March 21, 7:30 a.m.
[Note: See below for UICCU Chair Dean Borg's response to yesterday's "Open Letter;" my response to a couple readers' critical comments about the "Open Letter;" and Jeff Cox' statement regarding this evening's meeting and his nomination of Caroline Dieterle as a Board member.]
"Open Letter": Confirmation from World Council of Credit Unions
Every once in awhile I have the delightful experience of discovering that some idea that I have come to instinctively turns out to be virtually identical to the position of those who really are experts on the subject. This has been one of those occasions. (Of course, my more common experience is the discovery that my instinct turns out to be closer to what Stephen Colbert calls "truthiness.")
Yesterday this blog's entry was an "Open Letter to UICCU Board" in Nicholas Johnson, "UI Held Hostage Day 423 - March 20 - UICCU," March 20, 2007.
I advocated, among other things, that we -- Board and membership -- continue to explore the issues of member participation in governance, the "process" questions that seemed to lie at the heart of the "Optiva" controversy and that were resolved in a membership revolt the evening of February 28. I identified three categories of focus: "Board Elections and Membership Meetings," "Ongoing Membership Involvement," and "Membership Outreach and Marketing."
I contrasted our relatively closed process for electing (or re-electing) board members with the much more welcoming and open process of our next door neighbor, the Linn Area Credit Union. I suggested ways we might have more rotation among board members.
Ongoing involvement of members could be encouraged by holding open, rather than closed, board meetings, and publishing on the Web (rather than keeping secret) the minutes of those meetings. I mentioned the possibility of members' committees, online discussion groups and polling of members before controversial board decisions, and creating an ombudsperson position.
Under membership outreach and marketing I mentioned counseling and classes on financial management, videos on public access television and DVDs, social events, "friends inviting friends," and advertising the fact that credit union membership is open to all.
Late in the day, only after I'd written all this, off the top of my head, in a relatively short time, drawing on nothing but what seemed to me to be common sense and my own experience with organizations and boards over the years, I came upon the Web site of the "World Council of Credit Unions" -- http://www.woccu.org -- and its basic confirmation of virtually everything I'd said earlier in the day.
It's true that there are "credit unions in 92 countries [serving] more than 157 million people." But lest an organization representing them sound a little too other worldly for applicability in Iowa, let me reassure you that one of the organization's two main offices is right next door, in Madison, Wisconsin. (The other is in Washington, D.C.)
As you might imagine, the organization provides a range of services for credit unions. (Its Web site has headings, or drop-down menus, for "News," "Development," "Advocacy," "Events and Education," "Development Finance," "Best Practices," and "Publications.")
One of its areas of focus is "governance." See, for example, the publication from which I will be quoting: Karen Cak Niederkohr and John Ikeda, "Credit Union Governance," World Council of Credit Unions White Paper (2005).
In part, credit union governance involves many of the same models and principles of any system of board governance. I worked to apply the John Carver model of board governance for the School Board of the Iowa City Community School District, and have described the Carver theory and the School Board's application of it in Nicholas Johnson, "Board Governance: Theory and Practice" (2001) . It includes setting measurable goals (Carver's "ends policies"), and articulating the relationships between the board and CEO, among other things. And the authors of the World Council white paper were obviously familiar with Carver.
But, as they acknowledge, credit unions and their boards are not like other organizations. Their "customers" are "members" and "owners" of what Congress has described as "democratically operated organizations." That necessarily affects "best practices" when it comes to board-member relations -- which was the focus of my "open letter."
What follows are some of the more relevant quotes from the World Council's "Credit Union Governance" paper.
I keep emphasizing democratic control of credit unions by members. The World Council says, "[C]redit unions are democratic institutions, where a single member receives a single vote, regardless of financial stake in the organization."
* * *
I commented on the extent to which there was inadequate communication from the Board and CEO to the membership, and proposed that there be more member access to Board meetings and minutes. The World Council has a good deal to say about this:
"Transparency
"Transparency requires the actions of the board of directors to be visible to the credit union members . . .. To be transparent, credit unions should commit to regular honest communication of their activities . . . in the spirit of full disclosure.
* * *
"The board and management of the credit union should engage in regular, honest communication to explain the actions of the organization to anyone who may be affected by them. This disclosure should include the objectives of the credit union . . .. By ensuring that its decisions are made in the light of day, members have the ability to oversee the actions of the board that represents them.
* * *
"The board or management should then convey the disclosure through communication methods, including but not limited to member meetings, postings, online interaction or newsletters. The communication must occur at regular intervals to members and must provide honest, unvarnished facts.
* * *
"[C]redit unions should make available to members and the public financial statements that are . . . provided in a timely manner to . . . especially credit union members. [p. 3]
* * *
I noted the advantages to the credit union of something in the nature of term limits and rotation in membership on the board, and that the UICCU might seek to emulate the more welcoming and open board election process of the Linn Area Credit Union. The World Council says,
"Structure
"World Council recommends the board be composed of an odd number of members, no less than five and no greater than nine. The purpose of this structure is to prevent tied votes. . . . [M]ore than nine members may make consensus achieving difficult and may increase logistical problems.
"World Council recommends that consideration should be given to the rotation of directors. A rotation approach can encourage fresh viewpoints to enter the boardroom without the potential loss of organizational knowledge. . . .
"[I]nterested credit union members . . . should be allowed to stand for the nominating process. . . . [T]he democratic nature of credit unions requires that general members be allowed . . . on the board. The opening of the process to general members helps regulate the power of the board . . ..
I also noted the UICCU's failure to provide individual members notice of the Wednesday night membership meeting. The World Council says,
"The annual general meeting . . . should be adequately promoted to ensure sufficient member participation. This meeting is the backbone of the internal governance system and is the highest decision making body in the credit union. By providing a forum for . . . members to interact with the board, the annual general meeting of members serves as a check on the power of the board and management. However, the meeting cannot provide this check if members are not aware of it.
"The annual general meeting should also be an opportunity for the directors to receive feedback and guidance from their fellow members. The board should encourage dialogue with general members at the annual general meeting, because it is the ultimate duty of the board to represent the wishes of the . . . members." [p. 5]
* * *
There are other comments in the World Council report I thought worth repeating:
"Balance
"Unlike for-profit institutions, credit unions should strive for a board that responds to the demands of the general membership. By creating a board in this manner, members are more likely to feel that they have a voice on the board and are more likely to feel a stronger connection with the credit union. As a result, a greater likelihood exists that members will continue their membership with the credit union.
"The composition of the board should aim to reflect the demographic makeup of its members . . .. By creating a board that reflects the age, gender and ethnic background of the credit union, the desires of the [members] can more easily be developed by directors.
* * *
"Accountability
"[T]he board, first and foremost, has a duty to the [members]. As the ultimate owners of the credit union, the members . . . delegate the board directors to function on their behalf. The [members] then [have] the ability to question the actions of the board and to hold the board accountable. . . .
"[T]he board must . . . follow up with management regularly to chart its progress against predefined measures of success. . . . Since both the board of directors and credit union management are held accountable . . . the ultimate goal of serving the members becomes obtainable. [p. 7]
* * *
"To fully understand and complete their responsibilities, individual [board] members should have . . . a member-focused viewpoint. [p. 9]
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Now the mere fact that the World Council advocates many of the same things I was writing about yesterday does not mean that either of us is correct. Hopefully, however, this level of agreement may at least be taken as some evidence that I am not advocating some radical, bonkers, off-the-wall set of proposals that no one who knows anything about credit unions would ever try to advance.
_______________
For the record, and in fairness to the Board, here is the response Board Chair Dean Borg promptly provided by email to my "Open Letter" yesterday. I think it speaks for itself without comment from me:
"I greatly appreciate the time and thought you have given to the document you provided to us.
"I also greatly value your compliments for the Board's overall intent and pursuit of excellence, without ulterior motives. You are correct in intimating that this is a highly motivated, very hardworking group of women and men representing a cross-section of the greater Iowa City community.
"We are actively--and currently--pursuing use of absentee balloting, although the Iowa Code does specify restrictions with which we must comply. This is not the first time we have explored the absentee option.
"Your suggestion about involving members in social events is a part of our culture and practice. Our Prime Club members meet regularly, and social events are structured for that age group.
"Even our annual meeting is historically a social event, with entertainment, gifts for all members, and valuable door prizes. Many people attend the annual meeting just for the social component.
"Again, thanks Nick."
_______________
There were two essentially critical comments from readers attached to yesterday's blog entry from "John Barleykorn" and "Anonymous." They argue, basically, that (a) no one really cares about credit union management and "process," and (b) in effect, we can be grateful this is the case, as chaos would reign if various groups of members were actually permitted to micromanage the daily operation of the credit union in ways contrary to the best judgment of the Board (I am "arguing for mob rule of the credit union").
I can't really disagree with either point. I expressly noted that roughly half the electorate won't even bother to vote for president of the United States 18 months from now -- but that their disinterest is no reason to cancel the election for those who do take it seriously. And I suggest the same principle is applicable to what Congress has described as those "democratically operated organizations" called credit unions. ("Democracy within credit unions is not just a good idea, it's the law.") And as I have now discovered, the World Council of Credit Unions apparently agrees with me.
And, of course, I'm not advocating the straw man that "John Barleykorn" builds and then destroys. I can't imagine that anyone would advocate that. But I think anyone who reads through the World Council quotes, above, will see a consistent theme that seems to run through all of them regarding the responsibility of a board member of membership organizations in general, and credit unions in particular, to ascertain and then effectuate the desires of the membership.
_______________
Meanwhile, Jeff Cox issued the following statement yesterday regarding his proposed nomination of Caroline Dieterle for a UICCU Board position at the membership meeting this evening:
"The UICCU Credit Union annual members' meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 21, 7 p.m., at the Quality Inn & Suites Highlander Conference Center, 2525 N. Dodge Street. Credit Union Board members are elected at the membership meeting. The Credit Union Board's nominating committee has nominated three board incumbents for re-election to the three open positions. In the past, the board has from time to time nominated more candidates than positions in order to guarantee a contested election, but this year they have decided upon an uncontested election.
"Candidates can be nominated from the floor at the meeting, and I intend to nominate Caroline Dieterle. She has long experience as a member of the board of the New Pioneer Cooperative, which has grown to 16,000 members while maintaining, and even strengthening, its democratic character.
"I hope we can have some discussion at the Members' Meeting of the need for future Credit Union boards to promote (1) contested elections each year, (2) open and transparent board meetings, (3) mail ballots for board elections, and (4) credit union literature that lists among the "benefits of membership" the rights and obligations that members have to participate in a democratic, member-owned cooperative.
"I hope you can find time to attend the membership meeting, and vote for Caroline.
"jeffcox@inavia.net"
_____________
UICCU and "Optiva"
The UICCU-Optiva story is essentially behind us. There may be occasional additions "for the record," but for the most part the last major entry, with links to the prior material from October 2006 through March 2007, is "UICCU and 'Optiva'" in Nicholas Johnson, "UI Held Hostage Day 406 - March 3 - Optiva," March 3, 2007.
# # #
[Note: If you're new to this blog, and interested in the whole UI President Search story . . .
These blog entries begin with Nicholas Johnson, "UI President Search I," November 18, 2006.
Wondering where the "UI Held Hostage" came from? Click here. (As of January 25 the count has run from January 21, 2006, rather than last November.)
For any given entry, links to the prior 10 will be found in the left-most column. Going directly to FromDC2Iowa.Blogspot.com will take you to the latest. Each contains links to the full text of virtually all known media stories and commentary, including mine, since the last blog entry. Together they represent what The Chronicle of Higher Education has called "one of the most comprehensive analyses of the controversy." The last time there was an entry containing the summary of prior entries' commentary (with the heading "This Blog's Focus on Regents' Presidential Search") is Nicholas Johnson, "UI President Search XIII -- Last Week," December 11, 2006.
My early proposed solution to the conflict is provided in Nicholas Johnson, "UI President Search VII: The Answer," November 26, 2006.
Searching: the fullest collection of basic documents related to the search is contained in Nicholas Johnson, "UI President Search - Dec. 21-25," December 21, 2006 (and updated thereafter), at the bottom of that blog entry under "References." A Blog Index of entries on all subjects since June 2006 is also available. And note that if you know (or can guess at) a word to search on, the "Blogger" bar near the top of your browser has a blank, followed by "SEARCH THIS BLOG," that enables you to search all entries in this Blog since June 2006.]
# # #
Media Stories and Commentary
See above.
_______________
Technorati tags: football, athletics, academics, high school, college, University of Iowa, education, K-12, leadership, university president, Michael Gartner, Iowa Board of Regents, UI president search, Nicholas Johnson, FromDC2Iowa
_______________
Nicholas Johnson's Main Web Site http://www.nicholasjohnson.org/
Nicholas Johnson's Iowa Rain Forest ("Earthpark") Web Site
Nicholas Johnson's Blog, FromDC2Iowa
Nicholas Johnson's Blog Index
_______________
March 14, 9:00 a.m.
Credit unions, corporate welfare, the search for Regents, and return on investment in college athletics are four of this morning's topics.
UI Problem with "UICCU"? Oh, "Never Mind"
One of the major reasons advanced for the necessity of a change from "University of Iowa Community Credit Union" to "Optiva" was the representation by the UICCU CEO and Board of objections from the University of a perceived relationship between the UI and UICCU.
Yesterday's actions by the Regents would seem to have put that concern to rest. Knowing that the name change was rejected by the membership, and that the credit union was continuing to use its "University of Iowa" name, the Regents voted to approve the credit union's return to the campus. (At its inception, in 1938, and for years thereafter it was housed on the campus.) See Brian Morelli, "Regents OK UI Relationship with Credit Union," Iowa City Press-Citizen, March 14, 2007.
"Corporate Welfare, 'Good;'" "Welfare for the Downtrodden, 'Bad'"
Beth Cody has taken on the local Chamber of Commerce in this morning's Press-Citizen, charging that it "lobbies for . . . corporate welfare for big-industry special interest groups." She continues with examples:
"The chamber's 2007 Legislative Agenda is illustrative of the wrong turn it has taken: They are lobbying to increase big business handouts such as Tax Increment Financing, Economic Development Funds like the Iowa Values Fund (remember the rain forest boondoggle?) and a Destination Attraction Fund.
"They also want more tax-financed research facilities and support Iowa's ambition to become the nation's renewable fuels leader. This is a fine goal -- for private industry, not taxpayer-subsidized ones."
Beth Cody, "Local Chamber of Commerce Has Wrong Priorities," Iowa City Press-Citizen, March 14, 2007.
She starts from what is essentially an anti-tax, anti-government position: "The chamber is supposed to work to keep taxes in check so that businesses can thrive." That's where Cody and I part company. As I've written before, I think focusing on taxes qua taxes is almost meaningless. (The exception is tax policy; e.g., how the tax burden is allocated among socio-economic classes; the relative merits of income, property, sales and other taxes; or the role of "user fees," such as using gasoline taxes to pay for road repair.) The discussion, the analysis, needs to begin with programs. Which programs do you want to eliminate or cut -- or add or expand -- not how much do you want to "cut taxes."
But we "meet in the middle" when it comes to programs that essentially transfer taxpayers' dollars into the pockets of for-profit businesses. She's right that there's a certain irony, or hypocracy, to someone simultaneously preaching with a religious fervor that free private enterprise and "the marketplace" are the natural order of things, and that hundreds of dollars to a "welfare mother" is a moral outrage, while simultaneously holding out a tin cup and begging for millions of dollars in taxpayer-financed corporate welfare.
The Search for a UI President . . . and Four Regents
David Letterman has a feature called "A George Bush Joke That's Not Really a Joke." One is tempted to say that this morning we have "A Press-Citizen Story That's Not Really a Story." But that would be unfair.
The lead, page-one story -- Brian Morelli, "Regents to be named this week; No word on who Culver has tapped," Iowa City Press-Citizen, March 14, 2007 -- actually does leave us knowing more than we knew before. Example: "Culver has hinted that he is leaning toward naming four new members instead of reappointments, and Arbisser has said Culver told him as much." So the paper is not just offering us the "news" that "there is no buzz about who will be appointed." And see Erin Jordan, "Shake-up of Regents Expected This Week," Des Moines Register, March 14, 2007.
It's a matter of no little consequence for the UI president search. After all, knowing the history of Regents President Michael Gartner's relationship with the University of Iowa would you want to take a job trying to work under his thumb? Or, otherwise put, if Search Committee II comes up with a candidate who is willing to work under those conditions, is that someone the University community should want?
Thus, who the new four Regents turn out to be, and the degree to which they are willing to recapture the powers and responsibilities of the Board of Regents from the one-man rule the present Board members seem to find acceptable, will have a major impact on whom Search Committee II is going to be able to submit to that new Board as "finalists" for the UI presidency.
Meanwhile, the Search Committee II Web site is looking up. There is now a link to "Meeting Minutes" (formerly submerged within "Meeting Schedule"). And there's a description of Iowa City and the University that makes you wonder why even more people don't come here as faculty, students -- and just to live. And a description of the president's job that makes you wonder (a) where we're going to find a single individual with the qualities formerly only found in Jesus plus Jefferson plus Einstein plus Franklin Roosevelt, etc., and (b) why anyone would want it.
If you haven't looked it recently, take a click over to: http://www.uiowa.edu/uipresidentialsearch/ .
College Athletics Budgets as "Investments"
A professor at the Des Moines Area Community College Boone campus, Bruce Kelly, has an op ed in this morning's Register that addresses one of the arguments for college athletic programs: "they are revenue producers." Bruce Kelly, "Let's Fund Education, Not College Sports Machine," Des Moines Register, March 14, 2007. Kelly reports that of 121 NCAA Division I-A schools, 52 either made no money or actually lost. All told, 75% earned less than a 6% return on their athletic "investment." Not surprisingly, Kelly offers some better ways to spend the nearly $3 billion a year spent on these non-remunerative supposedly "money-making" programs.
_______________
UICCU and "Optiva"
The UICCU-Optiva story is essentially behind us. There may be occasional additions "for the record," but for the most part the last major entry, with links to the prior material from October 2006 through March 2007, is "UICCU and 'Optiva'" in Nicholas Johnson, "UI Held Hostage Day 406 - March 3 - Optiva," March 3, 2007.
# # #
[Note: If you're new to this blog, and interested in the whole UI President Search story . . .
These blog entries begin with Nicholas Johnson, "UI President Search I," November 18, 2006.
Wondering where the "UI Held Hostage" came from? Click here. (As of January 25 the count has run from January 21, 2006, rather than last November.)
For any given entry, links to the prior 10 will be found in the left-most column. Going directly to FromDC2Iowa.Blogspot.com will take you to the latest. Each contains links to the full text of virtually all known media stories and commentary, including mine, since the last blog entry. Together they represent what The Chronicle of Higher Education has called "one of the most comprehensive analyses of the controversy." The last time there was an entry containing the summary of prior entries' commentary (with the heading "This Blog's Focus on Regents' Presidential Search") is Nicholas Johnson, "UI President Search XIII -- Last Week," December 11, 2006.
My early proposed solution to the conflict is provided in Nicholas Johnson, "UI President Search VII: The Answer," November 26, 2006.
Searching: the fullest collection of basic documents related to the search is contained in Nicholas Johnson, "UI President Search - Dec. 21-25," December 21, 2006 (and updated thereafter), at the bottom of that blog entry under "References." A Blog Index of entries on all subjects since June 2006 is also available. And note that if you know (or can guess at) a word to search on, the "Blogger" bar near the top of your browser has a blank, followed by "SEARCH THIS BLOG," that enables you to search all entries in this Blog since June 2006.]
# # #
Media Stories and Commentary
See above.
_______________
Technorati tags: football, athletics, academics, high school, college, University of Iowa, education, K-12, leadership, university president, Michael Gartner, Iowa Board of Regents, UI president search, Nicholas Johnson, FromDC2Iowa
_______________
Nicholas Johnson's Main Web Site http://www.nicholasjohnson.org/
Nicholas Johnson's Iowa Rain Forest ("Earthpark") Web Site
Nicholas Johnson's Blog, FromDC2Iowa
Nicholas Johnson's Blog Index
_______________
March 13, 8:40 a.m.
Today's news includes credit unions, gambling casinos, drug courts, and Mary Gilchrist's court. And see State29 on Iowa Values Fund (State29, "'This is a Scandal, Or Should Be," March 12, 2007) and gambling casino expansion (State29, "Gambling Diet or Cannibalization?" March 12, 2007).
In Praise of a Credit Union
A friend shared with me the notice they received from their credit union. It's the "Linn Area Credit Union." Not incidentally, that's an example of a geographically broad (county-wide) name, suggesting anyone in the county can be a member, and that has not discouraged those outside the county, like my friend, from joining.
Note the features of the notice that encourage membership involvement.
1. It's a large postcard, with a resulting actual notice almost impossible to miss. (So far as I'm aware I've received no notice of my credit union's forthcoming membership meeting.)
2. Note the language: "You'll have an opportunity to vote for Directors to represent your interests." "The primary difference between a credit union and a 'for profit' bank is that members – not stockholders – own the credit union and have a say in how it is run." "We hope to see you there!"
3. The meeting's agenda is clearly set forth.
4. To encourage member attendance, the meeting is scheduled for 5:30, dinner is served, and door prizes are awarded.
5. But member participation is not limited to those able to attend an evening meeting. They can vote for Directors anytime between 9 and 5 on the day of the meeting at any credit union branch office and up until 6 at the main office.
6. Members are actually encouraged to run for positions as Directors (i.e., necessarily, thereby, running "against" currently sitting Directors)!
7. Members are provided the name and phone number of the CEO (phone numbers for my credit union's CEO and board members have yet to appear on its Web site), with the details regarding how to run for a Director position ("please call" the CEO "by March 23rd").
Here is the full text of the postcard message:
Linn Area Credit Union’s Annual Membership Meeting
You’re invited to Linn Area Credit Union’s annual meeting at our Blair’s Ferry Road office on Tuesday, April 10th at 5:30 pm. You’ll have an opportunity to vote for Directors to represent your interests. Then we’ll have a light dinner followed by a short business meeting.
Can’t make it to the meeting but still want to vote? Stop by any Linn Area Credit Union location between 9 am and 5 pm on April 10th to cast your vote for the Board of Directors and register for door prizes. Voting at the Blairs Ferry Road branch will run from 9 am until 6 pm.
Why should you vote? The primary difference between a credit union and a “for profit” bank is that members – not stockholders – own the credit union and have a say in how it is run. Since you are one of the owners of Linn Area Credit Union, we encourage you to elect the people who speak on your behalf when making decisions affecting your credit union.
Interested in running for a board position? Directors are unpaid volunteers who serve 3 year terms and oversee the credit union. For more information, please call Jim Hagerman, President/CEO by March 23rd at 378-0101 x 304.
We hope to see you there!
Gambling Casinos Expanding
The Gazette has a page-one report on the expansion of the nine gambling casinos within an easy drive of almost anywhere in eastern Iowa. The UI's gambling parter, the Riverside Gambling Casino, has spurred the competition, and caused double-digit percentage declines in the attendance and revenues of its closest casino competitors. It's a war of shares; there's a limit to how much discretionary income eastern Iowans have to drop into slot machines, so the casinos are fighting to hold on to as much of their former share of the area's gambling profits as they can. And they're fighting by spending. Riverside has hotel rooms, restaurants, swimming pool, spa -- and soon, a golf course. Now nine area casinos are following Riverside's example, hoping to at least look like Riverside even if their new hotels have occupancy rates far below profitable levels. I still believe there may be a rainbow, but there is no pot of gold; Iowa cannot gamble itself into economic prosperity. But no one seems to agree with me, so notwithstanding thousands of years of evidence to the contrary we're sticking to this fork in the yellow brick road, in the hopes that, with Robert Frost, that will make all the difference. Gregg Hennigan, "Casinos royale; Aspirations rise for luxury," The Gazette, March 13, 2007.
For the benefit of those who can't drive the short distance to one of their neighborhood gambling casinos, The Gazette's front page also offers advice on how to run a NCAA "pool" betting operation. Rick Smith, "Know the Basics with NCAA Pools," The Gazette, March 13, 2007.
Drug Courts
The Press-Citizen is editorializing in favor of drug courts this morning. "[Johnson County Attorney Janet] Lyness's election opened the possibility of more direct explorations of diversion for low-level substance abuse offenses, of a drug court for more serious substance abuse offenses, of a cite-and-release program for some serious and aggravated misdemeanors and of expansion of the mental health diversion program. . . . The Iowa Legislature, with the strong support of Coralville's Sen. Bob Dvorsky, is considering a $300,000 plan to bring a drug court to the district. We hope the Legislature provides the funding this session so our new county attorney can make good on her promise to explore such alternatives." Editorial, "Drug Court is a Needed Local Alternative," Iowa City Press-Citizen, March 13, 2007
Mary Gilchrist's Court
Gilchrist wants a jury trial. Interim President Fethke and Vice President Meredith Hay prefer a "summary judgment" -- a judge's ruling in their favor that can't be tainted with the judgment of ordinary citizens. See "Fethke, Hay Ask for Summary Judgment," Iowa City Press-Citizen, March 13, 2007.
_______________
UICCU and "Optiva"
The UICCU-Optiva story is essentially behind us. There may be occasional additions "for the record," but for the most part the last major entry, with links to the prior material from October 2006 through March 2007, is "UICCU and 'Optiva'" in Nicholas Johnson, "UI Held Hostage Day 406 - March 3 - Optiva," March 3, 2007.
# # #
[Note: If you're new to this blog, and interested in the whole UI President Search story . . .
These blog entries begin with Nicholas Johnson, "UI President Search I," November 18, 2006.
Wondering where the "UI Held Hostage" came from? Click here. (As of January 25 the count has run from January 21, 2006, rather than last November.)
For any given entry, links to the prior 10 will be found in the left-most column. Going directly to FromDC2Iowa.Blogspot.com will take you to the latest. Each contains links to the full text of virtually all known media stories and commentary, including mine, since the last blog entry. Together they represent what The Chronicle of Higher Education has called "one of the most comprehensive analyses of the controversy." The last time there was an entry containing the summary of prior entries' commentary (with the heading "This Blog's Focus on Regents' Presidential Search") is Nicholas Johnson, "UI President Search XIII -- Last Week," December 11, 2006.
My early proposed solution to the conflict is provided in Nicholas Johnson, "UI President Search VII: The Answer," November 26, 2006.
Searching: the fullest collection of basic documents related to the search is contained in Nicholas Johnson, "UI President Search - Dec. 21-25," December 21, 2006 (and updated thereafter), at the bottom of that blog entry under "References." A Blog Index of entries on all subjects since June 2006 is also available. And note that if you know (or can guess at) a word to search on, the "Blogger" bar near the top of your browser has a blank, followed by "SEARCH THIS BLOG," that enables you to search all entries in this Blog since June 2006.]
# # #
Media Stories and Commentary
See above.
_______________
Technorati tags: football, athletics, academics, high school, college, University of Iowa, education, K-12, leadership, university president, Michael Gartner, Iowa Board of Regents, UI president search, Nicholas Johnson, FromDC2Iowa
_______________
Nicholas Johnson's Main Web Site http://www.nicholasjohnson.org/
Nicholas Johnson's Iowa Rain Forest ("Earthpark") Web Site
Nicholas Johnson's Blog, FromDC2Iowa
Nicholas Johnson's Blog Index
_______________
March 7, 2007, 11:30 a.m., 2:20 p.m. (links and modest editing)
More items today involving: UI's ties to the gambling industries, Mary Gilchrist, and Optiva -- plus an insightful column from Peter Fisher on organized labor and "fair share."
UI Loves Gambling
There are a number of issues here.
(1) The Iowa Lottery commercial. Essentially everyone has come to agreement -- after they were caught, and the media was all over it -- that the specific commercial involving the Iowa Lottery and the Iowa Fight Song was a mistake. (The fact that the owner's lawyer pointed out to the litigation-shy University that the commercial was also a copyright violation contributed to reason's ultimate triumph with this one.)
(2) UI-Lottery Ties. However, beyond the commercial, views shift. The Interim President and Athletic Director think there's nothing wrong with gambling that sufficient UI revenues won't cure. But yesterday the University's Faculty Council unanimously voted its disagreement. See Diane Heldt's story this morning, linked below. (As Heldt reports, AD Barta thinks "the relationship with the lottery should continue.")
(3) And the Gambling Casino? As I've repeatedly observed, and The Gazette headlined as one of its "Gomers" Monday, the Iowa Lottery is not the only "devil's bargain" -- as Professor Michael O'Hara characterized a UI-gambling partnership at the meeting yesterday. There's also the Athletic Department's partnership with the Riverside Gambling Casino. Why would the Faculty Council be so upset over the Lottery and fail even to mention the Gambling Casino contract?
(4) Money Uber Alles. In some ways most disturbing is the observation, reported in the morning's Press-Citizen brief comment that some "note that UI athletics will be entirely self-funded next year and say the revenue is needed."
This is the rationale for keeping highly sugared soft drinks in high school vending machines -- notwithstanding their contribution to obesity, diabetes and what dentists refer to as "Mountain Dew mouth." "The revenue is needed."
It's the rationale politicians use for accepting large bribes from special interest pleaders. "The revenue is needed."
After public broadcasting was specifically established as a "non-commercial" broadcasting service, that was its rationale for taking the commercials that now clutter their "non-commercial" airwaves. "The revenue is needed."
Of course, the politicians call them "campaign contributions" and the public broadcasting stations call commercials "underwriting." But no one is fooled.
If "revenue is needed" is the standard, why not a line of cigarettes, or handguns, with Herky emblazoned on them?
Why not change the rules and sell alcohol throughout the football stands (rather than just in the skyboxes)? Better yet, why not have coeds dressed like Hooters waitresses making the sales?
Why just take pocket change from the Lottery and Casino; why not set up our own little gambling casino outside Kinnick and have folks place their bets on the game right there? After all, "revenue is needed."
It may be that arguments can be found justifying a university's ties to the gambling industries -- why those associations contribute in positive ways other than financial to a university's mission -- though none immediately occurs to me. Offer such reasons if you can. All I'm saying is that I don't think "revenue is needed" is a morally sound argument with which to support a university's partnerships with the gambling industry.
Once "revenue is needed" is the Polestar for a university's financial decisions its moral compass begins to spin as if it was located on the North Pole.
Mary Gilchrist
The Scientist magazine has a nice story about Gilchrist in its March 6 issue, linked below.
As evidence of who this woman is, whom the University decided it could better do without, Gilchrist is currently in Cairo, having been asked by the National Academy of Sciences and Institute of Medicine to inspect influenza surveillance sites in Cairo, Bangkok, and Kathmandu.
Only $4 million separated the University from what she believed was necessary for Iowans' public health in the event of a pandemic or terrorist germ warfare attack -- moreover, a $4 million difference she was willing to make up by postponing the acquisition of other budgeted items.
Meanwhile, the Press-Citizen reports this morning that the University either has under construction, or soon will, between $378 and $393 million in new buildings and renovations -- including about $100 million for athletic and recreation center expenditures. (Brian Morelli's story online does not have the graphic itemizing these costs that is in the hard copy version of the paper.)
God save us all if we someday discover that Mary Gilchrist was right and Interim President Fethke was wrong in this dispute over Iowans' public health needs during emergencies.
Optiva
As noted before, and again below, the UICCU/Optiva controversy is no longer a major feature of this blog. As items come along they are added to "UICCU and 'Optiva'" in Nicholas Johnson, "UI Held Hostage Day 406 - March 3 - Updates," March 3, 2007. Today two items were added (along with some commentary): a blog entry by a "Greg" in "Hermits Rock," and a letter from Steve Cunningham in the Press-Citizen this morning.
Peter Fisher and "Fair Share"
Peter Fisher (Iowa Policy Project; UI Department of Urban and Regional Planning) had a constructive analysis of the "Fair Share" proposal in a Des Moines Register op ed March 1, linked below.
If anyone needs an argument as to what the University of Iowa contributes to this state, one need look no further than that column. My point? Billions of dollars -- whether in gained or lost profits, or taxes, or income from jobs -- turn on getting the facts and analysis right in the policy decisions of our corporate, non-profit, legislative and labor leaders.
There is so much nonsense that passes for analysis in legislative halls, the public relations handouts of special pleaders, and the journalistic reports and commentary that often has little more than that on which to rely.
Someone who knows what they're talking about, has the experience, training and analytical skills as well as the facts, knows how to do the research, and works with all of the above without an ideological agenda or an eye on their personal profit, is worth their weight in gold to the people of any state. Peter Fisher may not be the only one, but he's certainly one of the most valuable ones.
Me? When I'm blogging (as distinguished from doing serious academic work), like Steve Colbert I go by my gut. I seek to be balanced; I do at least some research; I'm not trying deliberately to mislead myself or anyone else -- and, given that approach, I end up being right (by the standards of the experts) more often than I deserve to be. But I'm no Peter Fisher. As a result, I often end up having to change my mind as others point out the error of my ways, and I like to be the first to acknowledge that when it happens.
What I would add to this column of Fisher's is that the opposition of business, and the legislators they feed, to "fair share" (those who benefit from union representation need not "belong" to the union but should, in simple fairness, pay something for the services), is only the latest in a centuries-old effort by those on top to keep the rest of us down.
The business community fought the abolition of slavery, any restrictions on child labor, limiting the maximum number of hours workers could be on the job, the minimum wage, the ability to organize and join unions, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and so forth. They enlisted the assistance of public officials, calling out the police, state militia and private security forces to literally beat back -- and occasionally shoot or otherwise kill -- those who would try to organize for better pay and working conditions. As a result of the anti-union efforts since President Regan fired the air traffic controllers, the proportion of our work force that belongs to unions has declined from something like 60 percent to something like 13 percent.
It is, of course, impossible for anyone realistically to "bargain" with an employer when there are hundreds standing in line behind him or her, willing to do the same work for even less pay. The employer holds all the cards.
As a result of these attitudes in Iowa we see the irony of officials and business leaders who call corporate welfare (like Vision Iowa) "jobs programs," and bemoan the "loss of our young people outside the state." Because these are the same people who are beating down working people and their unions, and opposing any and everything -- such as fair share -- that could possibily bring Iowans' wages up to levels similar to those in surrounding states.
Nationally, these attitudes are driving us closer to the status of a third world country, with ever-wider gaps between the "wages" of the top 1-to-10% and those of the working poor and working class, the folks who live on the hill in the multi-million-dollar homes inside gated communities, and those who are homeless, sleeping on the streets, holding signs saying they will work for food.
Whatever one may say about these policies as a matter of religious principle, or humanitarianism, it just doesn't make much economic sense for the wealthy business-owning class to so impoverish its workers that these potential customers cannot afford to buy the products and services those businesses are trying to sell.
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UICCU and "Optiva"
Unless there is a major breaking story, there will be no more separate blog entries on this topic. The last entry may be revised from time to time and, if so, will indicate the date, time and nature of additions. See Nicholas Johnson, "UICCU and 'Optiva'" in Nicholas Johnson, "UI Held Hostage Day 406 - March 3 - Optiva," March 3, 2007 (last entry, with links to prior entries October 2006 through March 2007)
# # #
[Note: If you're new to this blog, and interested in the whole UI President Search story . . .
These blog entries begin with Nicholas Johnson, "UI President Search I," November 18, 2006.
Wondering where the "UI Held Hostage" came from? Click here. (As of January 25 the count has run from January 21, 2006, rather than last November.)
For any given entry, links to the prior 10 will be found in the left-most column. Going directly to FromDC2Iowa.Blogspot.com will take you to the latest. Each contains links to the full text of virtually all known media stories and commentary, including mine, since the last blog entry. Together they represent what The Chronicle of Higher Education has called "one of the most comprehensive analyses of the controversy." The last time there was an entry containing the summary of prior entries' commentary (with the heading "This Blog's Focus on Regents' Presidential Search") is Nicholas Johnson, "UI President Search XIII -- Last Week," December 11, 2006.
My early proposed solution to the conflict is provided in Nicholas Johnson, "UI President Search VII: The Answer," November 26, 2006.
Searching: the fullest collection of basic documents related to the search is contained in Nicholas Johnson, "UI President Search - Dec. 21-25," December 21, 2006 (and updated thereafter), at the bottom of that blog entry under "References." A Blog Index of entries on all subjects since June 2006 is also available. And note that if you know (or can guess at) a word to search on, the "Blogger" bar near the top of your browser has a blank, followed by "SEARCH THIS BLOG," that enables you to search all entries in this Blog since June 2006.]
# # #
Media Stories and Commentary
Peter Fisher, "Arguments Against Fair Share Don't Hold Up," Des Moines Register, March 1, 2007
Diane Heldt, "UI Faculty Leaders Want Lottery Ties Cut," The Gazette, March 7, 2007
Susan Warner, "Former lab head protests termination; Public health expert was fired after complaining about lab cutbacks, judge denies her whistleblower protection," The Scientist, March 6, 2007
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Technorati tags: football, athletics, academics, high school, college, University of Iowa, education, K-12, leadership, university president, Michael Gartner, Iowa Board of Regents, UI president search, Nicholas Johnson, FromDC2Iowa
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Nicholas Johnson's Main Web Site http://www.nicholasjohnson.org/
Nicholas Johnson's Iowa Rain Forest ("Earthpark") Web Site
Nicholas Johnson's Blog, FromDC2Iowa
Nicholas Johnson's Blog Index
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March 5, 5:00 p.m.
The Gazette's "Homers and Gomers"
The Gazette's Monday morning editorial is a feature called "Homers and Gomers." It's brief paragraphs of what's recently gone right -- and wrong. Whenever The Gazette and I agree it's a matter of concern to both of us, but it's nonetheless reassuring in a way whenever any other independent party comes to the same conclusions that you do. And so it was this morning with a number of items.
Iowa City's West High School Principal Jerry Arganbright was recently picked as Iowa "Principal of the Year." When I was on the Iowa City School Board he was always my principal of the year, so I -- and as it turns out, The Gazette -- were both pleased with the recognition.
(The importance of "process.")
I think process is important -- as most recently revealed with my blog entries on the UICCU board's flirtation with a name change to "Optiva." So does The Gazette, in praising the City of Iowa City's hearings on ideas for the development of the City's plan for its "Central District."
"Public participation" can mean any number of things along a continuum. At one end is total exclusion ("We know what's best and don't need to hear from you, thank you"). Next is "We've made up our minds, here is our plan. We wanted to brief you on it." Next would be the preceding, with the addition of "And we'd like to hear your ideas" (even though it's too late in the process to do anything about any new ideas). Next might be the gathering of ideas from some of the stakeholders through focus groups, or asking the opinions of a tiny sampling, but going ahead with what "the decider" wants to do (and probably without providing details of the results from opinion sampling). Next would be a "membership meeting" (ala the UICCU October 4 and February 28), which for a large organization (e.g., 45,000 credit union members) means participation of between 3% and less than 1% of the members. (And, as it happened in that instance, it involved little more than a ratification -- or as it turned out the failure of a ratification -- of a previously made decision by the CEO and board.) Finally, "participation" might mean obtaining stakeholders' opinions and preferences before decisions are made, letting them select both their proposals and areas of concern, and their preferred solutions -- leaving it to administrators and board members to effectuate those preferences (rather than dictate what they will be).
Moreover, three of this morning's "Gomers" have been concerns of this blog as well: (1) UI Search Committee II's seeming inability (or unwillingness) to declare up front whether it will, or will not, have on-campus interviews. (2) The UI, and its Athletic Department's, partnership with gambling; especially, after all the hoopla about the Iowa Lottery commercial, the University's failure to address the underlying issue (should it be in bed with the gambling industry at all?) and its ties with the Riverside Gambling Casino, which the UI skillfully flew beneath the radar while the Iowa Lottery tie was being debated. (3) The propriety of handing over public money to privately owned, for-profit enterprises. My concern goes to the fundamental flaw and contradiction with free private enterprise, as well as the program's ineffectiveness -- which is also a theme of Gary Maydew's Register op ed, linked below. The Gazette focuses on the phony numbers used to justify the giveaway.
Homers: What’s going right
OUTSTANDING LEADER: Congratulations to Jerry Arganbright, principal of Iowa City West High School, for being named the 2007 Iowa Secondary Principal of the year. A principal at West since 1984, Arganbright has led improvements in student achievement and activities. He is now eligible for similar recognition on a national level.
THANKS FOR ASKING: Far too often, residents complain their voices aren’t heard in public policy decisions, even when public officials bend over backward to listen. In Iowa City, you can literally have your cake and eat it, too. Planning officials are holding public hearings at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday at City Hall to get ideas to develop a plan for the Central District, the heart of Iowa City. Not only are the open to ideas, they’re also serving refreshments.
Gomers: What’s going wrong
KNOCK OFF SECRECY: The University of Iowa presidential search committee continues to drag its feet on whether to require public on-campus interviews for finalists.
Keeping the public in the dark on the heels of a terribly botched search would be the wrong decision. Stop wringing your hands over this one and make the right decision: Require the finalists to meet the community.
DIFFERENT STAKES?: Folks are ticked about the use of the Hawkeye fight song and University of Iowa logos in an Iowa Lottery ad campaign earlier this year. Where’s the outrage about the UI’s association with Riverside Casino & Golf Resort?
The UI has received almost $100,000 in advertising from the casino; the word ‘‘casino’’ is prohibited from print ads and signs on campus, but it’s used in ads on the pre- and post-game shows on Hawkeye Radio Network. Officials say there’s a distinction, but we don’t see it.
INFLATING JOB NUMBERS: Iowans deserve accurate numbers on jobs created by the Iowa Values Fund, an economic development program. A report by the state auditor says the Iowa Department of Economic Development’s number (30,732) is inflated, possibly twice as many as the auditor has counted. The Values Fund is an effective program, but the questionable numbers are eroding its credibility and public support.
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UI Presidential Search II
There are links below to stories about Search II from today, and other recent newspapers' editions.
UICCU and "Optiva"
Unless there is a major breaking story, there will be no more separate blog entries on this topic. The last entry may be revised from time to time and, if so, will indicate the date, time and nature of additions. See Nicholas Johnson, "UICCU and 'Optiva'" in Nicholas Johnson, "UI Held Hostage Day 406 - March 3 - Optiva," March 3, 2007 (last entry, with links to prior entries October 2006 through March 2007)
# # #
[Note: If you're new to this blog, and interested in the whole UI President Search story . . .
These blog entries begin with Nicholas Johnson, "UI President Search I," November 18, 2006.
Wondering where the "UI Held Hostage" came from? Click here. (As of January 25 the count has run from January 21, 2006, rather than last November.)
For any given entry, links to the prior 10 will be found in the left-most column. Going directly to FromDC2Iowa.Blogspot.com will take you to the latest. Each contains links to the full text of virtually all known media stories and commentary, including mine, since the last blog entry. Together they represent what The Chronicle of Higher Education has called "one of the most comprehensive analyses of the controversy." The last time there was an entry containing the summary of prior entries' commentary (with the heading "This Blog's Focus on Regents' Presidential Search") is Nicholas Johnson, "UI President Search XIII -- Last Week," December 11, 2006.
My early proposed solution to the conflict is provided in Nicholas Johnson, "UI President Search VII: The Answer," November 26, 2006.
Searching: the fullest collection of basic documents related to the search is contained in Nicholas Johnson, "UI President Search - Dec. 21-25," December 21, 2006 (and updated thereafter), at the bottom of that blog entry under "References." A Blog Index of entries on all subjects since June 2006 is also available. And note that if you know (or can guess at) a word to search on, the "Blogger" bar near the top of your browser has a blank, followed by "SEARCH THIS BLOG," that enables you to search all entries in this Blog since June 2006.]
# # #
Media Stories and CommentaryUI Search Committee II
Taryn Deutsch, "Panel lists qualities sought in UI president," The Daily Iowan, March 5, 2007
Erin Jordan, "U of I panel discusses presidential criteria," Des Moines Register, March 3, 2007
Andrea Thomas, "Iowa professor questions secrecy in search," The Exponent: Purdue's Student Newspaper, March 1, 2007
Diane Heldt, "Committee Members Desire an Intellectual Leader," The Gazette, March 3, 2007
Brian Morelli, "Committee Wants Intellectual Leader; Next UI President Should 'Set a Tone,'" Iowa City Press-Citizen, March 3, 2007
Brian Morelli, "New UI Search Opposite of 1st," Iowa City Press-Citizen, March 3, 2007
Gazette's "Homers and Gomers"
Editorial, "Homers and Gomers," The Gazette, March 5, 2007
Gary Maydew, "To attract businesses, think beyond tax rates," Des Moines Register, March 2, 2007
UICCU and "Optiva"
See Nicholas Johnson, "UICCU and 'Optiva'" in Nicholas Johnson, "UI Held Hostage Day 406 - March 3 - Optiva," March 3, 2007 (last entry, with links to prior entries October 2006 through March 2007)
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Technorati tags: football, athletics, academics, high school, college, University of Iowa, education, K-12, leadership, university president, Michael Gartner, Iowa Board of Regents, UI president search, Nicholas Johnson, FromDC2Iowa
_______________
Nicholas Johnson's Main Web Site http://www.nicholasjohnson.org/
Nicholas Johnson's Iowa Rain Forest ("Earthpark") Web Site
Nicholas Johnson's Blog, FromDC2Iowa
Nicholas Johnson's Blog Index
_______________
March 3, 11:25 a.m., 6:15 p.m.; March 4, 5:15 p.m. (OpenSourcCU.com and branding consultant Denise Wymore's UICCU meeting entry and additional comments; Jeff Cox's defense of the integrity of the petition in the Thingnamer/Stokefire blog (disposing of the "signers were lied to" charge) and J.D.'s offer of alternative names); March 7, 9:00 a.m. (Greg, "Optiva No More," Hermits Rock, March 1, 2007; Steve Cunningham, "Why Does UICCU Need to Expand?" Iowa City Press-Citizen, March 7, 2007)
It's time to catch up with: What's happened at the UICCU since the memorial service for "Optiva" February 28? The UI Presidential Search Committee II? Mary Gilchrist's law suit?
Note: This blog entry will be revised from time to time with the addition of post-February 28 items worthy of historical note for the record. But unless some major news occurs it will be the last blog entry as such regarding the UICCU/"Optiva" issue.
UICCU and "Optiva"
$400,000-plus For Name Change but No $35 for the Domain Name
ResourcesForLife.com's Financial Services Resource Group (the outfit that made and posted the 1 hour 19 minute audio of the February 28 meeting, linked from its page) has some nice things to say about the UICCU's performance (12th in the nation), but also went on to do some research on domain names. No cybersquatter -- the organization makes names available to their true owner for one penny -- they present some interesting stats on Google hits from "Optiva Credit Union" and "UICCU," etc., but go on to report that www.OptivaCreditUnion.com has long-since been taken, and that www.OptivaCreditUnion.org had not been claimed by UICCU. Nor, for that matter, had University of Iowa Community Credit Union.org.
Why should that have been the first thing Weber would recommend and the UICCU's administration would do? Not necessarily because they would want to make such names (and there would be others as well) their main, advertised, domain name (though they might). It's because savvy businesses, and non-profits, know to grab every domain name that (a) they might want to use in the future, (b) that a competitor (or cybersquatter) might grab, or (c) that is sufficiently obvious, or confusingly close, that a present, or potential, customer might use it either in a Google search or directly in the URL address line. (The names owned, but not used, by the organization are then programmed to automatically forward to the main domain name that is used.)
Certainly, with over $400,000 committed to this project another $35 wouldn't be enough to "break the bank."
Disterhoft is "Excited and Pleased"
According to the Credit Union Times, "'We’re excited and pleased that the democratic process was carried out by the board of directors,” Disterhoft said. "My hat's off to the board of directors for encouraging the democratic principles we were founded on some 70 years ago.'” (The story is linked, below.)
But Dave DeWitte and George Ford report in The Gazette, linked below: "Jeff Disterhoft, president of the University of Iowa Community Credit Union, attributed Wednesday’s vote to a rejection of the Optiva name. 'In the end, I think people were just not comfortable with the name itself,' Disterhoft said. . . . Disterhoft said about $400,000 was spent . . .. 'On Oct. 4, when the members voted to change the name of the credit union effective March 1, there was no choice but to move forward and spend these funds,' Disterhoft said. . . . ' We really had no other option.'"
These statements come much closer to what I perceive as the problem: the Board and CEO's equating of (a) compliance with minimal legal requirements as the extent of their responsibility to the membership, (b) the votes at a membership meeting (or results of "focus groups") with "the opinion of the membership," and (c) the simple (and minipulated) majority of a near-tie on a highly controversial major issue as a "mandate" to move ahead."
Why? (a) "the democratic principles we were founded on some 70 years ago," to quote Disterhoft, require seeking out, and endeavoring to execute, the wishes of the membership -- not making decisions first and then trying to persuade the membership, and at least minimally comply with any legal requirements regarding membership involvement, (b) there are far more members, whose opinions deserve to be taken into account, than there are members willing to come to meetings; you would not want a "meeting" of 45,000 members anyway, but modern technology makes it cheap and easy to gather their opinions, and (c) it is probably best not to try to move ahead with proposals that are (1) significant, (2) emotionally charged, (3) divisive, and (4) and as to which the membership of a membership organization is very evenly divided -- even if there had been a polling of all members first. To bull ahead with a management-originated plan anyway, with no more authorization that a very nearly evenly split result (198-192) at a membership meeting attended by less than 1% of the membership is a guarantee of disaster -- as occurred last Wednesday.
As the Press-Citizen put it in its March 2 editorial, linked below, "[T]the board and staff should have recognized that such a razor-thin margin [as came out of the October 4 meeting] was not a mandate. . . . In Iowa . . . consensus is the rule-of-thumb for politics -- especially for institutions designed to be more cooperative than profit-driven." (On the other hand, the editorial cited the reasons advanced for the name change (easing geographical expansion and removing confusion about the necessity of a UI tie for membership) without the reasons to oppose it, and characterized the choice of names as one between "whether the credit union should keep its lengthy, regionally tied name or streamline to the sleeker and non-geographically specific, Optiva" -- not that the paper isn't just as entitled to its opinion as any of the rest of us.)
It is (probably) not true that they "had no other option." Presumably the October 4 resolution, if it was properly drafted, would have authorized, not mandated, the Board to adopt a name change. What I recommended to both the Board and the CEO, and clearly laid out, was the option they did have, and refused to consider: that they obtain the opinion of the entire membership (whether by post, scientific sampling, or online). If an overwhelming majority of the entire membership (that is, those willing to express a view) favored the "Optiva" name change they might still want to reconsider the idea if there was an emotional and outspoken substantial minority in opposition. But at least they would have made an effort to obtain a broader base of the membership's will. If an overwhelming majority opposed it, they would be well advised to drop the idea. Instead, they chose to rest on the fact they had complied with the legal minimums and had their 6-vote "majority" from a membership meeting (which they had loaded with most of the 150 employee-members who were paid overtime to attend).
To this day -- to the best of my knowledge -- no one in the UICCU's administration or Board has made a statement indicating that they understand they made a mistake, or that the issue was about more than just a name, that it went to the heart of their anti-democratic management of a democratic membership organization. (As Disterhoft is quoted as saying, above, "people were just not comfortable with the name." Yes, and you were unaware of that before the meeting? And why were you unaware? Or were you aware, and prepared to go ahead with it anyway, knowing that the membership was "not comfortable with the name," if you had received the kind of slim majority of those voting that you got in October?)
Press-Citizen Readers Continue "Membership Meeting" Discussion
The Press-Citizen's March 1 story on the February 28 meeting now carries some 68 comments from readers (as of the evening of March 2). (Those 68 comments are in a file linked, below, that also contains a link to the March 1 story.)
Possible Board Membership Challenge
Dave DeWitte and George Ford report in The Gazette that there's a move afoot, perhaps among some of those who signed the petition calling for the February 28 meeting, to put together a slate of new candidates for the Board to be presented at the March 21 annual membership meeting. It's linked below.
[March 7, 2007: "Greg" in the Hermits Rock blog, linked below, describes the February 28 meeting.
Steve Cunningham asks, in the March 7 Press-Citizen, also linked below, "Why Does UICCU Need to Expand?" to which "PeterJ" responds by way of an entered comment: "The salary of the president of a credit union increases with the assets of the credit union. Hence, there is a big incentive for the president to push growth above everything else."
Disterhoft's motives aside (and who can know another's motives for sure?), there really was a two-step foundation to the Board's argument here for which the first issue tended to get overlooked. (1) We need to expand. (2) In order to expand we need a non-geographical name.
Sometimes a restaurant, or other business, that is quite successfully locally sort of falls apart when it expands geographically. What are the pros and cons, the benefits and costs, what does the data show, with regard to the geographical expansion of credit unions throughout this country? How have the members been advantaged by expansion? (My own experience is that my "bank" (as distinguished from my credit union) has been less satisfactory, not more, as it has joined larger and larger operations through merger. Why would a credit union be different? I'm not saying it wouldn't be different; I'm just asking why it would be.)
The questions are not necessarily related. That is, we might decide that we would be advantaged by expanding, but that we don't need to change our name to do so -- or that we don't need to change our name to a nonsense word (and I mean that in the descriptive, rather than the pejorative sense) to do so (although we might decide we would benefit from, or wanted to anyway, change our name to something other than UICCU). Similarly, we might decide that we would be disadvantaged (or at least not advantaged) by expanding substantially, and yet we want to change our name anyway for other reasons.
Cunningham has highlighted the importance of addressing the expansion issue head on -- however we come out on it -- and I'm grateful to him for doing that.]
UI Presidential Search Committee II
It being Saturday, the local papers report on the Friday meetings of the Search Committee II -- since, with the new policy of openness, the meetings are open to media and public.
There was discussion of desirable qualities in a president, from the Committee members' perspective. Diane Heldt reports that the "qualities committee members want include high energy, the ability to articulate a vision and develop goals for the UI, being a spokesperson — whether it be communicating successes or crisis management — and success in fundraising." But she quotes College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Dean Linda Maxson as saying, "I think [intellectual leadership] has to go at the top of the list. I think that's the single most distinguishing characteristic we’re looking for." The story is linked below.
Brian Morelli's story in the Press-Citizen this morning, while also picking up on the "intellectual leader" emphasis put the rest of the list of desired qualities this way: "high energy, ability and enjoyment to fundraise, strategic thinking, executive decision-making, the ability to oversee without meddling and ability for crisis management."
Morelli has another interesting story ("UI Search Opposite of 1st"), also linked below, in which he quotes Faculty Senate President Sheldon Kurtz as saying, "Search two, from a process perspective is much more open. In fact, it is infinitely more open." And it also includes a bewildering exchange with Regents President Michael Gartner:
"[T]he closed nature of the first search, which didn't announce its meetings, didn't hold them in public and provided few updates caused uneasiness on campus and in the state.
"'There is a good possibility that search one was not conducted in accordance with the rules,' Kurtz said. 'They didn't have a committee chaired by a person that understood the university world. (Initial search committee chairwoman Teresa Wahlert) understood the corporate world."
"Wahlert, the chief operating officer of the Mid-America Group in Des Moines, did not return phone messages Friday. Regent President Michael Gartner, who was one of four regents on the initial 19-person search committee, said he wasn't involved in the decision making for the initial search and didn't know where the advice came from to use a closed process.
"'I was not involved. You would have to ask Teresa,' Gartner said."
"I was not involved"? Gartner "was not involved"? Gartner is involved in everything. Gartner calls the shots; he speaks as if he was the Board of Regents. One can only speculate as to why he would have said this, and transfer all responsibility for the fiasco of Search Committee I to Ms. Wahlert's shoulders.
Mary Gilchrist's Law Suit
Gregg Hennigan reports in this morning's Gazette that, having lost an early motion, with the judge's blessing Gilchrist and her lawyer are preparing to move ahead with a jury trial. (The story is linked, below.)
# # #
[Note: If you're new to this blog, and interested in the whole UI President Search story . . .
These blog entries begin with Nicholas Johnson, "UI President Search I," November 18, 2006.
Wondering where the "UI Held Hostage" came from? Click here. (As of January 25 the count has run from January 21, 2006, rather than last November.)
For any given entry, links to the prior 10 will be found in the left-most column. Going directly to FromDC2Iowa.Blogspot.com will take you to the latest. Each contains links to the full text of virtually all known media stories and commentary, including mine, since the last blog entry. Together they represent what The Chronicle of Higher Education has called "one of the most comprehensive analyses of the controversy." The last time there was an entry containing the summary of prior entries' commentary (with the heading "This Blog's Focus on Regents' Presidential Search") is Nicholas Johnson, "UI President Search XIII -- Last Week," December 11, 2006.
My early proposed solution to the conflict is provided in Nicholas Johnson, "UI President Search VII: The Answer," November 26, 2006.
Searching: the fullest collection of basic documents related to the search is contained in Nicholas Johnson, "UI President Search - Dec. 21-25," December 21, 2006 (and updated thereafter), at the bottom of that blog entry under "References." A Blog Index of entries on all subjects since June 2006 is also available. And note that if you know (or can guess at) a word to search on, the "Blogger" bar near the top of your browser has a blank, followed by "SEARCH THIS BLOG," that enables you to search all entries in this Blog since June 2006.]
# # #
Media Stories and Commentary
"Disterhoft Pleased with ‘Democratic’ Name Voting Process, Ready to Move Forward," Credit Union Times, March 1, 2007
Diane Heldt, "Committee Members Desire an Intellectual Leader," The Gazette, March 3, 2007
Gregg Hennigan, "Judge Says Gilchrist Can Continue Case to Fight for Job," The Gazette, March 3, 2007
Dave DeWitte and George C. Ford, "Board Changes Sought At UI Credit Union," The Gazette, March 2, 2007
Editorial, "The Strength of UI Community Credit Union," Iowa City Press-Citizen, March 2, 2007
Steve Cunningham, "Why Does UICCU Need to Expand?" Iowa City Press-Citizen, March 7, 2007, plus readers' comments
Brian Morelli, "Committee Wants Intellectual Leader; Next UI President Should 'Set a Tone,'" Iowa City Press-Citizen, March 3, 2007
Brian Morelli, "New UI Search Opposite of 1st," Iowa City Press-Citizen, March 3, 2007
"Reader Comments Regarding Kathryn Fiegen, 'Members have spoken: UICCU it is; 1,437 cast votes about whether to change name to Optiva," Iowa City Press-Citizen, March 1, 2007 -- 68 Comments Through March 2, 2007, and with link to Fiegen's story
Nicholas Johnson Blog Entries Regarding Optiva
"Optiva Voted Down" in Nicholas Johnson, "UI Held Hostage Day 404 - March 1 -- Optiva," March 1, 2007
"The Feb. 28 UICCU/'Optiva' Credit Union Meeting" in Nicholas Johnson, "UI Held Hostage Day 402 - Feb. 27 -- Optiva," February 27, 2007, Revised February 28, 2007
"What the Credit Union Feb. 28 Meeting is Really About" in Nicholas Johnson, "UI Held Hostage Day 398 - Feb. 23 -- Optiva," February 23, 2007
"UICCU and 'Optiva'" in Nicholas Johnson, "UI Held Hostage Day 392 - Feb. 17," February 17, 2007
Nicholas Johnson, "UI Held Hostage Day 62 - Revisiting Optiva," January 17, 2007
Nicholas Johnson, "Seattle's Optiva," October 23, 2006
Nicholas Johnson, "Optiva," October 13, 2006
Others' Blogs
Denise Wymore (branding consultant), "Lessons to Be Learned From the University of Iowa," OpenSourceCU.com, March 2, 2007
Greg, "Optiva No More," Hermits Rock, March 1, 2007
Denise Wymore (branding consultant), "I Convinced Them Not to Change the Name," ThingNamer.com/StokeFire.com, February 20, 2007 (comment to Tate Linden, "Optiva -- Turning the House to Screw in the Bulb?" February 19, 2007)
Jeff Cox, "Tired of Hearing Credit Union Employees Asserting Petitioners Lied," ThingNamer.com/StokeFire.com, March 3, 2007 (comment to Tate Linden, "Optiva -- Turning the House to Screw in the Bulb?" February 19, 2007)
J.D.'s Blog Bites (J.D. Mendenhall), "Optiv-Out!" March 3, 2007
Open Country (Maria Houser Conzemius), "Not So Fast, 'Optiva'!" March 1, 2007
Thingnamer (Tate Linden/Stokefire), "UICCU -- The Credit Union Formerly Known as Optiva . . . OptivEx . . . Noptiva," March 1, 2007
References
The Credit Union Membership Access Act of 1998, Sec. 2(4)
National Credit Union Administration
National Association of Federal Credit Unions
State of Iowa Credit Union Division
OpenSourceCU.com
The Credit Union Difference," on the site of the USA Federal Credit Union
Iowa Credit Union League
The Credit Union Journal
Credit Union Times
UICCU
Optiva Promotional Video
UICCU Membership Meeting, February 28, 2007, audio (a one-hour-19-minute audio recording of the meeting is now available online, courtesy of Financial Services Resource Group (go to "UICCU -- Can Your Financial Institution Do That?" and click on link).)
Cintara's POPwink
ThingNamer.com/StokeFire.com blog
Denise Wymore (branding consultant)
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