Chicago politics in Athens

I know I'm a little late on this, but I feel like I should chime in anyway...

Before it's even finished, will the Schoonover Center that houses the Scripps College of Communication have collapsed under the weight of a fractured faculty?

This Scripps v. Reader ordeal sure is getting some attention. How strange, too, me thinks. I think this tenure struggle has gotten far too much media attention for such a common occurrence (someone ask Debb Thorne where all her supporters and media attention was when she was originally denied tenure LAST year before OU President Roderick J. McDavis overturned the decision).

Fractured Faculty

The point, counter-point debate has gotten heated and, ever since online publications, the local media, and bloggers have picked up on the story, students and faculty are now getting wrapped up in a tenur-ific firestorm. I pity President McDavis' position here - either way he rules, there is going to be a backlash and, unfortunately, it seems this one is going to be political.

But, based on the reports from the hearings themselves (I can't say firsthand, I wasn't in attendance), this WHOLE debacle has been political. Scripps College of Communication Assistant Dean Eddith Dashiell came to Reader's aid during the hearing, claiming the college has had a history of bullying and implying that Dean Gregory Shepard and E.W. Scripps School of Journalism Director Tom Hodson are equally as guilty of their charges as Reader is.

Them's fightin' words.

It's unfortunate that this "controversy," if you want to call it as such, has been so widely publicized. It shows a lack of direction and leadership within the confines of the College offices in the RTV building as well as down the halls of Scripps. I'll be waiting with bated breath to see how dean evaluations for the Scripps College turn out this year (if The Post can get them without setbacks). In a time when the College and the School need to have strength in unity to manage through a jarring switch to semesters from the current quarter system and into a new, fully-integrated building, this divide only hurts the people already made vulnerable by these changes. It's a shame, too, as this spat casts a dark shadow over the reputation of both the School and the College - a reputation both have fought hard to earn and one that had been on the rise.

Overzealous Jstudents and Questionable Ethics?

I'm shocked at the extent of the coverage of both the original tenure denial and the hearing process both locally and, now, on a national stage. Especially with the student media at The Post and the Athens NEWS, I have to wonder how much of this coverage violates the understood rules of conflict of interest. I can guarantee that MOST writers and editors at The Post have had at least one class with Reader (he taught the JOUR 101 class in 2006, so all current seniors had him). I am in awe as to how these kids, who even created a Facebook group to celebrate and remember Reader's eccentricities, can cover his trials without bias. Maybe I'm just cynical, but I don't think it's possible.

NOTE: In the original blog I inaccurately implied that The Post Publishing Board had a level of editorial control over the paper. In truth, the Board meets only to make hiring decisions.

In all fairness, Post editor-in-chief Ashley Lutz issued an editorial letter the next day standing behind their coverage as being ethical and fair. I agree with much of what she says, but feel that the paper must have felt it necessary to play catch-up with the story. The story that ran the day following Reader's hearing, linked above, was easily the longest story in that day's paper. And maybe it's just me, but I sense a little bias in it. Not much, but you can tell these kids have a lot of respect for Reader. I'm not saying anyone is wrong here, just that this may not have been the best course of action for a Mark of Excellence Region 4 Best All-Around Daily Paper.

This discussion of conflict of interest and coverage spilled over into Athens MidDay, the broadcast practicum class and half-hour noon newscast I am currently involved with as a reporter. We did not cover the issue, as an ethical precaution and because we simply didn't feel it was news. Our audience, though, is slightly different from that of The Post. The people of Athens County may care about the denial of tenure and outpouring of support for a professor, but I doubt it. Again, I might give Debb Thorne a call to get her reaction to this media circus. It simply isn't a front-page or newscast-leading story that there is a disagreement about tenure. What DOES make this story different is the extent of support for the educator in question, but without the overkill of media coverage, would that even have been the case?

Personal Thoughts

I have never taken a class with Bill Reader. That may change, though, next quarter. I have only minimally worked with the man when he was co-adviser for Ohio University's chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. In our interactions, I found him pleasant, if not somewhat intimidating. I can understand and see both sides of the argument. It wouldn't surprise me if he were hard to work with, but I don't know that for fact. He may very well be one hell of an educator, inspiring future journos for years. But I don't know THAT for fact, either.

And herein lies the problem with this whole endeavor - students shouldn't be getting involved with this process because we simply are not in the position to judge this matter. We have biases caused, simply enough, by lack of knowledge. We have only seen Reader in one very specific role and setting, which creates a one-sided view. I saw a Facebook status following the hearing that said something along the lines of, "I will graduate with a tainted view of the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism. How can you teach ethics when you can't even practice them?" To me, this represents the most ignorant statement one can make in this situation. I'd be more concerned about the ethics in place in The Post's newsroom then those in the RTV building and Scripps Hall.

But, if you believe Dr. Dashiell, then BOTH might need some help. In which case, hurry up, graduation!

P.S. As a side note, I found this blog by former OU Bobcat Bill Sledzik, now a faculty member at Kent State, to be a nice look at how this might be a PR nightmare for Ohio U. and the Scripps College of Communication - check it out!