tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799844244210823668.post7984991171398817939..comments2023-07-03T09:09:09.228-04:00Comments on Monitoring University Governance: Drawing the Wrong Lessons From the Sandiusky Scandal for Institutional Reform and Athletics: John Feinstein on "The Lesson of Penn State"Larry Catá Backerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545101367530775497noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799844244210823668.post-8209753471789339942012-07-22T08:24:47.447-04:002012-07-22T08:24:47.447-04:00Do the right thing and remove the statue. He is ju...Do the right thing and remove the statue. He is just as guilty as if he did it himself.He didn't do the right thing,but you should. Remember the outrage over Bishops that shielded the priests! You have the chance to do the right thing. Don't blow it!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799844244210823668.post-47082087099542812792012-07-15T14:25:04.513-04:002012-07-15T14:25:04.513-04:00"But the answer to unchecked and unaccountabl..."But the answer to unchecked and unaccountable power is not to find a new home for it in another individual, whatever her title. And it is certainly no[t] necessarily advisable to concentrate both power and authority in a single place on a hierarchically arranged system that operates counter to the foundational logic of the organization on which it is imposed. " --- well put. <br /><br />When Feinstin writes "That pedestal is what prevented then-President Graham Spanier from stepping up in 2001, …" he is entirely and appalling dismissive of Spanier's (and Schultz's, and Curley's) culpability. _Nothing_ prevented any of these three from reporting the matter immediately. Who could have possibly threatened their positions had they done so? Would Paterno or the BOT have denounced them for reporting a child rape? Get serious. Without challenging that Paterno wielded considerable power at Penn State, the Freeh report made no claim and presented no evidence that "Paterno … dictate[d] the school's course of action…". <br /><br />The principal --- i.e., categorically first --- set of recommendations in the Freeh report is to change the Penn State (corporate) culture. The report emphasizes transparency and accountability. These are two critical changes. Transparency enables decisions to be discussed and, when appropriate, challenged on the facts and consequences. Accountability goes far toward ensuring that challenges are heard and that decisions are (as best as is possible) intelligent and defensible. <br /><br />Beyond transparency and accountability, however, is the appropriate seating of responsibility and authority. And this is where Penn State's organizational system and hierarchy "operates counter to the foundational logic of the organization on which it is imposed." A linear hierarchy of authority, under a president (or board), is not appropriate for a university. In a university each agent --- e.g., faculty, staff, administration, board -- has its unique areas of responsibility; together, they have certain shared responsibilities to the university mission. They should each have the ability to organize and the authority to act within their spheres, consulting others where appropriate. Organizational structures to tend to shared responsibilities are also necessary, and appropriate authority to act must be vested in those. It is a very different world than presently exists; however, it is one worth working toward.lsfinnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06050560362237209674noreply@blogger.com