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So there's no need for the University of North Texas and its president, Gretchen Bataille (pictured here), to explain why she is suddenly resigning, right? The taxpayer-funded school's Wednesday press release and Bataille's "message to the UNT community" total 755 words and explain nothing. The stonewalling continues today at the UNT Board of Regents meeting, as the Denton Record-Chronicle is now reporting: "When approached at the meeting for comment as to why she is resigning mid-year, with only a few weeks' notice, Bataille only shook her head, making it clear she did not want to discuss her reasons for leaving." Can somebody please shed some light on this situation? You can send me an e-mail or join the conversation by commenting below. If you're on Twitter, follow our blog at DMNInvestigates. You can also check us out on Facebook. E-mail entry: |
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We're hearing that Bataille's resignation stems from growing tensions between her and Lee Jackson, the chancellor of the UNT System. The timing is interesting - right after she says she's proposing a 5 percent tuition increase, and right before the UNT System regents meeting.
Let's not forget a few other pieces of the chronology of intriguing events involving UNT of late:
1. The provost of more than 11 years quit in January.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/education/stories/010510dnmetuntreorganize.3de498b.html
2. Lee Jackson created a stir last November when he formally announced the UNT System would move key offices out of Denton to Dallas, which already is home to a UNT satellite campus and newly approved law school. State Senator Jane Nelson, who represents part of Denton County, expressed "serious concern" over the system's move.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/city/denton/stories/DN-untmove_15met.ART.Central.Edition1.4bf8fdc.html
And don't overlook the fact that long time VP of Student Services, Bonita Jacobs, announced a similarly sudden resignation not too long ago - a couple of months back?
Something is rotten in Denton, and I just wish I still had any sources there.
Lee Jackson needs to go, not Gretchen Bataille. She's the best thing to happen to that school since the One O'Clock Lab Band.
Reese, the person who left in January was not the provost, Wendy Wilkins, who still holds her job. It was Bonita Jacobs, who was vice president for student development.
DMN needs to investigate why Jackson made UNT spend all this money moving when we could use the cash building.
Now they waste cash paying a President to term for not working and another interim guy who was the main paperwork creator during his time there.
To make a decision in a cloud of secrecy against the unanimous faculty senate, student government president, at a time when stabilty was experienced for the first time reflects very poorly on his governance.
Not to mention C Dan Smith going along.....
Something is fishy and it is time the news organizations did some investigating
@Tracy: Duly noted. I said provost, but the link to you to the Jacobs story. I should not take Nyquil (nursing a sore throat and cold from home) and comment at the same time.
My personal view is that this is part of a conservative plan to take over Texas higher ed starting at the top. Conservatives can't seem to take over higher ed ideologically as they have most everything else. so Perry is using his position as governor to replace progressive presidents with political appointees who will try to shape Texas higher ed into the ideological vessel wanting by conservatives. Politicize everything for political expediency--that's the conservative way--especially in Texas-based politics. They want to remake higher ed into a profit center for the state, also. Texas residents better start hollering loud about this and do so quickly. It happened at A&M, Ken Starr is the new President at Baylor, and UNT might be next. Pretty soon you'll have all science classes in Texas colleges teaching "Creationism" as real science and an education system meant to create good overall citizens will start cranking out only workers to feed the higher classes. Then, you'll watch as your smarter students fly out of state to attend college and never come back--brain drain isn't good for any state economy.