New Prez at RSU -or- Is Higher Ed the Legislator Retirement Program?
Posted by Tyson Wynn | Print This PostJan 24
In a rare, yet not unprecedented move, the University of Oklahoma Regents (who govern OU, Cameron, and RSU) have appointed a new president for RSU without a search process. Reports say that regents
spent more than an hour in executive session before deciding to forgo an extensive search and appoint [former Democratic State Senator Larry] Rice
president of RSU. Are we supposed to be impressed that the regents invested so much time in making a decision that is so vitally important to one of their universities?
I don’t know anything about Mr. Rice (yet). I’ll be doing my research, though. I am still hopeful that a breath of fresh air will sweep through campus with the departure of Joe Wiley and his cohorts.
A couple of concerns do cross my mind:
1. Does it seem to anyone else that higher ed in Oklahoma is becoming the retirement system for former legislators and politicians?
2. If the recommendation to forgo the search process and appoint Rice so quickly did originate with Joe Wiley, as reported in the media,
Wiley said he encouraged regents to skip a search process…[,]
I have reservations. Period. Wiley’s reason for this recommendation?
…the university’s administration is in a time of transition, as three top officers, including Wiley, have either left or will leave soon.
One of Rogers State’s vice presidents, Michael Turner, was named the president of Southeastern Oklahoma State University in October, and another, Larry Minks, resigned to take a new job.
Does the metaphor of rats abandoning a sinking ship resonate with anyone else?
Here’s hoping things aren’t as dire as I suspect. Here’s hoping that Rice is a good president. Here’s hoping that RSU will begin a new era, where the civil rights of students, faculty, and staff are genuinely recognized and respected. Lastly, here’s hoping that the recurring theme of a “cloud of secrecy” will depart with the current administration’s egress.
13 comments
Comment by Pamela on January 25, 2008 at 1:52 AM
I have a couple of observations. First, higher ed seems to have been a landing zone for several politicians for quite a long time and did not begin with Dr. Rice. A little history will show that Rice was an educator before he became a politician and that he was walking the grounds of RSU when it was just a small college.
I don’t know or actually care about Wiley’s recommendations…what I do know is that Dr. Rice grew up in this area, has given to this community and is committed to helping people. Dr. Rice has a passion for NE Oklahoma and the folks that live and work here.
As for a little sunshine on the hill, as a legislator Rice understands open records, civil right and as a man of charactor, I believe he will do what is good and right.
It is my opinion that RSU, the faculty, staff and student body along with the entire community will benifit greatly under the leadership of a true Statesman.
God bless RSU!
Comment by Tyson on January 25, 2008 at 8:57 AM
I didn’t intend to indicate that the movement from politics to higher ed stared with Rice. What I did mean is that he is just the latest in a series (in fact, the trend is what concerns me).
As for the rest of your comments: I hope they bear out in Pres. Rice’s service.
It’s time for a President of whom we can be proud.
Comment by Happy Mom on January 25, 2008 at 2:00 PM
Turner is taking the SEOSU job? in Durant? Joe’s old alma mater??? Didn’t local gossip always imply that Joe would get the Durant job when it came open? Wonder what happened. My understanding is that Joe’s wife still resides and works in Durant. Seems it would have been a natural transition for him to move “back to his roots”. Any idea where Minks is going?
Comment by RSUProf on January 26, 2008 at 8:54 PM
Tyson,
I agree that higher ed in OK is a bit of “old boys network,” and that “expedited searches” should be viewed with a bit of skepticism. At the same time, I would observe that one of the biggest threats to a growing university like RSU is rudderless drift.
I had some problems with the previous administration. There was a penchant for secrecy, some high-handedness, a tendency to view middle-level staff positions as opportunities for patronage, a punitive streak that rivaled Nixon, etc. At the same time, President Wiley accomplished many good things as well, and he generally treated faculty members with respect.
What I have heard of President-designate Rice is that he has deep roots in the community, is deeply loyalty to RSU (and has passed up other university positions in hopes of getting the RSU slot), and has a real talent for fund raising. The latter is something that is desperately needed at RSU, as most of the prospects for growth are tied to our continued expansion of capital facilities; in particular, I have been advocating a college of education for several years. These are things that require buildings, additional faculty, etc.
I have reason for optimism, having heard from people who know Dr. Rice that he is a quality person… And a Democrat! (Those two personal characteristics are not mutually exclusive, you know
).
Comment by Tyson on January 28, 2008 at 12:56 AM
RSUProf,
See my latest blog post.
Comment by blood boiling on August 3, 2008 at 12:23 PM
All so nicey nice! Until you have been on the receiving end of the “concern” for these mothers of pearl, you haven’t felt the breath of Wiley down your neck. If Rice doesn’t stand up and look around and stop letting the Wiley crew tell him the “rules” he may just as well pack up his striped shirts and shower shoes and head for a Big Mac with Hibbs. Lordy Lordy naievte runs deep in this little dead horse town. It’s sickening. Oh, by the way, if you think the Dixie Mafia is big in Durant…catch a [redacted] of what’s happening up here! The other option to being “other than Democrat” around here is “ASHAMED of MYSELF!” I’m in it everyday. Larry Rice is “helped” by the Wiley staff and “guided” If you don’t have brains, it doesn’t matter of you have a good heart. Do you recall the phrase “useful idiot?”
sickening! People deserve the “government” they get.
Comment by An Independent on May 20, 2009 at 7:58 PM
Has anyone heard the latest? Michael Turner has stepped down as president of SEOSU. His last day was today 5-20-2009. Details are sketchy, but speculation is not. It seems that even “useful idiot” has an expiration date.
Comment by too apparent on May 24, 2009 at 3:44 PM
I can tell you this…Larry Rice hit the deck at Rogers State University believing every word out of the mouth of Joe Wiley, Tom Volturo, Linda Andrews and the “CREW” of women in the TRiO Programs who had been the basis of problems there since Noah built the ark…not to rain on anyone’s parade but, has anybody, anywhere heard ANYTHING about what RSU intended to do to clean up the TRiO Programs and the misuse of TRiO funds? NOT A PEEP OR A PURR? Larry Rice had NO idea about TRiO Progams…all he needed was just a good heart and a good reputation to put all that behind him … good ole Toby Titsworth helped and now…all is well with the world. Rennah and Rhonda are still in charge. Dorothy has her head up where the sun don’t shine and all is well with the world. Well…if all goes as is planned…perhaps Michael Turner will be the new governor…Good LORD people! Has Louisiana flushed the toilet and Oklahoma rocks on!? Yep good old Oklahoma where David Boren is in charge for life…It is sickening…sickening…swine flu my arse.
Comment by but what about... on May 24, 2009 at 3:46 PM
what ever happened to Marilyn Goff? What happened to Collier? Anybody know?
Comment by has anyone noticed on May 24, 2009 at 3:54 PM
Is anybody else around here aware that David Boren and lil Brad Henry’s dad are law partners? Is anybody else around here aware that David Boren CANNOT and WILL NOT let any gossip or evil touch RSU and get in the press! HEY! Larry Rice swallowed the turnip truck whole when he would not believe what he was told by the Dept of Ed…he brought in Sara Schoenefeld and got rid of Collier, just as he was told and now…all is well… hmmm…well…well … well…hm…well..where the heck are Collier and Goff now? What is going to happen when RSU applies for new federal grants? All that will be swept under the rug…it’s all being run just like it was…just ask the right people about how the grants are all being run out of the admin office by the same ole crew…Rennah and Rhonda…remember them? Larry Rice such a good man…doesn’t understand when the Dept of Ed tells him something is wrong? Doesn’t matter…David Boren will fix it all up…quick…
Comment by 2 RSU Prof on May 25, 2009 at 8:09 PM
Somethings some of you may not know. Maybe you no longer care. There were some very fine people hurt by some thing at RSU and the hurting continues. There are rivers and rivulets of nastiness that continue to travel through the halls at RSU that should have been stopped. Larry Rice came right in and blindly, ignorantly took up the mantra of a pit of viporous women who were set on running off people they feel didn’t rightly belong. There were just down right evil, nasty things done and said about some good people there. These women said things about one woman there that, if she were my mom, I’d have to say that violence would probably be justified. The very idea that they can get away with saying someone is a “pervert” that someone else is “incompetent” and worse, simply because they took a job that your silly, ignorant women felt you should have is just vile. Then, to think that, even when the Dept of Ed and a raft of OU lawyers told Rice how the cow ate the cabbage, he let Linda Andrews, Joe Wiley and those women tell Sara Schoenefeld the things they did…how sad, how utterly sad that good people literally had their lives ruined. One woman nearly committed suicide over their actions. The talk is that they called students in one by one and said things like “did she make you feel uncomfortable or touch you in some way?” Then, Sara Schoenefeld said “no touching of children on my watch!” Schoenefeld, again…”I know all about you people!” She also said she knew all she needed to know about federal grants. Never mind the women was a middle school teacher and the people at Rogers in the TRiO Program are adults. Never mind that the Federal Government told Wiley and Rice to their face that there was a MESS there! Never mind that they fired people all over the campus in order to clean things up. Rennah Robinson, Rhonda Cox, Dorothy Mullis and the rest of that pit full of vipers should have to pay personally for what they did to Marilyn Goff, Ms. Collier, and even Sherry Hukill and Penny Pricer for that matter. Those two were simply stupid, duplicitous “useful idiots” larry Rice may be a goodman but, you know what…If he is so blind as to what is right in front of his nose, he probably thinks all is well and quiet now. Well, Dr. Rice, hide and watch, hide and watch but, you better watch out for that nest of snakes because they will continue to do harm to students, staff and yes, if they get a chance, even you. The lawsuits aren’t going away and the truth will out. Of course, you don’t read this stuff. Above it all are you? Well, Hide and watch. Dr. Rice was a very BIG disappointment and continues to be so. Toby Titsworth was told the truth 2 months before he came to RSU. He walked in and swalled the Kool-aid…he would rather believe Linda Andrews and Joe Wiley and the “ladies” of the TRiO Staff than investigate for himself the truth. Too bad. Too bad.
Comment by An Independent on May 29, 2009 at 8:34 PM
Here’s the latest: the powers that be (or at least one very politically powerful person) wanted Turner gone due to “poor performance” and “no confidence” immediately and without a severance package. Apparently Turner had to hire an attorney to salvage his reputation and get something in the way of severance. Now he knows how it feels; KARMA anyone? He may not acutally have been fired as of last Friday, but his days are definitely numbered. If they had only asked us, they could have saved themselves this embarassment. Anyone who ever had any professional dealings with Turner saw this coming from a mile away, which leads us to the bigger question: Just how in the heck did he get the job in the first place? Oh, but we who know him and the situation at RSU already know the answer to that question. It’s time for higher powers to investigate. If what goes around, comes around, Wylie will be next!
And from what I hear, the secretarial sluts at RSU Trio are finally being recognized for what they are, and they aren’t running the show anymore.
It’s absolutely true: give a fool enough rope …
Comment by as I understand it on June 17, 2009 at 12:37 PM
As I understand it… the investigation by the Feds regarding the corruption, mismanagement, abuse, fraud, and ignorance is an on-going investigation of RSU. Some of us tried to tell Titsworth and Rice that there wre mistakes being made. Linda Andrews was convinced she was on a mission of the highest order as commissioned by Joe Wiley. Wiley left orders to Schoenefeld, Linda Andrews and others to put certain people “in the rearview mirrow!” He and the lovely ladies of TRiO destroyed some people…Joe has a history of this that some of you may remember…a way with “women” HA! Anyway…wondering if anyone ever found out what the response to the Feds was concerning the abuse discovered in TRiO Programs? The school response has not ever been released as far as we all know. That is a shame! Shame Larry Rice, Shame on you! It’s tax dollars darn you. Shame on you. Shame on all of you. Shame on Porky Boren and shame on all of you that follow Joe Wiley and Tom Volturo.