Welcome to the Tom Rochon Show

[Update 2/26/09: Turns out Journalism Department Chair Matt Mogekwu also signed the letter, bringing the count to three.]

For a man who just attended his first SGA meeting this past week, Ithaca College president Tom Rochon certainly got a lot of press in The Ithacan.

Let's take a look at what's going on at Rochon University Ithaca College this week.

The Front Page
All three stories are devoted to Rochon.

• "Budget set for 2009-10" The budget: Oh no!
  
• "Rochon presents draft of vision," a co-op between staff, faculty and students to come up with all the ideas that he couldn't think of himself. Overbroad, over-vague, and without enough control, it sounds like his vision is actually a composite of everyone else's with no though on his own part. Which is scary, when he concedes in other articles that by nature people don't agree on stuff. Maybe he's just so scared from the McKneill fiasco that he doesn't want to make any moves himself. But that's what he was hired for.
  
• "Article sparks community response." Rather than being interviewed here, where he might be thrown a hardball question, Rochon opts for his own guest commentary (see below).
  

Inside

• "Rochon holds Q&A session at SGA meeting." About time he showed up, right? The kicker quote: "I'm glad he was able to speak with us. I wish he would come back."
• Editorial: "New vision needs direction" Sub-header: "Presdent Tom Rochon summarizes findings from strategic listening sessions but fails to clearly communicate a plan."
  
• Letter to the Editor: "Faculty react to Rochon's IC View Response." Signed by forty current and past professors, [only?] two of whom are from the Journalism department (allow me to target you here): Jeff Cohen and Todd Schack. It's okay, I'd want tenure too.
  
• Guest Commentary: "President clarifies his reaction to IC View essay." Rochon's response. (See below for more)
  
• Guest Commentary: "President's response to IC View troubling for alumnus journalist." Christopher Baxter '08 does a good job of mediating the issue and noting that sadly, things like this happen every day in the real world. What happens when good journalism clashes with bottom-line interests? Baxter also notes the potential chilling effect Rochon's action could have on student media.
• Editorial cartoon.

Nine pieces. Not bad for a little over a week's worth or work.

More on Rochon's response:

What he said:

I am glad it was written, and I am glad it was published. One of my personal regrets is that my first communication did not make that clear.

What he meant to say:

I am glad it was written, just not at this school, and published, just not at this school.

What he said:

When I referred in my statement to "a stronger internal editorial review policy," it was simply to commit that we will follow consistently the editorial policy that has been in place since well before my arrival at Ithaca College.

What he meant to say:

When I referred in my statement to "a stronger internal editorial review policy," I didn't actually mean that. Sorry. I actually don't really know what that means. In fact, we apparently already have the things in place.

What he said:

If we are going to be serious about the value of tolerance - and I hope we are - then we must be far more respectful of the views of people who disagree with us.

What he meant to say:

If you are going to be serious about the value of tolerance - and I hope you are - then you must be far more respectful of the views of people who disagree with you because they will give you money. [See how he separates himself? It's sickening.]

What he said:

The source of the pain was not in the article itself but instead in its placement as the "Final Word" in the IC View. A thoughtful person dealing with any serious issue knows that there is no such thing as a final word. Perhaps we can recognize that fact by renaming the column "Difficult Conversations." Let's give an opportunity to student and alumni writers to express their thoughts on important issues of the day.

Okay, sorry, I just threw up a little. Let me break that down.

The source of the pain was not in the article itself but instead in its placement as the "Final Word" in the IC View.

Meaning: "Let me get real technical to show that if you agree with this little technicality, I must be right."

A thoughtful person dealing with any serious issue knows that there is no such thing as a final word.

Meaning: "Different people have different views. It makes us special. These should be shared to inform us all.

Perhaps we can recognize that fact by renaming the column "Difficult Conversations."

Meaning: "Sit down, boys and girls. It's story time! Today we're going to be talking about a really serious issue. (Timmy, please stop making faces!) That's right, it's about how we all have different views. (Lilith, come back, your teacher has something very important to tell you.) But we shouldn't fight, we should share them. (Can someone help Johnny? I think he just wet his pants.)"

Let's give an opportunity to student and alumni writers to express their thoughts on important issues of the day.

Meaning: "No, seriously, that last part wasn't a joke. I actually think you all (students, alumni, faculty) are too stupid to have this conversation without me overseeing you. Okay, time for snacks!"