News
Mixed Opinions Expressed to Board Over President’s Hiring
By: Sarah Hawley | Athens Messenger staff reporter
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Letters submitted to the Hocking College Board of Trustees during the process of the search for the college’s new president show a divide among stakeholders when it came to who should lead the college into the future. There seems to be little divide among faculty however.
Dr. Betty Young had served as interim president since October before being hired to the permanent position on April 30.
Apparently, the hiring of Young shook the union to the point that talk of a vote of “no confidence” in the Board was had.
In an email to Hocking College Education Association President Mark Yanko following Young being name president, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Andy Stone asked Yanko not to pursue a no confidence vote against the Board. Stone stated that the Board was informed of the possible vote during the deliberations.
“I fully recognize that you likely do not agree with the decision the Board made this evening. I hope you believe me when I tell you that it was an extremely difficult one,” stated Stone.
“I know you feel very strongly about this situation, but I respectfully request you do not take such drastic action,” Stone stated. “I just believe such action would be detrimental to the school in the long run and will come up again and again in Google searches and such for years.”
In an email to the Messenger, Yanko stated, “We are still talking it over, but the Board knew that it was a possibility if they hired Dr. Young.”
Over the past several weeks the Board received approximately three dozen letters which were obtained by the Messenger through a public record request. Those letters show an almost even distribution of support for the hiring of Young and against her hiring.
Much of the support for Young comes from the administrators at the college, members of the Hocking College Foundation Board and leaders in the Nelsonville and Athens communities.
In supporting Young, Nelsonville resident Miki Brooks stated, “I believe to make Hocking College strong again it will take someone living within our community who sees the connection between the college and the community. I think Dr. Young is that person.” Brooks goes on to note that Young has been an active presence in the community.
“She was given a job that made her unpopular with many. And she has done that job well. It is my hope that she will have the opportunity to build the college back up since she is the one who had to do the unpleasant task of paring it down,” Brooks continued.
“She is energetic. She is visionary. She is a strong leader. She is a tireless worker. She has relevant experience. She is committed to Hocking College’s success. And, most important, she is passionate and personally engaged in the role and mission of Hocking College,” wrote Lamar Wyse, Foundation Board member.
Being a Southeastern Ohio native is also something that many saw as a positive for Young.
“The fact that Betty is from this area of Southeastern Ohio and understands the daily challenges and difficulties that we have in our area is an advantage to not only the college, but the entire community. Her willingness to face those challenges head on without hesitation speaks volumes about her character and manner,” wrote Nelsonville residents Stuart and Denise Brooks.
“In my observation, Mrs. Young has been quite active in attempting to bridge the gap between Nelsonville and Hocking College and has shown a keen understanding of the need that our city and the college have for each other,” wrote Steve Cox, president of Nelsonville Home and Savings Bank and a member of the search committee.
Noting his financial background, Cox stated, “I applaud the budgetary turnaround that Mrs. Young and her staff have accomplished in such a short time, also knowing that all parties do not come away with positive feelings during a time such as this.”
It was Young’s business background that made an impression on others after the decisions she made as the interim president.
“Dr. Young did what was necessary to do and she did quickly and efficiently. She is what Hocking needs, a business minded driven individual,” stated community member Jim Rogers in an email to Board member Mike Brooks. “When things get tough, she has the experience to know what needs to be done to turn around the situation. We need an executive with strong business direction that understands students and education.”
“Dr. Young recognizes the value and potential Hocking has and will work with the willing to create a world-class institution,” Rogers concludes.
In an email response dated April 29 to fellow Trustee Mike Brooks after seeing the letter from Rodgers, Trustee Keith Taulbee stated, “Having an important foundation leader support her is very comforting. Let’s do this.”
While the support for Young appears to be widespread among many community leaders, the opposite is true among faculty from Hocking College and other community members.
“She (Young) has generated so much bad press for Hocking College that it will be difficult to recover. Our ship is sinking quickly, and can only be saved by a new captain,” wrote Hocking College graduate and faculty member Jeanie Faulker to the Board. “I feel as if I am watching my alma mater quickly spiral into something unrecognizable. If she (Young) continues, and is elected as president, I am sure it will be to the detriment of the college, our amazing students and the community we love.”
“I must say I have worked for Hocking College for nearly 30 years, and I have seen us go through a few tough times. However, I have never seen a time when morale has been so low,” stated retiring faculty member Gail Jordan in a letter. “That is why I believe it is imperative that the next president be someone other than the current interim president. People will not easily let go of their negative feelings, and without a new person as president it will be a slow process restoring morale.”
An email from Hocking College Education Association representative Tracey Conrad to the Board addressed a poll taken by union members regarding the president hiring. The poll asked members to rank the three candidates.
“The responses were overwhelmingly in favor of Dr. (Ryan) McCall,” noted Conrad. McCall was reportedly ranked first by all but one who completed the poll, with that individual ranking Col. Chad Breeden first.
“Dr. Young was universally ranked last, with some respondents commenting that she should not have been considered for the position,” Conrad wrote.
She also noted that the process of the forums and decision moved too quickly, with the faculty not having enough time to give input on the matter.
“Many on the campus feel that the Board is unaware of the tensions on campus, and most people seem to feel that a decision in favor of Dr. Young has already been made or is inevitable,” Conrad stated in her email dated April 28.
Young’s professional history prior to joining Hocking College was continually noted by those who did not support her hiring, noting the history of discord among Young and the faculty at her previous institutions, including a vote of no confidence from the faculty senate at Houston Community Colleges, Coleman College for Health Sciences.
The emails and letters did not stop following the hiring, with faculty continuing to express their disappointment in the decision.
“I am in disbelief that you have chosen Betty Young as the permanent president of Hocking College, especially in light of the two excellent candidates you had to choose from,” wrote faculty member Mary Chambers to the Board following their selection.
“You have convinced me that the search process and open forums were a sham, wasting money, and the time and resources of the other candidates. Why ask for input from faculty, staff and the community, and then make a decision that flies in the face of that input? I have learned that those who work at Hocking College have no voice. Thank you for clarifying that for me,” Chambers continued.
Trustee Mike Brooks responded to Chambers’ email, simply stating “Get a life.”
In a separate email, Chambers thanked Trustee Robert Troxel for voting against the hiring of Young.