I live 6 hours away but I’ll gladly help in any way I can. Not sure what I can do but if it comes to actually getting in front of the powers that be, I’ll use vacation time. Haha.
Culture: Where Middle Failed For Far Too Long
- Thread starter VicVegas89101
- Start date
To me, so much of this is on a consistent thread that runs throughout a lot of the weaknesses holding back the university. One of those weaknesses which has been much discussed on this board over the years is the university name and branding problem. While not rehashing that long frustrating problem here, it is a part of that consistent thread throughout so many of the problems for MT. That consistent thread that is relevant here is an overall lack of political clout and influence on the part of the people who support or generally care about MT.
Lack of political clout and influence is a relevant problem with local or in-house issues such as the acceptance of mediocrity in football. It's also a big problem at the state capital where ultimately big decisions are finalized regarding major MT issues. The rejection of the law school is a prime example of this lack of political presence. So this thread, this discussion, is a timely and much needed discussion that hopefully can result in something productive for some positive change for the university.
To be brief about this, I have some health problems that severely limit by abilities to physically participate in such matters or causes. If I weren't physically limited, I would have already taken a lead on this issue of overall university advocacy. I would eagerly try to contribute to the cause if only in small or limited ways. I want to support and encourage any and all who might take up the charge and lead on organizing and unifying people who care about the university. Personally, I know it drives me crazy seeing my alma mater languishing in mediocrity seemingly directionless and without vision. A unified voice of people advocating and taking action for the university just might start making a difference over time.
Lack of political clout and influence is a relevant problem with local or in-house issues such as the acceptance of mediocrity in football. It's also a big problem at the state capital where ultimately big decisions are finalized regarding major MT issues. The rejection of the law school is a prime example of this lack of political presence. So this thread, this discussion, is a timely and much needed discussion that hopefully can result in something productive for some positive change for the university.
To be brief about this, I have some health problems that severely limit by abilities to physically participate in such matters or causes. If I weren't physically limited, I would have already taken a lead on this issue of overall university advocacy. I would eagerly try to contribute to the cause if only in small or limited ways. I want to support and encourage any and all who might take up the charge and lead on organizing and unifying people who care about the university. Personally, I know it drives me crazy seeing my alma mater languishing in mediocrity seemingly directionless and without vision. A unified voice of people advocating and taking action for the university just might start making a difference over time.
As a follow up to Duke's comment I have attempted something similar to this effort in the past. Particularly regarding the name change. I developed a facebook page for it. I started a petition that got thousands of signatures. It doesn't matter. The people are entrenched and the Board giving McPhee five more years was the final straw for me. I've had one-on-one meetings with McPhee, but he uses those in an attempt to quell any dissent rather than to listen to ideas that might actually be useful. I've also met with Massaro multiple times about some things we could do or could be doing.
None of it matters. The Board's decision signified that the only people who have the ability to effect change are happy with status quo and the little middle culture. I'm tired of caring more about the welfare of the university than they do. The entire state's higher education system is a joke.
I wish you all well in this endeavor. I just don't care enough anymore to participate.
None of it matters. The Board's decision signified that the only people who have the ability to effect change are happy with status quo and the little middle culture. I'm tired of caring more about the welfare of the university than they do. The entire state's higher education system is a joke.
I wish you all well in this endeavor. I just don't care enough anymore to participate.
Nobody I know here is hiding behind their keyboards. Several of us know each other or know someone who knows others. I’ve had several communications with one or two of the GoMiddle writers on this site. I can assure you the folks in the AD who read this site (and they do) know the identity of many of us.
They....do....not....care.
As disappointed as all of us are over the 13-45 loss to the Appalachian State Mountianeer loss in last Saturday’s New Orleans Bowl, the visible problems go far beyond that game or the 8-6 record we sported in 2018. Most posts on this board are spot on in defining the problem: it’s culture and leadership and that dynamic stretches well beyond athletic fields, courts, and diamond.
Ultimate responsibility rests with THEC and President McPhee in terms of mission and vision along with its execution. It’s evident in decisions over last 10-12 years that President Walker was the visionary and President McPhee is a facilitator leader. Sure, we obtained buildings and parking garages in President McPhee’s tenure, but much effort and design came from the master plan Doctor Walker shepherded. Mostly what we received was catching up from 30 years of growth and replacement of outdated facilities, such as our science building. To me, the failure to deliver the law school from Valparaiso was a huge setback to the future mission of MT and magnified ineffectiveness of McPhee and his team, including our new BOT. The questions to ask in 2019 are we viewed as a primary research and professional university? Or, are we primarily focused on churning Bachelor Degree graduates along with selected Masters programs which qualify those to entry level careers? Yes we’ve offered DA’s since 1972 or so and PhD’s much more recently, but many of our programs are not top tier to the level of an Ohio State, Tennessee, Michigan, or UCLA (Aerospace and RIM’s are the most notable exceptions). This affects the type of student who matriculates our university and the ability for that student (in numbers) to give back and feel brand loyalty towards MT. There are precious few alumni who care enough to attend a sporting event, theater, or speaking engagement much less write a $500 check every so often to the Alumni Association, BRAA, or their academic department their degree is emblazoned. The law of large numbers cannot be ignored and that’s what we have to cultivate. We don’t have a T. Boone Pickens that can write hundreds of millions to our alma mater to pick up the slack. We also need to make big efforts in corporate money to jump start and sustain the needs we have (which are many).
I had a business professor in 1990 exclaim the name on school on the degree matters to the point whether one got a high paying job or not when first getting out of school. It was a self congratulating monologue to the class about the quality of a having a Vanderbilt degree over a MTSU degree, all things else equal whenever considering graduate school...name brand matters. Although I made an “A” in the course, that statement hurt credibility with me because the teacher accepted a paycheck in our fine university versus one located on West End Avenue In Nashville. I don’t have much patience with attitudes such as this: It’s tantamount to saying I’ll gladly take your university’s paycheck, but I don’t believe in the product that it produces. That indifference culture ultimately rubs off on students and other faculty enough to generate a foundation of apathy. And, that apathy amplified over many instances along with team performance eventually translates into empty seats as advertised to the nation when CBS Sports aired the C-USA Championship. Furthermore, terrible performances in big games just confound the problem!
The final question here is how we get Murfreesboro to love Middle Tennessee State University? It’s far beyond athletics. It’s recognizing the value of a institution of higher learning can provide. Too few of our population recognizes potential of what our community can become; without MT, we would likely have demographic of towns such as McMinnville, Manchester, or Lewisburg or even Spencer on the Cumberland Plateau where opportunities are fewer and generate a working class wage or perhaps subsistence. Whereas, we need to be positioned more like Franklin, Flowood Mississippi, or Katy, Texas with greater access to higher paying careers locally instead of making 30-40 mile commutes to Nashville or other suburbs to enhance our giving base and engagement to the university.
The pursuit of excellence has to be part of the core mission and values to improve. That isn’t consistently on display in Cope or Murphy Center...it’s all about getting by and collecting a handsome paycheck for relatively modest effort. Until that attitude changes, I don’t expect sustainable improvements in athletics or academics that lifts us to the next level that most of us desires to see.
Ultimate responsibility rests with THEC and President McPhee in terms of mission and vision along with its execution. It’s evident in decisions over last 10-12 years that President Walker was the visionary and President McPhee is a facilitator leader. Sure, we obtained buildings and parking garages in President McPhee’s tenure, but much effort and design came from the master plan Doctor Walker shepherded. Mostly what we received was catching up from 30 years of growth and replacement of outdated facilities, such as our science building. To me, the failure to deliver the law school from Valparaiso was a huge setback to the future mission of MT and magnified ineffectiveness of McPhee and his team, including our new BOT. The questions to ask in 2019 are we viewed as a primary research and professional university? Or, are we primarily focused on churning Bachelor Degree graduates along with selected Masters programs which qualify those to entry level careers? Yes we’ve offered DA’s since 1972 or so and PhD’s much more recently, but many of our programs are not top tier to the level of an Ohio State, Tennessee, Michigan, or UCLA (Aerospace and RIM’s are the most notable exceptions). This affects the type of student who matriculates our university and the ability for that student (in numbers) to give back and feel brand loyalty towards MT. There are precious few alumni who care enough to attend a sporting event, theater, or speaking engagement much less write a $500 check every so often to the Alumni Association, BRAA, or their academic department their degree is emblazoned. The law of large numbers cannot be ignored and that’s what we have to cultivate. We don’t have a T. Boone Pickens that can write hundreds of millions to our alma mater to pick up the slack. We also need to make big efforts in corporate money to jump start and sustain the needs we have (which are many).
I had a business professor in 1990 exclaim the name on school on the degree matters to the point whether one got a high paying job or not when first getting out of school. It was a self congratulating monologue to the class about the quality of a having a Vanderbilt degree over a MTSU degree, all things else equal whenever considering graduate school...name brand matters. Although I made an “A” in the course, that statement hurt credibility with me because the teacher accepted a paycheck in our fine university versus one located on West End Avenue In Nashville. I don’t have much patience with attitudes such as this: It’s tantamount to saying I’ll gladly take your university’s paycheck, but I don’t believe in the product that it produces. That indifference culture ultimately rubs off on students and other faculty enough to generate a foundation of apathy. And, that apathy amplified over many instances along with team performance eventually translates into empty seats as advertised to the nation when CBS Sports aired the C-USA Championship. Furthermore, terrible performances in big games just confound the problem!
The final question here is how we get Murfreesboro to love Middle Tennessee State University? It’s far beyond athletics. It’s recognizing the value of a institution of higher learning can provide. Too few of our population recognizes potential of what our community can become; without MT, we would likely have demographic of towns such as McMinnville, Manchester, or Lewisburg or even Spencer on the Cumberland Plateau where opportunities are fewer and generate a working class wage or perhaps subsistence. Whereas, we need to be positioned more like Franklin, Flowood Mississippi, or Katy, Texas with greater access to higher paying careers locally instead of making 30-40 mile commutes to Nashville or other suburbs to enhance our giving base and engagement to the university.
The pursuit of excellence has to be part of the core mission and values to improve. That isn’t consistently on display in Cope or Murphy Center...it’s all about getting by and collecting a handsome paycheck for relatively modest effort. Until that attitude changes, I don’t expect sustainable improvements in athletics or academics that lifts us to the next level that most of us desires to see.
