WARNING: I can not watch on IE but I can on Chrome and Foxfire. You can listen on IE. Perhaps its just my system.
The crisis that hit UVA last June is now over. Rector Dragas has apologized to Sullivan and the Board of Visitors, new board members are in place, and yet there is still that edge…that edge things have when everyone is playing at making nice but noses are still out of joint.
Last June, UVA, Virginia’s Harvard of the South was in crisis because popular President Teresa Sullivan got the boot, out of the clear blue. Rector Dregas was less than honest in her reporting. She had led the press and President Sullivan to believe the board was unanimous in its decision to can Sullivan when in fact, some of the board of visitors didn’t know anything about it.
Near chaos ensued. Demonstrations were held, Students returned to campus even though it was summer break. UVA was in crisis. The governor told the Visitors to solve it or be replaced. After much ado, some of which involved some of the richest and most powerful people in this country, Ms. Sullivan was reinstated. Her interview reflects on these times.
I wrote President Sullivan a note and she actually wrote me back. I told her about the Americorps VISTAs who are working in the City of Manassas with Neighborhood Services – two of them that I talked to a Town Hall meeting are UVA graduates who are using their work experience here to benefit our neighborhoods, and then afterwards, the stipends they earn will be used toward their time in medical school. My point is, UVA has far reaching effects for every Virginian, not just those directly connected to the University, and it is important that the basic honor code continue to be upheld, so that when someone comes into our community and says they went to UVA, there will still be that high level of trust. I think the actions of Dragas and others did not follow the code.
I also sat with a UVA alumnae at a Chamber event last month, and she said she read that the entire 18-days is being compiled into a case study that may actually be offered as a course in the business school. Can you imagine – you graduate from the Darden School of Business and then the way you conduct business becomes a case study on how to NOT do it?
The article in the Washington Post this morning is a good one. President Sullivan admits she didn’t see the signs of disatisfaction in the job she was doing. How many of us can admit the same? Do we really know what our bosses or clients think of the quality of our work? I dare you to ask one person that question today – what do you think of my work, and how do you think I can improve. You might be surprised at the answer.
My entire family was enraged by what Dragas did. Her behavior was anything but honorable. Some of those Board of Visitor folks aren’t UVA grads but Dragas is.
That honor code is with you your entire life. I went to Mary Washignton when it was the women’s college and we were under the same honor code. I could still write it in my sleep, many years later.
I also have taken many a course post grad from UVA but the honor system off-campus doesn’t settle in like being on campus. I can say that the entire 4 years and a few summers I was at MWC I only locked my door my senior year. We laid down books, belongings, purses, etc and I only had one thing stolen all that time–some record albumn disappeared. For that matter, someone might have borrowed it and forgotten also. I can’t think of a place on earth where you could make that claim today.
Cindy, thanks for sharing. That is amazing that the Darden School of Business might self examine and teach others. I guess Dragas isn’t even embarrassed? She should be and so should McDonnell for not removing her. She single handedly harmed our state “brand.”