As alumni we need to stand up and speak out if we are not happy with the way things are going at Penn State. If not us, then WHO? Those of us who have worked hard to support the University through volunteering and donations, I believe, have the greatest obligation to stand up for the true culture of our Alma Mater and FIGHT for the future. I am a former member of Alumni Council and Penn State Chapter President who is really angry at the way alumni have been disenfranchised. We alums and our elected Alumni Trustees deserve better than what we are getting.
Standing Up for Penn State's Culture
- Thread starter SueWilson4AlumniCouncil
- Start date
Well said. It is disgraceful that barron and the old-guard trustees don't recognize the alumni as stakeholders in the university. We Are...Disenfranchised.
They say we are apathetic, but that is more smoke and mirrors- 83 alumni ran for Trustee in 2013- HISTORIC number. How do they rationalize that as "apathetic?" I have been researching decades of old Penn Staters and I see it differently. WE ARE engaged, and they are NOT happy about that.
I think what really needs to happen is for the current (and former) alumni chapter presidents to start to talk to one another and in effect form an organized alumni opposition. When the different alumni chapters begin to say 'no' to Old Main and the AA then heads will turn IMO. The different alumni chapters need to turn up the heat on Barron too.
The work before us is clear--we have to stay committed to the idea that they will never win, even if they win every lawsuit and control the BOT for the rest of our lives. We say who wins, and as long as they do not convince me I am wrong, they never win as far as I'm concerned. You keep fighting, Susan.
Stop the flow of cash. Do not donate to the University directly. That means everything that directly helps Barron's budget. It's really the only way to get them to change their ways.
Better yet, Do what PSUMATT did and donate $.02 by check. By the time they cash the check and thank you, they are losing money.
Thanks for running Sue, you are already making a difference. Getting someone with your experience back on Alumni Council will make a huge difference to the rank-and-file members (or as the PSAA Executive Board calls us, the 'general public').
I have one question I'm trying to ask all candidates running for Alumni Council: if you are elected, will you stop back to this board occassionally and give us updates on what's going on? Deborah Beidel does this and it's great, I really appreciate that she understands that she's there to represent us, not just cop great seats to a home football game with access to exclusive skyboxes.
I have one question I'm trying to ask all candidates running for Alumni Council: if you are elected, will you stop back to this board occassionally and give us updates on what's going on? Deborah Beidel does this and it's great, I really appreciate that she understands that she's there to represent us, not just cop great seats to a home football game with access to exclusive skyboxes.
I agree and yet it is very difficult to get enough people to do it so that it gets their attention. You could get a thousand "mom and pop" donors to stop giving and I doubt they would care. What we really need are ten thousand or more to stop giving and let them know why. It would help if a few dozen of those were heavy hitters who gave a hundred thousand or more. Still, I'm not sure what the tipping point is. I just know, up till now, I've joined friends and others who have stopped giving and it has not worked, athough it does give me the personal satisfaction of knowing my money is not being used by these clowns.
Hear ... Hear....
We, the alumni of this university, are the front line of this University with most of the rest of the world. Penn State University does not employ student recruiters, as Penn, Pittsburgh, Notre Dame, Michigan, Duke, etc.... do. Penn State has the luxury of having an army of willing volunteers (like myself) to act as conduits for information about what the University main and branch campuses offer top flight students considering attending Penn State. At college fairs throughout the mid-west, college recruiters would come to our presentment booth or station afterward and marvel at the fact that we were there as volunteers. They all wondered why? , since they were paid professionals.
What I would say to them is .... what is more impressive to someone considering attending an institution..... an alum giving of his or time for an institution they obviously revere or the preparations and presentments of a hireling? They were also impressed with the numbers of people attending our presentments and the fact that we gave so much time to questions and answers in the session rather some mono-logical advertisement.
To me and many alum like me out there, the BOT and current administration are of a lessor breed than the alum. Many of them need to get their fat deposits out of the chairs they sit in and let people that care about the university and it's future alumni and allow us to have a clearer view of the inner workings of PSU and a say in decisions made therefrom that impact us all .... present and future.
We, the alumni of this university, are the front line of this University with most of the rest of the world. Penn State University does not employ student recruiters, as Penn, Pittsburgh, Notre Dame, Michigan, Duke, etc.... do. Penn State has the luxury of having an army of willing volunteers (like myself) to act as conduits for information about what the University main and branch campuses offer top flight students considering attending Penn State. At college fairs throughout the mid-west, college recruiters would come to our presentment booth or station afterward and marvel at the fact that we were there as volunteers. They all wondered why? , since they were paid professionals.
What I would say to them is .... what is more impressive to someone considering attending an institution..... an alum giving of his or time for an institution they obviously revere or the preparations and presentments of a hireling? They were also impressed with the numbers of people attending our presentments and the fact that we gave so much time to questions and answers in the session rather some mono-logical advertisement.
To me and many alum like me out there, the BOT and current administration are of a lessor breed than the alum. Many of them need to get their fat deposits out of the chairs they sit in and let people that care about the university and it's future alumni and allow us to have a clearer view of the inner workings of PSU and a say in decisions made therefrom that impact us all .... present and future.
Yes, we do employ student recruiters. I have worked with them during the annual Spend-A-Summer-Day program.
Good post Rip, and thanks to you, and to all the volunteers who give so generously of their time and talent.
I don't know about talent, but I do know that PSU for being among the nations largest Universities had an environment where you could connect to people like at a small college. At the same time, You had at your finger tips all the opportunities at a top flight major University. I could rock climb, fish or canoe one day and the next day see the Preservation Hall Jazz band at the amphitheater... then the next weekend hop up to NYC and see a play....then back to the HUB to see Dustin Hoffman on Sunday... and meet some grad student friends from my hometown and from Japan and Thailand downtown for Pizza and discussion... then to be introduced to canoeing and portage by my adviser and actually do some of that with he and his son. Attending PSU was attending the largest, most diverse family on earth. Explaining my experience to others seemed natural and a valuable and reasonable avocation to me.
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I think one course of action would be the following:
Have a group of well-heeled and influential alums start a PSU escrow account at some financial institution which would allow all Penn State supporters who don't want their money going into the coffers of a BoT to be wasted. If everyone who is outraged and dissatisfied with the old guard board members would donate the money usually ear-marked for Penn State into this escrow account, with the stipulation that the money would be transferred to PSU when - and ONLY when - the members who held seats during November 2011 and ALL the subsequent members appointed by that cabal resign en masse. It means putting a freeze on PSU until our voices are heard. This account could reach into hundreds of millions very quickly if we all participated. Even modest donations add up quickly if the entire PSU community gets evolved. Perhaps put a deadline of six months for the BoT to resign or all the money gets returned to the participants to be forever lost. Personally, I have donated many thousands to PSU during my life, but not a nickel since 11/2011. And I never will until these scoundrels are all gone.
Yes ... we do that now... but back in the 70's and 80's ... it was only the alum and it worked very very well. Check out the period in which the incoming student population to the University took it's largest step forward in academic standing. This period was just the beginning of something great. I often wonder if I could gain admission to the University now. I was considered an underachiever in high school, because of my high test scores but abysmal grades. Later in my academic quests, I was considered an over achiever. PSU helped me mature and to explore making the most of whatever talents I had. Not just for my self but for others. I know this is the same for many of you out there and why the alum must be a part of the management of the University. We simply care more about this place in a way that would keep us from harming it, way more than a bunch of CEOS and Chairmen of business and Industry who put their careers, personal recognition, opportunity for further self aggrandizement and personal compensation above everything else in life.
Since November, I have only donated to THON. I get my football tickets through Stubhub.
Welcome Sue, and best of luck in the election!
I encourage you to respond to Mary QBA's question in the thread. Mary has asked that question of every Alumni Council candidate that has posted on this board. I look forward to reading your response, and am pretty confident that many others feel the same.
Again, best of luck!
That seems like a good idea at first blush, but in reality when the money stops coming in, it hurts the student population more than any other place.
I know of several chapter leaders who have tried, who are frustrated and who effectively are told to back off. They are to remain 100% neutral in all things.
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Mary is a TRUE BLUE heart, who, like many of us, is NOT moving on... EVER. We are awake, we are engaged, we are growing in strength. I started my 100% Commitment to Penn State way back in the 1970's. There have been times when I almost gave up and walked away in the past three 1/2 years- but then I thought, WE who have given 40 years or so to fight for the true PENN STATE CULTURE, to recruit students and donate, not just of our cash but our hard work and time, we can't walk away and leave it to the self-serving pig-headed power clique of the Board of Trustees in place in 2011, many of whom REFUSE to go. As long as I can draw a breath, I will be heard, I will fight on and when I am dead and gone, I have a next generation of fighters who share my degree and love of Penn State. Daughter Heather stands shoulder to shoulder with me when we do something to remember and honor Joe, or write letters to the editor to expose the corruption of the Trustees, or whatever is needed to FIGHT ON. Thank you TOm, Mary and anyone here who is like minded.
I don't doubt it. I'm not saying it'll be easy but these are the people with the contacts to really get things started. Hell, the AA has not been 'neutral in all things' and with the recent bylaw changes they've been anything but neutral. The problem at Penn St is that there are very few people to say 'no' to Old Main (or the AA) once told to back off. There are too many that just simply do as they are told.
Those of us who donate, have donated for 40 years, have already established ways to help the students forever, by our endowed scholarships, scholarships we helped endow in our PS Chapter, etc. We still volunteer where it positively helps students and student athletes, as mentors, to help them find jobs or internships, with Freshman send off and providing a place where they can tailgate, but we are not making big donations to the general fund and have made it REALLY CLEAR WHY and what needs to happen for us to turn the cash flow back on. I have talked to others and my spouse and I have a LOT of friends who are clearly sending the same message- get rid of the 11/9/11 Trustees, HONOR JOE, put his statue back and we will open the check books. Meanwhile, every year we meet our current scholarship recipients, we donate to THON and other things that help the students.
Such a fund would have to be set up as a 501C3, I woul dthink and carefully managed and audited for security - right?
As an "OLD" alumni Council Member from the 1990's (Hubby and I both have served several terms in the past- some of the candidates asked to talk to me as they agonized some of the very concerns you raised here. David and Brad Mitchell asked me a great deal about how Alumni Council worked in the past and asked- "Do you think we can make a difference?" My idea at the time (before the power grab/ by laws changes) was that we could get out the vote and elect 10 like minded people per year- and in two years or at worst three, we would own the 30 voting seats elected by the alumni. Then they changed the rules. One thing is sure- if none of us run and speak up, they will continue to have a flock of sheep who are content to just wave their hand from the football field at homecoming and get a free dinner at the Nittany Lion Inn twice per year. If we do not start to stand up an speak out- who will?
As we yell in the stadium after the WE ARE.... PENN STATE, THANK YOU.... You're welcome. However, we are far from done yet.
"Members of the (general assembly) are selected from a pre-determined list provided by the (committee)."
"Members of the (governance body) will hold concurrent positions with industrial and political organizations"
"The (executive council) conducts the affairs of the State - including the removal of (trustees) who are felt to carry opinions contrary to the good of the State"
"In an effort to consolidate power, the (full governance board) was not informed of actions taken throughout the period of the (consolidation)"
Sounds an awful lot like our BOT (which is now contaminating the PSU AA). In truth, these are excerpts from the history of the Politburo (with generic terms inserted where appropriate).
Alas.
I LOVE WHAT YOU SAID!!!!! There are over 600,000 alumni, it grows each year as Penn State graduates giant classes of students. There is a very, very small number of Trustees remaining from 11/9/11, thanks to those of us FIGHTING ON, and Presidents, Provosts- all come and go in the blink of an eye. WE are what remains to protect our University.
Lion Ambassadors (oft seen walking backwards leading campus tours of prospective students) and others help alumni and the University in recruitment. However, as an alumni Admissions Volunteer, we provide visible signs of success- in our career based on our PSU degree and a clear broad based wealth of experience in our major. Students interested in Finance can talk to a Successful Stockbroker who graduated from Smeal, or a Meteorologist, or an Engineer, employed in their community. It can not be quantified!
Would it help you to hear that there have been some SERIOUS 6 figure and even 7 figure donors who allowed their assigned Development person to come right to their home or office (or in one case, tailgate)and then said- you can put all of those papers away, or in my shredder, because I changed my mind and will NOT be signing them now- and here is why. Will it help to know that over Spring Break, Deans, Development officers and such went out to various areas, and came back with ... "WOW, there are a LOT OF ANGRY alumni out there and they seem to be growing in number and volume?" Would it help to know that we ehard Dr Barron wanted to launch the next campaign in 2016, but is being advised to wait- they only announce when 1/4 of the total is already in the coffers and the good will right now is NOT THERE." THEY are hearing us, believe me. Terry Pegula with his $100 Million does not come along every day. Bill Schreyer, Frank Smeal- so many big donors are gone now, up there with Joe. THEY NEED all of us.
Currently, there are 9 remaining on the BOT that were trustees on 11/9/11:
Gov. Appointees:
1. Mark Dambly
2. Paul Silvis
Ag. Society Elected:
3. Keith Eckel
4. Betsy Huber
5. Keith Masser
6. Carl Shaffer (leaving on June 30th)
Business & Industry:
7. Ken Frazier (leaving on June 30th)
8. Ed Hintz (leaving on June 30th)
9. Ira Lubert (left the board for a bit, then returned earlier this year)
As indicated above, 3 are about to leave the BOT, so come July 1 there will only be 6 trustees left from the 11/9/11 BOT.
That is very encouraging. Thanks for the information.
Mary- absolutely I will continue to be open and will keep posting here, and elsewhere, as long as I can find my way to the BWI BOards (took be a LONG time to get in since my offspring, even my 4 yr old grandchild are the Geeks in the family, not I!) I started stepping up for Penn State in my 20's, while starting a family, moving to follow my spouse all over the country. I have been very active in my Penn State Chapters here in NE Ohio, on the Alumni Admissions Committee, with a dozen different groups. When they fired Joe- I raised my voice to a ROAR of anger. I have placed signs where his statue should be for every game and other events, sponsored candlelight memorials, written to the CDT and other papers so much they know my phone by heart I think. I am not alone in wanting to continue the feedback and input with the alumni who vote for us- many of us on the slate will NOT be silent. As to the perks of being on council- like being on the field for Homecoming, been there - done that many times- the best one was when I walked, hubby and daughter ran in the Paterno Family Fun Run a year ago and we all high fived Franco. I had had knee surgery and Ed had had a Widow Maker Heart attack (his happened in September!) and we still did it. We have a friend with a Suite, we've been in the President's suite many times over the years- but this gal LOVES our seats in EG, rain, sun or snow. GIVE ME THE ROAR OF THE CROWD!
I have been researching 4 decades of Penn Staters in my collection. It has been a real eye opener as to how they were elected, what heights they got to and HOW LONG they stayed. Almost ready to post my findings. What really triggered the backlash was - IMHO- when a group known as PS4RS circumvented the Good 'Ole- hand picked to be VP/President elect of Alumni COuncil and then right into a seat of the Board of Trustees route. It worked for decades, until the Lubrano effect. LOL.
Agreed. We never hear the inside info like that so it's encouraging and may explain Barron's meltdown at the last BoT meeting. Apparently alumni are not helping in his bid to raise money like he wants.
Absolutely true. The vindictive prick side of me (I DO have those feelings towards the 11/11 scoundrels....from time to time
) is quite pleased to say "adios" to these bastards.Then, the pragmatic side of me realizes that they have been replaced by:
Dandrea, Mead, Rakowich, Cotner, Harpster, Casey, Benson, Rucci, Schuyler, Salvino, and Han....
and I realize that nothing will REALLY change until we have legislative action restructuring the way the BOT is composed.
I think it is appropriate that the "original" name of "WE INTEND TO VOTE OUT THE PSU BOT" morphed into "PENN STATERS 4 RESPONSIBLE STEWARDSHIP"....because that really is the goal here. Responsible Stewardship....which cannot take place under the current structure.
Cruising Route 66
Well-Known Member
Sue let me ask you a few questions You say alumni have become disenfranchised. Specifically how so and in your mind when did this begin? Is it that you feel this way because of some of the decisions management has made over the last few years or is it something more structural/operational? Very little has changed with the Board and senior Administration's operating ways and means from 10 or 20 years ago so why is it only now that you feel the alum have become disenfranchised?
If for you it's more of the decision making that makes you feel the way you do, I would point out that the administration doesn't operate at the pleasure of the alumni nor for their sole benefit and never has. Alums are just one of a myriad of stakeholders that management is hired to serve and decisions are made with not just one constituency in mind. Further, management operates with much more information than alums are privy or entitled to and decisions many times are influenced by legal considerations surrounding existing and future litigation.
I'd like to hear more your thoughts.
Cruising Route 66
Well-Known Member
Have you missed the multiple references to the rules being changed? As the alums have utilized the tools available to influence change, the Board has changed the rules making it more difficult (or impossible). Your question is based on a false premise.
