EDITORIAL: 'Grown-ups?' Ross' comments at press conference demeaning toward students
The one thing Central Michigan University President George Ross made clear during his Monday press conference is he views students as inferior.
During the press conference, which was about the Faculty Association work stoppage, Ross said, regarding continuing negotiations for a FA contract, “in spite of the disagreement between us grown-ups, we are committed to going back to the table.”
Later, he referenced an e-mail from a non-student faculty supporter and said “this note was from an adult.” Stretching back to the fall 2010 semester, his first full semester as president, Ross has shown he regards the students he is supposed to be a leader to as “the little people.”
Does it matter whether a 54-year-old construction worker, 37-year-old nurse or 19-year-old freshman sent an email? The fact is they are all concerned about the state of CMU.
In September 2010, CM Life jeered Ross for his actions toward students and the student media for directly confronting members of our publication during a press conference. His comments Monday were considerably more disrespectful, and this time directed toward the student body at large.
The students at this university range from a handful of seventeen-year-old freshmen all the way to nontraditional students who are adults with children, and even grandchildren.
To suggest these people, overwhelmingly legal adults, are somehow in a less-advanced state of maturity than university administrators is belittling and insulting. Both the FA and the administration have said they are fighting on the side of the students, and they are the side trying to ensure students’ education and continued success.
For Ross to come out and make an ill-advised comment that equates to “you are down there and I am up here” not only makes him look arrogant and entitled, but damages what rapport he had with students.
Student Government Association President Vincent Cavataio said the SGA is “moving toward” with open forums at which Ross can address students.
While it's great Ross is making this a priority, the problem therein lies that SGA had to initiate a meeting to tell Ross meeting with students should be a priority.
Hopefully the SGA-initiated forums will result in some positive communication for students with administrators, while those who aren't "grown-up" continue to pay Ross' $350,000 salary.
