Monday, December 7, 2009

Was Morrison's ouster a ground breaker?

IN THE WAKE of the Ohio Senate's dismissal of Jack Morrison from the University of Akron Board of Trustees, I don't know of another instance where a trustee has been removed from a campus board by political action. Was this the first time? Tell me if you know.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Abe from what I know it was a first. All other times that a trustee was requested to step down they did.

Anonymous said...

Well today 12/09/2009 Morrison is out of the Summit County Board of Elections. Whew! Finally.

Anonymous said...

It's probably a first for Akron. It may be a first by Senate action in Ohio. But as to removal of a trustee by "political action," well that's downright common in other states. Trustees have been removed by governors many times, even "regents" or whatever the name of statewide system trustees. I think what surprised folks (including the actors in Ohio) was that Morrison did not step down when Governor Strickland told him to. In strong-governor state, such disregard for a chief executive's request, even when the c.e. is of another party, could bring painful reprisals. What's most sorry about the affair is the extent to which party affiliation has flavored the UA Board of Trustees. So my question to Grumpy Abe's readers is, Have Akron U's trustees ever been so politicized before 1995?