The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, September 23, 1991, Page 2, Image 2
Preside
By The College Press Service
When a university president is embroiled,
in scandal, it seems to stun the
campus and community like nothing else
can.
In a recent survey ranking prestige in
jobs, the American public ranked college
presidents just below doctors and above
astronauts, according to the University of
Chicago's National Opinion Research
Center.
Since 1988, however, the nation's
academic community has endured a rash
of scandals involving college presidents
who have, in one sense or another, lost the
confidence of students or peers enough to
be ousted from office. Considering that
300 to 400 college presidents are selected
for four-year universities each year, the
number is quite low. But when a president
falls, particularly a beloved one, shock
wave can reverberate for years.
In the midst of the whirl of allegations
and accusations, a question is hotly debated:
Are university presidents judged by
a higher standard than other public
V/tllVIUlJ i
Most educators say yes.
"A college president becomes the image
of the institution he or she serves," said
James B. Appleberry, president of the
American Association of State Colleges
and Universities. "If that image is tarnished,
there is rarely a way for the public
to separate the president from the college
or university."
After a campus scandal, beleaguered officials
must scramble to clean up the
Recession
Job opportunities
grim for students culs?
prospet
By The College Press Service versity
The scene is familiar. Young Septem
men and women in suits, armed "I th
with resumes, handshakes and cey, di;
smiles for older men and women source
prepared to greet them with stories ployers
of the grim realities of today's job tend be
market. Of tl
Wel^nmc fn (~^nrccr H*nno fnr ? *1
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the 1991-92 school year. lot mor
"There are fewer positions avail- F. Dan
able because of the recession and consult;
because of sales trends," said Dot The i
Svobdia, a manager with American ified st
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mess. Often they are left to deal with a
demoralized, split campus, not to mention
a severe leadership crisis and damaged
community relations.
Presidential misbehavior, particularly
involving sexual inproprieties, is often fair
game for tabloids and television programs
such as "Hard Copy" and "A Current Affair,"
which drag the entire event, in embarrassing
detail, into the national
spotlight.
Such was the recent case of Robert Altman,
45, the articulate, high-profile University
of Central Florida president whose
penchant for massage services on out-oftown
trips brought the demise of his
presidency.
Altman, popular with the student body,
was asked to step down in June after detailed
reports of his trips appeared in a
newspaper.
"These are positions of public trust,"
said Dr. Charles Reed, chancellor of the
state university system of Florida. "Yes,
we are judged and held to a higher standard
than any other position in public
trust"
However, many students rushed to Altman's
defense. Some said that rnlleae ad
ministrators might not get a fair shake
once the accusations start rolling.
"If he (Altman) were the president of a
company, he would still be the president i
of that company," said Jason DiBona, i
president of die UCF student body at that
time. "I don't think it's realistic to look 1
for leaders who have public private lives." <
Jamie Carte, editor of The Central Flor- i
ida Future, said students generally seemed t
shows at C
:er. "Still, we're hoping to Although not
me good folks out there." suffering fror
s everyone else. This parti- nomy, they ar
ob fair brought nearly 80 crease in appli
;tive employers to the Uni- "We're now
of Central Flordia in early coming to tl
iber. Moira Oliver,
ink it's tight," said Jim Gra- Resources foi
rector of UCF's Career Re- Resorts. "We
Center. "I had some em- that nearly as i
say that they would not at- Oliver calls
cause of the recession." fairs in 1
le ones who did, sentiments "astounding."
le same. "We're finding a "We have b
e quaimea applicants, said number ot q
en Oliverio, a field training we're seeing,
ant with Metropolitan Life. our advantage,
reason for the flood of qual- of Arthur And
udents is the lack of jobs. ogy Group.
IN f '$ k J*
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USC's i
Providing Free Tram
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locations at Russell Hoi
Friday Night Free I
Tacos, Fajitas, Nachc
The best mix of
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Proper
indals
stunned by the scandal, which unfolded
short time after Altman received a majt
award for his work as university presiden
"I think they were all shocked just reat
ing the headlines," she said.
Although there was sympathy for A1
man's situation, students also were reali:
tic. "It was really sad because he had a k
going and he blew it all,"she said.
The resulting fallout hasn't settled con:
pletely on campus.
Altman, who is now serving in an ad
visory role to the board of regents, will b
drawing a salary until November. He ha
declined to speak with reporters since hi
resignation. When he makes his exit, i
marks the end of a troubled time at UCF.
"It's the right thing to do to hold educa
tors to a higher standard because they pro
vide leadership ? an example to stu
dents," Reed insists. "The only thing col
leges have is their integrity. You must d<
everything you can to uphold that."
The UCF struggle was similar to on(
that occurred at American University ir
1990, when it was discovered that its for
mer president, Richard E. Berendzen, was
making obscene telephone calls.
aerenazen pleaded guilty, was given a
suspended 30-day sentence and checked
into the Sexual Disorders Clinic at Johns
Hopkins Hospital in Washington ? but
the aftershock on campus went on for
months.
After protests over a money settlement,
which was eventually withdrawn, it was
lecided that Berendzen, who would coninue
treatment for his condition, could reurn
to the school as a professor of phys'areer
Ex]
all companies are Because of the
n the sagging eco- ing college stude
e still seeing an in- the job market, ei
cations. ting pickier when
' even seeing alumni ?. ...
iese events," said offer th,
director of Human seeke,sHyatt
Hotels and n "Students shot
didn t used to see experience befor<
nuch." That's very imp
the turnout at job
990 and 1991
"In our busine<
een surprised at the cation isn't a det
ualified applicants said Oliverio of v
It's really been to ance field. "We 1
" said Steve Hoppe, who really has o
lersen Tax Technol- find someone wh(
room for him or h
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sportation ??,
and from
use and Five Points (
buffet is Mexican Mar
ds, Fruit Trays & Much
food, fun, and Dance .
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dress and must be 2i
affect sch
a ics in the spring of 1992. r jMp
>r Being a college president is "certainly a
t. high?powered job," said American Uni- .1
1- versity's Annita Gottlieb, assistant vice WKm
president for university relations. "I bet
lieve there is a lot of stress in many of
them ? but I don't believe they are more .
)t stressful that any other." $ <
'They (presidents) are just like anyone
t- else," continued Gottlieb, who was the
university spokeswoman at the time of fct
I- Berendzen's troubles. "If they need to I
e fundraise, they have to become very visi- ft
s ble. If they behave in ways that are I
s against the norm, they are out in the B
it public arena ... and that makes them dif- f iM
ferent than the corporate executive."
i- Others disagree. Frank Newman, former
president of the University of Rhode Island,
said being a college president is
stressful.
3 "The public has such enormous faith
and belief in you ? it is an added bur?
den," he said. "People will feel let down ment
i and betrayed ? so much is expected of tices> w^ic
you. it's a role that (the president) will be ments on
; above partisan battles and narrow inter- wedding.
ests, on question about it." In 1990
i While Altman and Berendzen were the president o
[ most visible cases, other presidents, often olina, resigi
i colorful and well-liked figures, have made had spent 5
headlines as well. account tha
M. Richard Rose, president of Roches- paying as n
ter Institute of Technology, recently an- mousine sei
nounced his retirement in the midst of a Holderm
furor over his ties with the Central Intelli- $25,000 f<
gence Agency. Puerto Ric
1991 also saw Stanford University's charges. H<
Donald Kennedy resign after a govern- his office f(
flood of graduat- I ^ I went from I Wl
nts entering into hOUSC tO DOUSC, fc> k
mployers are get- Pj'
^ring. wrniwanvtnndnr ^
. advice to job- HStliey would
was hate?to *'
,or,ant," Oliver jjggjjy RCODle ill me,t
?, a college edu- the neigffl)0fll00d. ? ^
ermining factor," ''
rork in the insur- _Mprf
ook for someone .... *?"
omph. When we Hs^M0
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Holderman
j of the school's billing prach
included controversial paya
yacht and the president's
, James B. Holderman, then
f the University of South earned
when it was discovered he
5533,000 in one year from an
t was part of a foundation ?
luch as $7,000 one year for lirvices.
an was indicted for receiving
Dr his services in freeing a
0 businessman from cocaine
j was later convicted of using
>r personal gain in May 1991.
3owell is one of ffie little answers
big problems facing every cornin
America. And because there
ore people than problems, things
et done. All you have to do is
ling. Do anything.
1 Points of Light
' FOUNDATION
nothing good. Fool something real.
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