11/1/2012: They’ve just posted an ad for a new McMorran house event manager, focusing on development. Nothing about scotch for the faculty.
10/23/2012. Me neither. Don’t take it personally, Gottfredson is obviously not interested in social networking with the UO faculty, and apparently has even laid off the staffer in charge of events there. These parties were always a little oily, but you did learn a few things, and the scotch was decent.
FWIW Gottfredson’s office has now posted a transcript of his “State of UO” speech to the UO Senate on 10/11, here. It is just as boring and uninformative as it was in person. For all I can tell this guy will someday fire Bean and Geller, clean out JH, cut deals with Kitzhaber and Knight, control the athletic deficit, manage the faculty union, and prove to be a great UO President. Probably not though, and meanwhile he’s putting me to sleep.
I can’t imagine why you’ve been crossed off the invite list. What a shame.
Thanks UOMatters for articulating it: I too get the distinct sense that Gottfredson isn’t remotely interested in the faculty, even in any show of interest in meeting the faculty. Has he been this aloof from students and staff too? Or does the guy just completely lack social skills? You’re the new boss, dude, meet the workers! (with or without catering)
But maybe I’m just in the same doghouse as UOMatters (and presumably Dog)
Dog says
I was born in the Dog house – I therefore have exclusive rights – I have no personal judgement on MG yet – Dogs have an April 1 policy – if MG remains dormant by April 1 – then yeah – we hired
a care taker.
He has to have some inkling of the mutual distrust and contempt between the faculty and administration. Who is he talking to other than the usual JH suspects? Anyone? It’s more than a bit worrying.
here are some ideasvin the spirit of trying to be constructive. where could he start? here are some various slices of campus stakeholders for initial rounds of discussions:
presumably, he is already meeting with FAC JH muckdeemucks (is that a real word?) and deans. Others include Senate leadership,OA and staff groups. he’s also almost certainly already touched base with foundation board. ultimately both we and Board need to hear each other’s views more. continuing, some of both most prominent research faculty (e.g., national academy) and NTTF leaders. unsure about suggestions regarding union leadership. The high-risk potentally hig-return/disaster approach might be to begin to lay out broad principles and goals, and tgen see how much consensus there might be on how best to proceed without getting into the swamps and weeds. in the parlance of diplomacy, beginning a few ‘confidence-building steps, and the get more ambitious. no doubt, folks wiser than I have better suggestions.
Thanks, anon constructive guy, good ideas. Personally I think he should invite some of the administration’s harshest critics over to McMorran house for a single malt blowout, ending in a Mighty Oregon sing-along.
Doing what you say would require a fair bit of time. Can’t you see uomatters and his esteemed colleagues, er commenters, want heads to roll NOW. Gottfredson is already putting them to sleep with his “confidence-building”.
Oh, I don’t necessarily want heads to roll right away; I just want some sign that MG is not asleep at the wheel. Even to gather intelligence, you need to meet-and-greet.
And, you know, it might be wise to leave UOMatters till last. But does that mean he’s meeting with others. Again, I ask, are there other clusters of faculty or staff he’s chatting up? Because if he never leaves JH, except to tour the state, then we are in fact in trouble.
Geller has told Gottfredson that, because of the union vote, he can’t give the faculty raises or talk to them without supervision.
Ask your chair if s/he’s had a chance for an unscripted conversation with Gottfredson about problems, priorities, goals. I’ve got about 10 observations on this, and they all say no. This is basic good management stuff, and he’s just not doing it. Very bad sign.
you can make that eleven
Gottfredson has heard plenty about the faculty’s problems from Bean and Geller and Moffitt.
Bean and Geller, yes. But Moffitt? We’d be hard pressed to come up with someone better able to tackle budgets and get the financial house in order.
wishful thinking, I fear.
Better than FD, but that does not say much. What has she achoeved?
To her credit she seems able to pour oil ‘over troubled warer”, but what else?
Is it me, or is Oregon Hall like Dilbert World???