 "Photo: Carlos Restrepo")
Institutions of higher education are often run like businesses. Managers, accountants and business-minded officials worry about the bottom line of their respective institutions. When managerial decisions are made, though, the higher purpose of the institution, i.e. education, should always be first and foremost.
The Montage editorial board believes that when administrative officials make decisions based on business perspectives, rather than educational value, good teachers and administrators suffer the consequences.
Stephen Petersen, Ed.D., who has been employed in several higher-education institutions in his career, began working at Meramec as vice president of student affairs in the summer of 2008. As with most new faculty members, Petersen was hired on a three-year probationary contract, meaning that administrators reserved the right to terminate his contract at any time. Petersen has been a strong advocate for faculty, staff and students alike.
Petersen was the vice president of Student Affairs at Meramec until March 1, 2010. His contract will not be renewed by STLCC, for reasons that neither Meramec President Paul Pai, Ed.D., nor other administrative officials would elaborate on due to privacy concerns.
Petersen is the second V.P. of student affairs in the last three years, following the exit of Daniel Herbst.
While campus officials do not legally have to provide a reason for termination during probationary periods, administrators should see that they have an ethical obligation to do so. Perhaps Petersen has done something to deserve this fate. It is possible that this decision was and is in the best interest of the students. However, the unwillingness of the board of trustees, Chancellor Zelema Harris, Ph.D., and of Dr. Pai to justify this recent change in administration leaves students and faculty at Meramec scratching their heads.
“I can say with one thousand percent certainty that this was not a budget issue; this was a personality issue, and a lot of people feel that this was unjust. The swell is growing,” said one Meramec staff member who did not want to be identified due to the sensitive nature of the story.
Personality issue? Can administrative officials be terminated due to a difference of opinion?
“I know that [Petersen] had very strong opinions, advocated heavily for students, and occasionally, it pushed people’s buttons. I think that when someone is driven or motivated very drastically by opinions that other administrators don’t share, there is conflict,” said one Student Governance Council member, who wished to remain anonymous.
It is possible, certainly, that there were legitimate reasons to terminate the contract of Petersen. The Montage recognizes that personnel issues are private, and cannot be discussed without consent of those involved.
However, colleges are able to run because of the money they receive from state and federal taxes, as well as student tuition prices. Meramec would not exist were it not for the money of you, the student, or you, the taxpayer. Thusly, it is time to reconsider the issue of personnel and privacy to make a more transparent and open administrative process.
The students and taxpayers pay for this institution to function and have a right to know why and how decisions are made that directly affect them. It is time to reconsider the manner in which administrators are able to conceal their decisions and motivations behind a veil of privacy.
Administrators in both the Cosand Center and Clark Hall have an obligation to the students they’ve been entrusted to educate and the faculty and staff they’ve been entrusted to employ. That obligation is, and should always be, to seek to better this institution and allow for transparency for all proceedings.
Accountability shouldn’t be requested, but demanded. It keeps the honest more honest, and gives the power to punish the dishonest.
You, the student, pay this college for an education. You, the student, have a right to know why someone who controls and contributes to that education is hired or fired. You, the student, are the reason that this campus functions, as well as the reason it exists.
You, the student, should demand to know why and how administrators can be released from their contracts. You, the student, should demand answers.
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That said, credit rating agencies such as Moodys and S&P notify the state and colleges if they want to receive a high rating and thus make their bonds more attractive in the marketplace, they must have something to show for it. As a rule raised tuition and fees as collateral will do, thank you very much.
Hence, advocates for students who oppose tuition and fee hikes that hurt student pocketbooks find themselves persona non grata with administrators and boards.
I merely speculate here on a possible reason for Dr. Peterson's termination...
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