If he's the same Tony Frank I looked up, dude has been coloring his beard and ****. I don't remember seeing him in the "River Rat" , though.
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Mark Kennedy new, but soon to be old CU President - Official CU president Thread
- Thread starter buff4bcs1985
- Start date
I don't think ties to the state or school are necessary. I do think working in a system with multiple campuses or large enrollment like a tier 1 research University is. It doesn't even have to be a current president, you just want someone with the experience in that environment.
A letter from former BoR chairman Steve Bosley, a man whose opinion I respect.
Dear Friends,
Many of you have asked my opinion on the CU presidential search, particularly those who know I chaired the past two searches that brought us Hank Brown and Bruce Benson. I think CU has a great candidate.
The process was a good one. There were regents from each party co-chairing the search (Heidi Ganahl and Irene Griego). They had an excellent search committee with appropriate representation. They followed the process and came up with good candidates. The regents interviewed six and selected Mark Kennedy as finalist on a unanimous vote (unusual for a board that is 5-4 Republican majority). In my view, much of the complaining about the process is really about the result of the process.
I have not met Mark Kennedy yet, but have heard about him from people whose opinion I value and are in a position to know. The consensus is he is smart, accomplished and has a great set of experiences that would serve him well as CU. He was in business, holding executive leadership positions at the companies that would become General Foods and Macys. He served as a U.S. Congressman from Minnesota for three terms before losing a Senate race to Amy Klobuchar. He taught at Johns Hopkins and other prestigious universities before heading the Graduate School of Public Policy at George Washington. He has been president of the University of North Dakota for the past three years.
While nowhere near the size and complexity of CU, the important point is his progression of experience in higher ed: teacher to graduate program leader to university president, all of which have prepared him for the next step. Combine that with experience in big, complex entities like Macy’s or Congress and you have someone ready to step up.
All the noise about his candidacy is unfortunate. CU prides itself on being a place where ideas are discussed and debated; but this is a one-sided debate. Groups have rushed to judgement, many passing resolutions, based almost exclusively on Kennedy's voting record in Congress (which he left in 2007). Nobody seems to want to consider his track record in higher ed. They didn’t even wait to hear from him before condemning him.
Many say his values don't match CU's. His personal story demonstrates his values -- he is one of seven kids, all of whom went to college (despite a father that never earned more than $18 K annually). He values opportunity, hard work and helping others.
So what can you do?
Go hear him for yourself at one of the campus forums (most of which will be livestreamed by the campus). The regents are hearing a flood of negative things about him in a coordinated and concerted campaign, much based on suspect arguments. The schedule is below.
Every participate will be asked to fill out an online feedback form. All feedback on the finalist will be provided to the Board of Regents. Give them your balanced opinion. It matters. This is critically important.
https://www.cu.edu/presidential-search/forms/cu-presidential-search-feedback
When people express concern to me about the prospect of a conservative Republican running the university, I tell them that the last two presidents, Hank Brown, and
Bruce Benson – both conservative Republicans – have worked out pretty well. I think Mark Kennedy will carry the torch and take CU to the next level.
You may recall there was a similar outcry about Bruce Benson’s candidacy – protests, outrage, resolutions – and he was voted in on a 6-3 party line vote. The Boulder faculty assembly voted 40-4 to oppose his candidacy. After he was confirmed, they gave him a chance to prove what he could do. And as you’ve seen over the past 11 years, he’s done quite a bit.
My point is the outrage over the candidacy doesn’t match the reality of what a person can do once in it. I have confidence Mark Kennedy can do this job and do it well.
I encourage you to hear him for yourself and make your voice heard.
Feel free to share this with your networks. And please let me know if you have questions.
Respectively,
Steve Bosley
LOCATIONS, DATES, TIMES.
April 22; 3:15 - 4:15 p.m.
CU System Administration/CU Foundation
Warwick Hotel, Capitol Ballroom
April 23; 1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
CU Colorado Springs
University Hall, Room 180
Livestream: https://www.cu.edu/presidential-search/finalist-open-forum-schedule
April 24; 3:30 - 4:30 p.m.
CU Anschutz Medical Campus
Education 2 North, Room 1102
Video available after event here: https://www.cu.edu/presidential-search/finalist-open-forum-schedule
April 25; 3:00 - 4:00 p.m.
CU Denver
Student Commons, Room 2600
Video available after event here: https://www.cu.edu/presidential-search/finalist-open-forum-schedule
April 26; 10:15 - 11:15 a.m.
CU Boulder
Macky Auditorium
Livestream link: https://www.cu.edu/presidential-search/finalist-open-forum-schedule
I still have reservations, though. The fact that he A) was apparently a finalist for the UCF job but didn’t get it is a red flag to me. We ought to be in a position to get better candidates than UCFs rejects. B) the folks at UND seem like they can’t get rid of the guy fast enough. C) his skill set appears to be centered around turnaround projects and troubled institutions in need of a guy willing to make the tough choices. We don’t need that at CU. We need a uniter and visible leader. A guy who can pull together disparate factions and get everybody pulling together. I just don’t see those qualities in Kennedy.
However, I am swayed somewhat by Mr Bosley’s letter.
Dear Friends,
Many of you have asked my opinion on the CU presidential search, particularly those who know I chaired the past two searches that brought us Hank Brown and Bruce Benson. I think CU has a great candidate.
The process was a good one. There were regents from each party co-chairing the search (Heidi Ganahl and Irene Griego). They had an excellent search committee with appropriate representation. They followed the process and came up with good candidates. The regents interviewed six and selected Mark Kennedy as finalist on a unanimous vote (unusual for a board that is 5-4 Republican majority). In my view, much of the complaining about the process is really about the result of the process.
I have not met Mark Kennedy yet, but have heard about him from people whose opinion I value and are in a position to know. The consensus is he is smart, accomplished and has a great set of experiences that would serve him well as CU. He was in business, holding executive leadership positions at the companies that would become General Foods and Macys. He served as a U.S. Congressman from Minnesota for three terms before losing a Senate race to Amy Klobuchar. He taught at Johns Hopkins and other prestigious universities before heading the Graduate School of Public Policy at George Washington. He has been president of the University of North Dakota for the past three years.
While nowhere near the size and complexity of CU, the important point is his progression of experience in higher ed: teacher to graduate program leader to university president, all of which have prepared him for the next step. Combine that with experience in big, complex entities like Macy’s or Congress and you have someone ready to step up.
All the noise about his candidacy is unfortunate. CU prides itself on being a place where ideas are discussed and debated; but this is a one-sided debate. Groups have rushed to judgement, many passing resolutions, based almost exclusively on Kennedy's voting record in Congress (which he left in 2007). Nobody seems to want to consider his track record in higher ed. They didn’t even wait to hear from him before condemning him.
Many say his values don't match CU's. His personal story demonstrates his values -- he is one of seven kids, all of whom went to college (despite a father that never earned more than $18 K annually). He values opportunity, hard work and helping others.
So what can you do?
Go hear him for yourself at one of the campus forums (most of which will be livestreamed by the campus). The regents are hearing a flood of negative things about him in a coordinated and concerted campaign, much based on suspect arguments. The schedule is below.
Every participate will be asked to fill out an online feedback form. All feedback on the finalist will be provided to the Board of Regents. Give them your balanced opinion. It matters. This is critically important.
https://www.cu.edu/presidential-search/forms/cu-presidential-search-feedback
When people express concern to me about the prospect of a conservative Republican running the university, I tell them that the last two presidents, Hank Brown, and
Bruce Benson – both conservative Republicans – have worked out pretty well. I think Mark Kennedy will carry the torch and take CU to the next level.
You may recall there was a similar outcry about Bruce Benson’s candidacy – protests, outrage, resolutions – and he was voted in on a 6-3 party line vote. The Boulder faculty assembly voted 40-4 to oppose his candidacy. After he was confirmed, they gave him a chance to prove what he could do. And as you’ve seen over the past 11 years, he’s done quite a bit.
My point is the outrage over the candidacy doesn’t match the reality of what a person can do once in it. I have confidence Mark Kennedy can do this job and do it well.
I encourage you to hear him for yourself and make your voice heard.
Feel free to share this with your networks. And please let me know if you have questions.
Respectively,
Steve Bosley
LOCATIONS, DATES, TIMES.
April 22; 3:15 - 4:15 p.m.
CU System Administration/CU Foundation
Warwick Hotel, Capitol Ballroom
April 23; 1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
CU Colorado Springs
University Hall, Room 180
Livestream: https://www.cu.edu/presidential-search/finalist-open-forum-schedule
April 24; 3:30 - 4:30 p.m.
CU Anschutz Medical Campus
Education 2 North, Room 1102
Video available after event here: https://www.cu.edu/presidential-search/finalist-open-forum-schedule
April 25; 3:00 - 4:00 p.m.
CU Denver
Student Commons, Room 2600
Video available after event here: https://www.cu.edu/presidential-search/finalist-open-forum-schedule
April 26; 10:15 - 11:15 a.m.
CU Boulder
Macky Auditorium
Livestream link: https://www.cu.edu/presidential-search/finalist-open-forum-schedule
I still have reservations, though. The fact that he A) was apparently a finalist for the UCF job but didn’t get it is a red flag to me. We ought to be in a position to get better candidates than UCFs rejects. B) the folks at UND seem like they can’t get rid of the guy fast enough. C) his skill set appears to be centered around turnaround projects and troubled institutions in need of a guy willing to make the tough choices. We don’t need that at CU. We need a uniter and visible leader. A guy who can pull together disparate factions and get everybody pulling together. I just don’t see those qualities in Kennedy.
However, I am swayed somewhat by Mr Bosley’s letter.
It isn’t as if Kennedy has never had any professional successes in his life. He is not a rock star fundraiser. He is not able or willing to address difficult questions. As a President, he is a reject from lesser University systems. This dude is not qualified.
Plus he’s a damned conservative which means he’s probably like Trump.
Stop whining so much. It's unbecoming. If he was just a conservative, the situation would be far less problematic. There is a lot more going into it. But playing the victim card is a great way to ignore that, so go ahead.
Anyway, when a guy who didn't conduct the search says a person is a great candidate (that he hasn't met) on the basis of information related to him by anonymous sources "who would know" about it, it's not exactly the most convincing thing I've ever heard. That's great they had six other candidates. How bad were they? What were the actual qualities put forward by the Regents and used as qualifications or parameters by the search agency? How is that information not public yet? Why has no one refuted one Regent's accusation that a solid requirement was a Republican politician?
Another rousing DBT take for allbuffs to see. Well done.
I’ve asked the supporters of Kennedy to make proactive arguments to demonstrate Kennedy’s prowess in the areas that will matter for Colorado as the President of the University of Colorado system. So far, we’ve gotten bupkis.
Republicans shouldn’t feel like they have to defend every person who’s also a republican. But, they do anyway even when the evidence is to the contrary.
If you’ve got actual data based arguments about why Kennedy is a qualified candidate, you’ll be the first person to present them.
I don't have to actually support the guy, just say you only hate him because he's a conservative, like Trump.
I know very little about him. But the letter by Bosley is pretty compelling. It seems to me the biggest argument against him are the conservative stances he took as a politician 12 years ago. Don’t tell me it isn’t about that but about the fact he was an administrator of a small school. That isn’t why faculty and students are protesting.
I wonder how much is available via a FOIA request?
Bliff Cranch
Well-Known Member
I am not swayed.
Good businessman? Christ. Yeah, a four campus institution of higher learning is pretty much just a business so, sure, great attribute. Oh, and he’s gone to some really good schools. Uh huh, great. And, boy, he’s ready to step up, by golly. Umkay, well jeez, I guess there’s just no reason not to bring him aboard.
By the way, never mind that the best predictor of future performance is most recent past performance. UND cannot launch him out of there fast enough and UCF was smart enough to do their homework.
Awesome.
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The letter was devoid of numerical facts. That’s all I care about. What did he do to raise funds for the University of North Dakota? In his job as a representative (which is a half-time fundraising position), was he good to great in raising capital?
Can Kennedy be a great fundraiser for Colorado? If so, cite in his work history where he was a very good to great fundraiser. I’ve been waiting for an answer. The only replies I get are non-sequitors. You bringing up other people and stuff he voted on 12 years ago is skirting the argument.
This dude is not qualified. You complaining about valid protests isn’t advancing an argument why he is qualified. This is the frustration.
You have zero clue if he’s qualified or not. The Regents were unanimous in approving him over 5 other candidates. I assume they all considered the things you’re concerned about.
Bliff Cranch
Well-Known Member
No one has given us fact based arguments why he’s qualified, including you.
The Regents are a disaster, so I don’t trust their judgment. I am smart enough to evaluate this guy based upon his resume and comparing him to successful Presidents we’ve had in the past. He doesn’t even sniff Benson’s jock for instance.
But hey, why care about a bunch of pesky facts when you can whine?
Honestly DBT, I keep my mouth shut when you tend to post senile ****, but this one draws the line. You have zero clue if he’s qualified, the regents have zero clue, the university he works for wants him gone. Why do you want UND’s trash. Not a single person on this site should be defending Kennedy, he didn’t get a bad rap, he is the bad wrap. He can’t answer questions straight, and the dude turtles up and becomes extremely defensive when pressed about certain things.
I personally know Mark Kennedy. I’ve worked with him since 2016, I work for the Athletic Department at UND, I have first hand experience with his Jackassery.
He’s a ****ing muppet.
Edit: I was in disbelief when Colorado posted he was the sole finalist. It infuriates me to no end that CU did this, but sometimes the love of your life is the dumbest broad in the room.
Hey now, no one knows if he wears a sari, much less a bad one
Bliff Cranch
Well-Known Member
I understand your point but frankly, to me, that matters a lot less than experience leading something significant at a premier institution. I’m just making this up but say, someone who’s a Provost at a Big Ten institution perhaps? They know what it means to go to battle for funding, allocations etc and are tied into the institution’s strategy and are a part of the leadership team chartered with implementing it. I would have zero problem with someone from outside the state.
TallBuff
Well-Known Member
Agreed-either an experienced hand from a big-boy school or an inexperienced local who has cred and connections.