Solid stream: UVA Visitors to televise themselves
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UVA BOV just before Helen Dragas lost control of the "key" to the Rotunda.file photo by hawes spencer
After some particularly public prodding from a well-known local couple who took matters into their own hands, the University of Virginia's Board of Visitors plans to offer its own live webcast of its next meeting, according to Joan Fenton, half of the Charlottesville duo that provided the public service the last time.
Susan Harris, secretary to the Board whose controversial leader and infamous botch of personnel matters kept Wahoo Nation enthralled for much of June, confirms that there will be a live stream. But where it will be she cannot say, and she defers subsequent questions to UVA spokesperson Carol Wood, who is not immediately available for comment.
News about the better board accessibility comes the same day that the New York Times Magazine released an advance copy of its upcoming feature story about the short-lived firing of President Teresa Sullivan entitled, "How Not to Fire a College President."
Some tidbits:
• Former Rector Wynne so deeply vexed protégé Helen Dragas by supporting Sullivan that Dragas scolds him publicly for retaining a "key" to the Rotunda,
• BOV member Randal Kirk still unimpressed with the president, and
• that Rector Helen Dragas really did scold the president for her appearance (something that the Hook reported long before it became a matter of fact).
As for Fenton, who heads a Facebook group called Reform the UVa BOV, she's not holding out enough hope for the official streaming to derail her own plan to live-stream and paying a court reporter to transcribe the upcoming proceedings. She's even got the transcripts of the last meeting posted online.
"I feel we have accomplished a first step towards transparency," Fenton says on the Reform page that she runs with husband Albie Tabackman.
The upcoming BOV event spans three days in Charlottesville, September 12-14. The meeting is expected to result in the naming of the new indoor athletic practice facility for George Welsh, approval to demolish the so-called Blake Center on West Main Street, and more details of the president's plan to launch merit pay for the faculty.
–September 14 at 12:19pm update: corrected to show the full name of the Facebook group
23 comments
There must be someone who knows where this meeting is being held - please tell us. Helen Dragas needs to be booed out of town. She is an embarrassment to everything that UVa stands for, or once did.
This is how Helen Dragas will be remembered -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMIwxRKQdtc
We must all insist that our state representatives do everything they can to overturn Governor McDonnell's foolish decision to reinstate her to the Board.
Three Lawmakers To Hold Town Hall Meeting
Rob Graham Reporting for WINA
If you want to weigh in on the actions of the UVA Board of Visitors in June, you'll have your chance later this month. State Senator Creigh Deeds (pictured) and Delegates Steve Landes and David Toscano will hold a joint town hall meeting to get feedback. They're inviting anybody to share recommendations and comments about the events involving the UVA Board of Visitors and the resignation and reinstatement of President Teresa Sullivan. The lawmakers want to hear from the community on how to proceed in the General Assembly as the representatives for the University. The town hall meeting will be at the UVA Law School's Caplin Auditorium on September 27th at 6:30 p.m.
Just to clarify. the Facebook page is Reform the UVa Bov.
Way to go Joan and Albi.
As you will recall Joan gave her employees the day off on the day of the rally so that they could participate in their right to assemble and protest. We wish the BOV and the President might do the same to staff and contract employees when it comes to the next Living Wage campaign. Joan and Albi ate business owners who get it. They understand the relationship between business and democracy and that sometimes democracy comes first, that we live in a country of democratic capitalism not a capitalist democracy.
We hope that the President Sullivan realizes this and uses the lessons of the summer to change the culture of UVA, to open it up to real and unfettered staff and faculty and student participation and input.
Thank yo Joan and Albi for your determinism in making transparency a reality. While its great that the BOV will live stream itself, I hope Joan and Albi keep it up because we don't know where the recordings will end up after the meeting. This is an example of what it takes to make a republic work. I am inspired by their work. I hope others are inspired as well. There is much work to be done especially with the forums by the legislators on changing the way the BOV is selected.
The issues raised this summer are not yet resolved. The reinstatement was only one issue.The NYT article missed the importance of the popular protest, it was not just Faculty working with Wynne, it was faculty, staff, Students, alums, donors, and citizens like Joan and Albi who helped organized rallies and email campaigns that led to the reinstatement, not just a focus on the typical big shots like Larry Sabato, department chairs, big names. Joan and Albi did the hard work of organizing and making things happen. I am glad the oral history class at UVA this semester will get at the "peoples" history of the event. Sometimes I get so tired of the media's myopic focus on the authorized "elites" POV. The NYT should have interviewed Albi and Joan.
Whoops Joan and Albi "are" not ate business owners....
From today's NYTimes The Education Issue: What the Failed Removal of UVA President Teresa Sullivan Means for Higher Education
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/16/magazine/teresa-sullivan-uva-ouster.html
The meeting is in Rice Hall, 2nd floor, in the large conference room.
A grand total of 22 people are viewing the meeting. Waste of money.
This is all part of the UVA spin machine. What a load of BS! Let's humor the masses and make them think we will change our ways until this blows over.......You want people to give you a second chance then Dragas MUST GO!
Was Dragas worth giving faculty a raise? LOLOLOL
Does anyone in UVA have any standards? Is it all about paying people off and foregoing principles for a raise? Is it really that easy? What is in the water in Charlottesville?
From today's Washington Post:
"On June 12, she e-mailed the board’s lone student member, looking for reinforcement and public support. “Do you know of students on grounds who might be willing to assist with a communications effort by engaging constructively in the blogs as guided by a communications consultant?” Dragas wrote."
Oh, man. Recruiting a student shill. Wonder if they found one?
The Post is taking its time, but seems to have picked up the scent.
A fighter huh? So Dragas can exercise her unique skill set in a different arena because boy, I bet she would be an asset to some industry firing people. Just not academia. Not philosophical differences.
Did you see the UVA BOV meeting today its was lived streamed and recorded. The exchange between Faculty Senate Chair George Cohen and some of the new BOV members is remarkable and recorded for posterity. After Cohen told them they would not receive a vote of confidence by the faculty at this point because they have not accounted for the philosophical differences they say started this, they were rude, arrogant and insulted President Sullivan and treated her like a errant child. They are gag ordering her and the faculty is next. I am sure.
It just goes to Show you McDonnell's appointments are more of the same corporate wealth arrogant, know nothings.
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/25382593
Stop this now. Email the governor, your state legislators now.
Wish I could recommend following the link to watch the stream, but the incessant commercials are pretty much prohibitive.
Ustream may not be the best way for this to be done; unfortunately, I don't know enough about it to suggest a better alternative.
Anybody?
Boring...no wonder students and faculty find no reason to observe this feed. It appears as if a bunch of silver headed "has been's" are at the realm of the UVA, and grandstanding by Dragas.
Excuse me, but our kids want something relevant and fast with music. Dragas get off the stage, you are making a mockery of the UVA! What century are you people living in?
what at waste of resources. what are you people doing to the good name of the University of Virginia? What? Let us know when you enter the 21st century!
What a bunch of bafoons! YUCK
oh my.
The portion of the meeting on Thursday where George Cohen, FS chair spoke starts around 1:20 minutes into the video. We will try to put that section of the video on Youtube, once we have time to do it. Hopefully over the weekend.
George Cohen made an absolute fool of himself. Sad how the inmates are still trying to run this asylum. Even the students are seeing this now. You guys keep it up and you'll get her fired again. Go back to your jobs before you ruin UVA. You are making a mockery of all of us in the faculty.
FYI, UVa has the videos on Youtube. From my experience there is still a huge outpouring of respect and support for Sullivan, and a distrust of the BOV.
You are totally misinformed. I think your intentions are good, but you are making us all look so ridiculous. The video of Cohen is very contradictory and he looks silly and unprepared. Sad that Sullivan would allow this. As a former supporter, it is becoming very apparent to me why the Bov felt the need to ask her to resign. She will never last. Sad.
@chris "Go back to your jobs before you ruin UVA."
What a *bleeping* joke!!!
UVA is already in ruins. This so called elite establishment of higher education covers up RAPES of young girls even in light of damning evidence. Covering rapes makes UVA and the thugs that work for UVA involved in these cover ups worse than RAPISTS!!!! It seems in the eyes of the UVA gods, one commits a mortal sin if one if caught cheating but if you rape a girl at worst you will be suspended for a semester! Go Jefferson!
Sullivan knows about these cases and chooses to ignore facts. So what does that make Sullivan?
I'm sorry to burst your bubble but Sullivan is not the "saint" that she has been portrayed. Leadership is about taking responsibility. She has failed the female population of UVA and what makes it much worse is her background of being a student of Women's issues. Is UVA their only god and wahoowa the only religion these people have?
I am certainly not calling her or her supporters saints. A bunch of troublemakers who think they are bulletproof and they are not. I am very, very sorry to hear this plight as well.
Don't worry, her supporters are making sure she won't be around long. Step by step.....
anyone read the NY Times mag last Sunday? UVA and transparency, the odd couple!