On Friday, M. Katherine Banks resigned as President of Texas A&M University just over two years after assuming that role.
The surprising announcement comes after Kathleen O. McElroy, who was hired in June to direct Texas A&M’s journalism department, walked away from the position.
On Wednesday, Banks met with the Texas A&M Faculty Senate to discuss the controversy involving McElroy’s resignation.
“I will say it has been a difficult week for Texas A&M. I’m saddened by the negative attention that we’ve received. It’s been detrimental to our shared goals and vision,” Banks said.
“It’s embarrassing. I take responsibility for it as I should, as the president of the university,” Banks added.
Banks was Texas A&M’s Dean of the College of Engineering before taking over as president on June 1, 2021.
Chancellor John Sharp has announced that General (Ret.) Mark A. Welsh III will serve as Texas A&M University’s Interim President. Welsh had previously been the Dean of the Bush School of Government and Public Service since August 2016.
Welsh becomes the eighth Texas A&M President — in a full-time or interim capacity — since Robert M. Gates left the position to serve as Secretary of Defense of the United States in December 2006.
I think she was set with whatever defined contribution retirement she has funded if not also some defined benefit offerings along the way.redleg82 said:
"Without severance from the University."
According to the FWST.
This!Charlie 31 said:https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwordstream-files-prod.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fs3fs-public%2Fstyles%2Fsimple_image%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ftrump-wrong.png%3FgFa8Ca7V7tconmXQZvQ_exDvkZNnYT5I%26itok%3D4njOQ3w4&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=2903455cf35d03e883e7c0d0788acb4dc32da0e95eeb687636d48236c05c044f&ipo=imagesAG81 said:TheBeagle90 said:
1) Don't believe everything you read in The New York Times. Which underscores the importance of teaching ethical journalism and investigative reporting rather than bias and narratives.The Rudder Association (TRA) neither effected McElroy's hire nor Bank's resignation.
2) There was no Rudder Association when Joe Ramirez was appointed Commandant in 2010 as it was founded just 3 years ago.
3) We think all Aggies should be proud of the great job Joe is doing in his current position.
4) We don't speak for General Rudder on current events nor do we believe should anyone other than his immediate family. James Earl Rudder Jr's statement regarding the important work of TheRudderAssociation.org is on our website as are our press releases reviewing the recent important events.
I'm aware the Rudder Association is only 3 years old. I'm also aware of your membership. All of those involved in the slander of Joe Ramirez before he was hired as Commandant are members of the Rudder Association. And the tactics of the Rudder Association in this matter were identical. You are not making A&M better.
AG81, WTH!
You are the reason so many political moderates are finally getting off of the sideline, joining the conservatives, and telling you and other liberals to shut the hell up.
Most of us political moderates do not give a damn what liberals or conservatives think. But, once liberals started shoving racist indoctrination such as Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion down our throats, moderates said, "HELL NO!" When Black Lives Matters supporters burned down our American cities and defunded our American police departments, moderates said, "Hell NO!."
https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mediaite.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F08%2FCNN-1-1-e1598549719265.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=f437dcb702555be4cfead613b2c049f9f0c59879a055a8b66f82e41f3a884871&ipo=images
The reality is when you liberals do not get your way, you try to dox (by asking who is in the Rudder Association, for example) and cancel those you oppose and then call us racists. These arguments have NOTHING to do with race!!!
You liberals also shout down any commentary by anybody who does not toe your liberal-party line even though the idea of liberalism is literally to "freely" share views and ideas. Liberals shout down those who do not agree with them and fail to try to find common middle-ground that is good for Texas A&M, Texas, and the United States of America.
As a political moderate I have always been a fiscal conservative and social liberal. I have defended in the U.S. Army in combat your and others' rights to express their views and have supported allowing free speech and communication about public policy and politics. I respect what liberals think and feel, but they refuse to accept my viewpoints if I differ from them and then try to dox, cancel, and shout me down if I do not agree 100% with their liberal views.
Now, AG81, the likes of you and other liberals makes me want to see Donald Trump get reelected in 2024 just to watch your head explode.
https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.istockphoto.com%2Fphotos%2Fmind-blown-emoji-exploding-head-emoticon-on-white-background-3d-picture-id1319947943%3Fk%3D20%26m%3D1319947943%26s%3D612x612%26w%3D0%26h%3DBQU6D33KKdA09HR40njigx2R-sGWQRxheqx2j0keDPw%3D&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=6976859373f43f71d04b96803d71d3e534d5217a043b4fec80db8cb680ae014b&ipo=images
Let me give you, Ag81, and other liberals a bit of advice. Don't poke the bear...
https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fi.imgflip.com%2F133w6d.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=4e4f6b54a18797286377d4d919b64fb19ea5f2bef0ad2ad8975b1b50f9819495&ipo=images.
Moderates want to be left alone and we do not care about your racist, LGBTQ+ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ, anti-police, anti-military, and anti-American agenda. We moderates LOVE the United States of America and want you liberals to leave us moderates alone.
https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F-LiHegN_-Lio%2FWDW9Ze7tSUI%2FAAAAAAAAIdE%2FCJAwiMPeod08Emn2gLdzwGHpTY-JQntYACLcB%2Fs1600%2Famerica-870087_1280.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=4576bb9d89136125946c50d05aea17955bf7213ea644bcc0183b976a41c86775&ipo=images
Completely agree with you. It seems now more like propagandists than journalists. Of course, in any case, the author submits information from his point of view, but the point is precisely to present facts. Everyone should draw conclusions for himself. Unfortunately, many journalists forget about this and try to impose their own version of the truth. They do not consider the different aspects and interests that different groups of people may have. They do not promote dialogue and understanding but only kindle mistrust.jrdaustin said:Interesting statement on your part. Have you spoken to her? She had previously indicated in multiple interviews that DEI had a foundational impact on her view of "responsible journalism". Had her views changed?AG81 said:This wasn't about DEI. This was an Aggie committed to the Aggie core values wanting to use those as the foundation for building the Journalism department. I can guarantee, not a single person involved in the attacks on her ever had a single conversation with her. Not one. Disgusting behavior from those who claim they don't want to "compromise on our standards". They violated every single one of those standards. Either that or their standards are not Aggie standards based on Aggie values.Houstonag said:
Well, we must move on. I would have stuck it out for she has done a great job. Personnel challenges happen as they do in the corporate world. Fix it and move on.
I hope the current leadership which means Sharp and the board does not get weak kneed over this and holds the line for DEI, etc. for it will only hurt TAMU and other educational institutions. Hold the line and do not compromise on our standards.
In addition, leaders must be honest, responsible, respectful, and courageous and serve as an example for subordinates. Leader attributes help us maintain professionalism and discipline. No wonder they are so valued by the military, who know a lot about team management and subordination. In my term paper, I studied detailed descriptions of real army military values, and I am sure that we should not allow any problems or conflicts to undermine our cohesion and effectiveness. We must be united in our mission and goals. Let's put past mistakes behind us and work together and support each other. Only in this way can we succeed and improve our society.
How do you square Aggie core values with the following statement?
"We can't just give people a set of facts anymore. I think we know that and we have to tell our students that. This is not about getting two sides of a story or 3 sides of a story, if one side is illegitimate. I think now you cannot cover education, you cannot cover criminal justice, you can't cover all of these institutions without recognizing how all these institutions were built." McElroy said in an NPR radio segment on the role of journalists.
I'll repeat what I said in an earlier thread:
What we see in MSM video and print media today is that ethics has morphed into ideology when it comes to reporting the news. Ms. McElroy is a prime example where the current crop of journalists feel that they have a 'moral' obligation to determine "their" truth when it comes to reporting. Reporting of facts comes second to distribution of the determined narrative. Imo, that is at the base of her comment regarding "three truths". This is a relatively new mindset, and it was taught.
For this country to survive, this mindset must change. Journalism must return to its roots. THAT is why A&M needs a Journalism department that is unlike those that have been compromised by this "new" thinking.
You're free to enlighten us as to how Ms. McElroy would have served to reverse the current trend of journalism that has moved from informing public opinion to reshaping public opinion. As for me, her prior statements indicate that she would have done nothing but increase that trend. Ms. McElroy plainly indicated her intent to be an arbiter of what was "legititmate" and worth reporting. And how is that an Aggie value?