I'm empathetic to the position of faculty, but he really crossed the line in my book:

http://www.thepost.ohiou.edu/main.asp?SectionID=1&Sub...

I also agree 100%.

All of a sudden it seems to have  gotten stylish to compare people you don't agree with  to Mubarik.
 

Egh.  Yeah, I definitely wouldn't have framed things that way.  It's so crass and opportunistic of a comparison. 

Why would you expect an "associate professor of classics and world religions" to have any meaningful input during a debate on fiscal policy? Why even give this nudnik a forum?

It's insulting (and plain stupid) to compare McDavis to Mubarak. Just shows his lack of class and intelligence.

That's a guy who should take the buyout and quit fleecing the University for a paycheck every 2 weeks.

Wow, what a childish and embarrassing display from our "higher learned". IF this is the level of intellectual competence that is truly dealing with solutions to our economic distress, I fear for the entire University's future, not just the Athletic Department.

Someone call the hyperbole police!  Any minute shred of Hays' credibility is on the 4:11 express to Buffonville. 

It's agreed that this guy is not an effective voice for the position that ICA is overvalued and that the administration is part of the problem. Those are not smart comments to make IMO unless you have more to back up the assertion that McDavis is personally driving the institutional (over)commitments you're trying to protest.

Just remember, though, that there are something like 2,000 OU faculty members out there, and Hays is almost certainly not speaking for all of the ones who might at least partially agree with him.

Also, some of you are matching this one guy's strident overreaching and making comments to the effect of saying that any area of academic concentration that isn't directly related to working in the contemporary business world is irrelevant and wasteful. You're one step away from calling for the abolishing of the history department! Some things have intrinsic value, and I would suggest that having an expert on Latin and ancient Greek around is no less worthwhile than having someone who's plugging away at developing technologies for ionospheric heaters and restless leg syndrome medications. 

But yeah, he should zip it or refine his message.

I thought that was funny as well. 

Amen there at the end, Putnam, on both the paragraph and the final sentence.  I will give the board credit; I'm hearing less and less "faculty are using athletics as a scapegoat to avoid looking in the mirror and making cuts of their own."  If you look at the buyouts being offered, changes to employee healthcare, etc., that's an increasingly less tenable position to take if it ever held water and to Bobcat Attack's credit, talk like that has died down.  We're not talking fewer ferraris in faculty garages but larger class sizes, less experienced educators, and the stuff that hits directly to the academic side of the university experience.  Everyone is hurting.

If SB 5 passes then regular elementary and high school teachers are in for a rude awakening.  This bill may save the state some cash, but teachers just lost their ability to strike.  Sure...they still can....but boreds of education can now legally hire PERMANENT replacements to take their place.  Duh....a no-strike clause for sure.

As I said previously, head for high ground...  I'm sick of this garbage.  Time to make some enemies.  

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=152271574828874

What frustrates me the most with athletic spending bashers are the bubbles they seem to live in.  I know more kids who care about athletics than kids who do not.  Yes, that is part of the people I choose to associate myself with...  At least I recognize the multiple parties to the issue.  Many of the athletics bashers don't realize people like us exist, or don't want to admit it.  They'd do well to leave Ellis Hall or wherever the heck they are held up in...  They act like statements such as "I've never been to one football game in my four years here" give them credibility.  Hah, please.  These aren't average OU students, I question if they could even tell me what a Court Street Shuffle is... 

I've never done a Court Street Shuffle.  Neither has Alex.  Are we not OU students?

And I don't see any athletics bashing there.  It's more of an anti-corporate stance.  Plus, I was invited by one of the student body's biggest sports fans.

Steve Hays actions in the forum crossed the line big time.  Refering to McDavis as Dad and comparing him to the Egypt's ex-leader were totally uncalled for.  The sad part was the number of faculty that applauded him for these statements.  Of course the Post reporters ran after him after the forum to get their quote from Ohio University's number 1 embarrassment. 

Not all faculty are like him and the handful that are screaming, but they haven't done much to silence this group either.