UI protesters hold mock public forum with fake Harreld

[cigaretteman]

Growing impatient for a February public forum scheduled with the new University of Iowa president, about two dozen protesters gathered Thursday in the president's office to hear a Bruce Harreld impersonator address their questions about his administration.

"Have I told you that I want to make the university great to greater?" UI graduate student Carleen Maur dead-panned while wearing a dark suit, gold tie and gray, short-haired wig. "And I'm just here listening because I believe in shared governance."

Taking the university from great to greater was one the points Harreld stressed during the Sept. 1 public forum he gave while still a candidate to become UI's 21st president. The UI and national chapters of the American Association of University Professors have denounced the search that led to Harreld's hiring as a violation of the principles of shared governance among the Iowa Board of Regents, faculty members and other university stakeholders.

Protesters peppered the faux-president with questions about the real Harreld's connections to search committee members, whether he intends to name a building after Regent Bruce Rastetter, and whether he thinks "unprepared presidents" — like unprepared instructors — "should be shot."

"Well, you know, ... I'm learning. That's what's important," Maur said as Harreld.

Buy Photo
A group of protesters march through the Pentacrest to University of Iowa President Bruce Harreld's office on Thursday, Dec. 17, 2015. (Photo: David Scrivner / Iowa City Press-Citizen)

The comedic protest took place during finals week on the UI campus, and the number of participants was down significantly from the more than 100 protesters who entered Jessup Hall on Nov. 2, Harreld's first day as president. More than 500 people protested the Oct. 21 meeting of the regents in Iowa City and called all nine board members to resign over the selection of Harreld.

UI officials said that, at the time of the protest, the real UI president was at the President's Residence, 102 Church St., at a previously scheduled lunch with a UI supporter.

Harreld, whose career largely has been in the business world, has scheduled his first public forum as president for Feb. 23 at a time and place that is still to be announced. He has been meeting with his critics on campus, primarily one-on-one or in smaller group gatherings.

http://www.press-citizen.com/story/...hold-mock-public-forum-fake-harreld/77491184/

 

[LunchBox50]

This is really embarrassing. During finals week, no less.

 

[Mattski]

Please tell me the bearded douche in the pic is Ciggy. Just has to be him.

 

[JRHawk2003]

Look, I think the process was handled poorly, but he is here, wants to do a good job and should be given a chance.

They look bad still crying at this point.

 

[mstp1992]

Please tell me the bearded douche in the pic is Ciggy. Just has to be him.

Holy cow! This stuff has gone way too far. Its one thing to disagree with him, but actions like this take away any legitimate message they may be trying to convey.

Kinda wish now I had taken the time to go see it for all its foolishness.

 

[cigaretteman]

Please tell me the bearded douche in the pic is Ciggy. Just has to be him.

Why, I have said all along that my problem with the hiring was the sham process, not with Herrald per se. For the record, I think this display is juvenile and counterproductive and find it quite embarrassing for the university and for the students who participated.

 

[LunchBox50]

Look, I think the process was handled poorly, but he is here, wants to do a good job and should be given a chance.

They look bad still crying at this point.

So much this.

 

[Capital1Hawk]

Trying to be Missouri? I swear the few that beach get way too much pub. Give him a year for crying out loud.