Category: news

Antiochian to Cast the Vote

Date: 3/4/2009
Shaking up the status quo and winning the victory are just
part of life for most Antiochians.  This week the nation heard big news about
an Antiochian at the heart of a victory that has been over two hundred years in the making.  A Bill has been introduced to
give Washington, D.C.’s 600,000-plus residents a
vote in the U.S. House and Eleanor Holmes Norton ’60 will be representing
them.

Culture War – Vision – Nov. 06

READ THE DOCUMENT (5.0 mb)

Antioch University Chancellor Toni Murdock characterized College President Lawry’s vision for Antioch College as part of “a culture war.” Lawry presented this vision to University Board of Trustees in November 2006. To understand this document in its full context, see The Record article and review the minutes of the meeting in which it was presented.

————————

The document states:

Campus social life and the health of the learning environment are affected negatively by a comparatively high incidence of mental health problems among students. Dr. Cynthia Olson, director of the Wright State clinic in Yellow Springs, with which the College has a health services contract, has told me that the student body displays an exceptionally high proportion for the age group, of persons with bipolar disorders, schizophrenia and eating disorders, exacerbated by high co-morbidity with substance abuse (pg 2).

Why it Matters:
Lawry based his assertion and sought to remake the College’s curriculum, tenure of faculty, and student body based on a medical diagnosis of opinion not science. Dr. Cynthia Olson is certified in Family Practice and Geriatric Medicine. She is not a licensed mental health professional.

Dr. Linda Lee Sattem, Ph.D., PCC/S is a licensed mental health professional . The letters, PPC/S stands for “Professional Clinical Counselor / Supervisor”, a license award by the the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, & Marriage and Family Therapist Board.

Sattem was employed at the College’s Counseling and Wellness Center. She stated, “Antioch students are not different than other college students. Our students do not have more problems, more severe problems or a higher incidence of mental illness.”

READ Sattem’s Response (3.0 mb)

Culture War – Open & Closed Minutes – Nov 06

Antioch University Trustees – Open & Closed Minutes – Nov 06

READ THE MINUTES (5.5 mb)

————————

The Nov 06 minutes state:

Art mentioned that he attended the Academic Affairs Committee retreat late August and urged his fellow trustees to read the minutes of that retreat (pg 3).

Why it Matters:
The Academic Affairs Committee minutes state the number of tenured faculty at Antioch College has dropped from 64 to 45 and “of these 45 faculty positions, 6-9 positions” will no longer be tenured (pg 3). The Academic Affairs Committee minutes state the University can release faculty “for reasons of financial exigency, irrespective of contract appointment status”(pg 8); and that the University has the right “to reassign faculty from the unit to which they are currently assigned to another unit with a different mission” (pg 9).
READ the Academic Affair Committee minutes (3.0 mb)

————————

The Nov 06 minutes state:

[Trustee] Larry [Stone] was pleased to see the support for Steve [Lawry] around the table and pointed out that not everyone will agree with his analysis, that some will see Steve as the problem. Lack of community and the toxicity are real problems, he said, which were identified by the NCA well before Steve arrived (pg 5).

Why it Matters:
The last NCA evaluation of Antioch College that occurred “well before Steve arrived” took place in 2002. A review of this evaluation does not support Trustee Stone’s claims.
READ the 2002 NCA Evaluation (3.2 mb)

————————

The Nov 06 minutes state:

College Update. Steve Lawry gave an update on the cultural state of the College and… a realignment of faculty to meet new needs. His report is on file with these minutes (pg 5).

Why it Matters:
Antioch College President Steve Lawry’s report used false reporting about the students’ mental health as a pretense for tenure reductions and to attack student culture.
See President Lawry’s Report and The Record article about it

————————

The Nov 06 minutes state:

[Antioch University Chancellor] Toni [Murdock] recognized the courage it takes to fight a culture war, how it takes a toll on the leader, in this case [Antioch College President] Steve [Lawry], and underscored the support Steve is receiving from the ULC [University Leadership Council] (pg 6).

Why it Matters:
How Antioch University reconciles mutual respect, intellectual freedom, and open inquiry with cultural warfare remains to be seen.

————————

The Nov 06 minutes state:

The meeting was adjourned about 4:00PM so everyone could make their way to the McGregor Campus West ground-breaking ceremony at the northwest end of the Village (pg 6).

Why it Matters:
See Petition to the Attorney General – Appendix F- Memo, Re: McGregor Bond

————————

The Nov 06 minutes state:

Barbara Winslow recalled the resistance by faculty to the new curriculum…[Steve Lawry said] he would include faculty but leadership would make the decisions (pg 9).

Why it Matters:
Lawry’s plan is yet another administrative take-over of the College’s curriculum.

————————

The Nov 06 minutes state:

Bruce [Bedford] suggested that the new plan needs a cultural element:”‘The Renewal Commission’s plan did not include this and we shouldn’t go forward without it this time” (pg 9).

Why it Matters:
Finance Committee Chairman Bruce Bedford gives a whole new meaning to the term “Cultural Studies.”

————————

The Nov 06 minutes state:

David W was asked to speak to the Donor Bill of Rights (17).

Why it Matters:
See Petition to the Attorney General – Appendix A – Failure to Inform Donors/Alumni