Spring Break
Foglesong represses pedagogy
Letter to the Editor
Architecture student body
Issue date: 2/22/08 Section: Opinion
This letter was signed by 108 of MSU's architecture students. The Giles Architecture Building is located at 889 Collegeview St.
Despite an extensive rhetoric of reform, the only comprehensive conceptions for universities in a democratically constituted industrial society have been worked out by students. (Jürgen Habermas, "Toward a Rational Society," 17)
This letter is an open and public request by us, Mississippi State University School of Architecture students, for clear reason and prudence to be restored to the Office of the President at MSU and for the IHL to reconsider its decisions on the leadership for our fine university. We speak from the position of design-oriented students offended and appalled by the way this university administration has conducted itself over the past year. The cult of individual power and secrecy promoted by Dr. Robert H. Foglesong is damaging the rationalization of the university system that the democratic process provides.
In our four years at MSU, no other administrator has micro-managed the aesthetics and pedagogy of the university in the way it is now being done. President Foglesong leads our university with a dictatorial attitude that disregards and disrespects the views of faculty professionals.
Our School of Architecture has been under a barrage of intolerable orders from the Office of the President.
First, the president has demanded the removal of many student-designed installations from around our building, including many from previous years, that are exhibited for pedagogical purposes. Specifically, we have been told to remove student work from certain windows because they are visible from the exterior. Publicness is an essential characteristic of the pedagogy of design work and these specific projects were designed for the particular light that comes through these windows. President Foglesong's requests have not relented, even under explanation from other administrators as to the purpose of these projects.
Despite an extensive rhetoric of reform, the only comprehensive conceptions for universities in a democratically constituted industrial society have been worked out by students. (Jürgen Habermas, "Toward a Rational Society," 17)
This letter is an open and public request by us, Mississippi State University School of Architecture students, for clear reason and prudence to be restored to the Office of the President at MSU and for the IHL to reconsider its decisions on the leadership for our fine university. We speak from the position of design-oriented students offended and appalled by the way this university administration has conducted itself over the past year. The cult of individual power and secrecy promoted by Dr. Robert H. Foglesong is damaging the rationalization of the university system that the democratic process provides.
In our four years at MSU, no other administrator has micro-managed the aesthetics and pedagogy of the university in the way it is now being done. President Foglesong leads our university with a dictatorial attitude that disregards and disrespects the views of faculty professionals.
Our School of Architecture has been under a barrage of intolerable orders from the Office of the President.
First, the president has demanded the removal of many student-designed installations from around our building, including many from previous years, that are exhibited for pedagogical purposes. Specifically, we have been told to remove student work from certain windows because they are visible from the exterior. Publicness is an essential characteristic of the pedagogy of design work and these specific projects were designed for the particular light that comes through these windows. President Foglesong's requests have not relented, even under explanation from other administrators as to the purpose of these projects.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 60
Sharon Self
posted 2/22/08 @ 8:23 AM CST
I've read of the daffodils being removed from campus and the other "aesthetic" changes the president is demanding. I am appalled that the president of MSU sees fit to abolish what God and nature hath wrought. (Continued…)
Christy Chapman
posted 2/22/08 @ 2:14 PM CST
This is marvelous. I have been super frustrated that we, Mississippi State University, are being run like a business or even a military unit as opposed to a place where learning and an environment of openness that is conducive for learning is our primary purpose. (Continued…)
JP
posted 2/22/08 @ 3:30 PM CST
Fantastic letter. I'm impressed with the architecture students that they have taken it upon themselves to speak out about this. Dr. Foglesong originally had my support when he was made president (I thought he might actually do something, and liked his earlier aesthetic overhauls). (Continued…)
Proxy Time
posted 2/22/08 @ 4:09 PM CST
Fogelsong needs to go. He is ruining a great university by wasting money on aesthetics while disregarding the need for affordable education and the opinions of the students and faculty. (Continued…)
Bully JFU
posted 2/22/08 @ 6:00 PM CST
What about this:
From: "Frank Peters"
To: alert@its.msstate.edu
Sent: Friday, February 22, 2008 1:42:10 PM (GMT-0600) America/Chicago
Subject: alert: Facebook Connectivity
Since sometime yesterday evening we have been experiencing problems with
connectivity to www. (Continued…)
Andrew
posted 2/22/08 @ 6:02 PM CST
"Facebook works just fine oncampus. I used it this afternoon from the library."
It works fine now. Facebook.com would load and if you had anything besides Msstate as your primary network, you could log in. (Continued…)
Tom
posted 2/23/08 @ 2:48 PM CST
We are seeing the actions of a military man in the civilian world. Doc won't be happy until the campus looks like a military base - everything in its place, and any trace of individuality or creativity destroyed. (Continued…)
Meredith
posted 2/23/08 @ 6:36 PM CST
I don't know about the rest of you, but when I was looking at universities I was focusing on academics and financial aid way more than aesthetics. Of course Foglesong should take pride in the campus and make sure it's clean and everything is running smoothly, but he's causing friction and disruption throughout the MSU community, AND he's spending millions of dollars on unnecessary projects (signs, replanting flower beds every couple of months, painting the campus brown, etc. (Continued…)
richard mullenax
posted 2/23/08 @ 7:19 PM CST
Fogglesong is a jerk. The only qualification he has for being president of MSU is that he met Sonny Montgomery once. Fogglesong is just another jerk in a long line of jerks IHL has forced on this university. (Continued…)
Dan
posted 2/24/08 @ 10:16 AM CST
What's this about painting the campus brown? I've seen mention of the stadium, is that a joke or is he actually going the paint it?
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