UM System Uniter or GOP Lapdog?

Submitted by Hinnus_Asinus on Thu, 05/24/2007 - 11:51pm.

(NOTE:  My original post had a mistake in my scholarship.  I was wrong about the historical precedent of university presidents in Missouri becoming elected officials after their presidency.  Many thanks to Grasshopper for pointing this out.  I apologize to the board for my unscholarly error and have amended this post.) 

Well, it's official.  Kenny really does have his hat in the ring for the MU presidency.

Two things concern me with this news. 

First of all, the University of Missouri has proven to be quite a handful to manage even when you have impeccable academic credentials.  It involves the ability to maneuver one's way through a variety of factions, to bring both sides of a lot of aisles together.  Unfortunately, the thing that seems to be Kenny's most noticeable quality is the ability to show undying loyalty to one side of the aisle in Congress.  I'm not sure that's a strong suit in managing a university. 

The other concern to me is the speed of this selection, especially when you consider the fact that six of the nine curators are Matt Blunt appointees.  This fact alone makes this process smell with the overripe taint of "eau de political agenda". 

Is this a done deal?  I hope not.


 

 

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Hm

Submitted by RBH on Tue, 05/29/2007 - 3:46am.
Still hard to figure out if the effects of giving Hulshof that job will outweigh the effects of him being replaced. The entire process of picking a nominee is a party committee matter, and that might produce an interesting effect for both sides. I'm gonna guess there's a good Democrat or two in Columbia, Hannibal, or Kirksville, who can win a special election for the job.
"Our country right or wrong. When right, to be kept right; when wrong, to be put right" - Carl Schurz
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Greishiemer

Submitted by jannakc on Fri, 05/25/2007 - 1:29pm.
Old fat boy has his picture on the front of the Warren Co. Record next to his heir apparent Mike Sutherland (Mo-99). He says he is being flattered by a blog site that names him as the front runner to replace Hulshoff. As a resident of Warren Co. I have been under-represented by those two clowns for a long time now. Lets hope we can replace both of them.
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Your point well taken

Submitted by Hinnus_Asinus on Fri, 05/25/2007 - 12:19pm.
I stand corrected.  I must have only been thinking of his national level office...ok, so we have one who was a prez before, and one tweener.  (H_A spits small mouthful of crow out--really, it's not bad with KC Masterpiece!)  But unlike some people in government, I'll say you are correct, and I have made a mistake in my midnight scholarship!)
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Anything to get him out of Congress

Submitted by TeresaJ on Fri, 05/25/2007 - 12:13pm.

Mr. Hulshof has been my non-representative for his entire career. He represents the Franklin County of thirty years ago, not the current age. As a fellow Mizzou graduate, I don't think he would be a good fit with the University, (maybe the Ag School or ROTC unit), and it surprises me that he has such a following in usually liberal Columbia, and I have no idea what, if any, administrative skills he possesses. Presumably his political connections would be useful in obtaining money.

I'd hate to sacrifice the UM system, but anything to get him out of Congress... 


 

 

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I agree with your point but not with the historical precedent

Submitted by Grasshopper on Fri, 05/25/2007 - 8:59am.

I'm not a Blunt fan - however you might want to check your facts.  Roy Blunt was Missouri Secretary of State from 1989 - 1993.  He went to the SBU President position when he lost the republican nomination for Governor in 1992.  

So, regardless of historical precedent, I agree that any candidate for the job of University President needs to be someone who has shown they can unite people. 
 

 

 

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