Hey Stanard! There is more to education than athletics.

John Stanard now appears to think promoting education means undermining athletics.  Stanard's focused on the athletic program is reminiscent of Captain Ahab’s obsession with capturing Moby Dick.  While pursuing the great white whale with a single minded focus Captain Ahab never saw how he was bringing down his own ship and all of those around him.

As a member of the Three Rivers Community College Board of Trustees, John Stanard has tried to blemish the reputation of the college athletic program and the college booster club.  During this same time he overlooked the theft of tens of thousands of dollars stolen from the college bookstore.  He was so unconcerned that even when the theft was discovered by a new bookstore manager, Stanard allowed the college to wait over two months before reporting the theft to the police.  Why the wait?  Was there something on the books that needed to be cleaned up first?  It is understandable to wait to go over the books to make sure the money is actually missing but to wait for over two months does seem to be a stretch.

Has anyone seen a student handbook recently?  Is the Raider Review published regularly?  What is the policy on a student being caught cheating?  How does tearing down athletics help academics at the college? 

Stanard seems unconcerned about issues involving academics and brushes them off as unimportant.  In recent years the actual number of students at the college has dropped.  While offering classes over the internet has allowed the students who do attend to take more classes it does not change the fact actual student enrollment has diminished.  With the loss of Federal Mogul and Rowe Furniture factories in the area, the number of students should have increased as a result of retraining programs.  John Stanard was at the chamber of commerce while jobs were leaving the area so he should know about the retraining programs.  Sadly, Stanard seems to be focusing on undermining the athletic program instead of helping the college focus on training and jobs.  Even in the face of rising unemployment Stanard continues his focus on tearing down the athletic program rather than seeing how the college can help those who recently lost their jobs.

Stanard has yet to explain why nine superintendents of schools in the region have asked for Cape Girardeau County to be removed from the Three Rivers service district and given to another college.  I doubt the reason is because John Stanard is doing too good of a job. 

John Stanard has spoken in the past of saving money at the college by not worrying about getting the best.  He has been against spending money on teachers and supplies.  Stanard never provides a clear picture of where money is spent at the college.  How much Three Rivers Community College pays in legal fees is still a mystery.  The taxpayers of the Three Rivers district deserve excellence.  In the case of Three Rivers Community College they need to remove the impediment of John Stanard and replace him with someone who knows that education requires a focus on academics.