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Architecture students speak out
Group says MSU president is suppressing pedagogy
Erin Kourkounis
Issue date: 2/22/08 Section: News
A group of architecture students this week wrote a letter to several media outlets, MSU President Robert "Doc" Foglesong and the Institutions of Higher Learning explaining their discontent in regard to the university president and his recent actions. The letter is signed by 108 architecture students and is published on Page 3 of today's edition of The Reflector.
Foglesong was unavailable for comment.
On Monday, the students assembled as a school and were asked to take an hour out of their studio time to pick up installations on the exterior and visible interior of the building because they were not "aesthetically pleasing." Students were particularly upset about their window boxes being removed from the windows. They said Foglesong also wants certain beams in the building to be painted brown.
According to several architecture students, Foglesong was on his morning run on Feb. 9 and he noticed the displays. They said he called provost Peter Rabideau around 6 a.m.
Rabideau said Foglesong asked him to talk to dean of architecture Jim West because it was following the appropriate chain of command.
"The bottom line issue is balancing pedagogy with campus appearance," Rabideau said. "I have told the dean that I will be happy to work with him and the faculty so they can maintain their pedagogical objectives."
Senior architecture major Bryan Norwood said he believes Foglesong jogs past the architecture building, Giles Hall, every morning.
"It's on his route," Norwood said. "Over last weekend, what we heard is that he called the provost and asked him to come up here and look at our building and we were told 'These are things you're going to have to change.' And the way I understand is that the provost has nothing to do with these things."
He said the students chose to write the letter when things between Foglesong and the architecture school began to affect them. He said the biggest thing that pushed a lot of people over the edge is that projects, such as shadow boxes, which are supposed to be in the windows, are being confused with mess.
Foglesong was unavailable for comment.
On Monday, the students assembled as a school and were asked to take an hour out of their studio time to pick up installations on the exterior and visible interior of the building because they were not "aesthetically pleasing." Students were particularly upset about their window boxes being removed from the windows. They said Foglesong also wants certain beams in the building to be painted brown.
According to several architecture students, Foglesong was on his morning run on Feb. 9 and he noticed the displays. They said he called provost Peter Rabideau around 6 a.m.
Rabideau said Foglesong asked him to talk to dean of architecture Jim West because it was following the appropriate chain of command.
"The bottom line issue is balancing pedagogy with campus appearance," Rabideau said. "I have told the dean that I will be happy to work with him and the faculty so they can maintain their pedagogical objectives."
Senior architecture major Bryan Norwood said he believes Foglesong jogs past the architecture building, Giles Hall, every morning.
"It's on his route," Norwood said. "Over last weekend, what we heard is that he called the provost and asked him to come up here and look at our building and we were told 'These are things you're going to have to change.' And the way I understand is that the provost has nothing to do with these things."
He said the students chose to write the letter when things between Foglesong and the architecture school began to affect them. He said the biggest thing that pushed a lot of people over the edge is that projects, such as shadow boxes, which are supposed to be in the windows, are being confused with mess.
Viewing Comments 1 - 8 of 12
Bill
posted 2/22/08 @ 11:39 AM CST
If Doc's so hung up on things being aesthetically pleasing, why doesn't he take a bushhog to his unruly eyebrows?
What's next, the biology department will no longer be able to dissect frogs because they look so much nicer with their insides. (Continued…)
Jesse English
Anonymous
posted 2/22/08 @ 12:27 PM CST
Congratulations to the architecture department! I am so glad that more groups on campus are realizing what an ignorant, impulsive idiot Foglesong and Jim Jones are. (Continued…)
Kelly
posted 2/22/08 @ 1:21 PM CST
Doc, oh Doc. Your attempt to homogenize one of the most prestigious departments we have and then to shut down Facebook on campus - a laughable and pathetic violation of freedom of information. (Continued…)
MSU Alum
posted 2/22/08 @ 3:17 PM CST
Kudos to the Arch. students.
This guy is trouble. He needs to be gone ASAP.
msumom
posted 2/22/08 @ 8:15 PM CST
I want to comment, but can't find adequate words to comment on something so ridiculous. As a graduate of MSU, I am shocked. Isn't a university architecture dept. (Continued…)
KC
posted 2/26/08 @ 1:27 PM CST
The incident with the architecture students is only one of the many things that "Doc" has done wrong among a long, long list. I FULLLY agree with everything that was stated in the letter the students wrote. (Continued…)
Harm
posted 2/26/08 @ 5:23 PM CST
not much was written in response to former Lite Gov. Amy Tuck becoming part of Doc's entourage. Doc has a high paid butler, Jeffrey Rupp (130K,, at least) and now a high paid hostess, Amy Tuck (160K, at least). (Continued…)
KMC
posted 9/05/08 @ 9:08 AM CST
His ability to micormanage is mind boggling!? Seriously what does he do?Doc Fogelsong was previously with the AirForce, and his M.O. hasn't changed. He had garbage bins installed underground b/c they were eyesores. (Continued…)
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