Plain Trouble on "Da Plains" (all AU posts here)

CB4

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Aug 8, 2011
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Just curious -- what did he do to alienate faculty?
My understanding is that he consistently attempted to make changes in the curriculum in professional programs like engineering, architecture, etc almost unilaterally, especially at the post graduate level. It wasn’t so much faculty completely opposed the changes. It was that Leath took a “bull in the china shop” approach that certainly didn’t endear him to many of the faculty.
 
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4Q Basket Case

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Nov 8, 2004
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My understanding is that he consistently attempted to make changes in the curriculum in professional programs like engineering, architecture, etc almost unilaterally, especially at the post graduate level. It wasn’t so much faculty completely opposed the changes. It was that Leath took a “bull in the china shop” approach that certainly didn’t endear him to many of the faculty.
I'm not throwing rocks here, because we have some failed due diligence efforts of our own (Mike Price or Guy Bailey, anyone?). But that's interesting.

The kind of behavior you described doesn't usually start suddenly, at the apex of an academic career. So my guess is that he did this sort of thing in previous positions at lesser levels. Which would indicate either a breakdown in initial due diligence on the candidate, or willfully ignoring things that good due diligence turned up.

Either way, it's a self-inflicted situation.
 

Rama Jama

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Jan 4, 2011
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Auburn had no choice when they hired Leath as he was about the only one who would take the job with the constant interference from the board not only athletically, but academically as well. He had publicly stated that if Pearl did not cooperate with the internal investigation, he would be fired. Crickets. The board essentially told him to he could not fire Pearl.

It appears Gogue may get the job again and he knows the dynamic down there so he would be the perfect "Yes" man for the board. I'd be surprised if anyone else other than Gogue steps forward and actually wants the job. It took forever last time to find a candidate who would take the job.
 
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DawgByte

1st Team
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I think Jim McElwain would make a great candidate for President. If things don't go well on the Plains he can always claim death threats on his life or go Shark fishing!
 

OBMS

1st Team
Jan 9, 2011
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"Keep it down home, cuz..."
This is THE most Auburn thing evah. Recall that Pete Thamel at Yahoo just riled up the fambly again by mentioning them in his article a week ago. The guts of the article was that several schools would be receiving NCAA NOAs as a result of the FBI's work. Auburn was mentioned by name. Don't allow them to push the narrative that Leath was let go for academic interference. Leath had the gall to actually think he was the President. Gouge knows better and has already stood aside and allowed the Colonial lawyers to stonewall the FBI once. Experience means everything.
 

CB4

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I don’t think anyone was pushing a “academic interference” narrative. Certainly this was due to his handling of the Pearl situation.

My point was that Leath certainly hadn’t built many allies in the academic community there either if he was looking to garner any support. But as I said, not that it would matter anyway.
 

NoNC4Tubs

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Nov 13, 2010
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Wasn't the 2010 Academic thing with the 17 players playing in the BCSCG under Gogue? I am wondering if Leath would have allowed pushing back that academic deadline so that those players could still play in that last game...? :cool2:
 

TRU

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Oct 3, 2000
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This is THE most Auburn thing evah. Recall that Pete Thamel at Yahoo just riled up the fambly again by mentioning them in his article a week ago. The guts of the article was that several schools would be receiving NCAA NOAs as a result of the FBI's work. Auburn was mentioned by name. Don't allow them to push the narrative that Leath was let go for academic interference. Leath had the gall to actually think he was the President. Gouge knows better and has already stood aside and allowed the Colonial lawyers to stonewall the FBI once. Experience means everything.
Lawyer up and shut up cuz. Threaten them with lawsuits filed in Lee County. They will slink away soon enough.
 

NoNC4Tubs

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Nov 13, 2010
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There's a rumor from one of our more academically connected posters that Leath was caught in a lie in a meeting with the board and resigned immediately.
What kind of lie would prompt an immediate resignation like that?
 

NoNC4Tubs

Hall of Fame
Nov 13, 2010
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Since when is telling the truth SOP in Lee County?
Asking for a friend.
Well, when you tell a lot of lies, they say it's like spinning a web, you eventually get caught up in it. :cool2:

I guess Leath wasn't very good at it, so they had to oust him.
 

Leeroy

All-SEC
Dec 27, 2005
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Sounds like he was just a bad liar, or maybe wouldn’t lie. Funny too how that leaked out, tight lipped as that bunch is.

Hey look a squirrel.
 

RTR91

Super Moderator
Nov 23, 2007
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Phillip Marshall's 3 VIP nuggets from this morning were the topic of discussion on Montgomery sports radio today.

Apparently, all sports programs have been told to cut their budget by 10%.
 

TRU

All-SEC
Oct 3, 2000
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10% budget cuts, well if hey skipped paying Dye, Tater Tot, Tubs, Chizik and Wayne Hall that might cover the football budget. :rolleye2:
Whatever Tater knew is well past the statute of limitations at this point. So you could cut him off. But the others? Tubby will be in the senate soon. Hard to cut off someone in that powerful a position. And Pat is still basically running things for the Colonial crowd there. He is essential personnel. And what Cheez and Wayne know is probably fresh enough to cause real trouble. So this does not look to be much of a cost saving center to me.
 

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