Holy Cross Leadership Survey

Here are the results. No chance to do any amateur analysis yet but I am sure many of you will be happy to do that!   I did just highlight the highest percentage response for each question. BTW, as posted above, the free Survey Monkey survey caps at 100 responses. Due to family obligations, I could not keep as close a watch to close the survey as it hit 100 responses. I have subsequently closed the survey but 10 others responded before I could do that. There were 110 responses but only the first 100 "counted" and the last 10 results are invisible to me as I chose not to sign up for $32 a month. Sorry. 

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Q1
The decision to retain the name "Crusader" but no longer use the mascot and logo was:

• Answered: 98

• Skipped: 2

ANSWER CHOICES– RESPONSES–

–

The correct decision on both counts 14.29%

14

–

Should have retained both the name and mascot/logo 77.55%

76

–

Should eliminate both the mascot/logo AND the "Crusader" name 6.12%

6

–

Not sure/don't know 2.04%

2

TOTAL 98

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Q2

Regardless of your position on the Crusader decision, who is responsible for that decision?

• Answered: 94

• Skipped: 6



ANSWER CHOICES– RESPONSES–

–

Fr. Boroughs (president of the College) 44.68%

42

–

Dan Kim (VP of Marketing/Communications) 2.13%

2

–

Both Fr. Boroughs & Dan Kim 6.38%

6

–

The Board of Trustees 37.23%

35

–

The Faculty 7.45%

7

–

The Students 2.13%

2

TOTAL 94

Comments(4)


*All of the above



*you mean who SHOULD be responsible for that decision? Fr. B.



*The faculty, BOT and Fr. B



*Burroughs and trustees

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Q3

Religious Studies Professor, Tat-Siong Benny Liew (who wrote unconventional paper about Jesus prior to coming to Holy Cross), was retained by Holy Cross. That decision was

• Answered: 99

• Skipped: 1



ANSWER CHOICES– RESPONSES–

–

Handled correctly - it was prior to his hiring at Holy Cross and does not teach this in his course/there is academic freedom 32.32%

32

–

Handled correctly - he has tenure and cannot be terminated 9.09%

9

–

Handled incorrectly - he should have been terminated even if a lawsuit resulted 16.16%

16

–

Handled incorrectly - he should never have been hired 38.38%

38

–

Responses

Other (please specify) 4.04%

4

TOTAL 99



*The school should have been better prepared when met with a lot of criticism from alums. In that case it was handled incorrectly, but I do not have an opinion on whether he should have been hired or retained.



*I would have liked the school to more forcefully acknowledge the legitimate criticism of his work. Additionally, HC’s decision to make this “freedom of academic expression” issue and then hide the professor was disgraceful. He should be held accountable for his academic writing. And when I write “held accountable”I mean be forced to respond to the folks who read his paper and were upset, angry, or happy. Make this guy stand up in the light of day and not hide in an ivory tower.



*He does not have a "faith based" position. Rather, he is an academic, and completely free to express and critique as he feels is indicated.



*do not know enough to comment.

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Q4

Artist-in-Residence, James David Christie, organist was alleged to have engaged in sexual misconduct for many years and resigned his position at Holy Cross once an investigation was commenced

• Answered: 99

• Skipped: 1



ANSWER CHOICES– RESPONSES–

–

Holy Cross handled the matter expeditiously and correctly 24.24%

24

–

Holy Cross should have been aware of the misbehavior and stopped it sooner 47.47%

47

–

Not sure/don't know 24.24%

24

–

Responses

Other (please specify) 4.04%

4

TOTAL 99



*I do not know when his behavior was exposed, and how quickly HC responded.



*again need more info to comment.

*

I think it depends on when this misbehavior became know to the school, was there a cover up or not?



*Depends on when the school knew. Not reasonable to think they'd know if no one stepped forward, but if they suspended immediately upon learning they were right

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Q5

Mulledy Hall was named after a former president of Holy Cross and was also president of Georgetown where slaves were owned by the Jesuit community and Fr. Mulledy sold those slaves in order keep Georgetown financially solvent. Fr. Boroughs, current president of Holy Cross re-named Mulledy Hall "Brooks-Mulledy Hall" rather than simply remove the name Mulledy from the dormitory.

• Answered: 99

• Skipped: 1



ANSWER CHOICES– RESPONSES–

–

Fr. Boroughs' decision was correct as it is a way to counterbalance and have discussions about Fr. Mulledy and Fr. Brooks, a champion for black students at Holy Cross 36.36%

36

–

Fr. Boroughs should have removed the Mulledy name entirely 20.20%

20

–

Fr. Boroughs should have retained the name "Mulledy Hall" as the sale of Georgetown slaves had nothing to do with Holy Cross 37.37%

37

–

not sure/don't know 4.04%

4

–

Responses

Other (please specify) 2.02%

2

TOTAL 99



*Mulledy could have been kept, but if Boroughs thought enough of it to change the name, he should have removed Mulledy, not half-assed it.



*Don't Care

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Q6

There have been a number of allegations of sexual assaults and/or hate crimes on the Holy Cross campus.

• Answered: 98

• Skipped: 2



ANSWER CHOICES– RESPONSES–

–

Holy Cross needs to do more to eliminate/reduce these assaults 41.84%

41

–

These things happen on all college campuses and Holy Cross is doing what it can reasonably do to stop these attacks 34.69%

34

–

The "ENGAGE Summit: Where do we go from here" half-day event was a good start to address these issues 12.24%

12

–

not sure/don't know 7.14%

7

–

Responses

Other (please specify) 4.08%

4

TOTAL 98



*Allegations don’t equal facts without due process etc



*"a number"? What number? Is there evidence HC has not responded appropriately? I graduated in 1969, when HC was all male. I can recall many incidents of very boorish and abusive behavior by HC students, usually associated with too much alcohol



*Allegations...if they are proven that would require a different response.



*Both the second and third options

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Q7

Head Football Coach Tom Gilmore was fired in the middle of the prior season by Athletic Director, Nate Pine

• Answered: 100

• Skipped: 0



ANSWER CHOICES– RESPONSES–

–

That decision and its timing was correct 22.00%

22

–

The football coach should have been fired earlier 45.00%

45

–

The football coach should have been given until the end of that season to see if he could turn things around 24.00%

24

–

The coach should not have been fired 2.00%

2

–

not sure/don't know 4.00%

4

–

Responses

Other (please specify) 3.00%

3

TOTAL 100



*Coach should have been fired earlier but at that point allowed to finish seasom



*they should have fired A.D. Nate Pine!



*Timing not a big enough issue to label correct or incorrect

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Q8



Women's basketball head coach, Bill Gibbons, has been suspended for the remainder of the 2018-2019 season for an undisclosed "personnel issue"

• Answered: 99

• Skipped: 1



ANSWER CHOICES– RESPONSES–

–

Coach Gibbons should NOT have been suspended. He has been an excellent ambassador for Holy Cross for more than 33 years 13.13%

13

–

Coach Gibbons SHOULD be suspended. In his own personal statement, he acknowledged that there was a "personnel issue." 34.34%

34

–

not sure/don't know 41.41%

41

–

Responses

Should Coach Gibbons' contract be extended or renewed after the current season? Why or why not? 11.11%

11

TOTAL 99



*His record over the last ten years has been abysmal and he should have been let go



*Absolutely not. Time to move on to new leadership.



*No because the program has vacilated for years. Time to win.



*Absolutely not he has been living on the edge for a long time and his behavior as a coach is a disgrace



*No way he should be renewed. He has not produced winning teams for many years.



*as long as the "personnel issue" remains "undisclosed" who can say?



*Until more information is available hard to know, punish seems to be excessive,



*No - we have become a perennial loser - one suspects there are recruiting issues.



*Not nearly enough information for this question to be asked



*Gibbons’ contract should not have been extended years ago.



*U

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Q9

Fr. Boroughs has had to deal with multiple public issues and controversies. He should

• Answered: 99

• Skipped: 1





ANSWER CHOICES– RESPONSES–

–

Remain on the job as president. None of these issues are a result of his actions or inaction 25.25%

25

–

Be removed by the Board of Trustees if he does not resign 39.39%

39

–

Remain in the job through the end of the academic year to see if he can right the ship 18.18%

18

–

not sure/don't know 10.10%

10

–

Responses

Other (please specify) 7.07%

7

TOTAL 99







*He should retire and let someone else run the school



*Our BOT has made very poor decisions over the years, which is more a problem than Fr B.



*We have to keep him due to declining number of Jesuits. Fr. Brooks is not walking through that door.



*is there a better candidate available to take on the job?



*I think the jury is still out on FrB, would like to give him the benefit of the doubt



*Way too complicated to button hole into these neat categories. The school leadership needs to step up on the alleged sexual assaults and he should have done more. This process also takes time. He could/should have done better on these, but I'm not sure his culpability is a level of termination



*Holy Cross has become a worse college under his leadership. The board needs to fire him.

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Q10

My background

• Answered: 99

• Skipped: 1



ANSWER CHOICES– RESPONSES–

–

Alum - graduated 1-10 years ago 13.13%

13

–

Alum - graduated 11-20 years ago 10.10%

10

–

Alum - graduated 21+ years ago 56.57%

56

–

Current student 0.00%

0

–

Non alum/non-student 12.12%

12

–

Responses

Other (please specify) 8.08%

8

TOTAL 99



*parent



*parent



*Parent



*Parent of alum



*parent



*parent



*Alum- graduated 50+ years ago



*Parent

Father Brooks is not walking through that door. Fortunately Father Boroughs looks like a gangly teenager waiting to fill out, so he shouldn't run out of steam for awhile despite his chronological age. But how does the roster of middle aged Jesuits look for future leadership? I hope we don't become one of those "in a Catholic tradition" schools without actual Religious leadership.

So, the first "non-surprise" since the survey was of Crossporters was that more than half the respondents (56.5%) were graduates that have been out for more then 20 years. Yes, in hindsight, I should have had more segments. What was a surprise was that 7 respondents were parents of students and an 8th was a parent of an alum. 12.12% were neither alums or students. Again, no self-identified students responded to the survey and this perhaps tells us something about the current students not being interested or not being aware of Crossports. 

More than three quarters of respondents (77.55%) thought the College should have retained the Crusader mascot/logo. While only 14.29% thought it was right to keep the name but eliminate the mascot/logo. A very small minority (6.12%) say even the name should go. Oh, I guess I should have added "member of the faculty" as a segment for identification! 

The question of Religious Studies Professor, Benny Liew, was split along multiple lines. While the greatest number (38.38%) said he never should have been hired, the next closest number (32.32%) said the College made the right choice because he has academic freedom and doesn't teach those unconventional thoughts in his classes at Holy Cross while another 9.09% said he shouldn't be fired based on his having tenure. Interestingly, 16.16% had a "damn the torpedoes" type opinion that he should be fired even if it resulted in a lawsuit.

As for the organist, Christie, who resigned amid allegations of sexual misconduct, almost half (47.47%) thought the College should have been more aware and stopped it sooner while almost a quarter (24.24%) thought the College handled it expeditiously and correctly while the same number weren't sure.

On the Mulledy-Brooks dorm decision, this resulted in positions across the spectrum. The largest number (37.37%) thought the dorm name should not have been changed since Fr. Mulledy's slavery-sale transgression was not related to Holy Cross. Yet an almost identical number (36.36%) - just one less respondent - thought Fr. Boroughs' decision to have the dorm re-named to include Fr. Brooks' name, was a correct one as it counterbalanced the Georgetown slave sale with the championing of black students to Holy Cross and the discussions that it might generate. 

The question of alleged hate crimes and sexual assaults on campus was also split significantly. 41.84% thought the College needed to do more to eliminate or reduce these things from happening yet a significant number (34.69%) thought these things were somewhat inevitable and Holy Cross was doing what it could with another 12.24% thought the ENGAGE Summit was a good start.

Then we had questions about athletic decisions. The first was about the firing of football coach, Tom Gilmore. Only 2.00% thought he should not have been fired and 22.00% supported him being fired mid-season. Another 24.00% thought he should have been given the remainder of the season before a decision was made to fire or retain him. However, by far, the largest number of respondents (45.00%) thought he should have been terminated earlier. Interestingly, this was the only question of the 10 questions asked in which no one skipped the question though 4.00% said they weren't sure or didn't know. One respondent added that instead of Tom Gilmore being fired, AD Nate Pine should have gotten the axe.

The second sports question was the suspension of women's basketball coach, Bill Gibbons. Perhaps this one is too fresh because a significant number (41.41%) said they weren't sure or didn't know whether his suspension for the remainder of the season was correct or not. Of those who did choose, the largest number (34.34%) said the suspension was the correct decision. Another 13.13% said he should not have been suspended. An ancillary question was whether Coach Gibbons' contract should be extended or renewed after this season, many comments indicated they felt it should not.

The final question was about Fr. Boroughs job as president. While a quarter of the respondents (25.25%) said that these issues were not a result of his actions or inactions and should be retained, a much larger number (39.39%) said he should resign or be fired while another 18.18% said that he should be given until the end of the academic year to sort things out. Many of the additional comments on the subject were not flattering though some also blamed the Board of Trustees. 

The bottom line for me is that like most subjects here, Crossporters do not suffer from "groupthink." Perhaps reflective of our American society, we often have large majorities believing certain things and then a smaller but fervent minority believing other things; sometimes the exact opposite but often just a couple of degrees off.

Thank you all who participated in the survey. 

Interesting.

1. As Sader70 noted, perhaps it would have been better to have known more about the demographics, i.e., how long the alums have been out. Looking at the member list and sorting it by number of posts, there are 26 people who have posted more than 1000 times. From what they have told us about themselves or clues from their names, almost all are 49 or older. They are all male as far as I know. I believe all but two are alums (NAD and bison137 the exceptions as far as I know although perhaps I have missed a couple here.) So, to anyone who thinks that perhaps the administration should take any note of these findings, I say you are wrong.

2. As to PB's tenure in office, he is almost 8 years in. I would suggest that he will serve until the end of the campaign (6/20) and then long enough to select a replacement. That is about the shelf life of college presidents these days so don't pat yourselves on the back if he leaves then.

3. I am perplexed that 47% of respondents said the College should have known of the Christie situation and done something about it. As far as I know, there has been no reported evidence that anyone had ever been told. If you want to question a setup where a non full time faculty member controls a full tuition scholarship, I guess that is fair, but I don't think we ought to condemn PB for this without more information.

4. There were those who assured us that alumni giving and admissions would suffer from the Crusader decision and the Professor Liew kerfluffle but there has been no evidence of that. Take that for what you will.

5. Thanks for doing this sader70. One of my responses to this survey has to be that just as you never want to meet your heroes, maybe I never want to meet some of the posters here.

Gotta go. I have to be in three different places today (two at the same time) and the roads are still lousy.

The slippery roads should get you to the three places in the time it usually takes to get to two.

Speaking with several students in recent years I can assure you, none of them care. SAD!

The football team is here at the men’s basketball game making lots of noise and hopefully an intimidating atmosphere. Need this every home game.

Actually, winning begets winning and losing begets losing (think UConn women's basketball and UCLA men's basketball under Wooden for the former and Columbia U football years ago for the latter). The actuaries will tell you that if you are a good driver, your chances of having an accident do not increase over time because it is not like a random toss of a coin. 

Not all. Does this make me the youngest regular poster? Need to update my LinkedIn page . . .

A prodigy I was most certainly not, but I was one of the younger members of the great Class of 1992.

From Fr. K's book, it seems the BoT have discretion in selecting the President.

p. 120
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