Breaking: Crabtree out

Submitted by R. Neal on Thu, 2008/01/03 - 4:27pm.

Apparently he was fired.

UPDATE: His statement, and UT's statement. Crabtree's bio.

UPDATE: The genesis.


Had to see this coming...

This was pretty much writing on the wall after the email issued in November to faculty and staff.

Nine years and five

Nine years and five presidents, I think he decided to make a stand and accept the consequences.

The politicians won this one.

I'd like to nominate Mike Ragsdale for UTK Chancy

I'd like to take this opportunity to nominate Mike Ragsdale for Chancellor of the UTK Campus. He has a strong background in education, having served admirably at Pellissippi State Community College and having served as a board of director member for EdSouth, creating educational loan opportunities for students.

He could assemble a crackerjack staff with a stroke of the pen, fully staffing Chief of UT Campus Police, director of the Motor Pool; dean of Sorority development; the University Treasurer; the ex-University Treasurer; the Department of Theatre; and UT food, beverages, and concessions from his current direct reports and he may even roll up his sleeves and do double duty as the Chancellor and P-Card administrator, bringing new energy and moving the campus forward at break neck speed. Why he may even do double duty and take time to read some poetry and other period narratives to the literature majors down at the humanities buildings.

He could do a lot for the university at a time when the university has a lot of needs.

I like that idea, an academic egomaniac

Tell him a p-card is involved and that should be a done deal.

R. Neal's picture
All that's pretty funny, but

All that's pretty funny, but how many names are you going to post under? Why don't you pick one and register it? We don't even require photo ID!

Where is UTK headed?

I have been very encouraged by the direction Crabtree was taking the flagship campus, and I found him to be someone who was good to work with. This has me more than a bit concerned.

The powerplay is a directive from the board of trustees

Peterson is not coming up with these power plays on his own, he's got enough issues to deal with of his own, this is the agenda which has been hashed out the the university's board of trustees, which is now begining to absorb a number of Bredesen appointees, for better or worse. The old Sundquist board let the system wallow in mediocrity struggling through the Gilley/Shoemaker scandals and now the Bredesen board may put UTK in the corner, leaving it without input/management/operation of the additional developments/opportunities which will present themselves in the Knoxville area. UTK will be trimmed down to function as UTChattanooga, UTMartin, UTMedical, and UTSpace, however, the new stuff and the management of same will rest with the "system" office headed by Peterson.

UTK has benefitted greatly by having the university's overall administration located on the Knoxville campus, however, with new ways of thinking and new ways of doing things being the mandate from above, having the university's administration located in Knoxville may now be a curse.

I'd bet the new chancellor for utk will be former Dean of Students Jerry Askew, whose wife is a business partner of Bob Talbott, UT board member and general confidant and wag of Governor Bredesen.

Talbott as in HOLROB real

Talbott as in HOLROB real estate developers?

Mr. McBeavy's picture
"Talbott as in HOLROB real

"Talbott as in HOLROB real estate developers?"

Yes.

a familiar face

Askew was in the pool of candidates for the UT president slot back in 2004.

Factchecker's picture
This has me more than a bit

This has me more than a bit concerned.

Another South Doyle mtg? ;>)

Look Who's Running the UT System

This is an ecclectic group of 25 members which oversee the UT System.

This is not the board that once belonged to Jim Haslam, Bill Sansom, Thunder Thorton, and the rest of the folks we used to know.

See for yourself.

Link...

What caught my attention was

What caught my attention was Talbott's supposed relationship with the Governor. A perceived very connected developer with even more connections. In a region where developer actions and influence have seemingly reached significantly undesirable levels.

Remember Republicans for Bredesen?

Pulled from MetroPulse from 2002, spoken like a true developer:

Wood, one of the few Democrats among prominent Knoxville business leaders, would be expected to favor Bredesen. But Bob Talbott, the president of the Knoxville real-estate firm Holrob Investments, supports Bredesen and has even hosted a fundraiser for the former Nashville mayor, even though he almost always supports Republicans. "I didn't even support Ned McWherter," Talbott says.

Talbott cites Bredesen's experience in managed care, his record as mayor, and his ability to recruit businesses to Tennessee as reasons he is supporting him. "I think that Mayor Bredesen accomplished a lot for Nashville," says Talbott. As far as how much money Nashville spent to bring pro sports and other Bredesen dynamos to town, Talbott says, "I'm sure that the people in Nashville paid a lot of money for the things that they have accomplished. But my sense is that they really got a lot back for what they spent."

I guess it does not mean

I guess it does not mean much, but the governor gets a big bad mark from me on that one. Also, a pre-existing level of suspicion on any future moves.

Let's See How It Plays Out

Don't be dissin' the governor or anybody just yet, but you need to see why these things often happen in the manner in which they do. Askew is an administrator at St. Mary's Hospital right now and with the merger, they may need to lop a few St. Mary's heads along the way or Askew may just be ready to move on back to big orange country (Talbott rolled off the St. Mary's board a couple of years ago).

Let's just see how it all plays out.

Maybe they can reincarnate Jack Reese or maybe Andy Holt.

Of course, Jack Reese and

Of course, Jack Reese and Andy Holt are both long dead, but if they could find someone similar to either one of them in personality and depth of character most would be happy.

The character thing might be problematic though in today's climate (hard to find people of character now-a-days).

I really don't think they

I really don't think they want someone of character for the job. I also don't know why someone of character would want the job.

Hope springs eternal

We can always hope for better, can't we?

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