UMKC change up
Here's a bit of inside scoop from my Alma mater: John Amato recently resigned as Vice Chancellor for University Advancement. His resignation takes effect on October 31, 2007 . . . Spooooooky.
Here's the press release from the Chancellor on the subject:
John Amato has informed me of his intent to resign as Vice Chancellor for University Advancement, effective October 31, 2007.Now, here's the wordy announcement dating back to when the guy was initially hired:
I want to thank John for his contribution to the advancement of UMKC and ask that you join me in wishing him the best in his future endeavors.
I soon will be meeting with the University Advancement staff to discuss next steps for the division.
Guy Bailey
UMKC names John Amato as Vice Chancellor, University Advancement
Infer what you'd like from this not so minor departure but the AWESOME TKC TIPSER who sent this my way believes that top level staff abandoning ship isn't a good sign for Chancellor Bailey's administration.
I think the phrase the guy used was: "typical tenure at Ghetto U." which actually makes me nostalgic for my college days.
posted by Tony Permalink
He was hired as a stopgap. The administration plan is going forward: expansion to the south and a slow claiming of the neighborhoods through advantageous purchasing.
The A&S will continue to get weaker.
Pre-professional and professional will continue to get stronger.
since tony repeated the campus wide email verbatim I must ask....are you a 14th year senior?
Expansion to the south? What are you talking about? The neighborhood associations will be out for murder if Bailey dares to move south of 52nd Street.
While UMKC and the Trustees own a significant amount of property south of 52nd, those areas will remain residential.
Amato was not a stopgap. Bailey came in with the directive to bring stability and success to UMKC's administration. Since that has happened, he has lost his Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs, Vice Chancellor of Finance and newly selected Provost and Vice Chancellor for Advancement. That means that every one of his immediate subordinates has left since he's been hired.
He's also failed in getting students to support other construction projects with increased fees and has his hands deep into the sexual harrassment allegations that the university had to pay over $1 million to be rid of.
If Bailey's smart, he'll start looking for a new campus soon. He's accomplished nothing except receive a huge paycheck since setting foot on campus
Expansion to the south? What are you talking about? The neighborhood associations will be out for murder if Bailey dares to move south of 52nd Street.
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Are you serious? UMKC has been buying houses when they come on the market at a reasonable price for the last decade or so. Last month they bought the KinLin/Russell Stovers Outlet/ Cleaners/Coffeeshop strip.
They can be out for murder all they want, but the only way to prevent UMKC from expanding is not to put the house on the open market. As for the claim that they will be residential, I'm sure that is true....if you are a UMKC student. They have bigger plans than overpriced bungalows.
I agree with your assertion that Bailey has been a failure for the whole system. The school needs to drop the A&S pretention and push forward on making UMKC the best place for a pre-professional kid with little money to get an advanced degree. UMKC's future is in Dental, Pharm, Law and Business not English, History and Philosophy.
I questioned the direction because the 51st street seems to be on the northwest end of campus, instead of the south.
The home acquisition south of 52nd street has been ongoing for decades. Miller Nichols was forced from the head of the Trustees for his questionable role in placing Nichols properties with the Trustees and then taking them back.
If people with some ability were the face of UMKC, I would be concerned with this property acquisition. But since UMKC continues to be administered by people with absolutely no sense of how to work with others outside academia, any push for demolition/construction will face serious opposition that can quickly put a stop to it.
The big problem with all of this is that little attention is placed on the role of the Trustees (especially developers and construction executives like Hugh Zimmer and the Dunn family) in all of this and if it is relevant to UMKC students and Mo. taxpayers who are footing the bill.
I saw on campus how they're bringing up the proposed Student Center again as part of a Hotel/Convention Center complex across from the 51st street shops. What business does UMKC have in doing this? There is not enough activity on campus for this sort of complex and someone will be footing the bill for ages just like what is happening with the former Twin Oaks site.
I completely agree with you on the professional school front. Most of A&S is nothing but a wasteland. UMKC should throw everything they've got into Pharmacy, Dental, Nursing, and Business and finally secure adequate state funding for the med school and turn it into a traditional program instead of a dropping off point for high school over-achievers.
Sorry. I forgot to include Law in the list of essential schools at UMKC.
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