“No snowflake in an avalanche ever feels responsible.”-Stanislaw Lec
This proverb sums up the feeling of every individual in the administration about the failures this past year.
It is true that no one person can be blamed for an institution’s shortcomings in politics and governing itself. Right now, President Fred Gainous is probably wondering how this avalanche got pinned on him but there is one snowflake that we can be especially proud of.
Virgil Miller has become a great politician. He posed a hostile amendment to the motion for the immediate removal of Gainous at Tuesday’s Board of Trustees meeting.
However, the amendment only extended Gainous’ stay until Jan. 1, 2005 if the BOT does not vote unanimously for renegotiation of his contract.
This decisive political action is brilliant on Miller’s part because the phrasing of the amendment represents his constituency, the students, who are majorly displeased with the President’s leadership to date.
By the same token, Miller has not severed his ties to Gainous who often openly praises Miller as a leader of the future.
By adding the loophole to the motion, Gainous could very well maintain his position. Very diplomatic.
Now more than ever, I feel that the Student Government Association is looking out for the best interest of the students.
When we voted for Virgil Miller and Keneshia Grant, it was a vote in our favor. I am positive that in this type of uncompromising situation, Miller absolutely made the right decision. The worst thing he could have done is turn his back on the student voice. For months, The Famuan’s opinion section has been calling in to question the leadership ability of Gainous and the BOT.
The infractions from the D1-A scandal to the TCC merger has made us wonder exactly what has the administration accomplished.
The College of Law; big whoop. Established programs like English education aren’t even being reaccredited.
Miller decided to give up the band after he was elected SGA President, even after being a member of the “Marching 100” since his freshman year. He had the presence of mind to know that as a leader, he needed to be devoted to the students–a lesson that should be heeded by the entire administration.
Miller, in fact, was the only trustee behaving in a professional or even adult manner during the meeting.
He called for the trustees to stop cutting each other off in the debate portion of the meetings and forced the board to follow standard procedure of evaluating Gainous before letting him go.
Miller, also quite aware of the situation and what would come to pass in the meeting, came prepared with an amendment to the motion for termination.
Foresight is the mother of good planning.
As the youngest trustee on the board, he certainly represented Rattlers for what they are: educated and ready for anything. Miller put into action all the years of training the university has provided him.
From the patience learned in the financial aid lines to the humbleness instilled during those trials of patience, Miller embodied it all. He embodied us all, professionals.
Robbyn Mitchell is a sophomore newspaper journalism student from Washington, D.C. She is managing editor for The Famuan. Contact her at rmitchell730@aol.com