Spring Break
EDITORIAL: President's response displays lack of professionalism
Issue date: 6/8/09 Section: Opinion
We were disheartened after reading the exchanges between Texas A&M University President Elsa A. Murano and Chancellor Mike McKinney regarding her performance in her first year in office.
As much as we regret that the chancellor began the process of airing the University's and System's dirty laundry by including very personal remarks in his review of Murano, we are even more disappointed by our president's response and her decision to forward it to all members of the Board of Regents.
In her 10-page response to McKinney, our president appears to use the rather juvenile method of throwing every possible defense at a perceived threat, regardless of the threat to her job that the review might have posed before she responded to it.
If the decision to release a document displaying such unprofessional reasoning was not simply the result of a clerical error, it leads us to doubt the ability of this administration to separate personal from personnel issues and judge which are appropriate to respond to publicly.
We further lament Murano's refusal to comment on the subject and her assertion that her response is "self-explanatory."
The "long-standing practice" of not discussing personnel matters has not prevented our University's president from straying from protocol in the past, and it should not constrict her public statements now.
Now that these documents have been made available to the public, students, faculty, staff and others affected by Murano's administration deserve to hear from her.
As much as we regret that the chancellor began the process of airing the University's and System's dirty laundry by including very personal remarks in his review of Murano, we are even more disappointed by our president's response and her decision to forward it to all members of the Board of Regents.
In her 10-page response to McKinney, our president appears to use the rather juvenile method of throwing every possible defense at a perceived threat, regardless of the threat to her job that the review might have posed before she responded to it.
If the decision to release a document displaying such unprofessional reasoning was not simply the result of a clerical error, it leads us to doubt the ability of this administration to separate personal from personnel issues and judge which are appropriate to respond to publicly.
We further lament Murano's refusal to comment on the subject and her assertion that her response is "self-explanatory."
The "long-standing practice" of not discussing personnel matters has not prevented our University's president from straying from protocol in the past, and it should not constrict her public statements now.
Now that these documents have been made available to the public, students, faculty, staff and others affected by Murano's administration deserve to hear from her.
Be sure to include your name, major, and class year. Submissions without this information are subject to deletion.
By submitting a comment, you agree to thebatt.com's Terms of Use.
You may also send a Mail Call to The Battalion at mailcall@thebatt.com