The World Around You

The faculty University Senate at Auburn University made their opinion of President William Walker known today,

The Senate voted 37-31 in favor of the “no confidence” stand, with five abstentions. The organization earlier voted unanimously to censure Walker, a less serious sanction.

It then began passing out ballots for a vote on whether to recommend that he resign.

Walker said it was important that Auburn not experience an abrupt change in leadership while it deals with the newly announced probation from its accrediting agency, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

“From this point on, my overarching goal is going to be to work with the Southern Association on their concerns and to see that Auburn addresses them,” he said.

Walker said he plans to stick by his plan to step down in June 2005, a three-year term he agreed to when his status was changed from interim to permanent president in June 2002.

The New York Times reports this morning,

President Bush’s political advisers are now all but certain that Howard Dean will be the Democratic presidential nominee and they are planning a campaign that takes account of what they see as Dr. Dean’s strengths and weaknesses, Republicans with ties to the White House said.

“We’re ready to go,” said a senior Republican official involved in the Bush campaign. “The broad thematics and the whole approach to him, those things have been well thought out. As for the tactical stuff, it’s still out there. The timing is a big decision.”

Timeing is going to be critical for Mr. Bush. If he tries to start the campaign too early, coming out on the attack, he could turn off voters long before we get to the general election. If he waits too long then Dean will be able to define himself better as a centrist who vehemently opposes this administration, instead of the Northeastern liberal “new Dukakis” the Bush team wants to make him out to be.

Both the Birmingham News and the Mobile Register editorial pages have strong words for Auburn officials this morning. The Mobile Register says, speaking of Auburn and the University of West Alabama,

For role models, meanwhile, both colleges can look at Grambling State University in Louisiana. On Tuesday, the same day that SACS put Auburn and West Alabama on probation, it lifted probation from Grambling while strongly praising Grambling’s efforts at reform.

For instance, Grambling submitted to extensive monitoring by the statewide head of the University of Louisiana system of schools; it hired a new vice president of finance; it overhauled its fiscal staff and training procedures; and it kept some staff members working for months without weekend breaks to upgrade the college’s financial records.

Grambling’s positive response to SACS stands in marked contrast to the responses so far at Auburn, which already has sued SACS once, and at West Alabama, whose board chairman now is threatening a lawsuit.

But SACS isn’t some Gestapo out there running wild. The orga nization’s standards are clear, fair and sensible. Instead of fighting the accrediting agency, the Alabama colleges ought to welcome its reviews and strive to meet its criteria for excellence.

The News echoes that sentiment,

At least five trustees at one point had outstanding loans to the board’s longest-serving and most powerful member, Colonial Bank chief Bobby Lowder.

A letter to Lowder surfaced, showing that basketball coach Cliff Ellis knew exactly where to go when he wanted a raise, better facilities and more access to university aircraft, and it wasn’t to his immediate bosses.

Trustees had done business with the university - one, state Sen. Lowell Barron, racked up more than $500,000 worth while serving on the board.

Trustees, including Barron, have been accused of pressuring university officials to change students’ grades. Trustee Jimmy Samford acknowledged asking Auburn University at Montgomery to remove a failing grade from a student’s record.

Incidents like these demonstrate that key Auburn trustees don’t understand what their roles are supposed to be - to be policymakers, to be independent, to be working in the best interests of the university. They can’t say they weren’t warned. Critics have been persistent and vocal, issuing calls of no-confidence and demanding change.

Auburn officials ignored the warnings. Now, they have been given a warning they can’t afford to ignore.

The President of Auburn University appears today before the faculty University Senate, which could call for his resignation.