Karla read this statement, which I've edited down...
Mr. Douglas offers absolutely nothing to the UP. He has far less journalistic experience than the director of student media, whose journalism experience has already proven insufficient and problematic for the UP. Coupled with his tendency to bullshit his way out of situations, this indicates he's liable to regress the UP. At the same time, the other two student media outlets prefer him, and they should not be punished for that. I therefore think Mr. Douglas should be hired as an adviser for Owl TV and Owl Radio.
That was met with stony silence by the committee's chairman, Student Affairs Dean Corey King. But the TV station manager was intrigued. He spoke directly to me...
I don't know, as far as your volunteer status, how long you want to stay around as an adviser. If you're going to still be there, that makes this more of a possibility. But I understand if you want to go another route. I don't know what your plan is, so if I can ask you: How long are you going to be here? For a while?
Since I'm not on the committee, I quickly glanced at King to see if I should answer. Getting no reaction at all, I said nothing. Karla replied, "The decision shouldn't depend on him, anyway."
The TV manager asked, "But he affects the situation, right? It should be raised."
It wasn't. Douglas was hired as assistant student media director, and one-third of his job will involve the UP. Which means the UP editors are probably going to ask me to keep volunteering.
If Annie Hammock had gotten the job, I could've gradually faded away like a Harry Potter ghost who's fulfilled his earthly mission. The CNN web producer had both the journalism chops and the spine to speak truth to power. And best of all, the UP staff who met her instantly respected her.
I did, too. I told her, "If you land this job, I want you to know – I won't get in your way."
Her reply shocked me: "I don't want you to go away. I'd appreciate your help. You've been around here a long time. I want to use every resource I can find."
Regrettably, other folks saw the same talent we all did. Hammock was offered a bigger job (unified media coordinator, whatever that is) at a better school (Ball State in Indiana).
I've heard rumblings from the few friends I still have in administration that FAU expects me to leave once Douglas starts. As CMA president Sally Renaud wrote in her letter that I mentioned yesterday, "Without consensus, the person is doomed to failure."
But that person is Michael Douglas, who has said too much and done too little. If he's doomed, I doubt I hold dominion over his fate. I volunteer at the pleasure of the editors.
Even if Douglas morphs into a Hammock-like journalist and, at those editors' request, I fade away like an advising apparition, the UP still suffers. It lost a half-time adviser in May to get a one-third-time adviser in August.
I've heard no mention from Student Affairs about that full-time adviser who was supposed to replace me in "a short period of time."
MONDAY: Good news for everyone at FAU.
