Wanted: A strong dynamic leader with vision and an administrative skill set. Looking for a person willing to lead during an important time of change. Must be available, flexible, and willing to work hard. Candidates from under-represented groups, especially men, are encouraged to apply.
Benefits: Serving Trinity University and gaining experience in a leadership and management position.
Experience: None required.
Following the close of the Sunday deadline for students to file for positions with the Association of Student Representatives for next year, no one has declared his or her self a candidate for the important position of President. This is an extremely busy time of year for students, but for those seeking leadership experience there are many opportunities. In addition to this position there are senate positions open as well as Conduct Board spots and other leadership positions throughout campus.
ASR is undergoing a massive re-structuring with TIGER, TMN, and the Student Finance Board. This will give a student a great chance to lead during this very important time of change. Candidates may pick up application materials at the Coates Center desk.
15 comments:
Interesting - at first I thought this was for the campus president...which it is... we are now search for 2 campus presidents...maybe we need a search firm for student leaders...
PS See, I do read your blog sometimes...
Angela B
Also, confused as to what University President position is being referred to here. Can you please explain about the comment "under-represented groups" especially men. No judgment, just interested as to what the issue is.
Thanks.
Thanks for reading! Yes, I may have gotten too cute for my own good. I wanted to play off the University President vacancy to get people to read about the vacancy in the student government position. As it turned out, one student ran unopposed. Her name is Emily Faber and she will do great! I would say that 80% of the leadership positions on campus are filled by women. The comment about men being under-represented is true in this context only. Cleverness gone bad. Hope this helps.
Good Ploy, Dean Tuttle. We thought Dr. Brazil was extending his stay.
The Requirements for both positions seem to be curiously similar.
Anil
I am beyond sick of hearing about under-represented groups being encouraged to apply for positions ranging from REU spots to this to the University President. These positions should be filled by the individual most qualified, regardless of under- or over-representation and anyone who thinks otherwise is a moron. I know you said this somewhat jokingly but it is a very serious issue, as demonstrated by J.R. Hurd's most recent email to the campus, describing the firm selected to head the University Presidential search.
The quote from the email is
"Storbeck/Pimentel is a minority and female owned business and, as such, will further evidence Trinity’s commitment to a diverse candidate pool."
I was utterly speechless after reading this an even sent an email to the President's office asking them why they considered it so important. It went unanswered. There are some students here at Trinity who value skills and capability in our University President much more than if he is a a particular gender or race. Perhaps you could shed some light on why this is.
Furthermore, I would just like to say that the solution to race and gender discrimination and prejudice can be solved, in our present cultural state, ever so simply. The fact of the matter is that the more you recognize the difference between races & genders, and the more you keep pointing out and searching for individuals who meet certain racial and gender specifications, the more you perpetuate the distinctions and the negative views.
A commitment to diversity is bullshit. There are a lot of students, faculty, and staff at this University that are preoccupied with the wrong things.
With the success of this University and our society as a whole in mind,
Will Thornton
Dave - I'm curious - what's the Conduct Board? Is this related to Student Court? Also, what's the current protocal when a student cheats? We're discussing this in high school admin right now...
One of the largest school districts in the nation only considers it a Level 2 Violation, which is basically consequence free...
Will,
Knowing of you from the My Tiger Talk list I am not sure if you are just messing around, but I'll bite.
My comment about ASR was because women hold 80% of the leadership positions on campus. I was identifying men as under-represented because they are.
As to the President's search, I disagree with you. It is easy for white men to want the status quo. Look at who has held the US and University presidencies up until now: straight white men. I don't know that we are all the better for it. The strong message through action is that others are not welcome. To counteract that, under-represented groups need to be encouraged to demonstrate that we are willing, open, and ready for diverse leadership. We may be all the better for it.
Additionally, i think in this day and age it is pretty much understood that the best candidate will be selected. All things being equal, hiring a candidate who represents diversity could tip the scales. I embrace that.
When I ask students what they would change about Trinity, one of the most common responses is they would like it to be more diverse. This is a good place to start.
(BTW: I appreciate your candor. That is essential to discussion of topics like this. Everyone tends to munch on their feelings in order to avoid offending others. Thanks! Also, please continue to post but keep the language clean please. It adds to the credibility of the posts.)
Noelley MacGregor,
Congratulations on your pregnancy! I am excited for you. The Honor Council on campus takes care of academic dishonesty. SCB is the new iteration of the Student Court.
Thanks for reading!
I only have time to go into one aspect of your reply, at the moment.
"All things being equal, hiring a candidate who represents diversity could tip the scales. I embrace that."
I would like to know how you judge whether someone represents diversity or not, and/or to what extent a person is diverse. From what I have gleaned from the things you have said as well as Hurd's email, it is based solely on gender and race. I believe that if our administrators are going to make generalizations like these then they should be able to back them up with the reasoning and processes they go through to determine such a quality.
I think it is clear to see, and you would agree, that no one goes in depth on the subject of diversity, yet the term is espoused with abandon around liberal institutions like our University.
You can go ahead and take an example individual to show how you determine one's diversity: myself. Evaluate my diversity.
Will,
I don't enough about you to evaluate your diversity. I look at the selectiuon of Dr. Felicia Lee as VP for Student Affairs as a perfect example. She is bright, dynamic, and visionary. And she has been a role model and advocate for many because she is a woman, asian, and an immigrant (and not just from California). It is her differentness that makes her an even more valuable asset to the campus. We could use more like her in the upper administration.
Thanks Dave. Less than a month to go!
1st - What are the typical consequences for cheating at Trinity?
2nd - Diversity of great. Especially since so many TU students come from high schools lacking it. If all else is equal for 2 candidates, how would you not go for diversity?
You still did not mention what the criteria for diversity is, Dean. Unless it is just being a female Asian person.
And MacGregors, in addition to your inability to spell and form coherent sentences, you have clearly not thought about this very much. You make a grand assumption about TU students based, more likely than not, on gender and race. If you give me 20 TU white males I garuntee you I can get to know them and find characteristics to set them apart, to show their "diversity," if you will. Or if you can actually back up your assumption with some evidence, I'd like to hear it. I like some names of these students "lacking" diversity, so I can get to know them and prove you wrong.
And per your question "...how would you not go for diversity?" I would have to answer that I would not go for it based on insufficient information to determine it. I would not think "Oh these two applicants seem equally qualified, but this one is white/black/etc so he must have led a more diverse life." It takes time to get to know a person enough to evaluate their diversity.
Will,
Let's let others weigh in. I would love to visit with you face-to-face on this. I would enjoy that. I am in Northrup 118 and you can always call 999-8843 to schedule something.
Will,
I agree we need the most qualified individuals, but assuming qualifications are equal we should give special consideration to candidates from underrepresented groups in an effort to diversify all student organizations on campus - especially leadership organizations. Statistics show that student success and retention are largely impacted by one’s comfort on campus. If students feel that there are few women, people of color, etc. in our administration or in our leadership organizations, incoming students may feel that they do not relate well to Trinity or do not "fit in." While I fully agree that you will be able to find diversity within all groups (including your example of 20 white males), these types of diversities are difficult to uncover if people aren't having open discussions on these topics. We found that these discussions have not been prevalent at Trinity. Until these discussions become more commonplace at Trinity, visually apparent diversification of our student organizations, leadership positions, faculty, administration, and students will be largely beneficial.
I don't believe anyone will ever actually think that.
I can't ever picture myself going
"I would love to bring this issue up, but gosh darn, the administration here just doesn't have enough men on it!"
Really, for all that you claim this celebrating of diversity to be, it's straight up discrimination.
Increasing diversity of our student body? That sounds like affirmative action, which I was unaware trinity practiced. I guess it's ok though, rich white kids don't need to go to college, really, we'll just let them live with their rich parents for the rest of their lives. It'll be an epic two-cycle.
IF we were honestly that open of a community, you wouldn't need to add something as absurd as "people from underprivileged groups are encouraged to apply," because of course they can apply, it's not as if there is some huge conspiracy stopping them from applying unless you say it's ok.
Ultimately, the time when "two candidates are wholly equal other than 'diversity'" will never EVER actually occur, so it's a stupid example. The key here, however, is that if you say something as silly as encouraging a 'diverse' applicant pool, you're fundamentally discriminating against the majority for that position. Mask it with whatever little benefits you want to call it, but discrimination can't ever be okay if we want to move past silly little things like racism. Just because it's now beneficial for the minority does not make it acceptable.
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