Rodriguez begins introducing himself here

Mike Rodriguez

UMN-Morris would be relieved to have some "quiet" now. An event of last night (Monday) showed that calm can prevail. A student government meeting was held at Turtle Mountain Cafe. I'm not sure that's even still the name of the place. Does "UMM" still have currency for referring to the institution? "UMN-Morris" has come along. I remember the days before Oyate existed. 

The Monday night event was not known to many outside of student government. I did my good deed of giving a heads-up to friend and fellow UMM advocate Warrenn Anderson. So Mr. Anderson showed up. He and I appreciated the opportunity to meet the soon-to-be UMM chancellor. 

UMM's recent turbulence has included this "shakeup" in leadership. "Shakeup" is the right word. I was not present for U President Cunningham's recent appearance at UMM. I did read about that in the Morris newspaper. There was some tension during Cunningham's appearance because someone tried to "corner" her on whether the outgoing chancellor had been "asked to resign." 

Well the answer was not "no." Therefore I presume the answer to be "yes." The line of questioning suggests some contentiousness. It can't be pleasant to discuss that. 

Of course this was such an abrupt change in UMM's leadership. And - ahem - it came soon after the, well, sensational article in the Star Tribune that might have been seen as suggesting a 5-alarm fire for our campus. And I'm sure the article wasn't just embarrassing for here, it had to be just as embarrassing for the Twin Cities-based U leaders. What happens at a coordinate campus reflects on top leadership. So Cunningham took action. 

And now at the forefront of UMM we have Mike Rodriguez. Rodriguez was a guest for the Monday evening student government gathering at TMC. I was struck by how overwhelmingly pleasant the atmosphere was throughout. The name of the outgoing chancellor was not even mentioned. 

I couldn't help but think that the outgoing person would have support or sympathy simply because she is a woman! Stepping aside for a man now! Well, maybe the local feminists are not so rock-ribbed anymore. The most assertive feminists or "women's libbers" have always unsettled me. 

No one cornered Rodriguez on whether he's here as the result of a firing or any particular hot-button issue. The attendees were not just students, they were the student government type. Such kids can get a little carried away with the contentious stuff. Oh don't act surprised by that! In fact I can remember decades ago when I'd grab a copy of the UMM student newspaper and feel rather disgusted at the letters to the editor full of vitriol between students on matters of student government. Really, it made me ask if student government is more trouble than it's worth. 

UMM's leaders might say that student government is a "lab" in government experience. Well if it is, I wish the kids could be guided toward a little more temperate demeanor. You might say bridge-building instead of bridge-bombing. 

I can be effusive here with positiveness and say that the students at the meeting were totally pleasant, a joy to be around. They also reflected UMM's diversity and I thought that was wonderful. 

Rebecca Cunningham

The closest Rodriguez came to explaining the transition in leadership was to say "I serve at the pleasure of the president." In other words, I got tasked to do this and let's not allude to any uncomfortable circumstances. We can assume that Rodriguez is going to deal with some unpleasant issues. Isn't that the nature of school administration in the public sector? You are serving the public but how exactly is this to be mapped out? You can't make everyone happy. 

I found it refreshing that Rodriguez did not seek to be flamboyant with talk about the "liberal arts" and all its virtue. UMM people have been rather wont to do that. Go ahead and respect the liberal arts but we don't need flowery (or I might suggest pretentious) speeches. Isn't it a fact that the liberal arts are a tougher sell now anyway? I believe my friends at the Star Tribune had an article on this just recently. 

As a matter of principle the liberal arts are peachy-keen. But in the age of the Internet, people can be self-starters doing all the exploring they want to gain fulfillment. I personally do. 

So whither UMM's future if the liberal arts are not quite the slam-dunk they used to be? Well, I expect this will be an important challenge for Rodriguez. 

How would I size up Rodriguez's disposition? I mean this totally positively when I say he came across as a very capable "technocrat." I think this is just what UMM needs. So I could not have been more impressed by the guy. 

And let me repeat, I could not have been more positively impressed by the students too. These were student government kids and they were all dispassionate/friendly. I might have expected them to push Rodriguez on what kind of "shakeup" might be in store for the institution. Some suspicions might have been vented. Anyone with chip on shoulder? No, there wasn't! This was an exemplary student government group. 

 

Hello sir! 

Warrenn Anderson and yours truly spoke briefly with the new guy afterward. So of course I was happy to tell him about my family background. Morris people will tell you I have no "creds" of my own in connection to UMM. But I have to be proud in pointing out that my late father started the music program here. Dad was the only music faculty in UMM's first year of 1960-61. 

Family legend is that he did more than his contract called for. (Don't tell the union.) 

I told Rodriguez I was concerned about how, starting about a year ago, UMM music groups have come to be a combination of students and community. I told him that has been a letdown for me. 

He'll be glad to know about the family fund named for Ralph and Martha Williams. I did not mention the fund to him. He said during his presentation that private giving was important to him. The purpose of the fund is to keep the memory of my parents alive on campus. Mom managed the campus post office. She was "famous" for walking with a brisk gait across campus. 

So the fund's purpose is to remind of my parents, whereas my only role has been to sign the checks! Mom lived long enough that I brought her to campus once for a formality in connection to the fund. I think the officials wanted me to state in front of her just how much money was involved. I didn't quite cross the line to do that but I explained to her the purpose of what we were doing. 

I think she would have been OK with the amount although she and Dad were both frugal by nature. Just consider the times when they grew up. 

We got through the formalities and launched the fund. That was when Bill Robb was still alive. Our "go-to" person since is Erin Christensen. What a mainstay she has become. If communication ever breaks down at any level, just go to Erin! 

I made a trip to the Twin Cities campus one year for the Heritage Society banquet. This was at the McNamara Center. It blew my mind to be treated as a VIP because this is not my lot in life! There I was wearing a white suit coat no less! I mingled outside the building among the typical-looking college students. There I was, the donor with the white hair and white suit coat! It was really neat. Although I must say that driving through Minneapolis at 5 p.m. on a weekday was no joy! 

We'll see what develops now with Mike Rodriguez. He'll probably have some difficult things to do. Good luck.

Oh and he shared about how he was in concert choir in his UMM days! Maybe we can get music on the front-burner? The humanities?

Dad with the UMM band in the first year of the school, 1960-61. He obtained the uniforms as hand-me-downs from the Twin Cities campus. Concerts were at Edson Auditorium.
  

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com