Brodhead on Colbert Report 11:30pm ET 8/15

[fuse]

Laura Keeley from the N&O reporting President Brodhead will appear on the Colbert Report this week.

I can't see any way how Brodhead can hold his own, but it will be fun to see what unfolds.

[Dev11]

Laura Keeley from the N&O reporting President Brodhead will appear on the Colbert Report this week.

I can't see any way how Brodhead can hold his own, but it will be fun to see what unfolds.

President Brodhead sounds a lot like Kermit the Frog. Just imagine Colbert interviewing Kermit in an ill-fitting suit

[fuse]

I forgot to watch live but according to the video I watched, Brodhead did very well. Consider me impressed.

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/428644/august-15-2013/richard-brodhead

[Dukehky]

I don't like Broadhead as the president of Duke, he's just such a push-over, probably why the board put him in charge in the first place I guess.

[Dr. Rosenrosen]

I forgot to watch live but according to the video I watched, Brodhead did very well. Consider me impressed.

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/428644/august-15-2013/richard-brodhead
Have to agree there. He was definitely on.

[ricks68]

I expect everyone noticed the raucus behaviour of the crowd every time the Pres. made a good point, in addition to the crowd noise upon his introduction (they also showed quite a few people standing while applauding and cheering). Obviously, our esteemed institution had a heck of a lot of "ringers" in the audience. Great to see that. I've never seen that particular kind of audience interest in one of his guests before.:D

ricks

[stals]

I don't like Broadhead as the president of Duke, he's just such a push-over, probably why the board put him in charge in the first place I guess.


Nice comment, dukehky. What exactly is your problem with the board and Prez, whoever you are?

[OldPhiKap]

I expect everyone noticed the raucus behaviour of the crowd every time the Pres. made a good point, in addition to the crowd noise upon his introduction (they also showed quite a few people standing while applauding and cheering). Obviously, our esteemed institution had a heck of a lot of "ringers" in the audience. Great to see that. I've never seen that particular kind of audience interest in one of his guests before.:D

ricks

Agreed, I have been watching the show since the pilot and not sure i have seen a reaction like that to anyone really, let alone someone who is not in the entertainment field.

[sagegrouse]

I don't like Broadhead as the president of Duke, he's just such a push-over, probably why the board put him in charge in the first place I guess.

You know, I've been on a few boards, and I have never heard anyone say, when we were interested in filling a vacancy, "Let's get someone who is no damned good." I mean why would the Board at Duke want a less than outstanding prez, since he is the one guy that reports to them.

sagegrouse

[Duvall]

You know, I've been on a few boards, and I have never heard anyone say, when we were interested in filling a vacancy, "Let's get someone who is no damned good." I mean why would the Board at Duke want a less than outstanding prez, since he is the one guy that reports to them.

sagegrouse

I'm also not sure why the Board would want a pushover - doesn't the president report to them?

I guess that was an issue at UVa, but I think that was more a faction of the Board wanting someone they could control.

[PDDuke85]

I'm also not sure why the Board would want a pushover - doesn't the president report to them?

I guess that was an issue at UVa, but I think that was more a faction of the Board wanting someone they could control.

Color me naive and uninformed but over time, I believe Dr. Richard Brodhead has been an excellent leader for my Duke. The only negative was the incident where many were duped by a sleazy DA. I am in the Brodhead corner and will be until he decides to move on.....

[buddy]

Since this has been started, I am still waiting for Brodhead to say what the lacrosse players did that "was bad enough". He could have stood for the principle of "innocent until proven guilty", but for whatever reason chose not to.

[ChemGod]

Color me naive and uninformed but over time, I believe Dr. Richard Brodhead has been an excellent leader for my Duke. The only negative was the incident where many were duped by a sleazy DA. I am in the Brodhead corner and will be until he decides to move on.....

Not trying to be unkind,but you are a little uninformed, I would guess. "Duped" is not how I would characterize Brodhead's response to the students, parents, and alumni...nor how he failed to protect the privacy of the students or enforce the faculty guidebook/profession standards following the LAX fiasco.

Try googling "gang of 88".

I don't know how he has done with fundraising or running meetings (important tasks), but for me this single incident of moral and leadership failure paints him in the "not qualified to lead" category.

[Tappan Zee Devil]

Not trying to be unkind,but you are a little uninformed, I would guess. "Duped" is not how I would characterize Brodhead's response to the students, parents, and alumni...nor how he failed to protect the privacy of the students or enforce the faculty guidebook/profession standards following the LAX fiasco.

Try googling "gang of 88".

I don't know how he has done with fundraising or running meetings (important tasks), but for me this single incident of moral and leadership failure paints him in the "not qualified to lead" category.

Wow - I guess there are some of you (who are quite vocal) who will never forgive him, But that is in the past (??). What is going on now?

[-jk]

Let's not rehash the lax hoax.

Thanks,

-jk

[sagegrouse]

I don't like Broadhead as the president of Duke, he's just such a push-over, probably why the board put him in charge in the first place I guess.


Nice comment, dukehky. What exactly is your problem with the board and Prez, whoever you are?


I'm also not sure why the Board would want a pushover - doesn't the president report to them?

I guess that was an issue at UVa, but I think that was more a faction of the Board wanting someone they could control.

Aha, the board wants a good strong, president. But then there's the faculty, a group of atomistic tenured individuals, who have little use for a strong chief executive. Here's my hypothetical list of presidential duties, as seen by any college faculty:

1. Raise some damned money! We need more money for research.

2. Don't monkey with academics! The departments will decide what gets taught and who teaches it.

3. Make the students study harder!

4. Raise some more money! Faculty salaries are too low!

5. If there is a major problem at the University, the President takes the bullet!

Serious, I heard from faculty at Duke that Nan was really fired by the Board. What is the term? Arrant nonsense. And at about the same time, I heard from faculty at Rice, my graduate alma mater, that ex-Duke Dean Malcolm Gillis did not retire as President of Rice but was fired. Also, poppycock.

sagegrouse

[fuse]

Not trying to be unkind,but you are a little uninformed, I would guess. "Duped" is not how I would characterize Brodhead's response to the students, parents, and alumni...nor how he failed to protect the privacy of the students or enforce the faculty guidebook/profession standards following the LAX fiasco.

Try googling "gang of 88".

I don't know how he has done with fundraising or running meetings (important tasks), but for me this single incident of moral and leadership failure paints him in the "not qualified to lead" category.

This plus infinity.

The subsequent poster suggests forgive and forget. Brodhead's lack of leadership during the lacrosse accusations is unforgettable. He was not the only one in Duke's administration and athletic department that made mistakes regarding lacrosse, but as the president he is the most accountable.

[Des Esseintes]

This plus infinity.

The subsequent poster suggests forgive and forget. Brodhead's lack of leadership during the lacrosse accusations is unforgettable. He was not the only one in Duke's administration and athletic department that made mistakes regarding lacrosse, but as the president he is the most accountable.

Look, I don't want to get into the lacrosse business at all. But judging anyone's long tenure off a single episode, even if it is an important one, strikes me as lazy and doomed to inaccuracy. If you only look at Yalta, you might think FDR was a bad leader. If you only look at the French & Indian War, you might think George Washington was a disastrous leader. If you only look at the first Duke-UNC game of the 2001 season, you might think Matt Doherty was a good leader. I don't think Brodhead is above criticism, but on a Duke board I think we owe the man a nuanced look at his whole term rather than blanket denunciations based on a single event from which almost no one emerged unscathed.

[miramar]

Here it is, wide margins and all:

http://www.humanitiescommission.org/_pdf/hss_report.pdf

[allenmurray]

Look, I don't want to get into the lacrosse business at all. But judging anyone's long tenure off a single episode, even if it is an important one, strikes me as lazy and doomed to inaccuracy. If you only look at Yalta, you might think FDR was a bad leader. If you only look at the French & Indian War, you might think George Washington was a disastrous leader. If you only look at the first Duke-UNC game of the 2001 season, you might think Matt Doherty was a good leader. I don't think Brodhead is above criticism, but on a Duke board I think we owe the man a nuanced look at his whole term rather than blanket denunciations based on a single event from which almost no one emerged unscathed.

What? This is a message board. Here we shoot first, think later. :(

[Dukehky]

Nice comment, dukehky. What exactly is your problem with the board and Prez, whoever you are?

The statements made after your comment are why I don't like Broadhead. The violation of the privacy of his students and the FERPA Act (that's the law that entitles students at private universities especially their right to privacy). This violation has been proven in settlements that member of the lacrosse team have had with the university. I was there when it happened, I had friends whose schooling and privacy was greatly affected even if they weren't "one of the three," and it just seemed to send the message that the school did not have any of the students' backs in trying times.

Just an opinion, probably should have just kept it to myself, but just because I love Duke sports doesn't mean I have to love every member of the Duke staff and everything the university does.

[duke96]

The statements made after your comment are why I don't like Broadhead. The violation of the privacy of his students and the FERPA Act (that's the law that entitles students at private universities especially their right to privacy). This violation has been proven in settlements that member of the lacrosse team have had with the university. I was there when it happened, I had friends whose schooling and privacy was greatly affected even if they weren't "one of the three," and it just seemed to send the message that the school did not have any of the students' backs in trying times.

Just an opinion, probably should have just kept it to myself, but just because I love Duke sports doesn't mean I have to love every member of the Duke staff and everything the university does.

Have to agree with you. I can't claim to be particularly familiar with Brodhead's record since the LAX scandal, but in this instance I don't really think I need to in order to have a view of the man. History judges many by what they do at the most important moments in their lives. While I like what I saw on the Colbert report (thanks for sharing!), I'm perfectly comfortable continuing to hold him in low regard for selling out those he had a duty to protect.

[Jarhead]

Look, I don't want to get into the lacrosse business at all. But judging anyone's long tenure off a single episode, even if it is an important one, strikes me as lazy and doomed to inaccuracy. If you only look at Yalta, you might think FDR was a bad leader. If you only look at the French & Indian War, you might think George Washington was a disastrous leader. If you only look at the first Duke-UNC game of the 2001 season, you might think Matt Doherty was a good leader. I don't think Brodhead is above criticism, but on a Duke board I think we owe the man a nuanced look at his whole term rather than blanket denunciations based on a single event from which almost no one emerged unscathed.

Enough said! That was perfect

[burnspbesq]

This plus infinity.

The subsequent poster suggests forgive and forget. Brodhead's lack of leadership during the lacrosse accusations is unforgettable. He was not the only one in Duke's administration and athletic department that made mistakes regarding lacrosse, but as the president he is the most accountable.

Not that, times infinity.

Hindsight is always 20:20. In real time, in an unprecedented, no-win situation, Brodhead did the thing you hope leaders will do in an unprecedented, no-win situation, i.e. minimize the long-term damage to the institution.

No innocent person went to jail, the bad guy ultimately got what was coming to him, every member of the 2006 team graduated from a quality school, Mike Pressler landed on his feet and has built something very good at Bryant, Kevin Cassese landed on his feet and has done an astonishing rebuilding job at Lehigh, and Duke under John Danowski has seven consecutive trips to Championship Weekend, two championships, two Teewaaratons, and a permanent place at the head table.

Given the other potential outcomes, I think that's pretty stinkin' good.

[77devil]

I forgot to watch live but according to the video I watched, Brodhead did very well. Consider me impressed.

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/428644/august-15-2013/richard-brodhead

You are more easily impressed than I am, but I'll give you that it was a better performance than Brodhead's appearance on 60 Minutes. And Ed Bradley was, for the most part, lobbing them in. http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=2109800n

At least he's shaved off the scruff above the lip.

[burnspbesq]

The statements made after your comment are why I don't like Broadhead. The violation of the privacy of his students and the FERPA Act (that's the law that entitles students at private universities especially their right to privacy). This violation has been proven in settlements that member of the lacrosse team have had with the university. I was there when it happened, I had friends whose schooling and privacy was greatly affected even if they weren't "one of the three," and it just seemed to send the message that the school did not have any of the students' backs in trying times.

Just an opinion, probably should have just kept it to myself, but just because I love Duke sports doesn't mean I have to love every member of the Duke staff and everything the university does.

Not to be a too much of a lawyer/pedant about it (although I am one of those things and am sometimes accused of being the other), but as a general rule the only thing a settlement proves is that both sides concluded that it was in their respective best interest not to go to trial.

[duke96]

You are more easily impressed than I am, but I'll give you that it was a better performance than Brodhead's appearance on 60 Minutes. And Ed Bradley was, for the most part, lobbing them in. http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=2109800n

At least he's shaved off the scruff above the lip.

Good share. Guy was so out of his league in dealing with this issue. Maybe he has gotten better.

[BigWayne]

Not that, times infinity.

Hindsight is always 20:20. In real time, in an unprecedented, no-win situation, Brodhead did the thing you hope leaders will do in an unprecedented, no-win situation, i.e. minimize the long-term damage to the institution.

No innocent person went to jail, the bad guy ultimately got what was coming to him, every member of the 2006 team graduated from a quality school, Mike Pressler landed on his feet and has built something very good at Bryant, Kevin Cassese landed on his feet and has done an astonishing rebuilding job at Lehigh, and Duke under John Danowski has seven consecutive trips to Championship Weekend, two championships, two Teewaaratons, and a permanent place at the head table.

Given the other potential outcomes, I think that's pretty stinkin' good.

There was a lot more than one bad guy in this affair. Other than Nifong, the bad actors came out relatively unscathed. None of the misguided faculty or admins at Duke have suffered for their actions. Many have been promoted in spite of them. Your logic, that the fact that in the end, the lacrosse players and coaches avoided permanent damage, so we can excuse the actions of Brodhead, the faculty, and the city of Durham, is troubling.

That being said, my problems with Brodhead are not based solely on the events of 2006. The latest is the folly of the Duke Kunshan initiative. You can read more than you want to know at http://dukecheck.com (not my site and I don't subscribe to a lot of what he posts, but there's some good info you don't generally see reported elsewhere)

Having written the above, I go back and reread what you wrote and it really bothers me. One of the central failings of Brodhead and Robert Steel during the lacrosse affair of 2006 was that they did indeed put the interests of the university (and themselves) above that of their students. I do not want to be associated with any organization that jettisons members of the organization so easily.

[johnb]

There was a lot more than one bad guy in this affair. Other than Nifong, the bad actors came out relatively unscathed. None of the misguided faculty or admins at Duke have suffered for their actions. Many have been promoted in spite of them. Your logic, that the fact that in the end, the lacrosse players and coaches avoided permanent damage, so we can excuse the actions of Brodhead, the faculty, and the city of Durham, is troubling.

That being said, my problems with Brodhead are not based solely on the events of 2006. The latest is the folly of the Duke Kunshan initiative. You can read more than you want to know at http://dukecheck.com (not my site and I don't subscribe to a lot of what he posts, but there's some good info you don't generally see reported elsewhere)

Having written the above, I go back and reread what you wrote and it really bothers me. One of the central failings of Brodhead and Robert Steel during the lacrosse affair of 2006 was that they did indeed put the interests of the university (and themselves) above that of their students. I do not want to be associated with any organization that jettisons members of the organization so easily.

your link to th blog mentioned brodhead and then quickly went to the mellencamp arrests, where it editorialized that Cut was at fault for not immediately disciplining his walk-on player despite a lack of evidence that he committed a crime. I guess Cut should act immediately to demonstrate the institution's belief that an arrest = guilt. Hmmm.

[BigWayne]

your link to th blog mentioned brodhead and then quickly went to the mellencamp arrests, where it editorialized that Cut was at fault for not immediately disciplining his walk-on player despite a lack of evidence that he committed a crime. I guess Cut should act immediately to demonstrate the institution's belief that an arrest = guilt. Hmmm. I didn't even know that was on there as I hadn't looked at it lately, but I knew enough to give the disclaimer up front anyway. The guy that writes dukecheck is very opinionated and is a shoot first kind of guy. Like anything on the internet, you need to read his stuff assuming he has an agenda that colors his writing.