Recap of Thrasher interview on FCN Jax

[Singleshot]

The piece just finished and here's just a quick recap.

After the shooting, he says he didn't know what he was going to say to the 4K+ students who showed up to the vigil.

Told them "We are safe and we are a family" and it was an isolated incident. He want to make sure all his students felt safe and the next morning he opened the library up himself and handed coffee to all the 100+ students who showed up.

I thought they were going to talk more about the Winston case but they really didn't spend much time on it. Thrasher says they did all they could to make sure EK was taken care of and thinks her suit is baseless.

The more I see of him the more I like him. It looks like he really cares about this school and the people in it and not just a stepping stone, just being a figurehead or a career move or anything.

 

[Calif_Nole]

So he's good at PR, haven't seen anything presidential yet. All the alleged donors have failed to materialize, not only did he not push for a full mission COM this session, he didn't request anything, zero, zilch, nada. If he has accomplished something else please enlighten me. So far, not impressed.

 

[oldscalphunter]

So he's good at PR, haven't seen anything presidential yet. All the alleged donors have failed to materialize, not only did he not push for a full mission COM this session, he didn't request anything, zero, zilch, nada. If he has accomplished something else please enlighten me. So far, not impressed.

As I predicted (last year), no requests would be made this session (this wasn't the session to push for anything). Next year is when he'll have the ability to get stuff done. If you don't understand that, you don't understand politics--or what the session's major issue(s) were and how they affected FSU--and you shouldn't bring up this session when judging President Thrasher.

 

[JohnnieHolmesNole]

I think Thrasher is doing a fine job. Surely much better than the FSU grad before him -- whose allegiance to the ACC outweighed his allegiance to FSU -- who left us in a lurch to go to PSU. The leadership void at FSU prior to Thrasher's arrival was staggering.

 

[Ward2Dunn]

Two very different styles of leadership, but I do think Barron did some good things as President. However there was a perceived lack of passion for all things FSU and I do think it's refreshing to have a President who is more vocal about his passion for FSU. Like one of the above posters said it's way to early to judge Thrasher one way or the other but I am happy with the job he has done so far and the coming year will be much more telling as far as his ability to push for things and get things done.

 

[Sawyer55]

Make no mistake. Outside of improved PR and athletics oversight (where Thrasher has done very well), FSU has a huge leadership gap right now (talking whole leadership structure, not singling out President). Massive issues. Other schools in SUS making big academic moves, FSU standing still and dead last in qualified state Performance Metrics Funding scores with UNF.

 

[12Nole]

Did he say anything about the progress FSU is making to become a top 25 public universities? Time we take those opportunities to sell & promote our school.

 

[scott1088]

So he's good at PR, haven't seen anything presidential yet. All the alleged donors have failed to materialize, not only did he not push for a full mission COM this session, he didn't request anything, zero, zilch, nada. If he has accomplished something else please enlighten me. So far, not impressed.

Why does this keep getting brought up? NO ONE is separating the COE unless FAMU gets their own. There is no scenario where you don't have people claiming racial bias if this is attempted.

 

[nolenut19]

Why does this keep getting brought up? NO ONE is separating the COE unless FAMU gets their own. There is no scenario where you don't have people claiming racial bias if this is attempted.

COM is College of Medicine.

 

[Democratic Nole]

So he's good at PR, haven't seen anything presidential yet. All the alleged donors have failed to materialize, not only did he not push for a full mission COM this session, he didn't request anything, zero, zilch, nada. If he has accomplished something else please enlighten me. So far, not impressed.

As I predicted (last year), no requests would be made this session (this wasn't the session to push for anything). Next year is when he'll have the ability to get stuff done. If you don't understand that, you don't understand politics--or what the session's major issue(s) were and how they affected FSU--and you shouldn't bring up this session when judging President Thrasher.

There are certainly lots of issues that occurred this session that were very pressing (i.e., Medicaid expansion), but that didn't seem to stop other schools from getting big asks like UCF's downtown campus or USF's brand new medical school in Downtown Tampa. The issue with the Seminole gambling compact should not be the reason that FSU couldn't ask for anything this legislative session.

I hope you're right that next session is when FSU will get all the big asks that it wants. However, when part of the Thrasher presidency plan is to be a 5 year stop gap because of age and tough decisions that need to be made, I am not a huge fan of basically throwing one of those years away due to alleged political sensitivities. If anything, the more years Thrasher gets away from actual elected office, the less power he is likely to have because less and less of the legislature will be people who actually served with him.

This is not a comment at all on Thrasher (right now), but in general, FSU always seems to have excuses on why it can't get more from the legislature, even with alleged political kingmakers, while UF, UCF, USF, FAU, etc. ask and receive goodies.

 

[Sawyer55]

Why does this keep getting brought up? NO ONE is separating the COE unless FAMU gets their own. There is no scenario where you don't have people claiming racial bias if this is attempted.

Agree. Nobody in state politics believes it can be split due to race politics. Makes you wonder why politically savy Thrasher even bothered the last 2 years to even push that.....doesn't it?

 

[oldscalphunter]

There are certainly lots of issues that occurred this session that were very pressing (i.e., Medicaid expansion), but that didn't seem to stop other schools from getting big asks like UCF's downtown campus or USF's brand new medical school in Downtown Tampa. The issue with the Seminole gambling compact should not be the reason that FSU couldn't ask for anything this legislative session.

I hope your right that next session is when FSU will get all the big asks that it wants. However, when part of the Thrasher presidency plan is to be a 5 year stop gap because of age and tough decisions that need to be made, I am not a huge fan of basically throwing one of those years away due to alleged political sensitivities. If anything, the more years Thrasher gets away from actual elected office, the less power he is likely to have because less and less of the legislature will be people who actually served with him.

This is not a comment at all on Thrasher (right now), but in general, FSU always seems to have excuses on why it can't get more from the legislature, even with alleged political kingmakers, while UF, UCF, USF, FAU, etc. ask and receive goodies.

The Florida-Seminole compact is definitely a reason. We'll be better off next session & might could get some stuff in the budget (as the compact is no longer the issue).

 

[scott1088]

Agree. Nobody in state politics believes it can be split due to race politics. Makes you wonder why politically savy Thrasher even bothered the last 2 years to even push that.....doesn't it?

Because people push for it constantly.

 

[Sawyer55]

The Florida-Seminole compact is definitely a reason. We'll be better off next session & might could get some stuff in the budget (as the compact is no longer the issue).

Due to the $1.3 Billion budget shortfall projected for next session due to the Federal Hospital Medicaid issue, next session is not likely for any political/academic adds. The wait till next year strategy doesn't look like a good one given the budget situation.

 

[billop]

So he's good at PR, haven't seen anything presidential yet. All the alleged donors have failed to materialize, not only did he not push for a full mission COM this session, he didn't request anything, zero, zilch, nada. If he has accomplished something else please enlighten me. So far, not impressed.

A lot of groundwork is needed before you can go after the big ticket items. The politics of things don't just happen. The school must get internal as well as external ducks in a row before you start pushing publicly for a lot of the things talked about in this thread.

 

[Sawyer55]

A lot of groundwork is needed before you can go after the big ticket items. The politics of things don't just happen. The school must get internal as well as external ducks in a row before you start pushing publicly for a lot of the things talked about in this thread.

This is true. Over the last 15 years, UF, UCF, USF, FIU, FAU, (not to mention a new university that was created) have put out plans for many such big ticket items which required getting their ducks in a row. FSU......can't think of a thing FSU has asked for except for the Chiro College that fell through and FSU paid a political price for the 2 years after the fiasco.

I agree with you, things take time...what I don't get is....FSU hasn't pushed for a thing for well over a decade, especially compared to others in the state, despite having 2 presidents during that period who were 'politically connected.' If you are 'connected' and don't ask for a 'big ticket item', let alone land one,....then the strategy seems off.

 

[clearminded]

Thrasher will blow the doors off in due time. He works quietly, under the radar and will make it rain in due time. (Opinion)

 

[GONOLES009]

He better or academics will start hurting our recruiting. Other schools will be able to offer more majors so kids who care about education won't come to fsu. We won't be getting any rich graduates so booster money will slowly go down. We are in trouble. Ucf and usf and uf are going to be the big 3. Fsu Is number 1 now but in 15 years fsu won't be able to compete in the money and academics and our sports team will feel the effect of it.

 

[goldmom]

There are certainly lots of issues that occurred this session that were very pressing (i.e., Medicaid expansion), but that didn't seem to stop other schools from getting big asks like UCF's downtown campus or USF's brand new medical school in Downtown Tampa. The issue with the Seminole gambling compact should not be the reason that FSU couldn't ask for anything this legislative session.

I hope you're right that next session is when FSU will get all the big asks that it wants. However, when part of the Thrasher presidency plan is to be a 5 year stop gap because of age and tough decisions that need to be made, I am not a huge fan of basically throwing one of those years away due to alleged political sensitivities. If anything, the more years Thrasher gets away from actual elected office, the less power he is likely to have because less and less of the legislature will be people who actually served with him.

This is not a comment at all on Thrasher (right now), but in general, FSU always seems to have excuses on why it can't get more from the legislature, even with alleged political kingmakers, while UF, UCF, USF, FAU, etc. ask and receive goodies.

Good points, but then again the other schools don't engender the dislike and determination to keep a thumb on FSU from the uf legislators. And if they keep the reps who went to those schools happy, they will be owed a return favor - like aligning against FSU.

 

[GONOLES009]

I pray the Seminole pact goes through. It's bringing alot of money to the state. They need to expand gambling. Hopefully the Seminole tribe will use the money to help fsu build more academic building and degrees. Because we're not going to get a dime from the state. If we partner with famu to build a new Medical school we will have a better chance. Famu and fsu are 2 D1 schools in a small city. To get the racial issue become not an issue then fsu needs famu to build academic programs together. Famu has a law campus in downtown orlando. UF has a cancer center in orlando. Ucf is just building ans building. Ucf in 20 years will offer more then UF. Fsu and famu and the Seminole tribe need to work together or in 15 years fsu will be the 6th best university in the state and our booster money will go down because fsu won't have the academics programs to offer which won't deliver rich graduates and won't have rich boosters. Enjoy the next 15 years of great sports because we won't be able to compete against uf ucf and usf in booster money. They will have nicer campuses with great sport facilities and ucf ans usf prob will be in the big 12 so kids will have a chance to compete for a national championship. Fsu won't be able to afford to keep great coaches. We are in serious trouble but nobody cares because it won't happen over night but in 15 years fsu won't be a powerhouse. UF will rise again and ucf and usf will become the big 3. If fsu and famu partner that could save fsu. But fsu won't be able to compete against the other florida schools in 15 to 20 years. I'm sorry but it's true. Let's hope fsu wins alot of national championship in the next 10 years because we won't be winning anything if our academics don't improve. You need graduates who can get great jobs who become boosters. Doak in 20 years will need to be totally renovated. Do you think our boosters cab afford that when new boosters don't have great paying jobs. And without an acc network we can't rely on that money. I love fsu prob to much. But I look in the future and don't see good things for fsu. I see great future for ucf and usf and uf. But fsu can change this if they partner with famu. It's something that unfortunately has to happen or the state won't give us a dime.

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

I pray the Seminole pact goes through. It's bringing alot of money to the state. They need to expand gambling. Hopefully the Seminole tribe will use the money to help fsu build more academic building and degrees. Because we're not going to get a dime from the state. If we partner with famu to build a new Medical school we will have a better chance. Famu and fsu are 2 D1 schools in a small city. To get the racial issue become not an issue then fsu needs famu to build academic programs together. Famu has a law campus in downtown orlando. UF has a cancer center in orlando. Ucf is just building ans building. Ucf in 20 years will offer more then UF. Fsu and famu and the Seminole tribe need to work together or in 15 years fsu will be the 6th best university in the state and our booster money will go down because fsu won't have the academics programs to offer which won't deliver rich graduates and won't have rich boosters. Enjoy the next 15 years of great sports because we won't be able to compete against uf ucf and usf in booster money. They will have nicer campuses with great sport facilities and ucf ans usf prob will be in the big 12 so kids will have a chance to compete for a national championship. Fsu won't be able to afford to keep great coaches. We are in serious trouble but nobody cares because it won't happen over night but in 15 years fsu won't be a powerhouse. UF will rise again and ucf and usf will become the big 3. If fsu and famu partner that could save fsu. But fsu won't be able to compete against the other florida schools in 15 to 20 years. I'm sorry but it's true. Let's hope fsu wins alot of national championship in the next 10 years because we won't be winning anything if our academics don't improve. You need graduates who can get great jobs who become boosters. Doak in 20 years will need to be totally renovated. Do you think our boosters cab afford that when new boosters don't have great paying jobs. And without an acc network we can't rely on that money. I love fsu prob to much. But I look in the future and don't see good things for fsu. I see great future for ucf and usf and uf. But fsu can change this if they partner with famu. It's something that unfortunately has to happen or the state won't give us a dime.

So the short version is FSU is doomed in the long-term unless it partners with FAMU?

I can't believe that is true.

 

[Democratic Nole]

Good points, but then again the other schools don't engender the dislike and determination to keep a thumb on FSU from the uf legislators. And if they keep the reps who went to those schools happy, they will be owed a return favor - like aligning against FSU.

You certainly know better than most the way that UF legislators have negatively targeted FSU over the years. However, the paradigm is shifting because of the huge population growth in Central and South Florida. UF can not run roughshod over the desires of UCF and USF anymore because the balance of power in the legislature has shifted south. Folks like Dean Cannon, Andy Gardiner and others give UCF and USF effective tools to derail the UF agenda. I think after that flagship fiasco in 2010, where FSU and the other state universities fought the UF flagship bill vigorously, that UF somewhat figured out that FSU is their best ally to get things done in the legislature if UCF, USF, FIU etc. do not necessarily want them. UF isn't as much of a problem right now as FSU's lack of gusto is.

 

[GONOLES009]

So the short version is FSU is doomed in the long-term unless it partners with FAMU?

I can't believe that is true.

I hope we're not. But whatever we ask for. Famu will want and since we're in the same city it's tougher for fsu to get what other schools are getting. I think if we partner together we could get a huge grant. Why not partner with famu to get a huge medical school and other academics. Why not?

 

[Democratic Nole]

I pray the Seminole pact goes through. It's bringing alot of money to the state. They need to expand gambling. Hopefully the Seminole tribe will use the money to help fsu build more academic building and degrees. Because we're not going to get a dime from the state. If we partner with famu to build a new Medical school we will have a better chance. Famu and fsu are 2 D1 schools in a small city. To get the racial issue become not an issue then fsu needs famu to build academic programs together. Famu has a law campus in downtown orlando. UF has a cancer center in orlando. Ucf is just building ans building. Ucf in 20 years will offer more then UF. Fsu and famu and the Seminole tribe need to work together or in 15 years fsu will be the 6th best university in the state and our booster money will go down because fsu won't have the academics programs to offer which won't deliver rich graduates and won't have rich boosters. Enjoy the next 15 years of great sports because we won't be able to compete against uf ucf and usf in booster money. They will have nicer campuses with great sport facilities and ucf ans usf prob will be in the big 12 so kids will have a chance to compete for a national championship. Fsu won't be able to afford to keep great coaches. We are in serious trouble but nobody cares because it won't happen over night but in 15 years fsu won't be a powerhouse. UF will rise again and ucf and usf will become the big 3. If fsu and famu partner that could save fsu. But fsu won't be able to compete against the other florida schools in 15 to 20 years. I'm sorry but it's true. Let's hope fsu wins alot of national championship in the next 10 years because we won't be winning anything if our academics don't improve. You need graduates who can get great jobs who become boosters. Doak in 20 years will need to be totally renovated. Do you think our boosters cab afford that when new boosters don't have great paying jobs. And without an acc network we can't rely on that money. I love fsu prob to much. But I look in the future and don't see good things for fsu. I see great future for ucf and usf and uf. But fsu can change this if they partner with famu. It's something that unfortunately has to happen or the state won't give us a dime.

I always appreciate new posters to the Academics board and am glad you have ventured over there as well.

With regards to this post and numerous posts about FAMU, I would ask that you go read the various threads on the Academics board with a wealth of information on the subject. Outside of FAMU folding into FSU (will never happen), the last thing FSU needs is more joint projects with FAMU. The schools are of vastly different academic quality and scope. It would be like saying the University of North Carolina needs more joint programs with North Carolina A&T. Also, quantity does not equal quality in higher education. If it did, the University of Phoenix would be a highly desirable degree granting institution.

FSU supporters hate being treated like UF's little brother. If they don't want to be treated that way, then they should start promoting academic excellence at FSU and stop with the excuses.

 

[More Kirk Less Spock]

FSU should continue to increase its academic reputation,

http://one.fsu.edu/top25

Mr. Thrasher is doing a Much better job on the PR front than his predecessor. This is not unimportant.

 

[Singleshot]

FSU CoM is now ranked 7th in the top 10 producers of family physicians.

 

[Democratic Nole]

FSU should continue to increase its academic reputation,

http://one.fsu.edu/top25

Mr. Thrasher is doing a Much better job on the PR front than his predecessor. This is not unimportant.

On some of the external PR measures that are sports related, Thrasher has done a great job.

What I will be curious to see are some of the university community PR moves that are made. We were constantly crushed in the TK era on peer review by other universities. It was a negative drag on the university's ranking in publications such as US News and World Report. Eric Barron immensely improved our stature in that regard. I'll be curious to see where we rank in next year's US News rankings and in other publications. The university community thinks that Thrasher appointment was a joke (read some higher ed publications if you don't believe me), so I wouldn't be surprised to see our rankings go down next year as a function of the Thrasher appointment. If we don't see a drop in peer review ratings, then we'll know Thrasher is being more well received than when he took over the position.

 

[oldscalphunter]

I always appreciate new posters to the Academics board and am glad you have ventured over there as well.

With regards to this post and numerous posts about FAMU, I would ask that you go read the various threads on the Academics board with a wealth of information on the subject. Outside of FAMU folding into FSU (will never happen), the last thing FSU needs is more joint projects with FAMU. The schools are of vastly different academic quality and scope. It would be like saying the University of North Carolina needs more joint programs with North Carolina A&T. Also, quantity does not equal quality in higher education. If it did, the University of Phoenix would be a highly desirable degree granting institution.

FSU supporters hate being treated like UF's little brother. If they don't want to be treated that way, then they should start promoting academic excellence at FSU and stop with the excuses.

In many ways, we're uf's superior. In many ways, we're not. It goes with the territory. We're in a better position now than we've ever been. I don't know if that's due to Thrasher, but I do know he's been extremely busy since the appointment, and he works extremely hard--especially compared to some other Presidents. He's a good man & has done nothing but positive things for FSU since taking over.

 

[GONOLES009]

FSU CoM is now ranked 7th in the top 10 producers of family physicians.

WOW THAT I DIDN'T KNOW AND WITHOUT A LINK I WOULD LAUGH. THAT'S GREAT. LET'S KEEP IT UP. BUT STILL NEED GRANTS. RESEARCH FACILITIES IS WHERE FSU IS WAY BEHIND. We are in the capital. Maybe we need a politics college. So we teach how to be politicians. Maybe then we will get grants. Lol.

 

[GONOLES009]

I always appreciate new posters to the Academics board and am glad you have ventured over there as well.

With regards to this post and numerous posts about FAMU, I would ask that you go read the various threads on the Academics board with a wealth of information on the subject. Outside of FAMU folding into FSU (will never happen), the last thing FSU needs is more joint projects with FAMU. The schools are of vastly different academic quality and scope. It would be like saying the University of North Carolina needs more joint programs with North Carolina A&T. Also, quantity does not equal quality in higher education. If it did, the University of Phoenix would be a highly desirable degree granting institution.

FSU supporters hate being treated like UF's little brother. If they don't want to be treated that way, then they should start promoting academic excellence at FSU and stop with the excuses.

But we prob would get grants quicker and more of it we famu and fsu asked for it together. The state would be in a tough spot saying no to two schools who will share the money and saying no to a black college won't look good for politicians. I would much rather do it on our own. But it's been 10 plus years since we got a huge grant. Ucf and usf are getting grants every year it seems like.

 

[Sawyer55]

But we prob would get grants quicker and more of it we famu and fsu asked for it together. The state would be in a tough spot saying no to two schools who will share the money and saying no to a black college won't look good for politicians. I would much rather do it on our own. But it's been 10 plus years since we got a huge grant. Ucf and usf are getting grants every year it seems like.

The state says NO all the time to FAMU/FSU COE.

Your assertion that grants would come quicker with them together also doesn't not hold up as factual...at all.

Everything FSU has done with FAMU has been a massive failure. Your assumption that there is money there by default just isn't accurate at all. The two schools don't work well together because they have different missions with different leaderships. HORRIBLE idea.