Gordon Gee, the recently resigned president of Ohio State University because of a series of intemperate remarks, symbolized the worst aspects of the corporatization of the university. He clearly saw himself in the CEO mold and was not shy about extracting the maximum personal salary, perks, and benefits for himself by jumping from job to job while universities in general are hiking fees on students and otherwise making higher education harder to achieve.
So I am glad to see him leave higher education though, as one would expect from him, he has got himself a golden parachute in addition to everything else he has squeezed from this state institution.
Fred Gardner has a fascinating article about Gee’s former wife Constance Bumgarner, herself an academic, who in her memoir reveals facts about Gee that I was not aware of. He does not come off well, even though her memoir is not a hatchet job. She still is fond of him but Gardner says that in her portrayal of him he comes off as a “cowardly, bow-tie wearing geek.”
Gee was president of Univ. of Colorado from 1985 -- 1990. I don’t remember anything that stands out about his tenure there (of course I was no longer a student by that time.) He does not seem to have aged well.
I was a student at that time, but nothing memorable stands out for me, either, except for the bow tie part.
From the “golden parachute” link:
Gee will also be “granted the permanent status of President Emeritus, with an appropriate stipend, secretary and office for a period of five years.
The poster of this comment would be happy to receive information on ways in which these goodies can be made available to Professors Emeriti Emeritaeque.
Rumor has it that Barbara Snyder will be taking his place. Have you heard that?
No, I hadn’t. But I don’t move in the highest levels.
I heard today from someone connected to the Board of Trustees that last week she signed a new five-year contract so she is not going anywhere.