Ski-U-what the what?

"Maybe we should replace Goldie with a skunk? Why? Because so many things over there right now really stink!"

Point of disclosure. I graduated from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota Twin City Campus in 1975. My wife graduated from there also for both her undergrad and grad degrees at the College of Education. As much as I liked going there and was proud to do so, today the place often leaves me scratching my head. Or maybe just SMH (shaking my head).

So not that long ago, the University of Minnesota, under the tutelage of President Eric Kaler, decides to hire a high flying AD (Athletic Director). First a note about President Kaler. To run a joint like the University, the good taxpayers of Minnesota had to reach deep to hire him. The national average for a large school president is about a half million annually. To get a guy like Kaler, we spent quite a bit more. We are paying him $610,000 per year. And in true Samual Gompers form, Kaler has become very good at crying "More, more, more!" in front of our state legislature. It seems to pay these large salaries to staff at the University, we need the taxpayers to fork over even more money.

Back to our fairly new AD. The University spent over $110,000 to hire a national search firm to land a guy Norwood Teague. After an exhaustive search, we found our guy! Okay, there was a little mess going on with his present employer, Virginia Commonwealth University. Seems like there was an allegation of some wrong doing followed up by a payment of some money by the school. No big shakes. So what if there was an allegation he might have a bit of Roman hands and Russian fingers around the fairer sex? Certainly not worth a mention in a vetting report.

So our local Big 10 school hires Norwood at somewhere between $400,000 and $500,000. Lots of money, but hey - this guy can shake the trees for bucks needed to feed into an ever bloated, below average athletic program. Whoops! It seems the case of Roman hands and Russian fingers might have followed Norwood here. Here! At our local bastion of political correctness. Don't worry - the guy who hired him (Kaler) initially said Norwood (yes, that his real name) might have just "over served" at a function and lost a bit of self control.

Problem one - seems like it just did not happen once. Might be a pattern. Problem two - seems like it happened with more than one woman. Might be a pattern. Problem three (and I love this one) - Once it is obvious the University cannot protect him, Norwood is shown the door. Yes, right at the start of the football season. President Kaler decides to do the politically correct thing and give Norwood's job to the woman's AD on an interim basis. And because it will be more work and more responsibility, he will give her an immediate $95,000 raise! Yes! Of course this fine woman still has to do her other job, as well as Norwood's job. And her total compensation will be $100,000 to $200,000 less than Norwood's. Hmmm. Once again, I am left SMH.

I am going to strongly encourage our state representatives to remember this fine management style. Remember it next session, the bitching and whining once again starts about the University needing more money. It seems our rally cry of Ski-U-Mah has devolved into Ski-U-what the what! Send Kaler packing and hire an experienced business exec to run the joint. Run it like a P/L organization instead of a welfare center. Then I will be interested once again.