The Great Bulldog Nation has crumbled. Now it’s time to pick up the pieces and rebuild The People’s University.For better or worse, MSU President Robert “Doc” Foglesong is departing after just two years on the job. Some have called him a great man who went beyond the call of duty to help advance the university. Others have called him an unqualified, megalomaniacal dictator whose personal goals were more important to him than the interests of the MSU community. Those of us who have lived with him since April 2006 are likely to agree that both descriptions can be considered true.
Great things happened under Foglesong’s leadership. New programs were introduced, and student enrollment reached an all-time high. While he did not do these things single-handedly, there is no denying that his drive, knowledge and charisma played a vital role.
He started strong, playing a proactive role among students and faculty, such as inviting student leaders to his home for dinner or dropping in on a class to introduce himself. Administratively, initiatives such as the Appalachian Leadership Honors Program, the Center for America’s Veterans, Young Guns and, most notably, the important African-American studies program launched under his direction.
But then a bleaker side of “Doc” began to appear.
Interestingly, the Clarion-Ledger recently reported the following about Foglesong:
“In less than two years as president of Mississippi State University, ‘Doc’ Foglesong established himself as a laid-back guy willing to talk to all students, not just student leaders.”
Sounds great. Unfortunately, it’s grossly untrue.
Many troubles with Foglesong started this academic year for students and faculty, but what most people do not know is that The Reflector has experienced this “bad side” since the spring of 2007.
Since that time, Foglesong has refused to speak to The Reflector. And if you think it’s likely for a legitimate reason, think again.
Before our first issue of that spring, editor in chief Tyler Stewart received a call from one of the president’s assistants requesting that a letter Foglesong had written welcoming students back to campus be published in the upcoming edition. Stewart said it would be fine, and that it would be printed on the opinion page. However, the president requested that it be printed on the front page. The editor explained that by The Reflector‘s standards, and by most respected newspapers’ standards, this was not a feasible option and that if it ran, it would have to go where all letters go.
Rather than compromise, “Doc” presented an ultimatum: It would run on the front page, or it wouldn’t run at all. Furthermore, he would no longer speak to The Reflector, even about important campus issues. The editor, as well as the whole editorial staff, decided to stand for journalistic integrity rather than bend to the threat. The same man who expressed the desire to bring award-winning programs to State refused to speak to the college newspaper that ranked No. 1 in the South that year, and in doing so limited learning opportunities for enthusiastic young reporters, and most importantly, students. Meanwhile, University Relations’ “Student Express,” an official newsletter, came to life.
Bringing this to light now may seem a bit after-the-fact, but it is important to note especially given the upcoming search for a new president. Why did we not previously publicize this? Because we wanted to give “Doc” a chance to come around. Unfortunately it never happened.
To his credit, though, he spoke with a Reflector reporter when Greg Byrne was hired as the new athletic director, and he was very cordial.
This academic year, we have heard more and more stories about staff, students, faculty and even parents experiencing this side of “Doc.” It all came to a head this semester with daffodil and architecture stories that seemed trivial at the surface but were indicative of a much deeper underlying problem. Some Reflector staff have received calls or e-mails from concerned parents, students and anonymous employees who felt that the culture and identity of MSU were being sucked away, or that people were being mistreated and undermined.
This is what MSU has been like this year, despite what type of picture the president’s office or some media may present. This is the reality the people of this campus and this state, and especially the College Board, must acknowledge.
Is “Doc” an evil man with black helicopters and a penchant for controversy? Of course not. Did he resign because of recent dissent from the MSU community? Who knows?
We believe he is a man who had good intentions coming in but couldn’t properly adapt to civilian life and the complex system known as academia. He is a bright man with many accomplishments, and his positive contributions to MSU will leave a lasting impact.
We wish him success with “Plan 1.” And we hope MSU can move forward without missing a beat.
Now to the bigger issue: IHL, listen up. No matter how right you think you are, the methods used in the 2006 presidential search were monumentally wrong, and MSU’s current debacle has “perfect example of what not to do” written all over it. We may have been Foglesong’s “Plan 2,” but he wasn’t even a top 4 candidate for us. If the College Board is too stubborn to take this seriously and listen to the outstanding majority of alumni, students, faculty and even some state legislators saying the search should be open, they should expect to face far more criticism than our outgoing president.
The Reflector editorial board is made up of opinion editor Matt Watson, news editor Erin Kourkounis, sports editor Melissa Meador, entertainment editor David Breland, photo editor Bud Sorey, copy editor Josh Starr, online editor C.J. LeMaster, managing editor Nathan Gregory and editor in chief Tyler Stewart.