Archive for lafayettesports.myfreeforum.org This forum is not affiliated in any way with Lafayette College, Lafayette College Athletics, The Maroon Club or any other official organization. Please be respectful of other posters as well as the athletes, coaches and administrators.
Bucknell lists the items of business and outline for their BOT meetings... why can't we do this?? http://www.bucknell.edu/x42915.xml
I do not like our closed-door, ol' boys policy. We donate money, we deserve to know what goes on.
Lafalum
You are right on and we should know via annual report the salaries of all senior officers etc. It is available via the 990's the college submits to the IRS (a public document available however with a 1 1/2 year delay), so why not???
We should know how OUR MONEY is being spent. It is not the college's money or the trustee's money, They are supposed to represent our interests, the donors.
Pard4Life
Yes, our 990 is helpful, but it only goes so far. As you probably see your self, posted salaries for officers = accountability. That's why you have this sub-prime mess for one.
I remember being stunned when the school created a BOT link on our home website. At least we know who goes to the meetings and what committees exist... but still, it feels and looks like the Politburo to me...
carney2
I say again: look up "idiots" in the dictionary and you will find a group photo of the Lafayette Board of Trustees. I have very little respect for anything but their ability to write big checks. Their closed door, top secret modus operandi is yet another reason that the photo won't be removed any time soon.
Lafalum
The beat goes on. Nancy Brennan Lund returns to the BOT as Vice chairman. As Riley Temple leaves and Mimi Mclean departs ( Mimi is a well regarded president of her own business and a supporter of Lafayette athletics) Nancy returns, as part of the old guard and to ensure the "Raemer" clique stays intact. Time to turn-over the chairmanship and the excutive committee, and start populating the BOT with people who understand our culture rather than those who are committted to change it.
Bob Sell would make an excellent chairman, he has a long history of service to the college (including president of the maroon club and alumni association)and is a senior person at Accenture, and has seen a variety of organizatons in his career. Why wasn't Jack Bourger appointed instead of one of the other two no names?? We do know why..... don't we!!! This is a pretty undistinguished group, especially in the leadership positions.
As to writing checks I count 5 maybe six who are capable of writing big checks (3,000,000+). Just compare the names of the Societe d'honneur with members of the BOT. Only a minority of names show up and only three who are in leadership roles. so even the ability to write a check doesn't count that much.
Pard4Life
No, what counts more than checks is having the same dull mindset, stuffy attitude, and unimpressive true leadership qualities i.e. the inability to think of unique, invigorating directions.
As far as branding goes, I still don't know what Lafayette is in the larger realm of colleges. Didn't we drop the 'Lafayette Experience' campaign? Where is the new brand? I still think we are caught in limbo between an Ivy wanna-be and Swathmore wanna-be. The staid mindset of our leadership (BOT) has ensured that we have yet to define ourselves. Could this be why we can't attract more students, and compelling students... without Marquis/Trustee Scholarships? Athletics success will help, but that is miniscule compared to this broader theme. Can't we hire someone to develop our brand? And not just a college consulting firm... (though I think Ayers St. Gross was appropriate given the 'uniqueness' of college topography in general).
We will still be second-class as long as we do not invite the compelling individuals with vision on board. Is Bourger one of them? I'd say yes given his long-time exclusion and high profile. At the same time, how can we attract compelling alumni leaders to lead the college when all of this status-quo and ol' boy network politics are at play? At that point, who the heck would care over something so small as Lafayette, when there are bigger leadership positions and causes to be dedicated to... you know, the stuff talented and dedicated people pursue. In other words, why deal with the nonsense at Lafayette when I can be doing something else greater with my time?
Sadly, I see this trend continuing. Even the younger people appointed to the leadership posts (non-BOT) and volunteer commissions, boards are unimpressive (to me at least). There are few of these young people who actually speak up and have 'vision'... whether they stick around remains to be seen.
If you want to be selected to any board, post at Lafayette... the leadership has to be completely comfortable with you.. i.e. think, believe, say the same things.. i.e. one who will not rock the boat. And of course, they have to be familiar with you, so 'no surprises'.
I can see why Oeschle quit in 2004... he had it with the nonsense of the BOT.
Lafalum
Wow...could not have said it better..you are right on target!!
