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Sunday, October 11, 2009

The "Let Them Eat Cake" School of Public Relations


One of the most astonishing utterances in past months concerning the University of Toledo was made by UT BOT Chairwoman Olivia Summons.   As quoted in the Sept. 17 Collegian, Summons said, regarding communication between the faculty and the board, "So what you're asking is for us to consider a dotted line to the Board of Trustees.  I am saying that I do not believe this is necessary. We are delegating to the president of this institution, be it Lloyd Jacobs, or his successors."  

So it's Lloyd Jacobs as oracle of the board and the voice of faculty, too (and staff also, for that matter). He must be a happy man to to be so trusted.  This is like having the prosecuting attorney double as your defense attorney, which certainly saves time wasted in testimony, deliberation and examining evidence.  Omniscient Jake.  In Jake We Trust.  Jake, Advocate of the Oppressed! 

Even more astonishing is that Summons is a high level public relations executive for a major oil company in town.  Is this how PR is done these days?   "We can't be talking to no mere underlings. We will delegate."   

Is "LET THEM EAT JAKE" the new motto of the BOT? 

2 comments:

cake eater said...

Is that photo not the Marie Antoinette Barbie?

Anonymous said...

The dirty little secret is that these days the corporate/pr motto is "the public be damned !" So Summons, Jacobs and the corporation that used to b a university fit right in ....