It’s been a long, hard road for candidates Morgan, Smith, Mitchell and Paterno in even getting to the first day of balloting in the Penn State Alumni Association Alumni Council elections. It reminds me of trying to get certain classes at Penn State - you’re on a waiting list, you’re denied, you appeal, until finally you get the class and think “Now I have to actually take it? I should get an extra credit hour just for getting a seat.”
These four candidates didn’t believe Roger Williams (PSAA Executive Director) or Kevin Barron (PSAA Director of Volunteer Services) when they assured them in the fall that they didn’t need 50 signatures to get on the ballot. Last week a Centre County judge ruled they were absolutely correct.
They are joined by candidates Cluck, Kirschner, Knoll, Stanell, Werkheiser and Wilson in the belief that if alumni are writing the checks, alumni should have a voice in the Alumni Association. That the Alumni Association should not be a wholly owned subsidiary of Old Main. And that the Alumni Association should stand up for Penn State, and not be afraid to defend it.
Stop me if I'm going too far out on a limb here, but I think that when they get on Alumni Council they are going to be marginalized. They are going to be ignored. They are going to be accused of not being team players, of leaking confidential information, of disrupting the unity of the council. They better not have any hopes of sitting on the Executive Board - that’s only for Council members who are loyal to Old Main.
But that's just crazy talk.
Whatever the outcome, they have promised to speak out, to fight, and to try. That’s good enough for me.
Their website is http://psaaforall.org, and it has statements from all ten candidates who have promised to make the Penn State Alumni Association for the alumni. Voting starts today, if you are a member and did not receive an email ballot call: 800-548-5466
These four candidates didn’t believe Roger Williams (PSAA Executive Director) or Kevin Barron (PSAA Director of Volunteer Services) when they assured them in the fall that they didn’t need 50 signatures to get on the ballot. Last week a Centre County judge ruled they were absolutely correct.
They are joined by candidates Cluck, Kirschner, Knoll, Stanell, Werkheiser and Wilson in the belief that if alumni are writing the checks, alumni should have a voice in the Alumni Association. That the Alumni Association should not be a wholly owned subsidiary of Old Main. And that the Alumni Association should stand up for Penn State, and not be afraid to defend it.
Stop me if I'm going too far out on a limb here, but I think that when they get on Alumni Council they are going to be marginalized. They are going to be ignored. They are going to be accused of not being team players, of leaking confidential information, of disrupting the unity of the council. They better not have any hopes of sitting on the Executive Board - that’s only for Council members who are loyal to Old Main.
But that's just crazy talk.
Whatever the outcome, they have promised to speak out, to fight, and to try. That’s good enough for me.
Their website is http://psaaforall.org, and it has statements from all ten candidates who have promised to make the Penn State Alumni Association for the alumni. Voting starts today, if you are a member and did not receive an email ballot call: 800-548-5466
