When will the persecution of the Chancellor end?
Published November 8, 2018
By Tom Campbell
by Tom Campbell, producer and moderator, NC SPIN, November 8, 2018
I was born and spent much of my life in Eastern Carolina. The large magnet to the region is now and has been ECU, although when I attended it was still East Carolina College. When my mom graduated it was still East Carolina Teachers College. I have to confess I speak pirate....arrgghh.
I knew Leo Jenkins and Bob Morgan and watched them and many others nurture and promote this college into a great training ground for teachers, business leaders, artists, doctors and nurses and outstanding citizens.
It pains me when I see attempts to tarnish the luster of the institution and its leadership. I have to speak out.
It is increasingly obvious there is a personal attack on ECU's Chancellor Cecil Staton. When trying to ascertain why I am stumped. The ECU Board of Trustees has repeatedly affirmed Staton's leadership and sources tell me that a recently conducted 360 climate study taken among faculty, alumni, students, trustees and leaders throughout the region gives overwhelming and glowing grades for Staton as a visionary leader, tireless worker, and totally dedicated supporter of the university. Twenty-seven months into his administration it is clear that the large majority of those interviewed believe that under Staton ECU is moving in the right direction.
Staton says he loves his job and has no intention of resigning, yet persistent rumors say otherwise. Where are they coming from? The source of these rumors he is resigning can be traced to a very small number who have a personal vendetta against him and want Staton gone.
This is yet another example of the ugly power politics that has become so prevalent in our state and nation.
As the UNC Board of Governors holds their monthly meeting this week in Chapel Hill we hope there will be leadership on that Board that will stand tall and clearly denounce these baseless attacks. No good purpose would be served by a change of leadership in one of our largest universities at the same time as the presidency of the system is leaving.
Chancellor Staton needs to remain and the ugliness needs to stop.
November 8, 2018 at 5:55 pm
Mark Hatcher says:
Tom,
I'm ECC class of 1967. You only have to look no further than Harry L. Smith or his minions to know who is after Chancellor Sutton. Sad part is that it is mostly sports related issues rather than the university it's self. Of course you, most likely, already know all of this.:>) We watch NC Spin every week. You do great work on the show.
Mark Hatcher
Raleigh, NC
November 8, 2018 at 9:47 pm
Rob Flemming says:
I dont know who you think tou spoke to that reps the university but Staton needs to go!
November 9, 2018 at 7:29 pm
Steve Simpson says:
We all know the 360 studies/surveys are a farce. The participants are hand picked to cater the desired result.
Please leave, Cecil Staton. Please. Then we can begin our road to recovery.
November 10, 2018 at 5:27 pm
Wanda G Montano says:
Have you met Dr. Staton? Had a conversation with him? Participated in meetings with him? I have -- on many many occasions. And I can tell you that he is working hard in spite of those who denigrate him. Our University needed a vision and a change, and he is bringing it. We were stagnant under prior leadership!
And as for being a political hack -- guess what, we live in a political society where our funding is generated by a political body that is not in our corner -- too focused on those Triangle universities. We need someone who understands the political climate and is willing to wade in.
When any of you critics can tell me that you are on campus as often as I am, spending as much time as I do promoting ECU, understanding the challenges of running a Billion dollar corporation, and actively involved with our students, then you will have enough knowledge to know whereof you speak. I doubt any of you are.
Class of 1974
Unless you are on
November 12, 2018 at 7:11 am
James Perry says:
The Chancellor is a poor fit for ECU. I agree that politics has played a role...Staton was a state Senator in Georgia, but he has handled NC politics very poorly...almost as poorly as the enrollment numbers and Athletics program at ECU.
I understand that change is difficult. Many of you in the old guard ran our state for 140 years. You are accustomed to having things your way, and maybe it is natural for you to cry foul when someone wants to use a different approach. Your continued attempts to smear Harry Smith are absurd. He threw out ideas, they did not work, he moved on to new ideas. I understand that concept is foreign to some of you, but it is very common in private industry. We have to continually attempt to restart the lifecycle of a business with evolution of the model.
Personally, I hope the Governors shake up the UNC system. Maybe they will prune the expense branches of that overly political, bloated organization. The sense of smug entitlement of those in the system is almost suffocating. I don't know Chancellor Staton, but I can see what is happening on his watch. The same is true for the current BOT Chair.
The old guard has dealt with it's loss of power by protesting and running to the courts to file unnecessary lawsuits. Maybe they should learn to live with disagreement, just as others had to do for so many years? Elections have consequences, and the old guard is no longer the decision makers. BOG decisions are for the Governors to make. If you want to have a say on the BOG, work to get yourself appointed...otherwise you are just another person with an opinion.
