Apparently Dr. Midgley is "controversial" enough to warrant a website dedicated to discussing him:
A Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology student has developed a Web site that provides a forum for discussion about the college's controversial new president, Jack Midgley.
www.AboutMidgley.com is not part of the college's Web site.
Personally, I'm sick of it already. All the rumor-mongering and chcken littles acting like Midgley is the end of Rose-Hulman. To be fair, anybody would be the end of Rose-Hulman as we knew it under Sammy. As with any outstanding administrator, no replacement could hope to replicate him - then again, nor should any replacement want to, or even want to try. The Midgley administration needs to be the Midgley administration, not the Hulbert administration redux.
Here's my first post on the forum:
From my experiences with Dr. Midgley, I think he is a great addition to Rose-Hulman. Dr. Midgley is not Sam Hulbert; he never will be - nor will anyone else. Thus, his style of administration will not be the same as Hulbert's.
Being on the outside, having graduated five years ago, and therefore not having quite the same emotional attachment as current students and faculty, I can say from my perspective that Dr. Midgley will be positive.
His business acumen and vision for the Institute are much-needed in a world in which the nature of post-secondary education will be facing drastic change in the near future.
Personally, I applaud his action to remove the "We're #1" banners; I never liked them - they seemed to me to be too much like boasting. I much prefer the focus to be on where we are going, not where we are, or where we have been. Would we rather revel in our past accomplishments as #1, proclaiming that status proudly to the world, or work diligently to continue to set the standard for undergraduate engineering education, confident in knowing we are Number 1, whether or not we plaster it across campus?
Change is inevitable in the real world. In every instance of change, there are some who will embrace it from the onset, some who will hesitate, some who will come along after some time and convincing, and some who will resist change at all costs. Rose-Hulman is right now going through this process. Those who will always resist any change are right now making the most noise.
Call me one of the early-adopters. Whether with Dr. Midgley or his successor, change will happen. Personally, I think the change Dr. Midgley brings is good for Rose-Hulman.
(Temporary: original Haloscan Comments - Comments)
