In a short time of two years, Mississippi State University is in need of another president. This seems to be a recurring theme at this university. As this presidential search is winding to a close, the College Board still expects to have a preferred candidate in place by Nov. 1.
To this day, the words “closed search” and “IHL” are words that spark resentment among some on campus. Who can possibly blame people for being disappointed with the College Board? Who can forget what happened two years ago when the College Board selected Robert “Doc” Foglesong as the university’s president?
In one short week, he was brought to campus and later that week, he was president. That was both unfair to him and to the university as well. The situation resembles a gardener trying to grow pineapples in Mississippi. It is possible to do so, but the climate does not always best suit pineapples, which are tropical plants.
Just because someone has earned the rank of four-star general does not mean that he is the best candidate for the position. Taking someone from a strict military background and expecting him to thrive in this environment was a plan doomed from the start. It was just a matter of time before Murphy’s Law began to unfold. With MSU’s history with the College Board and closed search nominated presidents, it is quite understandable why some are in favor of an open search. In contrast, how many successful open-search nominated presidents have there been in recent time to warrant a change in the IHL’s policy?
If the search process was opened, that would remove the secrecy out of the process and everyone – faculty, students, staff and alumni – would know who the candidates are. But an open search won’t be problem-free.
The candidate pool should be made up of people who have some experience actually being university presidents. If there were presidents applying for this position, their names would be released to their campuses as well. This can lead to presidents ruining their relationships with the people connected to their university even if they do not receive the position at MSU.
The candidate everyone is looking for simply does not exist. A closed or open search would not produce a candidate that every single group on campus will be satisfied with. This situation resembles a man who wants to marry the absolutely perfect woman only to be left disappointed and full of resentment as his search proves unsuccessful.
Faculty members want a president with strong ties to academics and who can understand the faculty’s needs. Alumni want a president who is skilled in generating funds and bringing in money to the university. Staff members want a president who can relate to the staff’s needs. This list can go on ad infinitum.
I find it astonishing and embarrassing for a school that boasts such a great history to not have a president who loves the school as much as those who attend it.
If this search was to continue beyond the deadline, then maybe I should dust off my resume and cast my name in. If elected, I promise to love daffodils and make them the university’s official flower. I would not paint anything brown and would not tell the architecture students how to do their work. Regardless of whom the board selects for our president, we simply cannot afford to have another president who considers MSU as a plan B.
Lawrence Simmons is a senior majoring in communication. He can be contacted at [email protected].