Students Largely Left Out
Matthew Coyne
Issue date: 2/11/09 Section: News
"I would've liked Jim in Engineering, who's been a Chemical Engineer for four years, to be able to come, but we had an Engineering representative," Germino said. "From my own experience in Student Government ... a lot of things done in those committees are done for the greater good of the school."
There was no student or involvement outside of a meeting with the potential president, as well as a survey used to discern their feelings towards him. No alumni were included in the process aside from those on the Board of Trustees.
"The college community should have more of a role," said Kristen Johannes, a junior and RA in Horan Hall. "They need to let the students have more input."
By and large, though, feedback from O'Donnell's visit was overwhelmingly positive.
"My understanding is that he stands out above all others and it was time sensitive," Germino said. "He's well acquainted with the virtues of LaSalle and he is a practicing Catholic."
"What was important to us in this search was to get someone who ... (can) carry us forward and I think we got the right guy," McGrath said.
Despite largely being left out of the presidential search process, students expressed interest in being part of the search, as well as diverse opinions on the subject.
"I would have given it (the search for a new president) substantial thought and consideration," Semon said.
"I'm not really surprised (at the secrecy)," English major Lindsey Farmer said, "I think having a Brother as president of our school is a big part of the College tradition."
Time and scheduling played a large factor as to why students were not directly involved in the process. As far as meeting the candidate and allowing members of the student body, not just their representatives, to ask questions, volume and connectedness became a problem.
"Those people who aren't as connected to the school wouldn't have a fully grounded opinion that those more connected, like those in Student Government or Residence Life, would," Germino said, "We tried our hardest to get everyone involved."
"It's kind of hard to say how you'd want to tell a larger group 'These people are being interviewed', because that raises other questions," Germino continued, "There has to be some kind of buffer."
Scanlan's successor will have big shoes to fill when he takes over in June. Despite controversy like his 2006 Convocation speech, in which he stated that Atheism is in conflict with MC's core values, Scanlan has done improved the profile of the College by leaps and bounds. He has increased the number of applications, upped the SAT scores of incoming freshman by 100 points, and achieved accreditations by various organizations.
If selected O'Donnell will be the first non-clergyman to be President of the College, breaking a 150-plus year tradition that has existed as long as the school has. O'Donnell is currently the Dean of Fordham University Rose Hill and previously taught English at Loyola Maryland.
There was no student or involvement outside of a meeting with the potential president, as well as a survey used to discern their feelings towards him. No alumni were included in the process aside from those on the Board of Trustees.
"The college community should have more of a role," said Kristen Johannes, a junior and RA in Horan Hall. "They need to let the students have more input."
By and large, though, feedback from O'Donnell's visit was overwhelmingly positive.
"My understanding is that he stands out above all others and it was time sensitive," Germino said. "He's well acquainted with the virtues of LaSalle and he is a practicing Catholic."
"What was important to us in this search was to get someone who ... (can) carry us forward and I think we got the right guy," McGrath said.
Despite largely being left out of the presidential search process, students expressed interest in being part of the search, as well as diverse opinions on the subject.
"I would have given it (the search for a new president) substantial thought and consideration," Semon said.
"I'm not really surprised (at the secrecy)," English major Lindsey Farmer said, "I think having a Brother as president of our school is a big part of the College tradition."
Time and scheduling played a large factor as to why students were not directly involved in the process. As far as meeting the candidate and allowing members of the student body, not just their representatives, to ask questions, volume and connectedness became a problem.
"Those people who aren't as connected to the school wouldn't have a fully grounded opinion that those more connected, like those in Student Government or Residence Life, would," Germino said, "We tried our hardest to get everyone involved."
"It's kind of hard to say how you'd want to tell a larger group 'These people are being interviewed', because that raises other questions," Germino continued, "There has to be some kind of buffer."
Scanlan's successor will have big shoes to fill when he takes over in June. Despite controversy like his 2006 Convocation speech, in which he stated that Atheism is in conflict with MC's core values, Scanlan has done improved the profile of the College by leaps and bounds. He has increased the number of applications, upped the SAT scores of incoming freshman by 100 points, and achieved accreditations by various organizations.
If selected O'Donnell will be the first non-clergyman to be President of the College, breaking a 150-plus year tradition that has existed as long as the school has. O'Donnell is currently the Dean of Fordham University Rose Hill and previously taught English at Loyola Maryland.