Phylicia Rashad

[mahagonny]

And Ted...well, I loved Ted's bombastic metal mania.  And then he went all sectarian crazy conservative gun-nutty on us.  The guy was a hippy icon, and yet he still wants NRA cred...

There is no place for a man like that in our administration.  Give me Dr. Brian May any day.

Well, Ted, if you don't vote for us, you ain't a rock star. (thanks, Joe)

[apl68]

And Ted Nugent?

He's a guy.

Everyone knows they can't administrate their way out of a paper bag.

M.

I hope you're not counting library administrators in that....

[mamselle]

And Ted Nugent?

He's a guy.

Everyone knows they can't administrate their way out of a paper bag.

M.

I hope you're not counting library administrators in that....

Nah. Librarians are cool.

Librarians gets TRAINING. (My sister are one.)

M.

[Sauvignon Blanc]

This can work as long as the position is an outward facing position (more about development). If it is more of an inward facing position (more about operations), then it can be problematic with missed opportunities.

Agreed.  I assume it's the former.

[mamselle]

It may be true that their fundraising potential is the most useful element for an employer to capitalize on, literally.

But theater work can make you a very good administrator, too.

M.

[Sauvignon Blanc]

It may be true that their fundraising potential is the most useful element for an employer to capitalize on, literally.

But theater work can make you a very good administrator, too.

M.

Absolutely!!! I am in music, and I have cited this in several of my classes through the years (it applies to us as well): https://sfa.d.umn.edu/sites/sfa.d.umn.edu/files/9%20Ways%20a%20Theatre%20Degree%20Trumps%20a%20Business%20Degree.pdf

[lightning]

It may be true that their fundraising potential is the most useful element for an employer to capitalize on, literally.

But theater work can make you a very good administrator, too.

M.

I know full well that theater veterans, especially the technical professionals, know how to run anything, in terms of operations. I think that at one time, there were even published books and workshops about how theater folks are most qualified to run any sort of business or short-term project, even outside of the arts.

But, it's hard for an administrator to be focused both on development (fundraising) and operations. Usually you have to settle for one or the other, and most of the time you settle for operations because most administrators suck at development or don't want to do it and find excuses to avoid it (even if at the interview they say that they like doing development, when they start the job, they'll find some tangential pet project like improving assessment procedures or some waste of time like excessive meetings and committees for strategic planning). So, when you get a celebrity like "Mrs. Huxtable," there is an opportunity for development that otherwise would not exist with the normal run-of-the-mill fine arts administrator with too many degrees and not enough accomplishment, star power, and sales ability.

Also, with a celebrity like Phylicia Rashad, the  faculty might also rally around her, and forgive any shortcomings on the operational side, if she can raise money and elevate the brand of the university and the Fine Arts college, the profile of the faculty, and increase the opportunities for students and alumni.

I think she is a great hire, and even though she would probably also be good on the operations side, it would take away from what she could really do for Howard.

It's a good move for Howard. There is some risk, especially since she doesn't have a terminal degree (as far as I know), but the risk is worth it, since all administrator hires come with risk anyway.

[mahagonny]

Surprising to me that Cosby got away with the date raping MO for so long. Who knew about it?

[apl68]

Surprising to me that Cosby got away with the date raping MO for so long. Who knew about it?

Okay, mahagonny, you're just trolling to bring that up on this thread.  The thread is about Phylicia Rashad, not Bill Cosby.

[mamselle]

Seconded.

I'm also curious why the insistence that "she might not be" good in the job.

Because she's female? Black?

Lack of experience can't be the reason.

Look at how many guys get plopped in a president's chair and are expected to "run with the ball."

Oh....

M. 

[mythbuster]

I think of her sister Debbie Allen as having more business admin experience than her, but both are highly accomplished, ambitious people who know how to get things done. I think it bodes well for the future of these programs.

[mahagonny]

Surprising to me that Cosby got away with the date raping MO for so long. Who knew about it?

Okay, mahagonny, you're just trolling to bring that up on this thread.  The thread is about Phylicia Rashad, not Bill Cosby.

Interesting, while you're calling troll I'm remembering the last faculty meeting at which sexual harassment came up. The instructions to us were 'if you see something, say something.' It's not cool to keep quiet when you see untoward behavior that potentially victimizes someone. And I'm only a part time worker.
Well, the 1980's were a different era for sure.
But this kind of thing is  very big deal now. Consider the controversy of the Ellen Degeneris show where she was not the perpetrator of abuse, but was suspected  of looking the other way when it was happening.
Actually there may be a reason Rashad (Ayers-Allen at the time) might not have known the full story of Bill Cosby. She didn't socialize with the cast much. Stuck to herself, and got criticized for it, but that was her way. And I kind of understand. Sometimes the strain of the workplace is easier to manage without the added job of hanging with your co workers. I've gotten through one or two gigs that way. But I'm not sure that would work for a dean.

Seconded.

I'm also curious why the insistence that "she might not be" good in the job.

Because she's female? Black?

Are you playing with your guns again, Mamselle?

[lightning]

Surprising to me that Cosby got away with the date raping MO for so long. Who knew about it?

After Phylicia Rashad's email address is posted, why don't you send her an email and ask her?

[mamselle]

Surprising to me that Cosby got away with the date raping MO for so long. Who knew about it?

Okay, mahagonny, you're just trolling to bring that up on this thread.  The thread is about Phylicia Rashad, not Bill Cosby.

Interesting, while you're calling troll I'm remembering the last faculty meeting at which sexual harassment came up. The instructions to us were 'if you see something, say something.' It's not cool to keep quiet when you see untoward behavior that potentially victimizes someone. And I'm only a part time worker.
Well, the 1980's were a different era for sure.
But this kind of thing is  very big deal now. Consider the controversy of the Ellen Degeneris show where she was not the perpetrator of abuse, but was suspected  of looking the other way when it was happening.
Actually there may be a reason Rashad (Ayers-Allen at the time) might not have known the full story of Bill Cosby. She didn't socialize with the cast much. Stuck to herself, and got criticized for it, but that was her way. And I kind of understand. Sometimes the strain of the workplace is easier to manage without the added job of hanging with your co workers. I've gotten through one or two gigs that way. But I'm not sure that would work for a dean.

Seconded.

I'm also curious why the insistence that "she might not be" good in the job.

Because she's female? Black?

Are you playing with your guns again, Mamselle?

Nope.

You didn't read far enough.

I was alluding to the assumption that running sports programs, which notoriously waste money and get themselves in all kinds of jams (recall, if it helps, that I was at OSU when Hayes was head coach; consider further, if it helps, Penn's hassles, which came from making a coach the athletic director...), and have more recently shown themselves to be very poor administrators when it comes to protecting the vulnerable students in their programs, viz-a-vis the poor oversight of older 'adult professionals,' like predatorial MDs, etc.) is yet often considered a fine predictive resume item when adept organizational experience is sought.

Whereas arts programs often produce more and better work on tiny budgets that must be carefully managed and overseen...all very pertinent skills for an administrator, I believe.

I know who I'd rather have.

M.

[Sauvignon Blanc]

This was posted today:

https://www.higheredjobs.com/executive/details.cfm?JobCode=177493849&Title=Dean%20of%20Fine%20Arts%2D%20College%20of%20Fine%20Arts

(Dean of Fine Arts at Howard University)

Now I'm confused.  A change of heart?  A snafu with HR?  Interesting...