Comments on: Clemson’s “Fatal Attraction”

By: Tony Gentile

Tony Gentile — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 17:25:43 +0000

My son, who is a R.A. at Clemson,says freshman enrollment is way up this year and the overflow housing is exploding. They’re practically putting freshman in closets. In the past maybe the number of in-state students have been that 70% number however, the class of 2009 freshman is only 40% in-state and yes 60% out-of-state . If you ask me the statement “Clemson’s obsession has drawn sharp rebukes from its peers, as well as South Carolinians who contend that the school is no longer serving its mission as a land-grant, publicly-funded University.”is right on!

By: Since when is quality a bad thing?

Since when is quality a bad thing? — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 17:57:41 +0000

“Clemson’s obsession has drawn sharp rebukes from its peers, as well as South Carolinians who contend that the school is no longer serving its mission as a land-grant, publicly-funded University.”

I’m not sure how Clemson is no longer serving its mission to educate SC residents when 70% (it has always been around this number) of the students are from South Carolina. The smarter kids in our state are now coming to Clemson opposed to out-of-state colleges and universities because of the quality education. With the recent “#1 Happiest Students” accolades, Clemson is pretty hard to pass up.

Just because your kids are not getting into Clemson doesn’t mean the university is not fulfilling its mission of educating SC residents.

By: ClawofJustice

ClawofJustice — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 20:25:41 +0000

Hey Sam, and hey Clemson: #1 Happiest Students in the Nation: I know who you are. It’s obvious. But you’re dealing with forces you don’t understand here, chiefly that you don’t control what the media says outside of Greenville and Pickens County. Now that the NYT, the WSJ, the Globe, et al have picked up this story, your usual tactics (spuriously discrediting your opponent, lying, etc.) aren’t going to work as well because you’re now dealing with people who actually know how to use the internet.

You deserve it because you’re a nasty bitch. I’m going to enjoy watching you and your cohorts keep trying to lie your way out of this, and digging yourselves in even deeper in the process.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 16:13:14 +0000

What a fraud the school is. Those in real academia have know it for years, now the world is seeing it too.

By: Clemson: #1 Happiest Students in the nation

Clemson: #1 Happiest Students in the nation — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 22:39:08 +0000

Clemson’s response to some of the ridiculous statements in the media:

http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=45&aid=164666

By: CNSYD

CNSYD — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 15:43:10 +0000

I assume the attributes for being the “Flagship” would be the actions of individuals like Pam Parsons and Jim Holderman.

By: utah

utah — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:02:41 +0000

attention clemson sympathizers: this isn’t about a comparison between your school and the Flagship University of the state. It’s a matter of clemson taking actions that in no way improve the education of its students, which should be the primary goal of any higher education institution. Instead they are misleading the public, and manipulating the rankings, in an effort to stroke the administration’s collective ego.

By: Look at Motivations

Look at Motivations — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 12:36:18 +0000

I would encourage everyone to take a moment and notice the “backtracking” in Dr. Watt’s account over the past 24 hours…she now claims that no “formal” interview took place, and her comments were taken out of context and embellished. However, the consistency in the reports from the Chronicle and Inside Higher Ed, along with the genuine shock experienced by her session participants, indicate otherwise. Too late for CYA and, unfortunately, the harm she has wrought will be felt by many.

I have seen the PowerPoint presentation she used in her mistitled session on “Strategic Planning: Project Management & Lessons in Moving Up in US News Ranks.” I am quite familiar with this (yes, flawed) rankings process, and it is abundantly clear to me that Dr. Watt “strategically planned” where the shock-and-awe comments and factoids would be placed. Anyone familiar with Dr. Watt’s tenure at Clemson is also aware of her motivations for casting a disparaging light on Clemson.

In a nutshell–nasty, vidictive, and unsubstantiated.

By: Pat Hendrix

Pat Hendrix — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 12:34:40 +0000

Good for Clemson. Too bad the dumbasses at USC can’t figure out how to play the game.

By: bluetiger

bluetiger — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 12:25:15 +0000

It can only last so long and this has hypocrisy at Clemson has gone on long enough. Committing Institutional homicide any time some voices concern, disagrees with the inner circle or, in any way discloses the foul underbelly of Administrtion misdeeds is beyond bad. Misappropriation of funds to pet projects or hoarding in case they want something special later is bad. Holding money that is appropriated to pay fairly for the performance on the job from the “regular” employees only to “gift” it in large chunks to the “chosen few” is bad. Refusing to answer critics with facts is sneaky bad. Leaving the Offices of the school as open playgrounds for senior employees to harass,proposition and retalliate if refused with no consequences, no protection for those victims is shamefully bad. AND, carrying on this way over the top, out of control campaign for Top 20 notice from a magazine has now reached the level of Nationwide embarassment. Now, having spent $700,000 for defense against one ex-employee – one individual, without any doubt now, has enough evidence of wrong doing to warrant that kind of money to hide it from the public. Now, our Alma Mater’s best defense is trying to hide the BOT and President’s Staff from justice by saying that they are protected and above the law because they are “South Carolina” – sad state, it’s bad enough to have foreigners immune to our laws – now, State Employees are given a free hand to pleasure themselve in any way and be immune to any legal recourse?

And, before the little gang of individuals that are in awe of Barker, tout ranking at any cost and continually and boringly call any one who states facts that show the Administration for what they are a “disgruntled employee” – don’t bother, I’m not one either.