Ben Sasse

[jimbogumbo]

https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/06/politics/ben-sasse-resigning-senate/index.html

[Sun_Worshiper]

Too bad. One of the few respectable Republican senators.

[lightning]

Too bad. One of the few respectable Republican senators.

With the MAGA republicans moving the party's viable voting base farther to the right, there's no longer a place for "respectable Republicans" like Sasse, in the new Republican party. Sasse knew that he would never be re-elected, especially after going against MAGA.

I'll be watching him closely to see how he works out as a university president of a major research university. He seemed to do a good job when he ran a college before, although it was a tiny, regional, low/no-research teaching-oriented religious college, which was very different from his new job.

[kaysixteen]

Yes, but what are his actual qualifications to become a university president?

[lightning]

Yes, but what are his actual qualifications to become a university president?

PhD from Yale, was on faculty at UT (Austin?), and was president of Midland College for 3 or 4 years, with no apparent drama. I'd say he was qualified--minimally, but "qualified." Now, will he be any good? That remains to be seen. He doesn't seem to have a track record in traditional scholarship. I'll be watching him closely.

[mahagonny]

According to wikipedia he is against same-sex marriage. He thinks Florida is uniquely positioned to lead America out of its current turmoil. Many of my liberal blue state friends consider hatred of DeSantis and any who voted for him or moved there recently to be a litmus test for basic moral sanity.  This is going to be interesting.

[Puget]

Yes, but what are his actual qualifications to become a university president?

PhD from Yale, was on faculty at UT (Austin?), and was president of Midland College for 3 or 4 years, with no apparent drama. I'd say he was qualified--minimally, but "qualified." Now, will he be any good? That remains to be seen. He doesn't seem to have a track record in traditional scholarship. I'll be watching him closely.

In many (most? all?) large university systems, the president's job is almost entirely fundraising and lobbying. They have very little to do with the academic life of the university (the provost is the chief academic officer). I'm not saying this is a good way of doing things, but given that it makes sense to have an ex-senator with lots of connections as your president.

[jimbogumbo]

According to wikipedia he is against same-sex marriage. He thinks Florida is uniquely positioned to lead America out of its current turmoil. Many of my liberal blue state friends consider hatred of DeSantis and any who voted for him or moved there recently to be a litmus test for basic moral sanity.  This is going to be interesting.

I don't think he can coexist with DeSantis. I also don't how against same sex marriage he is. Midland U is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, which is LGBTQ affirming.

[mahagonny]

According to wikipedia he is against same-sex marriage. He thinks Florida is uniquely positioned to lead America out of its current turmoil. Many of my liberal blue state friends consider hatred of DeSantis and any who voted for him or moved there recently to be a litmus test for basic moral sanity.  This is going to be interesting.

I don't think he can coexist with DeSantis. I also don't how against same sex marriage he is. Midland U is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, which is LGBTQ affirming.

thanks for info.
When someone says they support the LGBTQ 'alliance' (I'm not yet convinced there is one, but anyway) don't they usually mean 'if someone tells me they have changed genders and request a new set of pronouns, I will wish them well and use those pronouns when I refer to them and hope they are having a good life'?   That may turn out to be a far cry from giving total trust to the government bureaucrat who thinks (or appears to) that it's just fine for a school system to usher a minor into the transgender odyssey and then let the parents find out about it later. And making a good living off your tax dollar while doing it.
Trouble brewing!

Yes, but what are his actual qualifications to become a university president?

PhD from Yale, was on faculty at UT (Austin?), and was president of Midland College for 3 or 4 years, with no apparent drama. I'd say he was qualified--minimally, but "qualified." Now, will he be any good? That remains to be seen. He doesn't seem to have a track record in traditional scholarship. I'll be watching him closely.

In many (most? all?) large university systems, the president's job is almost entirely fundraising and lobbying. They have very little to do with the academic life of the university (the provost is the chief academic officer). I'm not saying this is a good way of doing things, but given that it makes sense to have an ex-senator with lots of connections as your president.

Of course, being well connected etc. are the main things these days.

[Ruralguy]

There is very long history of former, and occasionally up and coming, politicians becoming University presidents or system wide chancellors. Wilson and Eisenhower prior to presidency.  More recently, Tom Kean in NJ (Drew U.), Bob Kerry (New School),  I forget his name, but Prez of Purdue, and gosh, a few others. Its pretty common. Or at least not particularly aberrant.  I believe most of them had not much prior experience. Of that list above, I think only Wilson was a true academic at one time, and Kean's family founded it's own university some time prior (Kean College, now Kean University).

[jimbogumbo]

Mitch Daniels.

[mythbuster]

But can he get along with the new head of the state system? https://www.flbog.edu/2022/09/14/board-of-governors-appoints-ray-rodrigues-as-chancellor/

Rodrigues is the author of the "Stop Woke" Act, among other MAGA achievements.

[Ruralguy]

Thanks for supplying me with the name Mitch Daniels! How could I forget?

[mahagonny]

Rodrigues is the author of the "Stop Woke" Act, among other MAGA achievements.

Extraordinary diseases lead to powerful cures.

[lightning]

Yes, but what are his actual qualifications to become a university president?

PhD from Yale, was on faculty at UT (Austin?), and was president of Midland College for 3 or 4 years, with no apparent drama. I'd say he was qualified--minimally, but "qualified." Now, will he be any good? That remains to be seen. He doesn't seem to have a track record in traditional scholarship. I'll be watching him closely.

In many (most? all?) large university systems, the president's job is almost entirely fundraising and lobbying. They have very little to do with the academic life of the university (the provost is the chief academic officer). I'm not saying this is a good way of doing things, but given that it makes sense to have an ex-senator with lots of connections as your president.

Yes, of course, lobbying and fundraising is a university president's main job--I wouldn't want it any other way, but kay16 was asking about "qualifications," which I assumed was a question about academic qualifications. Sasse has that.