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I have varying reviews on consulting:

Regarding consulting, I would presume Valpo made sure they are hiring the right people to give them a perspective that will be beneficial to find or fine tune their identity. I would assume Valpo leadership is being a good consumer identifying the proper consultation to support them.

Valpo also needs to be open regarding suggestions resulting from the consultation. I have seen instances where a company culture remains the same despite consultation suggestions. Change is hard for some.

I have seen seen the situation where money is just thrown at consultation to fix a problem, which only results in the same behavior and a nice document a process they should follow. All this does is piss off employees and halts any progress.

I will say this to valpo22: in the exit interview if there is one, be honest yet objective as the university could benefit from a reality check of the market. It takes more than Valpo pride to keep talent.  A 2.25x increase in salary for a position perhaps similar in responsibilities should be noted.

No worries dude. Trust me, I've had bad moment in my career, and there are instances where I wished I moved on earlier than I did.  But you to have a period to be pissed off because it meant something to you, then you move on.

Sounds like you are onto bigger and better places, and I'm happy for you. Now let's talk about more important things South Park providing more to the arts than Georgia O'Keefe.

Grand View?

22 - regarding your story about getting and keeping a job, I have to be blunt. As Colin Powell once said, "Get mad and get over it." Your experiences are analogous to what is seen in many professions in industry. If I interview for a position, I have to have experiences, resumes, credibility, references - you name it. I also have to perform well and get reviewed based on feedback from cohorts and managers. Also, you made a decision to leave and I wish you all the best, and it is good you made a decision that will be better for you. You gotta take care of yourself, because these days the company or institutions  base their decisions on the market or profit goals - not based on employee needs. 

I can empathize with your frustration, but getting the right consultant firm provides a broader method and level of expertise to solve a holistic problem that has not been solved adequately internally by Valparaiso University leadership and employees. 

Also, we need to quit being penny wise and dollar foolish. These problems require a big picture mindset where spending six figures is crumbs if it provides a better direction for the university. Last spring, you were whining about buying out Lottich's contract and hiring a new coach because of the cost. Well, basketball is the once proud and flagship sport of Valparaiso University, and it is D1 program and it needed help. Valpo needed to react like they cared to be successful, and fortunately they did.

valpo22, I agree consulting groups to solve problems is usually unnecessary and a lazy solution, but your response regarding the education of the personnel of the consulting group was incredibly pompous. The attitude that someone with a doctorate is required to solve a university issues is crapola. I have worked with some Ph. D's who were effective in their work, and some that have no reason to be in the workforce. Several years ago I was training graduate students and a post doctorate engineering students at a university in the midwest, and I can why the post doc student is a post doc student - there is no way he could contribute or lead properly in industry.

Also, there are faculty at Valpo that will have more self-centered views beyond the overall good of the university. This has been addressed before on this board. So far, nothing has been fixed,  so unfortuately and likely with little success they have to take an alternative strategy and get outside help.

I will say  this - sometimes having someone external to the situation brings fresh ideas.

In my39 years in industry, for the most part hiring a consultant is a lazy and ineffective way to solve problems, not to mention you tend to lose trust and lower morality of your employees. If Valpo has a competent board and a president, they can figure this out.

Regarding 22's comments and frustration, this certainly is happening beyond Valparaiso, as Drake faculty are taking pay cut and dealing with a lower enrollment.

This art sale needed to be solve to compete gang.

wow, some cold statement here from 22 and 72. valpo22, I hope all goes well with you and appreciated the discussions.

The artwork and masterpieces of Matt Stone and Trey Parker, including producing one of the greatest broadway musicals ever produced,  have had a larger global cultural influence than the artwork being sold at Valparaiso University.

vu72 - cannot agree with your assessment on Palm at the same level as Brodie, who was dominant last night. Drake is what we expected them to be.

valpopal - nothing truly unethical is going on with the sale. The sale is going through hearing, the sale will happen and we can move on to keep Valparaiso University afloat.

Besides, this O'Keefe painting honestly looks like something from a South park episode...

95 - I get the non scholarship handicap in the FCS playoffs, but having a 66-3 thrashing in a playoff has no value. Perhaps they should not compete in the FCS playoffs if we consistently see results like this. Is there real joy or benefit making a trip to Fargo to get trashed, knowing that one school is closer to D3 than FCS?

USD May have football in a similar fashion as Valpo - to bring in male students willing to pay for play. The difference is there the football talent level in Southern California area has been generally better and there's a large sample to recruit.

I doubt the Ivy and Puoneer leagues would ever have a post season championship - I like the idea, but the Ivy League is too snooty to participate in an event like that.

Brodie has really improved his game. I wish Valpo could a dude like that

62 - agreed. I game like the Drake NDSU yesterday hs no value or purpose.

Drake 72, Valpo 57

Let's be real about the Pioneer Conference - it is D1 football in name only and more inline with D3. I know NDSU is a D1AA powerhouse, but Drake's performance is embarrassing for the Pioneer, and this is a down heat for the Bison.

Valpo U 84
Southern U 81

Valpo had to take care of the Big stone, I.e., men's basketballl, before taking on the smaller stones, especially with the limited funds. If Valpo had revenue Evans likely would have been canned.

Ok. I remember Seewald who was playing well until he got hurt.

Duncan?

The next month or so will be interesting for the VU football program. Fox has done an admirable job given the resources and scenario, and he will get an extension. The players are playing to their abilities and they compete which you have to praise.  However, Will VU commit for better coaching and resources and not just use football as an activity to bring in male students? In reality, the university uses this program as a lean mean revenue making machine to bring in students and tuition. I agree with JD24 about what Fox's next moves are, as the opportunities to grow may not exist at Valpo. Let the record for the past decades be used as evidence.

Agree with last 2 comments, but they need more talent and a better OC.

JD24 - where I'm getting at is Powell looking at a long term sustainable solution, which is required in a situation like Valpo. I like where this is going.

JD24 - where I'm getting at is Powell looking at a long term sustainable solution, which is required in a situation like Valpo. I like where this is going.

A step in the right direction regarding progress. I enjoy watching a team grow and improve, which will happen this season. I'm not a believer in moral victories, but steady progress, something not happening with Coach Prime at Colorado,  is a beautiful thing.