Anti-McDavis rally gains attention from both sides

By Luke Wright, Staff Writer

May 13, 2007 | 9:55 p.m.

Ohio University is meant to resemble a microcosm of sorts. Just like the Student Senate is the equivalent of the U.S. Senate located in Washington D.C., President Bush has numerous critics and political pundits castigating his every move, as does our own leader, President McDavis.

Of McDavis’ detractors, none is more vocal and proactive towards student involvement than the organization, Students Against McDavis (SAM).

SAM, according to its Web site, is, “[A] grassroots organization made up of a wide variety of students from across the University community.” The group was formed in mid-2006 to, “[R]ecognize that Roderick McDavis has been an ineffective leader who has not made the interests of students a priority in his administration.”

Among its many grievances towards the McDavis administration, SAM identifies on its “Why Vote No?” page ten of its specific injustices its members feel warrant their outrage:

Raising Tuition without accountability for how your money is being spent
Administration’s Dismissal of Student Voice as seen through their refusal to consider student discontent with major policy decisions
Shared Governance being reduced to “suggestion box governance”
Cutting of Four Varsity Sports done without integrity or consideration for students perspective
Alcohol and Marijuana Policies written with minimal student input and implemented against the wishes of Student Senate
Halloween Fee imposed without student consent and against popular student opinion
Police Letters Home Program send to students 18-24 (who are legal adults) when they are involved with an alcohol related incident
Cutting Academic Programs such as Arts Education
McDavis’ Performance Bonus of $41,250, the first in OU’s history
The Faculty voted No Confidence in McDavis.

SAM’s intentions are not only to sway OU student’s minds but their votes as well. Come May 17, the day of Student Senate elections, the organization hopes to have influenced enough students so as to attain a vote of No Confidence towards President McDavis.

Stated on the organization’s Facebook group page: “Make your voice known by voting NO on Question 4 of Issue 1! McDavis is bad for students, bad for Athens, and bad for Ohio University. Your vote will send a clear message to the Trustees that McDavis is not representing the interests of students.”

Speaking Out

On Friday, May 11, Students Against McDavis held a rally in support of its cause outside of the Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium. Students and professors alike joined voices to amplify the message of distrust they have towards McDavis’ reign. Numerous speakers verbalized to the crowd of nearly 200 their personal opinions and objections pertaining to what they feel is an increasingly unjust and slouching administration.

Will Klatt, a hopeful for the Presidential seat in the Student Senate and an adamant supporter of the Students Against McDavis organization, presented his viewpoint on the intense debate over McDavis’ actions while president: “We are here today because for the past four years we have seen a university administration that has been hostile to student, teacher and worker participation in the decision-making process of this university…President McDavis is part of the problem, but he is the symptom of a much greater problem at Ohio University.”

Klatt went on to describe that the greater problem is not that of one man, but an entire administration that, "…Hold[s] contempt for anyone who pushes for reform in the university.”

Klatt also deflected allegations that SAM’s contempt concerning McDavis is racially motivated: “If you disagree with my position on the vote of no confidence, fine. Bring your points and make your case. But do not attempt to use harmful, blanket accusations to silence those who disagree with you.”

Others followed Klatt's message with speeches of their own, all emphasizing inadequacies in the current administration’s policies and actions.

After the formal addresses were completed, the mic was opened for discussion from anyone willing to voice their opinion.

Gerald Svendsen, a biological sciences professor who has been in Athens for 34 years put it bluntly when he stated, “I can guarantee you there has never been a lower moral level than what we have now.” Svendsen went on to depict, through a professor’s point of view, how President McDavis has let down the students by not allowing a sufficient amount of faculty to teach the classes needed to graduate in four years and how funds necessary to create and uphold department’s substructures are not being distributed to accomplish these tasks.

Branden Burns, a freshman member of the men’s swimming and diving team that was cut by McDavis earlier this year, displayed his outrage for the President’s lack of judgment when dealing with the budget cuts that ended the college careers of many athletes at OU: “If there’s a problem, fix the problem instead of just putting a Band-Aid on it… We need to look at that problem… before we start cutting programs and throwing kids out of the sports that they love.”

Unnoticed by many members of the SAM rally, another rally had quietly begun relaying its own message. A group supporting President McDavis had created posters declaring their faith in the current administration and had gathered just outside the confines of the SAM rally.

When asked to speak, one of the group’s members, Michael Ward, took the opportunity to express an opposing standpoint to the one shown throughout the rally.

Accompanied by another member of the group touting a sign inscribed with the words, “I have confidence in McDavis,” Ward described his feelings towards the president and his four years in office. “Your confidence in a man will only get you so much,” said Ward, “because these are your degrees, these are your classrooms, these are your initiatives, these are your beliefs. To put your faith solely in one man to make change… is not the wisest thing to do. ” Ward continued by stating he supports McDavis because, “He has, truly, our beliefs at heart.”

Ward concluded by reminding everyone that no matter if they were for or against our president, “the change lies within you.”

View Dustin Franz's audio slideshow of the rally.