Lovell releases new statement re: McAdams

[jsglow]

Sure, but your post said he's no longer that person. What I was saying is I have recent experience with him that speaks to the opposite.

Perhaps so. But if he had outed one of my kids like this I would have personally taken care of business myself.  So my opinion is ironclad.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Perhaps so. But if he had outed one of my kids like this I would have personally taken care of business myself.  So my opinion is ironclad.

Glow gets it. Based in your username MUfan12 I'm gonna assume you don't have kids. I don't either but I would be dammed if I didn't take action for my sister.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

When we look at effects I have to ask: What did Lovell hope to accomplish with this message? The university handed down its decision. McAdams chose to reply.

But what was gained by Lovell's message? Did he think he could alter McAdams' position or intended course of action?

Sometimes discretion is the better part of valor. A more learned leader would have known that nothing more needed to be said and that nothing good could have come from this communication.

Mike Lovell lessened himself tonight.

Keefe, I think you're a little out of touch with the student body. Attached on the screen shot is only a sample of current marquette students praising Dr. Lovell. The school is changing, things in general have changed, people aren't standing by McAdams.

[MUfan12]

Glow gets it. Based in your username MUfan12 I'm gonna assume you don't have kids. I don't either but I would be dammed if I didn't take action for my sister.

So my number from HS basketball tells you if I do or don't have children. Amazing!

I do find it funny that you and glow both "get it" after talking about inflicting physical harm on a professor. I wonder what President Lovell would think of that.

[keefe]

Keefe, I think you're a little out of touch with the student body. Attached on the screen shot is only a sample of current marquette students praising Dr. Lovell. The school is changing, things in general have changed, people aren't standing by McAdams.

Chitown

My comment has nothing to do with McAdams.

Lovell should have left this alone. As the representative of Marquette University he said all that needed to be said when he issued the official finding on the matter.

Jumping back into the debate does nothing and diminishes his stature as the leader. And it undermines the finality of that decision while lending effective authority to the McAdams retort.

My criticism of Lovell has nothing to do with solidarity with John McAdams. On the contrary, it has everything to do with Michael Lovell and his judgment in responding to McAdams.

[keefe]

So my number from HS basketball

NERS!!!

[MUfan12]

NERS!!!

Nah, I could never dunk.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Chitown

My comment has nothing to do with McAdams.

Lovell should have left this alone. As the representative of Marquette University he said all that needed to be said when he issued the official finding on the matter.

Jumping back into the debate does nothing and diminishes his stature as the leader. And it undermines the finality of that decision while lending effective authority to the McAdams retort.

My criticism of Lovell has nothing to do with solidarity with John McAdams. On the contrary, it has everything to do with Michael Lovell and his judgment in responding to McAdams.

I understand that. I do feel like though people appreciate a figurehead who takes action though rather than doing nothing. Keep in mind that these students started with Pilarz running the show who was non existent. Hell, Buzz was more of a president to them. I think they appreciate being heard which was needed after the previous regime.

[MUfan12]

I understand that. I do feel like though people appreciate a figurehead who takes action though rather than doing nothing.

The action was already taken.

Going to social media tonight to kvetch about McAdams is a move becoming of a student. Not a university president.

[keefe]

I understand that. I do feel like though people appreciate a figurehead who takes action though rather than doing nothing. Keep in mind that these students started with Pilarz running the show who was non existent. Hell, Buzz was more of a president to them. I think they appreciate being heard which was needed after the previous regime.

The problem is Lovell had already taken action. He announced the University's official position. He then proceeded to jump into the sewer in direct response to the McAdams retort.

Lovell's re-engagement on the subject diminished the effect of his official action. Responsible, enlightened leadership exercises judgment at all times. Mike Lovell embarrassed himself as a leader tonight.

[mu03eng]

The problem is Lovell had already taken action. He announced the University's official position. He then proceeded to jump into the sewer in direct response to the McAdams retort.

Lovell's re-engagement on the subject diminished the effect of his official action. Responsible, enlightened leadership exercises judgment at all times. Mike Lovell embarrassed himself as a leader tonight.

I disagree with you here Crash. I have no issue with Lovell's actions on twitter, he's advocating for the university and their viewpoint, which has often has been missing from Marquette. Additionally, it's twitter...the only people that are likely paying attention to Lovell on twitter are members of the MU community and so this is about communicating within the family as to why MU is taking the stance they are and responding to McAdams childish behavior. Lovell is erring on the side of students, that I will always support 100%. We might have a different discussion if he was blasting press releases to the world, but he's not.

Quite frankly I think you are practicing the type of hyperbole that landed McAdams in the position he's currently in. Even if I think Lovell could have handled this differently, it is far from embarrassing. Lovell has stepped into a power vacuum at Marquette and has had to address a number of issues within the university that were not of his making and I think he has done so with energy and a steady hand. There is a lot more good currently and in the future going on at Marquette then in the previous 4 or 5 years. McAdams has acted as a bully against the TA as well as the university, I have zero issue with calling a bully out on the carpet.

[4everwarriors]

Nah, I could never dunk.

Perhaps you're Allie, Robb, Dwight, or Derrick, then, hey?

[warriorchick]

Two separate issues. It is possible to think he handled it poorly, and also think the punishment was excessive.

So, let's say a school district's official policy is for bus drivers  to drop kids off at their front door and watch them until they are safely inside.  A particular bus driver has been caught dropping kids off at the corner and driving away.  He has been reminded of the policy and warned not to do that again.  However, he thinks that the policy is stupid, so he chooses to ignore it. He drops another student off  at the corner, who gets attacked while walking home.

Is he responsible for the behavior of the person who attacked the student? No.

Did his decision to disregard official policy and his past warnings result in harm to a student?  Absolutely.

Is it reasonable to ask him to apologize for his reckless behavior as a condition of retaining his job?  You betcha.

[mu_hilltopper]

Keefe - Your comment "Lovell craves the spotlight and focuses on the flash" is surprising.  I live in the MKE area so would think I'd be able to bear witness to something like that, but I cannot.

Can you give some examples as to when Lovell has craved the spotlight or focused on flash?

Admittedly, I'm part of the 77% of internet users who don't read twitter. -- Is that it?  He tweets loudly?

[rocket surgeon]

  "So, let's say a school district's official policy is for bus drivers  to drop kids off at their front door and watch them until they are safely inside.  A particular bus driver has been caught dropping kids off at the corner and driving away.  He has been reminded of the policy and warned not to do that again.  However, he thinks that the policy is stupid, so he chooses to ignore it."

kinda sounds like a certain politician being questioned about said use of emails, blackberries and servers-Eine'r?

[warriorchick]

  "So, let's say a school district's official policy is for bus drivers  to drop kids off at their front door and watch them until they are safely inside.  A particular bus driver has been caught dropping kids off at the corner and driving away.  He has been reminded of the policy and warned not to do that again.  However, he thinks that the policy is stupid, so he chooses to ignore it."

kinda sounds like a certain politician being questioned about said use of emails, blackberries and servers-Eine'r?

Love you, Rocket, but leave politics in the appropriate board.

[GGGG]

Chitown

My comment has nothing to do with McAdams.

Lovell should have left this alone. As the representative of Marquette University he said all that needed to be said when he issued the official finding on the matter.

Jumping back into the debate does nothing and diminishes his stature as the leader. And it undermines the finality of that decision while lending effective authority to the McAdams retort.

My criticism of Lovell has nothing to do with solidarity with John McAdams. On the contrary, it has everything to do with Michael Lovell and his judgment in responding to McAdams.

How a University chief executive responds to issues like this is much, much different than it was 10-20 years ago.  Oftentimes you can't simply afford to be "above the fray."  You are a leader of a community and oftentimes the time is right for leaders to speak out.

I have said this before, but Lovell is representative of a much more modern president.  My guess is that his background as a public university dean and chancellor leads him to be much more open then the Marquette community is used to.

That being said, I have no idea if the time was right at this point.  I don't know what is happening on-campus or in Milwaukee to prompt this response.  Lovell has made sounds decisions to date as a campus leader.  I'll give him the benefit of the doubt that he is making the right one here.

[muwarrior69]

I disagree with you here Crash. I have no issue with Lovell's actions on twitter, he's advocating for the university and their viewpoint, which has often has been missing from Marquette. Additionally, it's twitter...the only people that are likely paying attention to Lovell on twitter are members of the MU community and so this is about communicating within the family as to why MU is taking the stance they are and responding to McAdams childish behavior. Lovell is erring on the side of students, that I will always support 100%. We might have a different discussion if he was blasting press releases to the world, but he's not.

Quite frankly I think you are practicing the type of hyperbole that landed McAdams in the position he's currently in. Even if I think Lovell could have handled this differently, it is far from embarrassing. Lovell has stepped into a power vacuum at Marquette and has had to address a number of issues within the university that were not of his making and I think he has done so with energy and a steady hand. There is a lot more good currently and in the future going on at Marquette then in the previous 4 or 5 years. McAdams has acted as a bully against the TA as well as the university, I have zero issue with calling a bully out on the carpet.

Lovell is erring on the side of students, that I will always support 100%.

Which ones? Certainly not the student who was told to shut up in class. So who is bullying who here?

[mu03eng]

Lovell is erring on the side of students, that I will always support 100%.

Which ones? Certainly not the student who was told to shut up in class. So who is bullying who here?

I'm not going relegislate the whole affair, but the way you characterize the originating event is an exaggeration at best.

The TA's conduct was far from ideal but there were plenty of options to resolve that issue and I fully believe that Lovell would have supported the undergrad student in those options should it have come to that.

One can support the TA and support the undergrad at the same time....they aren't mutually exclusive actions.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Lovell is by pretty much any definition, "an accomplished scholar."

As long as it's not in poetry, a'ina?

[GGGG]

I'm not going relegislate the whole affair, but the way you characterize the originating event is an exaggeration at best.

The TA's conduct was far from ideal but there were plenty of options to resolve that issue and I fully believe that Lovell would have supported the undergrad student in those options should it have come to that.

One can support the TA and support the undergrad at the same time....they aren't mutually exclusive actions.

Exactly.  Supporting the TA for how she was bullied by McAdams does not mean that she was without fault in how she handled the undergraduate student.

Does anyone know who the undergraduate student was?  Was he criticized in a blog written by a professor from another department?  Was he mentioned negatively on local talk radio?  Did he have to transfer due to the backlash?

For the undergraduate, the answers are maybe, no, no and no.

For Abatte the answers are yes, yes, yes and yes.

Easy to see why Abatte deserves support in this instance.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

Exactly.  Supporting the TA for how she was bullied by McAdams does not mean that she was without fault in how she handled the undergraduate student.

Does anyone know who the undergraduate student was?  Was he criticized in a blog written by a professor from another department?  Was he mentioned negatively on local talk radio?  Did he have to transfer due to the backlash?

For the undergraduate, the answers are maybe, no, no and no.

For Abatte the answers are yes, yes, yes and yes.

Easy to see why Abatte deserves support in this instance.

Ironically the thing the original student did that provided the source material was akin to something that a certain Laker player is getting absolutely killed for right now.  But that is not relevant to McAdams either.

[muwarrior69]

Exactly.  Supporting the TA for how she was bullied by McAdams does not mean that she was without fault in how she handled the undergraduate student.

Does anyone know who the undergraduate student was?  Was he criticized in a blog written by a professor from another department?  Was he mentioned negatively on local talk radio?  Did he have to transfer due to the backlash?

For the undergraduate, the answers are maybe, no, no and no.

For Abatte the answers are yes, yes, yes and yes.

Easy to see why Abatte deserves support in this instance.

The AAUP would disagree with you assessment.

https://academeblog.org/2015/02/04/marquette-to-fire-john-mcadams-for-his-blog/

https://academeblog.org/2015/01/26/aaup-letter-to-marquette-on-john-mcadams/

[muwarrior69]

I'm not going relegislate the whole affair, but the way you characterize the originating event is an exaggeration at best.

The TA's conduct was far from ideal but there were plenty of options to resolve that issue and I fully believe that Lovell would have supported the undergrad student in those options should it have come to that.

One can support the TA and support the undergrad at the same time....they aren't mutually exclusive actions.

How would he accomplish that?

[ChicosBailBonds]

Keefe, I think you're a little out of touch with the student body. Attached on the screen shot is only a sample of current marquette students praising Dr. Lovell. The school is changing, things in general have changed, people aren't standing by McAdams.

You should put up a screen shot of the MU alumni from Twitter that don't feel the same way.