Comments on: Khayat leaving Ole Miss — UPDATED http://www.folo.us/2009/01/06/khayat-leaving-ole-miss/ Sat, 21 Mar 2009 17:40:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: NMC http://www.folo.us/2009/01/06/khayat-leaving-ole-miss/#comment-55433 NMC Tue, 06 Jan 2009 22:34:47 +0000 http://www.folo.us/?p=9474#comment-55433 Correct, Rodney. Isn't this a complicated world? Or should we say a small world? Correct, Rodney. Isn’t this a complicated world? Or should we say a small world?

]]> By: Rodney http://www.folo.us/2009/01/06/khayat-leaving-ole-miss/#comment-55432 Rodney Tue, 06 Jan 2009 22:32:57 +0000 http://www.folo.us/?p=9474#comment-55432 Errr...this is the same bloke, right? http://www.folo.us/2008/07/19/1-1-hmmm/#more-2612 Errr…this is the same bloke, right?

http://www.folo.us/2008/07/19/1-1-hmmm/#more-2612

]]> By: Nomiss http://www.folo.us/2009/01/06/khayat-leaving-ole-miss/#comment-55360 Nomiss Tue, 06 Jan 2009 17:49:29 +0000 http://www.folo.us/?p=9474#comment-55360 I would hope for a different sort of leader now, more focused on building an academic institution. I agree, NMC. To continue its progress, UM needs a different sort of leader now. And, as you stated, it needs one more focused on building an academic institution. That is a must if UM hopes to hang on to its "great American public university" status. I also agree with Ben Cole in the hope that the "hacks, flacks, and other hangers-on and unqualifieds" will be dismissed by the college board and that a national search begins immediately. I would hope for a different sort of leader now, more focused on building an academic institution.

I agree, NMC. To continue its progress, UM needs a different sort of leader now. And, as you stated, it needs one more focused on building an academic institution. That is a must if UM hopes to hang on to its “great American public university” status.

I also agree with Ben Cole in the hope that the “hacks, flacks, and other hangers-on and unqualifieds” will be dismissed by the college board and that a national search begins immediately.

]]> By: Ben Cole http://www.folo.us/2009/01/06/khayat-leaving-ole-miss/#comment-55342 Ben Cole Tue, 06 Jan 2009 17:00:25 +0000 http://www.folo.us/?p=9474#comment-55342 No one ever gave more of himsel to Ole Miss than Robert Khayat. The state and the university have in Robert a far better chancellor than they deserve. In writing in support of Khayat's selection as chancellor 15 years ago, I stated to those in charge of the process that Ole Miss's greatest "enemy" is perhaps the government of the state itself ... that there are many, many people in government and in positions of influence who want nothing more than to reduce Ole Miss to the same levels of abysmal mediocrity the state's other colleges and universities had "achieved." They remind me of crabs caught and placed in a bucket ... they squirm and scratch around collectively protesting their state, but when one tries to climb out, all the others turn on him and drag him back to the bottom of the bucket. Ole Miss is, and always has been, the touchstone of the very best that Mississippi can achieve ... Khayat's greatest achievements, and the list is amazingly long, is his lengthening of the distance between Ole Miss and the other schools, particularly as perceived across the nation. The Honors College has to be one of the brightest jewels in the Ole Miss crown. By law, drafted, implemented, and sustained by the legislature and the Ayers decision, Ole Miss has to admit virtually every applicant who has at least minimal brain stem functions. But the Honors College, and the Croft Institute of International Studies, provide programs in which academically gifted students can get educations commensurate with their abilities. I don't think it will be possible for us to find another chancellor the equal of RCK, but I hope we can avoid the political, and the academic, hacks, flacks, and other hangers-on and unqualifieds who are making phone calls right now to "get their stars aligned," dimly though they burn. I wish Robert and Margaret fair winds, folowing seas, and Godspeed. I will be forever and unqualifiedly grateful to the for their dedication, devotion, and service to Ole Miss. No one ever gave more of himsel to Ole Miss than Robert Khayat. The state and the university have in Robert a far better chancellor than they deserve. In writing in support of Khayat’s selection as chancellor 15 years ago, I stated to those in charge of the process that Ole Miss’s greatest “enemy” is perhaps the government of the state itself … that there are many, many people in government and in positions of influence who want nothing more than to reduce Ole Miss to the same levels of abysmal mediocrity the state’s other colleges and universities had “achieved.” They remind me of crabs caught and placed in a bucket … they squirm and scratch around collectively protesting their state, but when one tries to climb out, all the others turn on him and drag him back to the bottom of the bucket.

Ole Miss is, and always has been, the touchstone of the very best that Mississippi can achieve … Khayat’s greatest achievements, and the list is amazingly long, is his lengthening of the distance between Ole Miss and the other schools, particularly as perceived across the nation. The Honors College has to be one of the brightest jewels in the Ole Miss crown. By law, drafted, implemented, and sustained by the legislature and the Ayers decision, Ole Miss has to admit virtually every applicant who has at least minimal brain stem functions. But the Honors College, and the Croft Institute of International Studies, provide programs in which academically gifted students can get educations commensurate with their abilities.

I don’t think it will be possible for us to find another chancellor the equal of RCK, but I hope we can avoid the political, and the academic, hacks, flacks, and other hangers-on and unqualifieds who are making phone calls right now to “get their stars aligned,” dimly though they burn.

I wish Robert and Margaret fair winds, folowing seas, and Godspeed. I will be forever and unqualifiedly grateful to the for their dedication, devotion, and service to Ole Miss.

]]> By: lotus http://www.folo.us/2009/01/06/khayat-leaving-ole-miss/#comment-55331 lotus Tue, 06 Jan 2009 16:21:18 +0000 http://www.folo.us/?p=9474#comment-55331 <a href="http://www.sunherald.com/pageone/story/1049263.html" rel="nofollow"><em>Sun Herald</em></a> <a href="http://www.wapt.com/education/18420887/detail.html" rel="nofollow">WAPT</a> <a href="http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2009/jan/06/ole-miss-chancellor-khayat-retire-june/" rel="nofollow"><em>Commercial Appeal</em></a> <a href="http://www.wlbt.com/Global/story.asp?S=9624113&nav=menu119_2" rel="nofollow">WLBT</a> Nuttin' from the <em>Clarion-Ledger</em> yet. Sun Herald

WAPT

Commercial Appeal

WLBT

Nuttin’ from the Clarion-Ledger yet.

]]> By: lotus http://www.folo.us/2009/01/06/khayat-leaving-ole-miss/#comment-55329 lotus Tue, 06 Jan 2009 16:11:20 +0000 http://www.folo.us/?p=9474#comment-55329 Well, all the best to the ones searching and the one they find. Ole Miss has a lot to offer in terms of both challenges and graces for chancellor-candidates. Well, all the best to the ones searching and the one they find. Ole Miss has a lot to offer in terms of both challenges and graces for chancellor-candidates.

]]> By: NMC http://www.folo.us/2009/01/06/khayat-leaving-ole-miss/#comment-55326 NMC Tue, 06 Jan 2009 16:06:05 +0000 http://www.folo.us/?p=9474#comment-55326 Of course, there's a lot to do here and a long way to go. But there's no doubt he's leaving it better than he found it (I'm thinking particularly of the honors college) and leaving it in a position where more improvement can be had ( using the endowment as an asset). I would hope for a different sort of leader now, more focused on building an academic institution. The talent he has that will be hardest to replace will be as a fundraiser-- he had advantages in his connection to the alumni community that are irreplaceable. Of course, there’s a lot to do here and a long way to go. But there’s no doubt he’s leaving it better than he found it (I’m thinking particularly of the honors college) and leaving it in a position where more improvement can be had ( using the endowment as an asset). I would hope for a different sort of leader now, more focused on building an academic institution. The talent he has that will be hardest to replace will be as a fundraiser– he had advantages in his connection to the alumni community that are irreplaceable.

]]> By: lotus http://www.folo.us/2009/01/06/khayat-leaving-ole-miss/#comment-55325 lotus Tue, 06 Jan 2009 16:01:20 +0000 http://www.folo.us/?p=9474#comment-55325 Well, I hope your wishful thought is spot-on, NMC. Ole Miss still has an important to-do list. Well, I hope your wishful thought is spot-on, NMC. Ole Miss still has an important to-do list.

]]> By: NMC http://www.folo.us/2009/01/06/khayat-leaving-ole-miss/#comment-55322 NMC Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:57:54 +0000 http://www.folo.us/?p=9474#comment-55322 Surmise? You mean why is he retiring now? I think it's probably just what it appears-- he's accomplished a lot of what he set out to do and is at retirement age. I've heard also that his wife has health problems and that may encourage this. I'd take it as being what it appears to be based on the little I know. I do think Ole Miss may have better luck finding a chancellor than State did because we're so far ahead on things like the endowment and the honors college, and there's a lot to build on. We're probably better positioned for a chancellor search than we've been in history, or at least since the Meredith crisis. But that may be just wishful thinking on my part. Surmise? You mean why is he retiring now? I think it’s probably just what it appears– he’s accomplished a lot of what he set out to do and is at retirement age. I’ve heard also that his wife has health problems and that may encourage this. I’d take it as being what it appears to be based on the little I know.

I do think Ole Miss may have better luck finding a chancellor than State did because we’re so far ahead on things like the endowment and the honors college, and there’s a lot to build on. We’re probably better positioned for a chancellor search than we’ve been in history, or at least since the Meredith crisis. But that may be just wishful thinking on my part.

]]> By: lotus http://www.folo.us/2009/01/06/khayat-leaving-ole-miss/#comment-55321 lotus Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:53:25 +0000 http://www.folo.us/?p=9474#comment-55321 So, wot's the surmise? So, wot’s the surmise?

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