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Alabama folks: Tell me about Judy Bonner
Posted on 5/19/16 at 4:06 pm
Posted on 5/19/16 at 4:06 pm
MSU just hired former Alabama president Judy Bonner as provost. ( LINK)
Did she get ousted at Bama? Seems odd for a president of an SEC school to be hired as the #2 at another SEC school without some baggage. Word is she devoted a ton of resources at Bama toward recruiting out of state students. I can't imagine MSU is about to do that.
Also, MSU's president is rumored to be running for Senate in a couple of years. I wonder if she was picked to just take over as President when he leaves.
Did she get ousted at Bama? Seems odd for a president of an SEC school to be hired as the #2 at another SEC school without some baggage. Word is she devoted a ton of resources at Bama toward recruiting out of state students. I can't imagine MSU is about to do that.
Also, MSU's president is rumored to be running for Senate in a couple of years. I wonder if she was picked to just take over as President when he leaves.
This post was edited on 5/19/16 at 4:10 pm
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Posted on 5/19/16 at 4:08 pm to anc
Love this hire. This should help up swing some Alabama recruits in the future.
Posted on 5/19/16 at 4:09 pm to anc
quote:
Word is she devoted a ton of resources at Bama toward recruiting out of state students
That was the guy before her. I guess she kept it up but it wasn't her plan.
The reason she said she wanted to step down was because he wanted to be in more of a teaching role again I believe?
ETA: I think she was overwhelmed as president. Might not have liked the spotlight especially with the PC culture taking over.
This post was edited on 5/19/16 at 4:13 pm
Posted on 5/19/16 at 4:10 pm to Big Wooly Mammoth
quote:
The reason she said she wanted to step down was because he wanted to be in more of a teaching role again I believe?
Interesting. But then less than a year later jumps back into an admin role? There may be nothing there, I was just curious. I did love her answer when asked about duplicating growth like she did at Bama (increased enrollment by almost double in 12 years).
"Winning a couple of national championships will help."
This post was edited on 5/19/16 at 4:12 pm
Posted on 5/19/16 at 4:17 pm to anc
She got her brother, a former Congressman from Mobile, hired in some flunky role where he makes over $200k a year. She really didn't do anything. Sort of a caretaker role.
Posted on 5/19/16 at 4:18 pm to anc
FWIW, her brother Jo (yes,Jo -- no E) was a US Congressman from the district that includes Mobile for several terms.
Posted on 5/19/16 at 4:20 pm to anc
Stepped down to concentrate on teaching. So much for that.
Posted on 5/19/16 at 4:20 pm to anc
quote:Not the way it works.
I wonder if she was picked to just take over as President when he leaves.
Posted on 5/19/16 at 4:21 pm to anc
I always heard she was in over her head at Bama and insiders really didn't like her management at all, so she was forced out, allowed to make up some story as to why she was leaving.
This move would seem to reinforce the idea that's what happened.
This move would seem to reinforce the idea that's what happened.
Posted on 5/19/16 at 4:22 pm to anc
quote:m
I did love her answer when asked about duplicating growth like she did at Bama (increased enrollment by almost double in 12 years).
But she didn't do that. Robert Witt was instrumental in creating the change. He was president for a decade. Bonner replaced Guy Bailey. Who had taken over for Witt when he became head of the UA system.
Posted on 5/19/16 at 4:41 pm to anc
She was always temporary. She was put into that role as a quick replacement after the guy from Texas Tech resigned after only a few months.
She was just someone that everyone was comfortable with given her time there and her last name, until they found a replacement.
Even with her replacement there Dr. Witt still runs the place after he got promoted to the UA System Chancellor, the Chancellor's Office building is literally a block away from his old office as President of UA.
And thank God for that. Witt fundamentally changed UA and transformed it into what it is today.
She was just someone that everyone was comfortable with given her time there and her last name, until they found a replacement.
Even with her replacement there Dr. Witt still runs the place after he got promoted to the UA System Chancellor, the Chancellor's Office building is literally a block away from his old office as President of UA.
And thank God for that. Witt fundamentally changed UA and transformed it into what it is today.
Posted on 5/19/16 at 4:54 pm to anc
quote:
Interesting. But then less than a year later jumps back into an admin role? There may be nothing there, I was just curious. I did love her answer when asked about duplicating growth like she did at Bama (increased enrollment by almost double in 12 years).
Surely, she isn't trying to take credit for Witt's accomplishments.
Posted on 5/19/16 at 5:20 pm to anc
She was a temp. Really didn't set out to accomplish much but keep the seat warm.
Posted on 5/19/16 at 5:46 pm to anc
quote:
I did love her answer when asked about duplicating growth like she did at Bama (increased enrollment by almost double in 12 years).
LOL. Look I'm all for putting a positive spin on a hire but it's a pretty far reach to give Bonner credit for any of that. She wasn't even especially popular in her time in the position, and as others have said, she was never considered a long term option. And 12 years? She was president for like 2 years and it was long after the growth you're referring to was a well established trend.
Posted on 5/19/16 at 5:48 pm to anc
quote:
I did love her answer when asked about duplicating growth like she did at Bama (increased enrollment by almost double in 12 years).
"Winning a couple of national championships will help."
So will handing out diplomas like they were condoms at the free clinic.
Posted on 5/19/16 at 7:19 pm to anc
Judy Bonned was forced out by the REC, Machine, and Greek system.
Posted on 5/19/16 at 7:28 pm to South Alabama Tide
that was the other guy, who cracked down on the greeks and was gone within a week
Posted on 5/19/16 at 7:33 pm to Whiskey Man
Acceptance rates haven't increased. Standards haven't decreased
Posted on 5/19/16 at 8:39 pm to genro
She was an stop gap hire because they ran the previous guy out after a short period. Witt thought he could control her as his puppet, when she resisted she was shown the door. Some feel Witt is selling out the School for the sake of growth, she had other ideas on the future of the school.
Posted on 5/19/16 at 8:41 pm to Irons Puppet
Gadsden. 
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