Election Eve

Five minutes from now, it will be Election Day. About seven and a half hours after that, the polls will open. Tack on another eleven hours and change and the polls will close. And then, as the votes are tallied, campaigns and their supporters for every office imaginable will find out if their weeks or months of effort was enough. There are few things more exciting than election day... But, also, there are few things more agonizing, too.

New Reader

Hi Watson.

RIP

In case you're wondering, it only takes a week and fewer than 700 votes in an online poll to bring down a 75-year tradition.

http://tinyurl.com/r7tee

This just in

According to this Wikipedia article, Greenville, Mississippi is not only the birth place of yours truly... It's also where Muppet Man Jim Henson took his first breath, too. With that sort of fame (I'm referencing both of us now), you'd think there should be a plaque or something, eh?

Memories-fil-A

On my way to my promotional interview Tuesday night, I decided that I had to pee. Although it was one of those inbetween urges, where you know you have to pee but you're not sure if you have to pee anytime soon... I didn't want to take chances in a room full of people asking me questions. I don't need that kind of pressure.

I have no idea why I'm telling you this except so that I can set up why I dropped in at the firehouse on my way to city hall -- to pee, of course. And I tell you that I dropped in at the firehouse so that I can tell you that I smelled Chick-fil-A when I walked out of the back door there.

For those not scoring at home, you probably don't see the significance of this. I'm not talking about just any Chick-fil-A. I'm talking about the odor that can only stem from the one, the only and the now extinct Chick-fil-A at the University of Louisiana at Monroe. Talk about acid flashbacks.

For a brief moment, I was 200 miles and at least four years away. For the two dozen or so steps it took me to walk from the back door to my truck, I could have just as easily been back in Monroe at school. But I wasn't. I was in Maumelle. Four years into a job that I love. Four years. I'm as many years removed from school as I spent there. Wow.

Where will I be and what will I be doing when, one of these days, something triggers the memories of right now? And, more importantly, will I feel as though I'm better off when that happens?

Return to the Dream

I slipped into the budget hair stylist with less than 10 minutes to spare before they locked the doors for their 8 p.m. closing. I can only guess that such behavior makes me one of the customers they hate. Fortunate for me, if the woman with the scissors had such feelings tonight, she didn't take them out on my hair.

As I waited alongside another late-comer for the two filled chairs to empty, I picked up a US News & World Report. I absolutely hate to get involved in an article in a magazine that I don't subscribe to with the knowledge that I might not finish it. I'm not sure where that comes from -- just one of my many quirks. So, I skimmed.

Somewhere along the way, I read part of an article about how baby boomers are redefining retirement. The woman used as an example in the first few paragraphs quit her job in the corporate world to bake cookies for a living. So far, the cookie business hasn't made her rich. However, her perspective was this... The corporate work she was doing wasn't want she wanted to be doing when she died. Baking cookies, it seems, was. You've gotta admire a person for not only approaching life like that, but for actually taking action.

Skimming the article got me thinking.

I consider myself absolutely blessed to have the job I have today. Being a firefighter was once my dream job -- one of those things that I expected to always want to do, but never get the chance. Not only did I get the chance, I've been a firefighter for six years now and paying the bills by doing it for four. Who could possibly ask for more? Well, as it turns out, me.

I've been bogged down lately in a job that I love to do. I never imagined how much politics could be involved in a small suburban fire department. I never imagined that there could be people who do my job that want others to fail or that want to hinder the job and not help it along. I was wrong. And for a stretch of time lately, it seems that I've only been able to focus on the negative. That focus was so strong that I can remember one day where I just didn't want to go to work at my dream job. Talk about a sign that something is wrong.

In lieu of any real or meaningful New Year's resolutions, I've decided to make a few April resolutions. Most important of these is that I must worry about the things I can change and do my best to forget everything else. There are folks that will do their best to jump in my path and I've gotta do a better job of jumping over them instead of trying to kick them out of the way (that method was not working). And, finally, I must remember that the firehouse is only 1/3 of my life. The right thing might not be good enough for others, but if it's truly the right thing -- that's all that matters.

If I can put these resolutions in action, perhaps I'll still be riding a fire engine when others of my generation are quitting their job to bake cookies.

Now Playing On iTunes

I don't think you know how much time I spend
As I wait on my own contemplating ends

I am torn in the middle of a world that won't let loose
I hang here before you, though invisible the noose

I love you if you drink; I love you if you smoke
I love you for the words you stuck inside my throat

I love you for the sin; and the way you turned away
And I'll heal you in the darkness and I'll hold you to the day

All you are now is only just a dream. Can you fall down in following me?
All you are now is only just a dream. Can you fall down in following me?

And I walk up those steps where we used to go at night
And my fingers trace the stairwell and I am back in time
I just need your warmth to lay with me and find

All you are now is only just a dream. Can you fall down in following me?
All you are now is only just a dream. Can you fall down in following me?

There are days that I go driving, Dad When the memory gets too strong
So I can go on living to the beauty of our song

I fall in to your rhythm, your beauty I do fly
I rush into your melody, I linger till I die

All you are now is only just a dream. Can you fall down in following me?
All you are now is only just a dream. Can you fall down in following me?

And I've been here with the pain since the very first day
I've been swearing in my rage -- "Oh Holy Day!"

I sit around, your salvation waits
I'm just getting nervous, babe -- as I anticipate

All you are now is only just a dream. Can you fall down in following me?
All you are now is only just a dream. Can you fall down in following me?

"Just a Dream" - Griffin House

From the archives: DECEMBER 24, 2001

I can't count the number of times I've heard this from older, more experienced firefighters: "When it's children, it always gets to you."

So far in my firefighting career, I haven't had to deal with the death or serious injury of a child. But after Saturday, I certainly know what those "old timers" are talking about.

About mid-morning, we were dispatched to a mobile home fire in an area a few miles north of our city. From the moment our radio tones sounded, I knew that the situation was going to be absolutely nothing or would be very bad. Of course, it was the latter.

When I arrived on scene, most of the trailer had already been destroyed by fire. What was left of the home was filled with dark smoke. One of the first things I noticed was the family displaced by the fire. A mother and her two young children were walking towards the road as I made my way to what was left of their house. The mother's eyes seemed dry, but her face was red from crying. I paid little attention to her young son because walking directly towards me was his six-year-old sister.

"Our house burned up," she said. "You have to stay away."

Sitting here, there is no way I can adequately describe how I felt in that moment. Perhaps this points to my failure as a writer but I'd like to think that it instead points to the power of the moment. She was so little. I was so big. Yet she was so matter of fact in her delivery. Her house was gone and she knew it. Her's was situation I could neither dispute or repair. Of course, it didn't help that it was only three days shy of Christmas.

Like a son struggling to make up a story to explain a bad deed to his father, I knew what I wanted her to hear but had no clue how to say it. I stammered,"I'm with the fire department and I'll see what I can do." I felt like I was telling the kid there was no Santa Claus. There was little, if anything, we could do to help and I knew it.

Okay, so I thought I knew it.

As it turns out, I was wrong.

We quickly knocked down the fire, but the home and almost all of its contents -- including what few toys, shoes and clothes they owned -- were destroyed. As soon as the fire was out, we packed up our gear and headed back to the station as we always do.

I knew I felt bad for the family, but I initially regarded this fire as I did any other. Many of the calls we respond to can easily be regarded as some of the worst moments in the lives of those that need us. Of course, the catch for us is to not let the calls carry similar emotional weight. If we let today's fire get to us, it makes fighting tomorrow's fire a little bit tougher than it should be. But when we returned to the station after the trailer fire, I took my involvement in this call to a higher level thanusual.

* * * * *

In a small town, word of tragedy spreads quickly. Only minutes after we filled our engine with water and found comfortable seats in the office, the first call to help came in. A local church wanted to donate clothes if we could find out sizes. Shortly afterward, a discount store chain offered to provide new clothes, toiletries and a few children's toys to the family. Before long, I found myself in the middle of a growing relief effort-- something extremely unusual to my fire department.

What started as a one-hour fire ended up consuming my entire day. During mid day, we organized our efforts. In the afternoon, I took Jessie along with me as I walked the isles of the discount store picking out gifts and clothes for children I didn't even know. And interestingly enough, I thinkthat may be some of the best time I've ever spent Christmas shopping.

In the evening, we finally had the chance to make our delivery. The family found temporary refuge at a relative's house. It felt good to walk in bearing essential items like clothes and shoes... And it felt good to walk in with toys wrapped for the children to open on Christmas.

However, we saved the best for last. Neither the family displaced by the fire or the family they lived with had the means to afford much more than what was necessary to live. Because of this, the house where they were all staying was without a holiday staple -- a Christmas tree. With the help of the discount store, we were able to bring in a tree complete with lights and decorations.

The mother seemed to appreciate the community's generosity. And the little boy was certainly happy. But the expression on the little girl's face was the look that should appear on every kid's mug this time of year -- the magical glow of awe.

"Is that our Christmas tree?" she inquired. As soon as she received confirmation, she was happy to claim possession. "Look at our tree! Isn't it pretty?" It was.

After a few moments of polite conversation with the family, I reached down and told each of the children to have a Merry Christmas. If I'd said muchmore, my voice would have cracked. I felt my eyes water up. I quickly turned and made my exit with another lesson learned.

"When it's children, it always gets to you."

Eight Days

There is really only one "city" in Arkansas -- Little Rock. Not only does it have the most people and the largest buildings, but it's the captial and is centrally located. Literally, all roads in the state lead here.

Because of this status, Little Rock seemed to be where every state convention in high school was held. I don't miss a lot about high school, but I miss those conventions. What could be better than playing legal hookie from school and heading out to the big city for a weekend? As you top the hill past the last exit on Interstate 530, the skyline comes into view. In high school, that skyline meant liberty from our ordinary lives in the small town.

Today, I topped that hill after eight days of vacation spent in the metropolis of Monticello. It's odd than in a decade's time, the exact same view can mean something totally different. Instead of giving me the feeling of freedom... topping that hill today and seeing our few tall buildings provided me the reassurance of being home.

Of the few long vacations I've taken from work... I think I feel the most relaxed following this one. I love my job. I love where I live. I love the people in my life. But sometimes, even the good things in life become confusing. Every now and then, one has to hit the pause button and take a breath. That's what the last eight days have been for me. Ahhh.

Tomorrow, I hit play. Pray for me.

Uno.

This is the first ever post. It has no point. But show me a blog with a first post that does.

ARCHIVE: ULM should live up to motto

Originally published in The Pow Wow, February 23, 2002

"Because of the success of our alumni, the University of Louisiana at Monroe is recognized as one of the leading institutions of higher education. To enhance that status we need every alumn to become a part of the ULM Alumni Association. Your participation is very important." -ULM Alumni Association invoice

In an attempt to avoid paying the practically insane out-of-state fees the university was charging me at the time, I graduated from ULM with an associate's degree in December 2000.

As an alumnus, my out-of-state fees were waived, I was presented a nice diploma to hang on my wall and I received a complimentary one-year membership in the ULM Alumni Association. All in all, it was one of the best bargains I've ever received from this university.

Over the course of the year, the association did a good job of keeping in touch. The time I spent on the mailing list wasn't too painful as most of their mailings contained no more propaganda than any other university's alumni group.

With that said, I was surprised to see the association make the claim that ULM is recognized as "one of the leading institutions of higher education." I think that ULM is a swell place and I am (believe it or not) glad that I came here for my education. However, I think it's a stretch to imply that folks are looking to our campus as an example of how to do things right. Let's be honest for once. If our university was leading the pack, we wouldn't be facing our lowest enrollment in more than two decades.

I guess the magic word in that last paragraph is honesty. It's something I value personally and professionally. Sure, my staff and I have made a mistake or two, but I like to think we've always been quick to set the record straight. We have tried to live up to our university's motto. We want to "seek the truth" and proclaim it for all to see. The only thing we can't manage is to get our university to do the same.

The alumni association won't be getting my $25 membership fee this time around. They goofed when they took a shady approach when making their pitch. They didn't need to fudge the truth to win my support because I already support my school. However, brutally honest truth would have gotten me to open my checkbook.

In a perfect world, I would like a letter admitting that the university wasn't in the best of shape when I arrived and that things didn't get much better in the four years I've spent here. I would like a letter apologizing that I didn't get to see nearly 12,000 students enrolled or the university's financial house in order.

I wouldn't mind someone apologizing for the weekend I had to spend with water leaking into my dorm room because a flood "isn't an emergency."

The money would certainly flow if someone would step up and take the blame for rodents interrupting class in Stubbs Hall, for missing ceiling tiles in the SUB Annex, for the lack of modern climate control systems and for administrators thinking that getting rid of the yearbook was a good idea.

The association's letter would wrap up with an expression of thanks for being among the dwindling masses as a student and by asking for financial support as an alumnus.

The old regime is on the way out. New blood is on its way in. It seems to me that there is no better time than the present to seek and present the whole truth -- and not just a sugar-coated version of it.

Michael Cossey is a Monticello, Ark. Radio, Television & Film senior and chief of staff of The Pow Wow.

ARCHIVE: Students should be among prioritiesMichael

Originally published in The Pow Wow, January 26, 2002

My mood was a happy mix between elation and melancholy as I completed my application for graduation last week. I was excited to be near the end of another chapter in my life but felt disappointed that I wouldn't be sticking around to see the school I love return to glory.

Of course, that's how I felt last week. Having my newspaper get the cold shoulder Tuesday afternoon sort of sucked the disappointment out of me.

University of Louisiana System President Sally Clausen was in town Tuesday to meet with state legislators regarding some of the university's academic programs. Following her private meeting with the lawmakers, Clausen held a press conference in University Library.

According to the Pow Wow reporter in attendance, Clausen spoke about not wanting to have any secrets. She was even quoted saying as much in Wednesday's edition of The News Star. Personally, I'm disappointed with those comments because the meeting was almost a secret to your student newspaper.

There was no fax. There was no e-mail. There was no voice mail message. Neither the university or the University of Louisiana System bothered to include the voice of the student body "in the loop."

If one of our reporters had not been hunting down administrators for a story and stumbled across the press conference, we wouldn't have known about it at all.

Perhaps this is proof that few things are as handy as a dedicated reporter with good timing. But unfortunately, this is proof that things aren't much different in the new year than they were in the old. The ULM cast list has seen some changes recently, but the story line seems the same.

I don't want to come across as suggesting this situation was intentional. I've dealt with Clausen and company before and they seem like good, honest people. Perhaps this was just a good, honest mistake. But when inviting folks to the party Tuesday, the people we trust to run our institution seemed to overlook the students. Such an occurrence -- regardless of the intent (or lack thereof) -- is never acceptable.

This university exists because of students. Period. The end. If the student body left here tomorrow, the university would cease to exist. I don't say that to be arrogant, but merely as a reminder to those who might have forgotten.

With enrollment dropping the way it is, the dwindling masses that remain wouldn't mind being courted a little. If the university can appear to care more about the students that are still around... It might just be possible to make those students care about their university.

• • • • • •

Maybe it's just me, but the fact that our new president is slated to start work April 1 has me a little worried. ULM has seen more than it's fair share of difficulty. If you think about it, having our new leader report to duty on April Fool's Day might not be the best idea.

Michael Cossey is a Monticello, Ark. Radio, Television & Film senior and chief of staff of The Pow Wow.

ARCHIVE: We found the silver lining

Originally published in The Pow Wow, September 14, 2001

It is quite possible that I’ve never started a column, deleted it and started again more times than I have this week.

I have no problem finding inspiration or material. One only has to turn on the television or log onto the Internet for a few short minutes to know where the entire world is focusing its attention. Yet the right words to present to you are harder than ever to come by. Perhaps this is because none of us have ever felt as we do now. This week, we’ve all been presented with a new benchmark for awful.

I know that I’ve never been bothered by news images I’ve seen on television, that is, until Tuesday morning. I will forever remember how the knot in my stomach felt as I watched the first of the twin World Trade Center towers collapse. At that moment, I knew things had turned ugly in New York City, but to be honest, I don’t think I had any idea of how the effects would ripple to places like Monroe, La.

The first clue came Tuesday afternoon during a drive to the Monroe Regional Airport to hunt a possible photo opportunity. On the way, I noticed members of the Louisiana National Guard (including present and former ULM students) stringing concertina wire around their armory. I was told that the perimeter was later to be guarded by armed soliders.

I returned to the office to find that as many as four of our own staff members had family connections to the incidents. (You can read how assistant editor Virginia Dailey’s sister watched the events unfold on page one).

Tuesday evening, I joined hundreds (maybe thousands) of other folks in the region who flocked to local gas stations. It was the first time I’ve ever had to wait in a line that stretched out onto a highway to fuel my truck.

Wednesday at noon, however, I saw the real evidence that the effects of Tuesday’s attacks were far reaching. I also saw how an extremely evil event can actually have a positive effect or two.

In a sign of unity that seems to be rare on our campus, hundreds of students and faculty gathered during their lunch time near the fountain to honor the victims of the attacks.

In the close-up photos I took of the group, it was easy to spot the differences in the crowd. Some folks had dark skin. Some people had light skin. Some were obviously young freshman. Others appeared to be experienced in school, life or both. I noticed a few expensive fashion ensembles and some others at the other end of the spectrum.

I’m sure there were a fair share of commuters and plenty of dorm dwellers in attendance. I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that many of the students were dean’s list material while a few others were probably on academic probation.

The point is that we’re a fragmented bunch here at the University of Louisiana at Monroe and many factors divide us. However, every now and then, something happens that allows us to find our common thread and join together as many did this week.

I think what I saw Wednesday was a sign of good things to come at ULM in spite of the bad things our fellow Americans face elsewhere. I know it felt good to see students come together even if it was for a very sad reason. It felt good to be a part of the silver lining of a very dark cloud. And I hope that we remember how good it felt -- and we do it again -- when our world returns to better times.

Michael Cossey is a Monticello, Ark. RTVF senior and editor of The Pow Wow’s online edition.

ARCHIVE: Help Wanted: New President

Originally published in The Pow Wow, August 31, 2001

Dear Presidential Search Team,

I understand that you have what some would call a daunting task sitting before you – the job of finding a replacement for University of Louisiana at Monroe President Lawson Swearingen. The eyes of a region and of a state are upon you. I have faith you will do a fine job. However, as a student of this university, and as a concerned taxpayer of this state, I would like to make a few suggestions (in no particular order) for your upcoming search.

Conduct a national search. I am sure there are a few folks in the state that could run this university. However, Andre Coudrain, chairman of the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors, has said that he wants to remove politics from the search process. If a local boy (or girl) gets the job, it will be hard for some to look past the possibility of a political pay-off.

Another perk of looking outside our borders for a president is we will greatly reduce the chance of our problems continuing under Swearingen’s replacement. Look back on a couple of the previous searches to fill other ULM administrative positions. You’ll see it’s often tempting to hire from within. If we are unhappy with the current state of affairs at ULM, we certainly do not want to maintain the status quo by hiring someone that is part of the problem.

Look for experience. Although I’ve never been a university president, I would imagine that the job is pretty tough. It’s not exactly the sort of position where you learn on the job. “No experience necessary” is not something we need to see when you advertise for candidates.

We need knowledge where it counts. Our university’s next president should be someone who is highly regarded in either the field of education or business. (Note that the fields of politics or law are not included). We need a person who can lead our educational endeavors or someone who can manage our finances. It would be advisable that the new president’s second-in-command be proficient in whatever the president isn’t.

Return the president to campus. What would a city think of a mayor that did not live within his or her city limits? What would a nation think of a president that resided in another country? The answer to both question, of course, is, “not much.” So, what are we supposed to think of a university president that doesn’t live on campus? ULM’s next president needs to live with the people he or she serves. (Looking for a place to put the new president? Try Olin Hall. I hear there is plenty of room.)

Find someone who isn’t spinning. There is no way I can put into words the amount of distrust many students, faculty and community members have in this university. It seems that university administrators feel the need to put a positive spin on every story about the school. Sometimes it’s hard to know where the truth ends and the spin begins.

I know of a graduate student who needed figures on the dormitory population at ULM for a school project. University administrators gave him the typical runaround and were reluctant to hand over what was public information because they knew the information would cast the university in a negative light. As the Bible says, “The wicked flee when no man pursueth.” This student was looking to complete an assignment – not an expose’ on the decreasing number of students on campus – yet the school never let down its “negative publicity” guard. This must stop under the leadership of our next president.

I’m sure that you guys will get many suggestions from many different folks. However, I encourage you to especially listen to the students of this university. We are the ones commuting between home, school and work. We are the ones that live in ULM’s aging dorms. We are the life of this campus. I’m not saying this because I am a student. I’m saying it because there are thousands out there just like myself – people who hope that decision you make will help turn this university around. So don’t forget about the little people. Now is the time to rebuild the University of Louisiana at Monroe and we’re all in this together.

Michael Cossey is a Monticello, Ark. RTVF senior and editor of The Pow Wow’s online edition.

ARCHIVE: Will living conditions really improve?

Originally published in The Pow Wow, March 23, 2001

There is a quote near the beginning of Jacob Power’s front page article this week that really caught my attention. Charles McDonald, dean of student affairs, said, “I think we are able to put our students in fewer halls but give them more options for living and probably better living conditions.”

Dean McDonald is, by far, one of the “nice guys” in this university’s administration. However, I think he has just made a promise that is going to be tough to keep.

I have been a resident of one ULM dorm or another since the fall of 1998. In that time, I’ve never felt as though the folks running the residential life system wanted to give me better living conditions. To be honest, there were many times in which it felt like they were trying to make living on campus the most hellacious experience possible.

If the university is having trouble making campus a nice place to live now, I really don’t see how closing a dorm or two will help. The biggest problem residents face has been around as long as I have and is yet to be addressed. I’m talking about customer service and satisfaction (or, rather, the lack of both).

• While living on the first floor of Sherrouse Hall, the folks living above me decided to turn their shower on and leave it running for a few days. The result of their actions was a flood in my suite that I had to endure for an entire weekend.

When I first noticed the problem, I reported it to the RA. He said there was nothing he could do. When the problem got worse, I went back to the RA and he said there was nobody he could call. So, we had to spend an entire weekend with standing water in our bathroom and in part of our room before maintenance people could be summoned.

My roommate and I attempted to go above the RA’s head and report the problem (we considered it a health risk) to the hall director. Unfortunately, our attempts were futile as hall directors at ULM are about as accessible as the President of the United States.

What’s wrong with this picture? It certainly does not sound like good living conditions to me.

• Temperatures this weekend dipped down to the neighborhood of 40 degrees and the door to my room in Sherrouse Hall is anything but airtight. Normally, this wouldn’t be a problem because the heaters in the dorms stay on until the last possible moment. However, as I cranked up the heater in my room this weekend, cold air was the only thing that came out.

Every semester, students complain about the lack of heat or AC (depending on the season). And every semester, the only response the university can manage is some notice about them monitoring long term weather patterns before adjusting the system to heat or air.

If it’s 40 degrees outside, there is no reason a student should not have heat in his room. If it’s 80 degrees outside, there is no reason a student should have to endure without air conditioning. Unfortunately, students at ULM have to do both every year.

What’s wrong with this picture? It certainly does not sound like good living conditions to me.

In my college career, I have spent time as both a commuter and as a dorm dweller. I know that living on campus generates a bit more school spirit, it makes being involved in campus activities easier and it promotes better class attendance. Unfortunately, many people are missing out on these benefits because they would rather live off campus than endure the headaches living in a dorm causes.

I have many friends that live off campus. Most of those people enjoy having landlords or property managers that respond to their needs within a reasonable period of time. I wish students could expect the same. Perhaps the saying, “you get what you pay for” is especially true at ULM.

Sure, I hope Dean McDonald is right. I hope living conditions on campus get better in the fall. But the number of dorm residents isn’t increasing (if it were, dorms wouldn’t be closing) and with even fewer customers to please, I don’t expect the service I’ve received to get any better.

THE REAL SOLUTION:
Before anyone can complain that I am only highlighting the problems on our campus, I want to offer a solution.

The annual Big Switch is just around the corner. Each year, students get to trade places with members of the faculty and administration. This year, I think we should take it a step further and make it a 24-hour event.

Administrators would have to give up their homes with central heat and air in exchange for a dorm without climate controls. Preferably, this experiment could take place on one Olin Hall’s upper floors with participants banned from using the elevators. Administrators will be required to pay for a meal card and use the entire sum (or else forfeit their money). Finally, each participant will encounter at least one problem that can not be handled by an RA.

Letting administrators experience dorm life can only benefit all involved. If my plan were used, I’m willing to bet that the level of customer service and satisfaction would improve immediately.

ARCHIVE: Perhaps it's time for a change

Originally published in The Pow Wow, January 19, 2001

The University of Louisiana at Monroe’s public affairs office issued a year-in-review press release a few days before the year 2000 ended. The release’s first paragraph ended by stating, “2000 was a year that once again showed ULM’s ability to be a leader through the region and the country.” I’ll be the first to tell you that ULM has some good points and there are things we should be proud of. But when I read that sentence, I laughed out loud.

I can not see how anyone with any good sense could see 2000 as a year that the university showed its ability to be a leader through the region and the country. Granted, the year 2000 allowed a lot of people to get used to the school’s new name and to stop laughing at us for changing it. But by the end of the year, our university had another black eye. Yes, I am talking about the infamous legislative audit that wasn’t.

When I say that it was the “audit that wasn’t,” I mean that it was a no-finding audit. You see, when the auditor came to town, he was told by the university that the records were complete. However, it seems that ULM’s accounting records were not complete and contained inadequacies. Highlighting the list of problems, the auditor found financial statements that were not properly prepared, questionable allocation of costs for the athletic program, public funds deposited into the NLU Foundation and poor administration of scholarships. (Just think. Those were just the highlights. The actual list of foul-ups is much longer.)

A year ago, one of our neighbors to the west (Grambling) was in the same boat ULM is in now after receiving a no-finding audit. The University of Louisiana Board of Supervisors told then-president Steven Favors to get Grambling’s finances in order or else. Well, he was not able to do that and Grambling received another no-finding audit. Earlier this month, Favors resigned as president before the board had the chance to fire him.

What I do not understand is that the board was ready to fire Favors for Grambling’s problems. However, those problems were there before Favors was. The board of supervisors has been getting rid of Grambling presidents for mismanagement since 1994 when they fired Harold Lundy. Favors was asked to fix the university’s existing problems. He didn’t and he had to hit the road.

At ULM, however, Swearingen has been around for a while. He didn’t inherit any of the schools’ current financial trouble. Although I’m not saying he created the problems at hand, they did happen under his watch. Why didn’t the board fire Swearingen?

It seemed fishy to me that the board would want to fire someone for not being able to fix existing problems, but not for allowing them to happen in the first place.

At first, I thought the board wanted to get rid of Favors because this wasn’t his first no-finding audit. (Swearingen only had one.)

However, I did some reading and it seems that this isn’t the first time the university has screwed things up. According to the auditor’s report, “For the second consecutive audit, the University of Louisiana at Monroe submitted annual financial reports that were not properly prepared and contained numerous errors.” So, if the board was firing people based on continued negligence, Swearingen should be gone.
It seems other folks think the president should be out of here, too.

According to the university’s truthatulm.com site, an anonymous e-mail was circulated recently asking for Swearingen’s termination. In a letter on the site, ULM Vice President Richard Baxter claims the e-mail used bogus facts to support their position. According to Baxter, the e-mail claimed audits of ULM over the past 25 years only contained two findings needing corrections.

Baxter refuted that claim by saying the legislative auditor reported 23 findings between 1983 and 1991 (before Swearingen took office). Such a statement ranks up there with Pee Wee Herman’s famous comment, “I know you are but what am I?”

What Baxter is saying is there were only 23 findings over a total of eight years time then and a whopping 18 findings in the most recent report. It sounds like things are getting worse to me.

I have nothing personal against President Swearingen. However, the time has come for us to ask ourselves why he remains our university’s president.

Is he here to lead the educational aspect of our university? Not really. He has done some teaching in the past but he is a lawyer by trade -- not an educator.

Is he here to lead the business end of our university? After reading through the auditor’s report, I’m going to have to say no.

Of course, some would say that he brings political clout to the table. But does politics really need to sit at the head of the table at our university or at any institution of higher learning? I don’t think so.

With this said, maybe it’s time for Swearingen to cut his losses and move on to another phase of his life and allow ULM to move on to another phase of it’s life.

Perhaps it’s time for a change.