in 2005 from Colorado State. She's put in place a temporary stakeholder while she conducts a national search. (sound familiar).
The point here is that she has every intention of upgrading all the elements of UConn and to significantly raise its stature and endowment. And best of all--she doesn't for a minute underestimate the role of athletics in that total equation. She has a plan and its a bold plan for sure. Bottom line, I'm not worried about our ultimate conference affiliation.

 

[Waquoit]

Bottom line, I'm not worried about our ultimate conference affiliation.

That makes 1 of us, Nos.

 

[Dann]

the ga firm was on campus today for the ad search. she is on a mission!

 

[Palatine]

You have to appreciate that she has a very clear vision for the future and a plan for how she is going to get it done. It's unavoidable this will require her to step on toes and create critics. It's smart how fast she seems to be moving. Building up momentum will make it harder for the naysayers to stop her. So far, so good.

 

[Pudge]

I kinda like the phrase: "Beg Harder".

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

She just let go of The Provost (head academic officer of the school), who coincidently, like Jeff Hathaway, happened to come to UConn in 2005 from Colorado State. She's put in place a temporary stakeholder while she conducts a national search. (sound familiar). The point here is that she has every intention of upgrading all the elements of UConn and to significantly raise its stature and endowment.

No different than a pro sports GM, or a company CEO bringing in his/her own people.

 

[charteroak4life]

I'm sorry, but does anybody else think that this reeks of a hack job? She comes in, and all of the sudden, multiple high level officials at the university "retire" or leave, so people think she's rooting out inefficiency, but is she really? Does she really have "a plan for the future", "moving fast in the right direction", or is she just firing people to make herself look good? Obviously Hathaway had to go, but the Provost and several others? Something about all this reeks to me and I'll be interested to see if she has an long term success, instead of just "letting go" of higher-ups.

 

[Palatine]

I'm sorry, but does anybody else think that this reeks of a hack job? She comes in, and all of the sudden, multiple high level officials at the university "retire" or leave, so people think she's rooting out inefficiency, but is she really? Does she really have "a plan for the future", "moving fast in the right direction", or is she just firing people to make herself look good? Obviously Hathaway had to go, but the Provost and several others? Something about all this reeks to me and I'll be interested to see if she has an long term success, instead of just "letting go" of higher-ups.

No. This is cutting the deadwood.

It is NOT a hack job. It's something rarely seen in Connecticut. Authority and responsibility in action.

 

[MattMang23]

The University of The Land of Steady Habits is making it harder to be steadily stagnant. Time to move forward- as an athletic department and an institution of higher education- UConn!

 

[uconNYC]

Loved the article in the Courant about the AD search. Looks like Herbst understands that the program is severely under leveraged and will focus heavily on marketing.

 

[Jimdish255]

No. This is cutting the deadwood.

It is NOT a hack job. It's something rarely seen in Connecticut. Authority and responsibility in action.

Drop the pious baloney and tell us what you really think.

 

[mets1090]

E-Mail I got said he was stepping down from position of Provost and returning to teaching/research but is staying at UConn. I would think that if she was forcing him out of his spot, he would seek employment at a different university.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

It is common practice for new presidents to clean house during their first full year. Gotta surround yourself with "your" people.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

E-Mail I got said he was stepping down from position of Provost and returning to teaching/research but is staying at UConn. I would think that if she was forcing him out of his spot, he would seek employment at a different university.

Also common for a provost/VP to remain a member of faculty. I have worked at 5 institutions...I have seen the same thing happen a 3 of them. If you are close to retirement and/or there isn't a better job in hand...why leave?

 

[mets1090]

Also common for a provost/VP to remain a member of faculty. I have worked at 5the institutions...I have seen the same thing happen a 3 of them. If you are close to retirement and/or there isn't a better job in hand...why leave?

That makes sense of course, I'm just almost surprised that he wouldn't just retire. Unless he isn't at that age yet of course.

 

[uconnfan68]

No. This is cutting the deadwood.

It is NOT a hack job. It's something rarely seen in Connecticut. Authority and responsibility in action.

Wow, I completely agree!

 

[TouchdownHusky]

I kinda like the phrase: "Beg Harder".

Gee and cities don't "beg harder" to get Super Bowls. And, countries don't "beg harder" to land the Olympics. Cities/Regions don't "beg harder" to land pro sport franchises. It's called marketing. UConn has a ton to offer the ACC and the B1G. Great university, terrific in most every sport, the only-game in town as far as big time college sports. Geographic proximity to NYC & Boston (remember how Notre Dame want more exposure there). Lots of reasons to sell the University, especially to the ACC who should be despirate to find BCU a "date" (i.e., a conference foe that is somewhat nearby and isn't 450 miles away.)

 

[upstater]

E-Mail I got said he was stepping down from position of Provost and returning to teaching/research but is staying at UConn. I would think that if she was forcing him out of his spot, he would seek employment at a different university.

It only happens when two minds don't meet. It's happened before where a person is told to search elsewhere. Provost is the #2 position so it's surprising that someone would simply go back to teaching rather than look for a similar position at a lesser school. I've seen people in that position be nudged aside but land on their feet at a lower ranked school. That would be the typical path. Not sure what's going on here unless the ex-Provost is close to retirement. In that case, it's not so unusual for advanced people to stay on.

I suspect, since this just happened, that he may be on the job market. The timing of this surely stinks right now since he probably should have been informed in the Fall. We're in the thick of the hiring season right now, and it's a year round affair. It doesn't come around for another year. Unless, of course, she whispered in the person's ear back in the Fall, and the current announcement simply means that no one was interested in the ex-Provost--which speaks volumes.

 

[Pudge]

I'm not convinced the ACC knows what the duck they are doing. More power than where we are: Obviously. But, we (UCONN) can get to a higher Platform than BC or SU ... imo. Just got to keep pushing. Marketing ... or begging ... is not quite a substitute in my mind for an adept AD who positions us & grows our stature. I don't want Ollie Luck.

 

[BlueMAB]

Gee and cities don't "beg harder" to get Super Bowls. And, countries don't "beg harder" to land the Olympics. Cities/Regions don't "beg harder" to land pro sport franchises. It's called marketing. UConn has a ton to offer the ACC and the B1G. Great university, terrific in most every sport, the only-game in town as far as big time college sports. Geographic proximity to NYC & Boston (remember how Notre Dame want more exposure there). Lots of reasons to sell the University, especially to the ACC who should be despirate to find BCU a "date" (i.e., a conference foe that is somewhat nearby and isn't 450 miles away.)

Herbst isn't begging anyone. That's waylon trying to convince people UConn isn't as valuable as Herbst thinks it is by mocking the job she is doing. Ironically enough, he believes UConn is valuable enough that it could have saved the conference.

 

[Palatine]

It's important to Herbst that student-fans are heard and offered support. I think this is smart.

"Last year at the Final Four in Houston, we had a lot of fans, and they exchanged notes with the Kentucky students, the VCU students, all the students that were there," Herbst said. "There's a lot we can do to make it easier for students to travel and give them more help in being fans." A veiled shot at Hathaway? In any case, this was much discussed on the Boneyard and something that badly needs to be addressed.

Herbst also wants someone who intends to make UConn more of a presence and player in New York. She was floored by the largesse of the Big East basketball tournament last year — inside and outside of Madison Square Garden.
Another great point, something that should have been a priority for the last twenty years. I also think we need a stronger beachhead in Boston.

 

[ruskin]

E-Mail I got said he was stepping down from position of Provost and returning to teaching/research but is staying at UConn. I would think that if she was forcing him out of his spot, he would seek employment at a different university.

I think Herbst is on the right track, but the scam in academia is these guys get promoted to dean/provost/whatever, go back to 'just' teaching, but get paid at the same rate as the dean or provost. Reason no. 9,999 why college is so expensive.

 

[tduconn]

I think the best emphasis is that the new director come from a strong BCS background, and not necessarily the second in command.

I am pro UConn in all sports, but I think Pres Herbst understands what drives or will drive the bus and the athletic income.....football.

I think we've had enough leadership from conference and/or maybe UConn athletics administration that premised the Big East as a "basketball" conference. I'm not knocking the conference because it has had success as a premier BB programs. However, we need to think of a bigger picture.

I have absolutely nothing against basketball, football, soccer, and any other UConn university sports down to "tiddly winks". When someone says UConn, I think of the academic and athletic successes all contribute...and support all.

However, we need athletic leadership that thinks globally and works for the benefit of all. That comes with a director with BCS experience and knows the future of athletics and how to prosper the whole athletic and academic foundation of UConn in the future.

I support Herbst concept and leadership 100+ %

 

[Excalibur]

I'm sorry, but does anybody else think that this reeks of a hack job? She comes in, and all of the sudden, multiple high level officials at the university "retire" or leave, so people think she's rooting out inefficiency, but is she really? Does she really have "a plan for the future", "moving fast in the right direction", or is she just firing people to make herself look good? Obviously Hathaway had to go, but the Provost and several others? Something about all this reeks to me and I'll be interested to see if she has an long term success, instead of just "letting go" of higher-ups.

The idea that a new leader must come in and bring "his or her own people" (meaning their buddies from previous jobs) or immediately fire someone to establish authority is ludicrous, and reeks of corporate governance from a textbook that lacks any business instinct. Any CEO that doesn't take the time to assess the existing talent should be fired immediately. But that's not what's happening here. The pace of turnover isn't that quick. She's not making wholesale changes without assessment. She's targeting specific positions that are under-performing.

 

[mattp]

E-Mail I got said he was stepping down from position of Provost and returning to teaching/research but is staying at UConn. I would think that if she was forcing him out of his spot, he would seek employment at a different university.

you'd seek other employment because you're thinking like someone that's not an employee in public academia.