Enrollment number withstanding, what value is there for Valpo for Padilla to leech around for the end of the year? Maybe to not hurt his ego? He's leaving, pay him out and it's time to move on.
Well, maybe there are a few administrative transitions to handle internally. Maybe he needs to be the fall guy to make some sensitive cutbacks over the summer until the board meets again. And/or fully own a likely disastrous fiscal year end on June 30 and a likely decrease again in fall enrollment. It gives a clean baseline to the next leader.
But I can't imagine Padilla giving the opening convocation or anything remotely symbolic or public. They will insert a star guest speaker or a VU proxy in those roles when the school year opens.
Realist - I am looking ahead to the 2025-2016 academic year. Planning for how recruiting and enrollment will be turned around in the forthcoming will be done (early) in the Fall 2025 semester. The people responsible for that planning and execution will, at that time, be working for Pres. Padilla. Those people may know that he is on their way out, but are they going to work in direction contrary to the preferences of who they work for? Keeping any lame duck senior executive is problematic - especially when it is pretty clear he is being terminated because of missed expectation and overall poor performance.
@vu84v2 - I agree, except are we sure Padilla is being forced to retire? You might be right but it should better confirmed…
I don't know if he is being forced to retire and we'll probably never know for sure. But the university has missed most or all deliverables during his tenure.
It is good that Hansen retires too. He and his counterparts are the ones who decided Padilla-Heckler were the answer...terrible choices that has led to the demise of the school. I would think that with supposed successful business minds on the board we could have done better than those 2 choices.The trickle down effect of these awful hires is that these presidents then in turn make awful hires-former AD'S ,enrollment etc...its like a ponzi scheme of dog shit .Then we pay these people to go away.Just a cluster fuck of bad decisions.These are the reasons why enrollment is down-we are in debt and we are in an athletic conference we cant win
It appears to me that there are some postings being made by some people that really do not not know all the facts about some situations(example: "fired" or " leaving on his own") and some of the remarks are being made in poor taste and/or poor choice of words.
It appears to me that there are some postings being made by some people that really do not not know all the facts about some situations(example: "fired" or " leaving on his own") and some of the remarks are being made in poor taste and/or poor choice of words.
Oh ..do tell all wise one...and lighten up Francis
It was always clear that Padilla was on a five year contract, and that window has elapsed.
Now, whether it was his decision or the board’s not to seek renewal, we will probably never know. But if I were him, I would not want to stay at a place that dislikes me; and if I were on the board, I would not want to retain a leader who has not delivered anything.
I don't know if he is being forced to retire and we'll probably never know for sure. But the university has missed most or all deliverables during his tenure.
If the anticipated fall numbers are down again, then I concur with vu84v2 that President Padilla should leave before the start of the new academic year. I thought he came in with a good energy and an enthusiasm for getting this job done right. But it hasn’t been a good run.
i just hope against hope that the search committee can deliver an outstanding new president. 🤞🙏
Well, the pricing of the VU $54 million revenue bond issuance this week will probably tell us the realities of fall 2025 enrollment projections indirectly. Obviously our the rates of our borrowing costs loom large.
I’m hearing that enrollment is fractionally down for freshmen. Not a plummet, but a little drop from last year.
I’m hearing that enrollment is fractionally down for freshmen. Not a plummet, but a little drop from last year.
I checked this morning, and I am informed that the following I posted here two weeks ago is still true: "I was told yesterday when I briefly stopped by campus that the enrollment figure is apparently currently trending down...somewhere between 3-5%."
I’m hearing that enrollment is fractionally down for freshmen. Not a plummet, but a little drop from last year.
I checked this morning, and I am informed that the following I posted here two weeks ago is still true: "I was told yesterday when I briefly stopped by campus that the enrollment figure is apparently currently trending down...somewhere between 3-5%."
And yet the university's board will continue to retain Pres. Padilla until the end of the year, despite the need for turnaround. All of the people who would plan and implement the turnaround will ultimately report to Pres. Padilla and, by the time he leaves at the end of the year, there will be no time for meaningful change in student recrituiment for the 2025-2026 academic year.
I’m hearing that enrollment is fractionally down for freshmen. Not a plummet, but a little drop from last year.
I checked this morning, and I am informed that the following I posted here two weeks ago is still true: "I was told yesterday when I briefly stopped by campus that the enrollment figure is apparently currently trending down...somewhere between 3-5%."
VU, unfortunately, has a lot of company in this way. The student pool is smaller, and the competition to strengthen the yield numbers is quite active well into the summer.
The lame duck leadership situation also has a trickle down effect throughout the administration. Student recruitment is a lot easier when folks are excited about the leadership and direction of the university. That bubbling energy and enthusiasm can work wonders. I’ve seen these qualities at two universities I’ve been affiliated with as a student, alum, and/or faculty member, and you see a lot more people with pep in their step in ways that translate into student recruitment success. It’s also why I’m a broken record about the impact of O.P.’s arrival at VU in 1940.
