. . . because much of the content relates both to Washington, D.C., and "outside the beltway" -- the heartland, specifically Iowa -- and because after going from Iowa to Washington via Texas and California I subsequently returned, From DC 2 Iowa.
Note: The following are substantial excerpts from a New York Times editorial (modified with some additional paragraph breaks), for which the Times holds the copyright. Information concerning subscriptions to the Times, both the hardcopy and digital editions, can be found -->here<--. If representatives of the Times would like for me to remove this blog entry -- along with my personal endorsement of the Times and this subscription information -- please merely contact Nicholas Johnson, at mailbox@nicholasjohnson.org, and all will be immediately removed. -- N.J.
Moments of Grace in a Grim World
Editorial, The New York Times, December 25, 2015, p. A26
[I]t might help to . . . tune out the rancor and find reasons to believe in the persistence of better values: humility, conciliation, kindness, dignity and reason.
The evidence was all around in 2015, nearly everywhere you looked.
The nations of the world came together in Paris to reach an agreement that may yet halt the march toward an overheated, unlivable planet. It offers the best chance for meaningful global action to avert catastrophic climate change, and 195 countries promised to seize it.
Pope Francis, like the saint he took his name from, a messenger of humility and peace, visited the Americas. He challenged the wealthy and powerful in the name of the poor and the weak. When he spoke to Congress, prayed at ground zero, and greeted, with a smile and a hug, a little girl who jumped a fence to approach his motorcade in Washington, he set a vivid example of welcome for children, immigrants, the forgotten.
As the Syrian crisis swelled and a human tide poured toward Western Europe, tens of thousands of refugees found open doors and hearts in Germany and other countries. The overall global response remains far from adequate, but the Germans sent a message that rebukes nationalist bigotry, defends human rights and reminds countries like the United States how to confront a humanitarian emergency.
The United States Supreme Court ruled in favor of committed love between two people, affirming the marriage rights of same-sex couples who had been denied equal treatment under the law.
The use of the death penalty in the United States fell to the lowest levels in two decades.
A bipartisan movement for criminal justice reform advanced, despite our blighted politics.
In neighborhoods long scarred by discrimination and police brutality, the Black Lives Matter movement spread a message of peaceable resistance. Its methods and successes evoked those of the older and continuing struggle for immigrants’ and workers’ rights, which had many victories, like the workers’ campaign for a $15 minimum wage.
Dozens of states and cities, resisting a xenophobic tide, passed laws expanding rights and inclusion for undocumented immigrants, through driver’s licenses, legal services and health care. Come January, California, long a leader in this area, will be the first state to forbid discrimination based on immigration status, language or citizenship.
As with states, many individuals led by example, opposing hatred and fear with courage. Parisians opened their homes to strangers on the night of terrifying slaughter there.
After a gunman’s rampage at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C., victims’ families forgave the killer. “A hateful person came to this community with some crazy idea he’d be able to divide,” said the mayor, Joseph Riley Jr., “but all he did was unite us and make us love each other even more.”
President Obama spoke at the church about healing racial divisions, then began to sing “Amazing Grace.” When the congregation stood and joined him, how sweet the sound. Days later, the Confederate battle flag came down at the South Carolina State Capitol.
Evil is everywhere, and anger and hatred are loud. The shouting drowns out the quiet; tragedy and disaster block the view of the good. Yet there are always signs of progress toward a better future. Look, or you may miss them.
During 2010 seven individuals of varying prominence discovered they had something in common.
The group included a major corporation’s CEO, U.S. Army General, CNN correspondent, Department of Agriculture employee, talk show host, major political party’s national committee chair, and a White House correspondent.
What did they have in common? Each endured the experience of joining the ranks of the unemployed. Because of the economy? No; because of something they said.
[B]asically we always talk about ourselves. Our statements are the verbalizations of our preverbal tensions. It is these organismic tensions -- not the external reality -- that we transform into words.
-- Nicholas Johnson, What Do You Mean and How Do You Know (2009), Ch. 9, p. 118, Wendell Johnson, "General Semantics and the Neuro-Biology of Communications"
Communicating with the dead is only slightly more difficult than communicating with the living.
-- Author unknown
UI President Bruce Harreld has put his foot in it with the current debate surrounding whether he said teachers "should be shot," or whether he said he "should be shot."
"UI's Harreld Sorry for Saying Unready Teachers Should Be Shot," Associated Press/Iowa City Press-Citizen (online), December 15, 2015, 12:28 p.m.; hard copy: "Harreld Says He's Sorry for Teacher Comment; UI President is Under Fire for a Statement About Unprepared Instructions," Associated Press/Iowa City Press-Citizen, December 16, 2015, p. A1
Corey Hickner-Johnson, "Harreld's Comments Out of Line," December 16, 2015, 5:33 p.m.; hard copy: Corey Hickner-Johnson, "UI President's Comments Are Out of Line," Iowa City Press-Citizen, December 17, 2015, p. A9
One could probably organize a seminar around all the categories of issues this suggests for discussion.
There is the science of communication, and as the last two quotes suggest, the miracle that human communication ever accomplishes what the speakers intend.
One could inquire into the kinds of punishments that have been imposed on those whose words were found to be unacceptable -- along with an exploration of what our society's standards should be in this context, and the due process that should be followed in the fact finding preceding punishment. (That is the subject of the sources from which the first quote comes. If you'd like to see what the "Outspoken Seven" actually said, how the complaints against them were processed, and some commentary on what might have been preferable punishments to their being fired, click on the links following that opening quote.)
In the course of this discussion, one might compare Harreld's remarks with those that resulted in the firings of the "Outspoken Seven."
Finally, there is the matter of "executive communication 101" -- what Harreld did, why it was problematical, and how he made it worse for himself -- the subjects this blog entry addresses.
A law school colleague told me the story of running into a large law firm's hiring partner one day in the school. The partner inquired about a student the professor knew. The professor raved about the student in question -- how bright he was, how he was always prepared to recite in class, his quality writing. At that point the partner interrupted, "No, I know that, or at least assumed it. What I want to know is, can he tie his shoestrings?" In other words, does he have common sense, good judgment, and reasonable social skills -- what my mother's generation would have described as "the sense God gave geese."
There are people who start every day believing they will be disrespected by others, and then look for examples. Given the attention paid to what executives say, and the difficulties associated with human communication under the best of circumstances, referred to above, they need to be more careful than the rest of us. They need good judgment. An ill considered choice of words, expressions, or stories, can harm an organization's morale, and an executive's reputation among those who may already harbor grievances and a willingness to think the worst -- however unchallenged the language might be among the boys in an all-male boardroom, barroom, or country club locker room.
As with sexual harassment by supervisors, the words used by Harreld (on the assumption he was not talking about literally shooting any UI employees) suggest a kind of tough guy approach to administration-employee, university president-faculty, relations that creates considerably more intimidation than if it came from a peer, or casual bystander. It reminds me of an occasion when I couldn't help but overhear a passenger in an airline's executive lounge shouting his demands of an employee into the phone. When he hung up, he turned to me, smiled and said, "I don't get ulcers, I give them." That's one style of management -- one I never found useful as a government official. We don't know what Harreld's style will be as he weighs layoffs and budget cuts. But his reliance on forceful figures of speech, like shooting the unprepared, even if not literally likely, are not reassuring.
There have been shootings of instructors on college campuses, including the one on which Harreld now resides (in 1991), as well as in K-12 schools across the country. As Corey Hickner-Johnson points out in the opinion piece linked above, one should be able to anticipate that attempts at lighthearted references to instructors being shot are probably not going to be well received by instructors -- even if the remarks do not inspire real harm from the deranged.
Words matter. TV host Glenn Beck infamously advocated that the best way for conservatives to deal with liberals was to "shoot them in the head." A correlation is not a cause, but many suggested that this kind of language from Beck, Sarah Palin, and others may have played some role in subsequently motivating the shot in the head of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in Tucson, seven months later, on January 8, 2011 (along with the injury and death of 18 others).
There is an expression in the business literature, and elsewhere, that if you find yourself stuck down in the bottom of a deep hole, the first step to getting out is to stop digging. It has its application in Executive Communication 101 as well. Or, as law professors advise their soon-to-be new lawyers, once you've won your case, stop arguing.
After his gaff was called to his attention, Harreld's first instinct was his best. In an email exchange with the person who emailed her complaint about his remark, he replied, “I apologize and appreciate your calling my attention to it." She responded that she appreciated his apology and understood his remark to be rhetorical. Had he left it at that he would have taken a lump, but the story probably wouldn't have made it into the next news cycle.
Not content to leave this resolution alone, and rejecting the wise counsel from the adage that "yesterday's newspapers are used to wrap fish and line bird cages," he kept the story alive. That was his first mistake. The second mistake was that what he came up with by way of a defense made no sense at all. He contended that, in the context of a discussion of UI instructors preparation to teach, while saying that "unprepared teachers should be shot" would be inappropriate, that was not what he said. He claimed he said that if he was, or when he was, an instructor that if he was unprepared "he should be shot."
He thereby insured a second round of stories in the next news cycle, and since there was no recording of what he said, the rejection of his assertion by some of those present. It also created the sense that although he once seemed to understand what he'd done wrong and apologized for, he was now trying to excuse it as OK -- and with a distinction that was unpersuasive at best.
NOTE: IF YOU CAME HERE LOOKING FOR INFO ABOUT PRES HARRELD SAYING UNPREPARED INSTRUCTORS SHOULD BE SHOT, THAT TINY URL WAS WRONG; TRY THIS ONE: http://tinyurl.com/zjthywh Dec 13-15 last item
This Has Not Been "A Quiet Week in Lake Wobegon"
Ya got trouble, my friend, right here,
I say, trouble right here in River City!
. . .
With a capital "T"
That rhymes with "B"
And that stands for Branstad
. . .
Mothers of River City!
Heed the warning before it's too late!
Watch for the tell-tale sign of corruption!
Harold Hill warned us there would be days like this.
One hopes that corruption (in the dictionary sense of "perversion of integrity") among those running major institutions is just a one-off thing, the rare trip-and-fall from the pedestal -- or, in the case of a post turtle* a fall from the post. But what we've been witnessing recently looks an awful lot more like a pattern.
As a concession to shortness of space, as well as life itself, a few examples from the past couple weeks will have to do -- rather than an endeavor to describe it all. Besides how could one know about all of it. Like Will Rogers, "All I know is what I read in the papers."
The majority is not silent, the Regents are deaf. The month began on December 1 with the revelation that the Regents' "transparency" and openness with the public takes the form of an opportunity for citizens to make video recordings that might or might not be watched by any regent, and would almost never be responded to or have any impact on Regents' actions. Vanessa Miller, "Speakers Fault Hiring of Harreld at Transparency Hearing; At Hearing Some Faculty Assail Video-Recorded Sessions As 'Essentially Meaningless,'"The Gazette (online), November 30, 2015, 9:53 p.m.; hard copy: Vanessa Miller, "Speakers Fault Hiring of Harreld; At Hearing Some Faculty Assail Video-Recorded Sessions As 'Essentiallly Meaningless,'" The Gazette, December 1, 2015, p. A3
Conflicts of interest. Regents President Bruce Rastetter has had a little difficulty distinguishing between his public responsibilities towards Iowa's universities and the opportunities they offer for his private businesses. He earlier obtained an interest-free loan from Iowa State University for $480,000. On December 3 we learned that he may stand to profit from his ownership in a company that may work on a University of Iowa project. Vanessa Miller, "Regents President Reports Another Conflict; Rastetter-Backed TelePharm Looks to Work on UI Project,"The Gazette (online), November 30, 2015, 9:55 p.m.; hard copy: Vanessa Miller, "Board of Regents: President Reports Potential Conflict; Rastetter-Backed TelePharm Looks to Work on UI Project," The Gazette, December 3, 2015, p. A3
Allegations of Open Meetings violations. On that day (Dec. 3) we also learned that a lawsuit, charging the Board of Regents with violating Iowa's Open Meetings law during the presidential search, had been set for trial. Vanessa Miller, "UI Presidential Search Lawsuit Set for Trial; Former Candidate Calls UI Search Process 'Unique,"The Gazette (online), December 3, 2015, 5:09 p.m.; hard copy: Vanessa Miller, "Higher Education: UI Presidential Search Lawsuit Set for Trial; Former Candidate Not Involved in Case Calls Search Process 'Unique," The Gazette, December 4, 2015, p. A8
The Rastetter-Robillard-Stead-Harreld connection. And we also learned of the ties between Jean Robillard (head of the UIHC hospital operation, interim president of the University and chair of the Search Committee), Jerre Stead (major donor to Robillard's projects, member of the search committee, and mentor to Bruce Harreld) in the naming of the $360 million UIHC Children's Hospital and the appointment of Harreld.
It's wonderful that the Stead family has been generous with its contributions to the University. With legislative cutbacks in financial support of public education, universities are more dependent than ever on generous major donors. We applaud them and are grateful. But this gift, and naming, does raise an interesting question regarding how the University of Iowa goes about selling off naming rights for its buildings.
This was at most a $25 million gift (and possibly only $5 million) toward a $360 million building, or slightly under 7% of its cost (if the higher number is used). Is that percentage typical? Does the UI have a rate card? How big a personal or corporate gift would be required to put a personal or business name on the entire university, such as "The Exxon University of Iowa"? Vanessa Miller, "University of Iowa Children's Hospital to be Named After Stead Family; Couple Says They're Motivated by Childrens' Health, Not Glory,"The Gazette (online), December 2, 2015, 10:45 a.m.; hard copy: Vanessa Miller, "Health Care: UI Children's Hospital Honors Donors; New Facility Will Bear Name of Steads, Who Have Given $25 Million to Children's Medicine," The Gazette, December 3, 2015, p. A3 ("He [Jerre Stead] was part of the 21-member committee charged with searching for a new UI president, and Bruce Harreld — who was chosen for the job — said Stead was instrumental early on in recruiting him to apply for the job.")
Jeff Charis-Carlson, "UI Children's Hospital to be Named After Stead Family,"Iowa City Press-Citizen (online), December 2, 2015, 10:31 a.m.; hard copy: Jeff Charis-Carlson, "UI Children's Hospital to be Named After Family; The Steads Make Single Largest Gift Toward the Hospital's Mission," Iowa City Press-Citizen, December 3, 2015, p. A3 ("Bruce Harreld, who was appointed UI president in September, said in a previous interview that he has viewed Stead as a mentor for decades. He also said Stead helped persuade him to meet in early June with Robillard and other members of the UI Presidential Search and Screen Committee – a meeting that helped lead Harreld to consider applying for the job. 'We’re glad Bruce is there,' said Stead, who also served on the search committee. '... It will have a very positive way of balancing our investments in the future knowing that Bruce is leading the University of Iowa to even greater success.'”)
Will he (1) publicly condemn the practice described below? (2) Provide excuses and supposed justifications for why it was OK? Or will he (3) remain silent, leaving the responses (and responsibility) to others? So far he has chosen number (3).
Ryan J. Foley, "Documents Reveal UI Deals With GOP Insider," Associated Press/Iowa City Press-Citizen (online), December 9, 2015, 12:29 p.m.; hard copy: Ryan Foley, "Documents Reveal UI Deals With GOP Insider; School Awarded Several No-Bid Contracts Totaling $321,900 to a Prominent Consultant," Iowa City Press-Citizen, December 10, 2015, p. A3 ("The University of Iowa has quietly awarded several no-bid contracts totaling $321,900 to a prominent GOP consultant . . .. [It looks] like a sweetheart deal among Republican insiders and a potential waste of money. The university sidestepped a policy that normally requires competitive bidding [on contracts of $25,000 or more; this contract was for $24,900] to ensure services are obtained at the lowest cost . . .. [S]ome of the money has gone for statewide opinion polling that the university is refusing to make public, saying doing so would 'serve no public purpose.'")
As a friend commented to me at the time, "What other institution creates a scandal in the process of trying to improve its image?"
The AAUP Report. The very next day there was news from the national American Association of University Professors, following its thorough investigation of Bruce Harreld's selection, in a report that even President Harreld acknowledged was "accurate from my perspective.”
The report concluded that the Iowa Board of Regents search for the UI's president -- involving Governor Branstad, Branstad's principal donor and his president of the Regents Bruce Rastetter, UI Vice President for Medical Affairs and Search Committee chair Jean Robillard, major hospital contributor and Harreld mentor Jerre Stead, and Bruce Harreld -- was "a crude exercise in naked power" undertaken "in bad faith," insofar as, among other things, the selection of Bruce Harreld was "foreordained." "It is difficult to see how anyone of intelligence and probity would permit himself or herself to be considered for a future presidency in Iowa." "College and University Governance: The University of Iowa Governing Board's Selection of a President," AAUP Bulletin, December 9, 2015.
President Harreld's communications consultant. Toward the end of last week [Dec. 11] came stories of Harreld's personal speech teacher. The first published report was brief. It essentially said that he had one, and was paying for it personally. The subsequent revision of the story provided some context. "Harreld Hires Consultant to Improve Communication Skills," Associated Press/Des Moines Register (online)/Iowa City Press-Citizen (online), December 11, 2015, 2:00 p.m., revised 5:28 p.m.; hard copy: "Harreld Hires Consultant to Improve Communication Skills; UI President is Paying for It Himself," Iowa City Press-Citizen, December 12, 2015, p. A4 Here are some quotes:
UI President Bruce Harreld is paying for the services of Eileen Wixted, a crisis communications consultant, out of his own pocket. . . .
Wixted works for clients in nuclear power, health care and agribusiness, including Rastetter's corporation, Summit Farms.
Wixted helped Summit Farms respond to questions last year about $480,000 in no-interest loans it had received from a program based at Iowa State University, which critics called a conflict of interest for Rastetter.
She's also done some work for regents' institutions. She was hired for behind-the-scenes communications advice for University of Northern Iowa when regents approved the closure of its teaching laboratory school and numerous academic programs in 2012. . . .
Wixted said she conducted "on-camera media coaching sessions" for Harreld before he assumed the presidency Nov. 2, focusing on the "mechanics of being interviewed by broadcast media." She hopes to do more.
Wixted said she didn't advise Harreld on strategy and messaging, leaving those functions to UI. Since July, the university has been paying Terri Goren of Atlanta-based Goren and Associates $20,000 a month to oversee its Office of Strategic Communication on a part-time basis. Goren's contract, which called for her to develop a communications plan for the new president . . ..
For starters, what's with this Terri Goren contract? She is being paid at a $400,000-a-year rate ($20,000 a month for 3/5 time, or 3 days a week) plus a $25,000 cap on expenses. Developing a "communications plan" for President Harreld is her job. Why did he feel he needed someone else? If so, why did she need to be chosen outside of normal hiring procedures?
My comments on the pros and cons of communications consultants, and the elements of "crisis communications" can be found -->HERE<-- It's not that they can't do any good, but Harreld's primary "communications" need right now is mastery of the issues, creating and following his own moral compass, and communicating as himself -- not as an actor taking others ideas, and words, and style, and coming across as insincere.
We are reminded of Rastetter's $480,000 conflict of interest loan from Iowa State (free of any interest), and his judgment that such problems, if discovered, can always just be papered over with the help of communications consultants -- not the best of lessons for Harreld right now. And we're left to wonder about the extent to which he's providing other detailed directions, or suggestions, to Harreld, that Harreld feels obliged to follow -- and what, if anything, he gets out of throwing more business to Wixted -- like the no-bid contracts for polling, mentioned above, that were given to GOP insiders.
Robillard's private jet trip. Also on December 11 we were introduced to Jean Robillard's $10,747 private jet flight to Colorado.
The facts reported in this story raise so many questions -- including any possible relationships between a substantial gift to Robillard (for the Children's Hospital) from a Search Committee member and both of them supporting the selection of Harreld. Here are a few of those questions.
(1) It's 110 miles from Iowa City to Galesburg. With private jets flying out of the Iowa City and Cedar Rapids airports, if Robillard was really in that much of a hurry why would he take an extra couple hours each way to drive to Galesburg? Could it be he was trying to avoid any local record of this trip?
(2) The Steads have donated some $54 million to UI and the UIHC over 30 years. “'Dr. Robillard has had a tremendously long relationship with the Steads — more than 30 years,' [UI Foundation spokeswoman Dana] Larson said." Was this private jet trip really necessary to insure another $5 million?
(3) What was the incremental additional amount the Steads donated to have the $360 million hospital named for them -- $5 million?! It looks like all, or almost all, of their previous $25 million resulted in their being honored for something else.
(4) This was one week before Stead's friend Harreld (whom he first met over 20 years ago) was to be anointed UI president -- following the work of a search committee which Robillard chaired and on which Stead sat. That fact really had nothing to do with the trip?
(5) There are opportunity costs to any expenditure. Much is made of the fact the $10,747 trip didn't involve taxpayer funds. But what was not done with this money that otherwise would have been?
(6) Details of Harreld's travel expenses, reported in this story, have always been confusing. "He [Harreld] paid for all previous travel to Iowa during the search process, officials said." (a) Why would he do that? Why would the University require it (if it did)? (b) Regardless, the University's expenses for Harreld's travel "have totaled $7,278.44 -- including $5,709.04 spent before he officially took office Nov. 2 . . .."
Vanessa Miller, "UI Interim President Took $10,747 Flight to Secure Children's Hospital Donation; Trip Came One Week Before New President's Hire,"The Gazette (online), December 11, 2015, 4:59 p.m.; hard copy: Vanessa Miller, "Higher Education: UI Leader Took $10,747 Flight to Denver for $5 Million kGift; The Trip United Two Presidential Search Committee Members One Week Before Decision," The Gazette, December 12, 2015, p. A1
Full employment plan for Republicans. And before I could put this together and post it, along comes today's news, involving the same governor and president of the Board of Regents, but a different executive-to-be and university (Iowa State).
Once again, it involves favoritism toward a fellow Republican, in this case the former Speaker of the Iowa House of Representatives, Kraig Paulsen; very possibly intervention by the Board of Regents, or its president; raising Paulsen's salary from the $45,828 he earned as speaker to $135,000 a year; to head a formerly non-existent job with a formerly non-existent program at Iowa State; hired without complying with the usual advertising of the position. It's a sad story, told through the email exchanges. Here's a link to the story. Read it if you think by now you have the stomach for it.
If you think I've been unfair with the telling of any of these tales, consider the linked newspaper stories and other documents as the best authority we have as to facts (rather than relying on what I've written), and then please use this blog's comment feature to tell me what you think should be changed.
If you agree with what's written here, give me some idea of what we can do. As the AAUP Report concludes, it's up to us: "The remedy, so long as these institutions remain under public control, must be found in an informed public opinion, in the expression of the public’s sense that such actions by members of a governing board not only undermine the ideals and purposes of the university but also affront the citizenry the board ostensibly serves."
_______________
* Post turtle (Texas). When you're driving down a country road and you see a fence post with a turtle balanced on top, that's a post turtle. You know he didn't get up there by himself. He doesn't belong there. He can't get anything done while he's up there. And you just want to help the poor, dumb thing down.
[Looking for ""Regents, UI, and Bruce Harreld Resources"? -->Click Here<--]
Note: On Sunday evening, December 6, Bernie lovers, music lovers, speakers and musicians gathered at The Mill in Iowa City for music and talk.
Here's a video of Dave Moore's song, -->"Feelin' the Bern,"<-- played at the Rockin' the Bern event (but recorded in this video earlier). It ought to be the campaign's theme song!
I was one of those asked to speak, and opened the evening with energized remarks along these lines.
Rockin the Bern
Nicholas Johnson
Are you feeling the Bern?
Let's show our appreciation for those who made this evening possible: Mike Carberry, Matt Grimm, and Bernie staffers Nate Rifkin and Kate Revaux.
I've been involved in presidential campaigns since Harry Truman's victory in 1948, when my social studies teacher, John Haefner, came to class the next day displaying the Chicago Tribune page-one headline, "Dewey Defeats Truman." That was my first awareness of the role of media in the political process.
As it happened, President Truman would later be the first U.S. president that I would meet in the White House.
So my role here this evening is to provide a little historical context, and to bear witness that those my age do not hold Senator Sanders' relative youth against him. In fact, we're very impressed with how much he's learned in such a short time.
So why Bernie?
It's not that presidents since Truman have given us nothing. President Eisenhower gave the country that great socialist interstate highway system. We even have a stretch of it in Iowa City. President Kennedy started the Peace Corps. President Lyndon Johnson, for whom I worked, provided a package of civil rights and remedies. Even President Nixon created the Environmental Protection Agency. OK, so since President Reagan it's been kind of a slow slide down.
But you get my point. For 67 years I’ve been waiting for a presidential candidate who would offer us not merely a few crumbs of progressive legislation, but would turn the entire political dialog, and role of government, away from a to-get-along-go-along compromise and stalemate, dominated by major donors and their puppets. Someone who would turn our entire government and national political dialogue on all public policy issues a full 180 degrees -– to programs of, by and for the people, programs that start with service to the public rather than the 1%, programs designed to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.
That is why I responded to Senator Sanders as I have.
Of course, I like his specifics proposals: tuition-free college, paid maternity leave and child care, a full employment economy tending to our nation's infrastructure, universal single-payer healthcare, a living wage, Wall Street reform, and taking the corruption out of our current campaign finance system.
That last one is central to all the rest. And he lives it. He's running this campaign without the money from billionaires' PACs. And that's one of the reasons he, and I, encourage you to make regular monthly contributions to his campaign. Don't give more than you can afford, given your income and other demands -- even if it's no more than $5.00 a month. But the Bernie campaign needs income every month because it has expenses every month -- just like you and me. And if he's not going to get that income from the 1% then those of us in the 99% have to provide it.
But more than his specific proposals is his totally different orientation, his 180-degree reverse direction toward a government focused on what is best for all the American people. It is the very different way of thinking about government that I have been hoping for during the last 67 years.
It is so important that we keep this approach to government in our public political discussion. And that is why I urge every Iowan -- Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, Greens, Independents -– regardless of who your favorite candidate may now be, to come out and caucus for Bernie. You’ll still get to vote next November for whoever the parties’ nominees may be. But between now and those national nominating conventions next year it is in the best interest of every American in the 99% to make sure all of the presidential candidates continue to hear both his unique message and our roar of support from Iowa.
Thank you.
_______________
For additional blog essays regarding Senator Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign, see:
Understanding Terrorist Thugs
Nicholas Johnson
The Daily Iowan, December 3, 2015, p. A4
What Motivates 'Terrorist Thugs'?
Nicholas Johnson
The Gazette, December 20, 2015, p. C4
What is the ultimate goal of those terrorist thugs in Iraq and Syria with their random, if organized, attacks on innocent Westerners?
Until we figure that out, our responses run a serious risk of making us less, rather than more, safe.
Here’s a possible explanation.
In their minds, this is not a battle against the West as an ultimate goal. It is a battle for the hearts and minds of the world’s 1.5 billion Muslims, designed to bring them into the thugs’ ambit. To achieve this, they need two things. They need evidence the West is, in fact, waging a war on Islam that puts all Muslims in danger. And they need plausibly to argue they offer Muslims protection from hostile Westerners. Where? In a state of their own, their Islamic Caliphate (Arabic for “successor;” in this case successor to the Prophet Mohammed).
To do this they want and need war with the West. Like a bully looking for a fight, terrorist acts that provoke our response of war serve their cause. What better evidence of a war than our organizing coalitions, bombing their territory, and sending in troops? When our leaders oblige, and then call this a “war” or “clash of cultures,” they just help the terrorists’ cause.
When our governors refuse to accept suffering Syrian refugees or say we should admit Christian but not Syrian Muslims, it further confirms the thugs’ case. When Muslims needing our protection are rejected by us, we leave them no option but to look to these thugs for protection.
We further aid their cause when we buy into the assertion that they do, in fact, control a state, using the reference they prefer: “Islamic State” (in the acronyms ISIS and ISIL).
That is why the name used here is “terrorist thugs” rather than any mention of their “state.”
Do they enjoy killing Westerners, by whatever means? Yes. They probably even get a chuckle from our seeming inability to find them with our global, industrial-grade surveillance — and then, when we do, our failures to use and share the results.
But it’s highly unlikely they share Hitler’s vision of taking over the territory of Europe and the United Sates or killing us all. Their goal does not require, nor do they have, such resources. That’s why they welcome our providing the video images of a war waged inside their state. Meanwhile, their public-relations media experts are tasked with the global distribution of recruiting material, along with claims of credit for events such as the downed Russian airliner and the coordinated Paris killings. [Photo credit: Daily Iowan/Associated Press, Evan Vucci]
We calmly accept 30,000 gun deaths every year as our constitutional right, but panic at the prospect of up to 1/10th of 1 percent more killings from terrorist acts. We erect buildings’ physical barriers, increase military and police presence, search fans at college football stadiums, and perform a theater of ineffective “security” in airports. Since the thugs’ provocations involve terrorism rather than war, every time we appear terrorized, more points are put up on their scoreboard.
Suppose a traditional war could be fought there, with a uniformed enemy, and frontlines on battlefields (rather than killing innocents in urban warfare). Even if we won, what then? Why would it be any different from the last time, when we imposed a Shiite government on the formerly ruling Sunnis, chaos reigned, and the opportunist Sunni tribal leaders looked to the thugs for stability?
Some of these tribes have hundreds, even thousands, of years of history. The last time they helped us, we turned our backs and left them to struggle. Why should they trust us now?
But they may be our only hope. Fighting terrorism is like a game of whack-a-mole. The more we kill the more recruits they get. New thugs-in-chief replace the old. Tribal leaders are our only long term hope. In Iraq, all wars as well as politics are local.
____________________
Nicholas Johnson, as U.S. Maritime administrator, managed sealift to Vietnam and maintains FromDC2Iowa.blogspot.com. Contact: mailbox@nicholasjohnson.org
Note: The Iowa Board of Regents' process used in the search for, and ultimate selection of, a new president for the University of Iowa has been highly controversial throughout. For the details, with links to well over 200 documents, news stories, and opinion pieces, visit this: repository of links from September 2-October 31, 2015 (which also includes links to additional blog posts).
Because that repository, organized by dates, is already far too large, it is now closed to the addition of further items (with rare exceptions) -- although it remains available to users as a valuable resource.
The continuation of that coverage is first found in "UI President Harreld - Nov. 2015," for the month of November, starting with the anticipatory stories on November 1, followed by his first day on the job, November 2.
This blog post, "UI President Harreld - Dec. 2015," is where the continuation of coverage will be found for the month of December. To the extent events warrant, the present plan is to continue to collect items in month-by-month blog posts during 2016.
Josh O'Leary, "UI President Condemns Racist Graffiti Found on Campus,"Iowa City Press-Citizen (online), November 30, 2015, 10:06 p.m.; hard copy: Josh O'Leary, "UI President Condemns Racist Graffiti Found on Campus; University Conducting an Investigation, Saying Prosecution is Possible," Iowa City Press-Citizen, December 1, 2015, p. A1
Here are a couple more for President Harreld to think about:
The First Amendment is most often referenced for its protection of "free speech" -- "Congress shall make no law . . . abridging the freedom of speech" (a subject the Supreme Court has made much more qualified, complex and nuanced than the words "freedom of speech" would seem to suggest). Because "Congress" has been read by the Court to include essentially all institutions of government, it applies to public universities like the UI. University presidents are struggling in their efforts to balance, on the one hand, the goals of the First Amendment, and the diversity of viewpoints, free inquiry and civil discourse of universities, against, on the other hand, the consequences of hate speech, or direct incitement to violence. President Harreld's conclusion on such a situation yesterday is described in the stories linked above.
But the very language of the First Amendment has internalized a conflict in its own language with regard to another of its topics: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof . . .." How is a university president to think about a student request for religious courses, services, or facilities? This is another one for Harreld to begin thinking about -- because it's already on his doorstep.
UI's Muslims want a place to pray five times a day. Provide one and it could appear to be an "establishment of religion." Refuse to do so, and it could appear to be "prohibiting the free exercise thereof." What's a university president to do?
See Jeff Charis-Carlson, "MuslimCollege Students Seek Permanent Prayer Space,"Iowa City Press-Citizen (online), November 30, 2015, 6:58 a.m.; hard copy: Jeff Charis-Carlson, "Muslim Students Seek Permanent Prayer Space; Muslims At All 3 Regents Universities Working to Solve Issue," Iowa City Press-Citizen, November 30, 2015, p. A1.
And speaking of our Muslim friends, surely Harreld is aware that both his Republican Governor, and local Democratic Representative in Congress, are concerned about the U.S. admitting Syrian refugees who might turn out to be terrorists. How should he respond? Speak out, or say nothing to reassure our Muslim students? Support the fear mongers' concerns? Or point out how their pandering to fear is just silly?
Here's another: Is this now a problem for UI students? If not now, but it's proposed in the future, how does President Harreld think he should respond? Will Hobson and Steven Rich, "Why Students Foot the Bill for College Sports, and How Some Are Fighting Back,"Washington Post (online), November 30, 2015 ("In 2014, students at 32 schools paid a combined $125.5 million in athletic fees, according to a Washington Post examination of financial records at 52 public universities in the 'Power Five,' the five wealthiest conferences in college sports.")
And while we're talking about student tuition, here's another issue on which we've yet to see a statement from President Harreld: Jeff Charis-Carlson, "Proposed Tuition Hike for International Students Draws Ire,"Iowa City Press-Citizen (online), December 1, 2015, 7:13 p.m.; hard copy: Jeff Charis-Carlson, "Higher Price to Study in Iowa? Iowa State's Request for $1500 Tuition Hike for International Students Met With Resistance," Iowa City Press-Citizen, December 2, 2015, p. A1 (students are saying, if the rationale for an increase is increased costs (a) those costs should be documented, not merely asserted, and (b) the money should be paid as "fees" -- dedicated to those additional services for international students -- rather than "tuition," which can be spent by the administration on nearly anything).
Prez Harreld says he wants to bring UI up in the rankings of universities by average faculty salaries (where it has been dropping). He also says he wants to reward those who meet his standards of "excellence" and hire more who will bring UI "quality" rather than "quantity." If Iowa's ranking by average salaries is going to be his guiding star, there are two ways to get there: (1) raise everyone's salary, (2) pay those making the most even more, while laying off those with the lower salaries. Not saying that's what he has in mind, but think about it. Vanessa Miller, "UI President Harreld Promises Regular Public Hearings to Engage UI Community; Harreld: It Will Be 'Very Collaborative,'"The Gazette (online), December 1, 2015, 5:36 p.m.; hard copy: Vanessa Miller, "Higher Education: UI President Promises to Hold Series of Public Forums; Harreld Says He Wants to Engage University in Creating Shared Vision," The Gazette, December 2, 2015, p. A8
Here's how one university president is responding to racial threats on his campus: Peter Schmidt, "How a President Is Fighting Online Harassment of Minority Students,"The Chronicle of Higher Education (online), December 2, 2015 ("[Western Washington University President Bruce] Shepard has taken a series of steps since then to make minority students feel safe. They included beefing up campus security, creating an anonymous tip line for reporting threats, and undertaking new efforts to fight racism on the campus. On Monday . . . he held a town-hall meeting to discuss the recent campus tensions . . ..")
Jeff Charis-Carlson, "Regents Release Presidential Search Comments,"Iowa City Press-Citizen (online), December 2, 2015, 8:19 p.m.; hard copy: Jeff Charis-Carlson, "Regents Release Public Comments from UI Presidential Search," Iowa City Press-Citizen, December 3, 2015, p. A3
Jeff Charis-Carlson, "Regents Approve Tuition Increase for UI, Freeze for UNI, ISU,"Iowa City Press-Citizen (online), December 2, 2015, 3:12 p.m.; hard copy: Jeff Charis-Carlson, "Tuition Hike for UI is Approved; But Resident Undergraduates at ISU and UNI Could See a Tuition Freeze in the 2016-17 Academic Year," Iowa City Press-Citizen, December 3, 2015, p. A1
It's wonderful that the Stead family has been generous with its contributions to the University. With legislative cutbacks in financial support of public education, universities are more dependent than ever on generous major donors. We applaud them and are grateful. But this gift, and naming, does raise an interesting question regarding how the University of Iowa goes about selling off naming rights for its buildings. This was a $25 million gift toward a $360 million building, or slightly under 7% of its cost. Is that percentage typical? Does the UI have a rate card? How big a personal or corporate gift would be required to put a personal or business name on the entire university, such as "The Exxon University of Iowa"? Vanessa Miller, "University of Iowa Children's Hospital to be Named After Stead Family; Couple Says They're Motivated by Childrens' Health, Not Glory,"The Gazette (online), December 2, 2015, 10:45 a.m.; hard copy: Vanessa Miller, "Health Care: UI Children's Hospital Honors Donors; New Facility Will Bear Name of Steads, Who Have Given $25 Million to Children's Medicine," The Gazette, December 3, 2015, p. A3 ("He [Jerre Stead] was part of the 21-member committee charged with searching for a new UI president, and Bruce Harreld — who was chosen for the job — said Stead was instrumental early on in recruiting him to apply for the job.")
Breaking news (Dec. 2, 10:33 a.m.): The Rastetter-Robillard-Stead-Harreld connection: Jeff Charis-Carlson, "UI Children's Hospital to be Named After Stead Family,"Iowa City Press-Citizen (online), December 2, 2015, 10:31 a.m.; hard copy: Jeff Charis-Carlson, "UI Children's Hospital to be Named After Family; The Steads Make Single Largest Gift Toward the Hospital's Mission," Iowa City Press-Citizen, December 3, 2015, p. A3 ("Bruce Harreld, who was appointed UI president in September, said in a previous interview that he has viewed Stead as a mentor for decades. He also said Stead helped persuade him to meet in early June with Robillard and other members of the UI Presidential Search and Screen Committee – a meeting that helped lead Harreld to consider applying for the job. 'We’re glad Bruce is there,' said Stead, who also served on the search committee. '... It will have a very positive way of balancing our investments in the future knowing that Bruce is leading the University of Iowa to even greater success.'”)
Tom Ackerman, "Harreld to Hold Forums,"The Daily Iowan, December 3, 2015; hard copy: Tom Ackerman, "Harreld to Hold Forums," The Daily Iowan, December 3, 2015, p. 1
Laura McKenna, "Why Are Fewer College Presidents Academics?"The Atlantic, December 3, 2015 ("[University of Missouri President Timothy M.] Wolfe is part of a trend in higher ed of putting non-academics in leadership positions at colleges. Twenty percent of U.S. college presidents in 2012 came from fields outside academia, up from from 13 percent six years earlier, according to the American Council on Education. Many of the non-academic college presidents come from the law and business worlds. Jonathan Lash, who now oversees Hampshire College, was previously a lawyer who served as president of the nonprofit World Resources Institute, a Washington-based environmental think tank. Before Bruce Benson was selected to lead the University of Colorado in 2008, he had a successful career in the oil industry. He has also been involved in banking, real estate, cable television, and restaurants. Neither Lash nor Benson have Ph.Ds. Other nontraditional college presidents have government backgrounds. Margaret Spelling, the new president of North Carolina, is the former Secretary of Education under George W. Bush. Janet Napolitano, the former Secretary of Homeland Security, is the president of the University of California. Bill McRaven, the chancellor of the University of Texas system, is a former admiral in the navy and commander of the U.S. Special Operations Command. Purdue’s president, Mitch Daniels, is the former governor of Indiana. Florida State’s president, John Thrasher, was the Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives. Proponents of non-academic candidates say that leaders from the worlds of business or government or law are needed to innovate, control costs, and manage a complex organization like a college institution.")
Richard Roberts, "Author, Dean's Warning Was Prescient,"Iowa City Press-Citizen (online), December 6, 2015, 1:55 p.m.; hard copy: Richard Roberts, "Author, Dean's Warning Was Prescient," Iowa City Press-Citizen, December 7, 2015, p. A9
Tom Ackerman, "Harreld Announces UI Forum,"The Daily Iowan (online), December 8, 2015; hard copy: Tom Ackerman, "Harreld Announces UI Forum," The Daily Iowan, December 8, 2015, p. 1
Sophia Finster, "UI President Harreld Should Address Sustainability,"The Daily Iowan (online), December 8, 2015; hard copy: Sophia Finster, "Harreld: Talk Sustainability," The Daily Iowan, December 8, 2015; hard copy: Sophia Finster, "Harreld: Talk Sustainability," The Daily Iowan, December 8, 2015, p. 4
Stephen Gruber-Miller, "UIPD Creates 'Soft Space' Interview Room for Sex Assault Victims,"Iowa City Press-Citizen, December 7, 2015, 10:22 p.m.; hard copy: Stephen Gruber-Miller, "UIPD Creates 'Soft Space;' University Officials Hoping New Interview Room Will Make It Easier for Victims of Assault, Other Trauma to Talk to Police," Iowa City Press-Citizen, December 8, 2015, p. A3
Zach Berg, "Iowa Writers' House Supplies IC a New Support Group for Writers,"Iowa City Press-Citizen (online), December 8, 2015, 11:13 p.m.; hard copy: Zach Berg, "Iowa Writers' House Supplies IC a New Support Group for Writers; Nonprofit Created with Coffee, Literary Minds," Iowa City Press-Citizen, December 9, 2015, p. A1
President Harreld has said he would focus on "integrity" (e.g., "Harreld said 'I told Gary [Barta] the winning is yours; I’m all about the integrity and the academics.'"). Well, here's one for him. Will he (1) publicly condemn this practice? (2) Provide excuses and supposed justifications for why it was really just fine? Or will he (3) remain silent, leaving the responses (and responsibility) to others? Ryan J. Foley, "Documents Reveal UI Deals With GOP Insider," Associated Press/Iowa City Press-Citizen (online), December 9, 2015, 12:29 p.m.; hard copy: Ryan Foley, "Documents Reveal UI Deals With GOP Insider; School Awarded Several No-Bid Contracts Totaling $321,900 to a Prominent Consultant," Iowa City Press-Citizen, December 10, 2015, p. A3 ("The University of Iowa has quietly awarded several no-bid contracts totaling $321,900 to a prominent GOP consultant . . .. [It looks] like a sweetheart deal among Republican insiders and a potential waste of money. The university sidestepped a policy that normally requires competitive bidding [on contracts of $25,000 or more; this contract was for $24,900] to ensure services are obtained at the lowest cost . . .. [S]ome of the money has gone for statewide opinion polling that the university is refusing to make public, saying doing so would 'serve no public purpose.'")
And see this commentary on the story immediately above: Lynda Waddington, "More GOP Cronyism Staining UI,"The Gazette (online), December 13, 2015, 10:45 a.m.; hard copy: Lynda Waddington, "More GOP Cronyism Staining UI," The Gazette, December 12, 2015, p. A6 ("The contracts were managed by UI Vice President for External Relations Peter Matthes, a former Iowa Senate Republican Caucus staff director who served alongside [Peter] Strawn [former Iowa Republican Party Chair, whose company received the $321,900 no-bid contracts from UI].")
Jeff Charis-Carlson, "AAUP Calls UI Search a 'Crude Exercise in Naked Power,'"Iowa City Press-Citizen (online), December 10, 2015, 10:51 a.m.; hard copy: Jeff Charis-Carlson, "AAUP: UI Search 'Crude Exercise in Naked Power;' National Group of Professors Denounces the Recent Search for University's New President," Iowa City Press-Citizen, December 10, 2015, p. A1
Eric Kelderman, "AAUP Blasts Process Used to Hire Bruce Harreld as U. of Iowa's President,"The Chronicle of Higher Education (online), December 10, 2015 ("The search process . . . damaged the institution’s national reputation by disrespecting the other three finalists, who had been led to believe that they were participating in an honest search. 'It is difficult to see how anyone of intelligence and probity would permit himself or herself to be considered for a future presidency in Iowa,' the report concludes. . . . Mr. Harreld declined to participate in the association’s investigation that produced the report, but he did review the draft and responded that it was 'accurate from my perspective.'”)
Jeff Charis-Carlson and Josh O'Leary, "Grad Students Ask UI to Help Curb Rent Hike,"Iowa City Press-Citizen (online), December 10, 2015, 8:57 p.m.; hard copy: Jeff Charis-Carlson and Josh O'Leary, "Campus Housing: Grad Students Ask UI to Help Curb Rent hike; Graduate Students Living on Campus Are Calling on UI Officials to Intervene in a Proposed Rent Hike," Iowa City Press-Citizen, December 11, 2015, p. A1
President Harreld is getting a speech coach.
There is so much to be said about this next item.
There's nothing wrong with an executive wanting to improve his or her skills. And it's refreshing to see one paying for the training out of their own pocket.
"Crisis communications" is one thing, and important for every large institution's executive. But the principles are pretty simple and common sense, as I've written elsewhere -- notwithstanding the extent to which many executives prefer to ignore them (from presidents of universities and corporations to presidents of the United States). See, Crisis Communications 101; There are Three Steps," February 14, 2011.
But central to all executive communications, including crisis communications, is that it come from the executive's own center, his moral and ethical polestar, the result of his having read and thought about the issue ahead of time. Taking advice from others regarding what he or she should say, and how they should say it, can and often does backfire as insincere. Why? Because it is insincere, not in an evil sense, but because the executive is using another's words to express thoughts that are not his or her own.
Indeed, as I've written with regard to issues about which Harreld might wish to think about ahead of time, "True 'leadership' requires that there be 'a there there,' a personal set of beliefs, a consistent philosophy." See,
"UI President Harreld - Nov. 2015," Sections November 25-27, 2015 and November 28-30, 2015 (numerous examples of issues).
Here's today's story: "Harreld Hires Consultant to Improve Communication Skills," Associated Press/Des Moines Register (online)/Iowa City Press-Citizen (online), December 11, 2015, 2:00 p.m., revised 5:28 p.m.; hard copy: "Harreld Hires Consultant to Improve Communication Skills; UI President is Paying for It Himself," Iowa City Press-Citizen, December 12, 2015, p. A4 ("UI President Bruce Harreld has paid out of his own pocket for the services of Eileen Wixted, a crisis communications consultant known for making people look and sound good on television and in public presentations. Wixted's long list of clients includes Summit Farms, which is Board of Regents President Bruce Rastetter's privately held agribusiness.")
What is written above was based on the AP story that ran at 2:00 p.m. The 5:28 p.m. version (which is what appears when you click on the link, above) contained additional material; to the best of my recollection of the original, the 5:28 additions are what is quoted, below, from that version:
The relationship came about as Harreld sought to get past the controversy surrounding his September hiring, which was condemned by groups representing faculty and students. Critics argued that Board of Regents president Bruce Rastetter and other members of the school's governing board gave Harreld, a former IBM executive, favorable treatment throughout the search. . . .
Beck said an Associated Press story published Friday about Wixted's hiring unfairly implied that Harreld chose to pay her himself to evade the state's open records laws.
"I never thought covering something out of my own pocket would be construed as a bad thing, and I’m disappointed to see it painted in that light," Harreld said in a prepared statement. "When I was selected as president I reached out to colleagues in similar positions across the country for advice. They recommended I seek outside media training and that I pay for it myself in order to get the most candid feedback possible."
Harreld picked Wixted on the recommendation of more than one person, Beck said.
"I really admire the fact that he self-identified, 'this is an area that I don't have a lot of experience in and I need to improve,'" Wixted said.
Media training is a necessary exercise for government agencies, but it's "very strange" for one executive to pay for it out of his own pocket for himself, said communications consultant Claire Celsi.
"To not disclose how much they are paying for that or not have the process vetted or bid on is unusual," said Celsi, a Democrat who called Wixted "top-notch."
Wixted works for clients in nuclear power, health care and agribusiness, including Rastetter's corporation, Summit Farms.
Wixted helped Summit Farms respond to questions last year about $480,000 in no-interest loans it had received from a program based at Iowa State University, which critics called a conflict of interest for Rastetter.
She's also done some work for regents' institutions. She was hired for behind-the-scenes communications advice for University of Northern Iowa when regents approved the closure of its teaching laboratory school and numerous academic programs in 2012.
Wixted declined to disclose her fee.
Wixted said she conducted "on-camera media coaching sessions" for Harreld before he assumed the presidency Nov. 2, focusing on the "mechanics of being interviewed by broadcast media." She hopes to do more.
Wixted said she didn't advise Harreld on strategy and messaging, leaving those functions to UI. Since July, the university has been paying Terri Goren of Atlanta-based Goren and Associates $20,000 a month to oversee its Office of Strategic Communication on a part-time basis. Goren's contract, which called for her to develop a communications plan for the new president, ends Dec. 31.
Robillard's private jet trip. The facts reported in this story raise so many questions. Here are a few. (1) It's 110 miles from Iowa City to Galesburg. With private jets flying out of the Iowa City and Cedar Rapids airports, if Robillard was really in that much of a hurry why would he take an extra couple hours each way to drive to Galesburg? Could it be he was trying to avoid any local record of this trip? (2) The Steads have donated some $54 million to UI and the UIHC over 30 years. “'Dr. Robillard has had a tremendously long relationship with the Steads — more than 30 years,' [UI Foundation spokeswoman Dana] Larson said." Was this private jet trip really necessary to insure another $5 million? (3) What was the incremental additional amount the Steads donated to have the $360 million hospital named for them -- $5 million?! It looks like all, or almost all, of their previous $25 million resulted in their being honored for something else. (4) This was one week before Stead's friend Harreld (whom he first met over 20 years ago) was to be anointed UI president -- following the work of a search committee on which he sat and Robillard chaired. That fact really had nothing to do with the trip? (5) There are opportunity costs to any expenditure. Much is made of the fact the $10,747 trip didn't involve taxpayer funds. But what was not done with this money that otherwise would have been? (6) Details of Harreld's travel expenses, reported in this story, have always been confusing. "He [Harreld] paid for all previous travel to Iowa during the search process, officials said." (a) Why would he do that? Why would the University require (if it did) or permit (if it did) him to do that? (b) Regardless, the University's expenses for Harreld's travel "have totaled $7,278.44 -- including $5,709.04 spent before he officially took office Nov. 2 . . .."
Vanessa Miller, "UI Interim President Took $10,747 Flight to Secure Children's Hospital Donation; Trip Came One Week Before New President's Hire,"The Gazette (online), December 11, 2015, 4:59 p.m.; hard copy: Vanessa Miller, "Higher Education: UI Leader Took $10,747 Flight to Denver for $5 Million kGift; The Trip United Two Presidential Search Committee Members One Week Before Decision," The Gazette, December 12, 2015, p. A1
Here's another major university going through a similar struggle for similar reasons:
Valerie Strauss, "Protesters Seek to Reverse Appointment of Margaret Spellings to Run UNC System,"The Washington Post (online), December 11, 2015, 12:58 p.m. (University of North Carolina had "dozens of demonstrators protesting the recent appointment of controversial former education secretary Margaret Spellings as the next UNC president. . . . The protesters — students, faculty, staff and others within the UNC community — come from a number of organizations, including the Faculty Forward Network, Scholars for North Carolina’s Future, UnKoch My Campus, the UNC Board of Governors Democracy Coalition, Greenpeace USA, Ignite NC and Progress NC. . . . [T]he protesters said they want the Spellings appointment to be rescinded and for the school’s governing body to have a transparent process to find a replacement, a reference to what many said was a secretive process in the selection of Spellings.")
December 13-15, 2015
Why include education and higher ed issues in this blog collection regarding the University of Iowa, its Board of Regents, and new President Bruce Harreld? Because the success or failure of our joint venture will turn in large measure on Harreld's knowledge of these issues, his willingness to read the literature involving other universities here and abroad, his formulation of the directions provided by his own moral compass, and his thinking through the most appropriate responses before the challenges they pose confront our campus.
(a) If he, or anyone on his staff agree with that assessment, and are following the posts to this blog series, hopefully these issues post can be a positive source of help to his administration. (b) For individuals engaged in a kind of "Herrald Watch," these are some of the issues that bear watching.
Harreld's already been exposed to some of the local concerns regarding diversity, racism, and race relations. In this morning's [Dec. 13] New York Times Frank Bruni focuses on an element of those issues that has long been a concern of mine.
Frank Bruni, "The Lie About College Diversity,"The New York Times, December 13, 2015, p. SR3 ("So even if a school succeeds in using its admissions process to put together a diverse student body, it often fails at the more important goal that this diversity ideally serves: meaningful interactions between people from different backgrounds, with different scars and different ways of looking at the world. A given college may be a heterogeneous archipelago. But most of its students spend the bulk of their time on one of many homogeneous islands. . . . [Purdue's CLAS Dean] David Reingold: '[C]ampuses . . . haven’t changed a whole lot in terms of self-segregation. . . . I don’t think universities have figured out ways for students to build connectivity.'")
Vanessa Miller, "Emails: ISU Fast-Tracked Initiative for Kraig Paulsen Hire; University Had 'Handshake Agreement' Before Lawmaker Applied,"The Gazette (online), December 13, 2015, 5:00 a.m.; hard copy: Vanessa Miller, "Higher Education: A 'Handshake Agreement;' Iowa State Fast-Tracked Initiative for House Speaker's Hire: Emails," The Gazette, December 13, 2015, p. A1
Free (taxpayer-funded) education, as a public good, went from four years to eight, and for the last 100 years or so to twelve -- that is, elementary through high school. We experimented with tuition free college in California and New York, and throughout the country with the GI Bill following WWII -- those innovations were followed by significant economic growth. Many other countries provide it today. The U.S. does not, although Senator Bernie Sanders makes it a major element of his platform. Is this something President Harreld would be willing to speak, and then fight, for? Four students have written of the consequences of our failing to follow the example from other nations.
Morgan Musselman, Lizzie Daly, Aleisha Norton and Hannah Uczen, "Students in Period of Debt Crisis,"Iowa City Press-Citizen (online), December 13, 2015, 10:04 p.m.; hard copy: Morgan Musselman, Lizzie Daly, Aleisha Norton and Hannah Uczen, "College Students Flounder in a Period of Debt Crisis," Iowa City Press-Citizen, December 14, 2015, p. A7
Jeff Charis-Carlson, "Documentary Shows Rastetter, Branstad Discussing Harreld,"Iowa City Press-Citizen (online), December 14, 2015, 3:50 p.m.; hard copy: Jeff Charis-Carlson, "Rastetter, Branstad Filmed Discussing Harreld; The Documentary, Titled 'Governor Branstad: Behind the Scenes,' Was Released Friday," Iowa City Press-Citizen, December 15, 2015, p. A3 -- the video is available here, with the relevant comments starting around minute 25.
Matt Brown, "Franklin Would Have Plenty to Say on Harreld,"Iowa City Press-Citizen (online), December 14, 2015, 2:44 p.m.; hard copy: Matt Brown, "Franklin Woiuld Have Plenty to Say on Harreld," Iowa City Press-Citizen, December 15, 2015, p. A5
As a friend commented when coming upon this news: "I think once he gets more training from the communications adviser he should be doing better with public statements." What I want to know is, if Harreld thinks unprepared instructors should be shot, what is the presumably more serious and appropriate punishment for unprepared university presidents? "UI's Harreld Sorry for Saying Unready Teachers Should Be Shot," Associated Press/Iowa City Press-Citizen (online), December 15, 2015, 12:28 p.m.; hard copy: "Harreld Says He's Sorry for Teacher Comment; UI President is Under Fire for a Statement About Unprepared Instructions," Associated Press/Iowa City Press-Citizen, December 16, 2015, p. A1
Register editorial consistent with "Trouble in River City: Corruption Creep; Sub-heading: UI Deals With GOP Insiders," December 13, 2015, urges Harreld, Legislature act: "Editorial: UI's Secrecy, No-Bid Contracts Deserve Scrutiny,"The Des Moines Register (online), December 16, 2015, 5:01 a.m. ("[P]olling is being handled by a top GOP consultant through a series of no-bid contracts, and the school is refusing to release the results of the polling because, it says, disclosure would 'serve no public purpose.' The university has a long, established history of behaving as if it were a private school, accountable to no one. But this takes the school’s penchant for cronyism and secrecy to a whole new level. . . . UI President Bruce Harreld, who is struggling to win the confidence of Iowans and the school’s own faculty, should make the polling results public today, and the Iowa Board of Regents should agree to examine the Strawn contracts and the manner in which they were awarded. If Harreld and the regents refuse to act, the matter should be brought before the Iowa Legislature’s Government Oversight Committee for public hearings on the matter.")
Similarly, after writing "Trouble in River City: Corruption Creep," it was brought to my attention that the Quad City Times had also come to similar conclusions to my own. Editorial, "University of Iowa Stinks of Cronyism,"Quad City Times (online), undated, but obtained December 18, 2015 (Example of editorial tone: "As if this bit of putrid meat wasn't rank enough, state Board of Regents President Bruce Rastetter, this week, told Iowa Public Radio that he was in the dark about the sweetheart deal all along.")
Ryan J. Foley, "Rastetter: UI Contracts with GOP Should've Been Bid," Associated Press/Iowa City Press-Citizen (online), December 16, 2015, 11:40 a.m.; hard copy: Ryan J. Foley, "Rastetter: UI Contracts Should Have Been Bid; Regents President Says He Was Unaware of No-Bid Contracts with GOP Insider," Associated Press/Iowa City Press-Citizen, December 17, 2015, p. A3
Gerhild Krapf, "Analysis of Faculty Misses Root Causes,"Iowa City Press-Citizen (online), December 16, 2015, 5:37 p.m.; hard copy: Gerhild Krapf, "Analysuis of University of Iowa Faculty Misses the Root Causes," Iowa City Press-Citizen, December 17, 2015, p. A9
Jason Follett, "Word Choice Not Ideal, but Bruce Harreld Has a Point,"Des Moines Register (online), December 17, 2015, 12 a.m. ("President Bruce Harreld’s choice of words to the UI Staff Council are not acceptable [Harreld tries to clarify 'should be shot' comment, Dec. 16]. I feel his many years in the business world lead to this Donald Trump-like comment. Since Harreld has apologized and it has been accepted, we need to move on, but not ignore the point he was making. . . . Please understand that I am not saying every member of a university’s faculty who does not have solid teacher education preparation is a poor instructor. I have known many who have worked hard to rectify this shortfall. What I am saying is that we need to examine how we prepare university faculty to best meet all of their duties.")
Jeff Charis-Carlson, "UI Protesters Hold Mock Public Forum with Fake Harreld,"Iowa City Press-Citizen (online), December 17, 2015, 7:21 p.m.; hard copy: Jeff Charis-Carlson, "UI Protesters Hold Mock Forum with Fake Harreld; About 2 Dozen Demonstrators Gather Thursday at President's Office," Iowa City Press-Citizen, December 18, 2015, p. A3
Daniel Elchert, "Rent Skyrocketing for UI Graduate Students,"Des Moines Register (online), December 18, 2015, 12:02 a.m. ("Shockingly, their 41-year agreement requires Balfour to pay the university only $1 per year to lease the property. Aspire, which is managed by a private company, is subsidized by the university through free bus services and advertising on its housing website. . . . When Iowa’s future doctors and lawyers consider the University of Iowa, many will find exorbitant rent prices and consider other universities. These are some consequences of reckless privatization of graduate student housing.")
My reaction to the item just above, and the next two items, is that student housing in general, and this outsourcing project in particular, deserve in depth review and investigation. Housing rates in Iowa City are higher than in comparable Iowa cities. Developers have had disproportionate political power in Iowa City; and they clearly have a personal interest in not being under-bid by UI's housing options for students. Recent no-bid contract favoritism toward GOP leaders is evidence that pro-contractor bias has been present in UI contracting. Just what is the UI and Regents student housing policy in this age of ever-escalating tuition, other student costs, and the resulting student debt? What data was there that this arrangement made financial sense for students and the University? Who was behind the proposal, and ultimate selection, of this particular contractor? Why did the contract provide oversight by a four-person board (2 from contractor, 2 from UI) in which all ties would be resolved in favor of the contractor? What went into the selection of the two UI representatives, and what was their prior, and subsequent, relation to the contractor? Why did the meeting record reveal no protests by them to these high rental rates? It may be there's nothing here. If so that should be revealed. But clearly there's enough to warrant a more thorough look.
Jeff Charis-Carlson, "Critic: Give UI President Harreld Time On the Job,"Iowa City Press-Citizen (online), December 18, 2015, 9:40 p.m.; hard copy: Jeff Charis-Carlson, "Critic: Give UI President Harreld Time On the Job; Some May Never Be Able to Work With University President," Iowa City Press-Citizen, December 19, 2015, p. A1
Rich Patterson, "Regents Made Mockery of Hiring Process,"The Gazette, December 19, 2015, 12:01 a.m.; hard copy, Rich Patterson, "Regents Made Mockery of Hiring Process," The Gazette, December 19, 2015, p. A6 ("Bruce Harreld . . . developing the trust and credibility needed to lead the University of Iowa will be difficult given the sordid hiring process.")
Jeff Charis-Carlson, "UI Grad Student Tenants Disappointed in Rent Deal,"Iowa City Press-Citizen (online), December 18, 2015, 6:28 p.m.; hard copy: Jeff Charis-Carlson, "UI Grad Student Tenants Disappointed; Apartment Management Extends Renewal Discount to Jan. 31, No Long-Term Deal," Iowa City Press-Citizen, December 19, 2015, p. A3
Brooks Landon, "Harreld Should Know Words Matter,"Iowa City Press-Citizen (online), December 21, 2015, 6:30 p.m.; hard copy: Brooks Landon, "Harreld Should Realize That His Words Matter," Iowa City Press-Citizen, December 22, 2015, p. A7
Jeff Charis-Carlson, "UI Sets New Diversity Requirement for 2017,"Iowa City Press-Citizen (online), December 21, 2015, 2:09 p.m.; hard copy: Jeff Charis-Carlson, "UI Sets New Diversity Requirement for 2017; Change Comes in Response to Initiative Passed in 2014-15," Iowa City Press-Citizen, December 22, 2015, p. A1
Grayson Schmidt, "Traffic: Tragedy Brings Safety Issues to Fore at ISU," The Gazette, December 21 2015, p. A7 (story references ISU President Steven Leath's involvement, statements, other responses to one student pedestrian's death from traffic accident)
David J. Horsey, "Board of Regents Made a Good Move,"The Gazette (online), December 23, 2015, 12:01 a.m.; hard copy: David J. Horsey, "Board of Regents Made Good Move with Harreld," The Gazette, December 23, 2015, p. A5
"Health: Alcohol Killing More Americans," The Gazette [from Washington Post, December 23, 2015, p. A4 (college students' participation in binge drinking and other heavy consumption of alcohol is a significant contributor to this uptick in alcohol deaths; so what is the most appropriate and effective response from college presidents?)
December 25-27, 2015
Lynda Waddington, "2015 'Gifts' That Should Be Returned,"The Gazette (online), December 26, 2015, 7:30 a.m.; hard copy: Lynda Waddington, "2015 'Gifts' That Should Be Returned," The Gazette, December 26, 2015, p. A6 (In the list of 15: "8. Bruce Harreld. Thanks to regent shenanigans, this businessman-turned-university president never had a chance. 9. Regents. If there ever was a 'gift' that cried out for exchange, this is it.")
Alex Sistko, "Grad Student Housing Needs Examining," Iowa City Press-Citizen, December 26, 2015, p. A7 (does not appear to be available online at this time: Dec. 27, 2015, 5:04 p.m.)
R. Jon Roberts, "Robillard the Best Choice,"Iowa City Press-Citizen (online), December 27, 2015, 4:01 p.m.; hard copy: R. Jon Roberts, "Robillard the Best Choice," Iowa City Press-Citizen, December 28, 2015, p. A5
Dan Campion, "Harreld, Board Show Lack of Judgment,"Iowa City Press-Citizen (online), December 27, 2015, 4:00 p.m.; hard copy: Dan Campion, "Harreld, Board Show Lack of Judgment,"Iowa City Press-Citizen, December 28, 2015, p. A5
More on "Quick Draw Harreld and Why Language Matters." "Letter to the Iowa Board of Regents on Behalf of the AAUP Chapters of Iowa State University (contact person: Prof. Mack C. Shelley), the University of Iowa (contact person: Prof. Katherine H. Tachau), and the University of Northern Iowa (contact person: Prof. Joe Gorton)," December 27, 2015 (Full text: "To the Board of Regents, State of Iowa: The American Association of University Professors (AAUP) Chapters at the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, and the University of Northern Iowa, join our University of Iowa colleagues and graduate students in deploring the reported statement at a public meeting by the university president, Mr. J. Bruce Harreld, that teachers who are unprepared for class 'should be shot.'
Coming from any university president, Mr. Harreld’s comment, regardless of his intent, would be unprofessional and unpresidential. His words reveal a stunning lack of sensitivity for the safety of Iowa faculty, staff, and students. As Iowans know, the University of Iowa has already experienced the horror of a mass shooting in November, 1991. We have not forgotten the faculty members, students and university administrator who were killed and the student who was paralyzed on that day. We remember, too, the trauma experienced by the entire community. And we abhor the occurrence of such senseless violence on any campus.
Since 1991, faculty members at our universities can be, and have been, disciplined or fired for a similar remark. There is no lesser standard for a university president. Mr. Harreld’s crude, off-the-cuff comment makes it clear yet again that the Iowa Board of Regents disserved our students, our colleagues, and the state of Iowa when, through their dishonesty, they selected someone unprepared for the office of university president to lead one of the three universities for which they have a duty of care.
This insensitivity and lack of knowledge of the University of Iowa once again calls into question Harreld’s ability to lead the campus community. We call on the Board of Regents to revisit their decision. The University of Iowa deserves better.")
Brian Golinick, "Harreld Showing Lack of Leadership,"Iowa City Press-Citizen (online), December 29, 2015, 11:31 p.m.; hard copy: Brian Golinick, "Harreld Showing Lack of Leadership," Iowa City Press-Citizen, December 30, 2015, p. A9
Pres Harreld's lost opportunity. Compare with Dec 22-24 Item 4, above: ISU Leath's response to a student traffic death. Holly Hines, "UI Student Killed in Chicago Bus Crash,"Iowa City Press-Citizen (online), December 29, 2015, 3:43 p.m.; hard copy: Holly Hines, "UI Student Killed in Chicago Bus Crash," Iowa City Press-Citizen,
December 30, 2015, p. A4 (story contains no quote from President Harreld or other indication of his concern)
More on lost opportunity: Andy Davis, "Friend Remembers UI Student Who Died in Bus Crash,"Iowa City Press-Citizen (online), December 30, 2015, 8:19 p.m.; hard copy: Andy Davis, "UI Student Who Died in Bus Crash Recalled; Underwood Was 'A Good Person, Had a Lot of Friends,'" Iowa City Press-Citizen, December 31, 2015, p. A6
Susan Boehlje, "Board of Regents Lacks Decency," Iowa City Press-Citizen, December 31, 2015, p. A7
Phil Beck, "Harreld Blunder Raises Questions," Iowa City Press-Citizen, December 31, 2015, p. A7
One of most revealing interviews of President Harreld, including his relationship with UI athletics program: Chad Leistikow, "Harreld on Sports: Iowa President Gets Backing from Ferentz,"Iowa City Press-Citizen (online), December 31, 2015, 6:04 a.m. [and Des Moines Register]; hard copy: Chad Leistikow, "New UI President Nets Solidarity from Ferentz," Iowa City Press-Citizen, December 31, 2015, p. B1 (online version contains video of portions of interview)
