Thursday, March 26, 2009

FGCU has a plan

After all the turmoil of the past couple of years, FGCU has a plan to "fix the root of its problems." It's a three-part process that actually does not seem to be much of a plan given that each of the three parts involves a lot of reviewing--and not a lot of action. But we shall see.

Phase one--a review of the school's Human Resources Department--is complete. It was in HR files that the very questionable negative reviews of the coaches who brought forth the initial gender equity complaints were stored as "evidence." (See the above linked article for the findings presented by the independent investigator.)

Phase two is a Title IX review. I thought this had already been done--perhaps even more than once.

And phase three is a campus climate survey. My experience with campus climate surveys is that they are done when the administration, which is largely to blame for whatever climate has been created, feels the need to appease those who are protesting said climate.

Clearly, I am a little cynical. But I do not think FGCU has given me reason to think otherwise. Also remember that they are not undertaking this three-part process of their own volition. It was part of the settlement.

The one proverbial ray of hope is that Dr. Christine Grant is doing the Title IX review. Having seen her in action, I know she will not hesitate to tell FGCU what they probably do not want to hear. (And she's getting paid for it!)