Quantcast KentNewsNet.com
College Media Network

KentNewsNet.com

An open letter to President Lefton

Abstract:
Dear Dr. Lefton: At the start of the semester, I dropped you a line (at lester.lefton@kent.edu) and introduced myself as Beth Rankin, a senior photojournalism student who also writes a column for the Stater....

  • Displaying 1 - 16 of 16

The Facts

posted 4/10/08 @ 3:40 AM EST

Beth,

You write for the Daily Kent Stater but that's it so get off your high horse that you act as though you are riding on because you aren't important.

I'm sure Dr. Lefton would love to meet with every student that has questions but just try to imagine how busy he and his work are and ask yourself, do you really believe it is conceivable for him to meet with every student who has a question?

What puts you above all the others? Except that you write a once a week article in a campus newspaper whom he already meets with a reporter from.
Why not give your questions to the respective reporter to ask and get your answers much sooner?

My point exactly.

I look forward to your next article of pure meaningless complaints.

Thank you.
Post a reply to this comment

The Facts for real

posted 4/10/08 @ 8:34 AM EST

Hey you above me, yeah "The Facts." I remember one of Lefton's first letters said that he was available to all of the students. It's the least he can do since we pay his salary.
When I went to see him for a project, after reading his letter in the Fall of 2006 that said he was available to us, I was turned away by his very rude secretary Linda Hermann. She said "he does not have time for students." I said "but in his letter to us it said he would have time for us." She got upset with me and that was pretty much the end of the conversation.
Lefton does not have time for the students. Beth is right.
You are right that her complaints are meaningless to an administration that doesn't remember if it wasn't for us they'd not have a job.
Post a reply to this comment

John

posted 4/10/08 @ 10:36 AM EST

This is quite typical of university presidents. They just think they can crap all over the school newspaper because it's just the school newspaper. These presidents have a serious problem thinking they're just dictators of their little empires when, in fact, they're just dicks.
Post a reply to this comment

Different Approach

posted 4/10/08 @ 6:02 PM EST

I'm sure all of the 20,000 students that attend KSU have a couple questions that could be answered in 10 mins by Mr. Lefton. But it is a bit outrageous to assume that everyone will actually get this opportunity. I feel like you are handling the situation all wrong. Writing an angry editorial will not get your questions answered. If you really want a chance to talk to Mr. Lefton and are willing to make yourself completely available for 10 mins of his time...then why not just attend one of the campus functions he attends or one of the town hall meetings? He recently attended Kent Interhall Campus and made himself available to the organization to answer any questions students had. Or why don't you e-mail him specifically what you want to talk about so maybe he would be more willing to set up a meeting. If you really wish to communicate with Mr. Lefton I hope you take my suggestions to heart, I think they will work :)
Post a reply to this comment

Caitlin

posted 4/10/08 @ 10:32 PM EST

Beth....i agree with you on this one. you know, i thought lefton was a good guy, until i read your article. what a pansy. so what if he cant meet with you-- he can atleast answer your questions via e-mail. that is his job-- that we pay him way more money than he deserves. i say we fire the douche bag and get a president that cares to hear what we have to say. dont make a promise you cant keep!
Post a reply to this comment

The Facts

posted 4/11/08 @ 4:28 PM EST

Originally posted by

Caitlin

 Beth....i agree with you on this one. you know, i thought lefton was a good guy, until i read your article. what a pansy. so what if he cant meet with you-- he can atleast answer your questions via e-mail. that is his job-- that we pay him way more money than he deserves. i say we fire the douche bag and get a president that cares to hear what we have to say. dont make a promise you cant keep!


Do you have any idea what you are talking about?

This is absolutely absurd. His job is to answer students' questions via e-mail? You are an idiot.

While it would be nice, President Lefton does a great deal of traveling (which of course you wouldn't know) as well as attending many meetings outside of the University grounds, so for him to sit on his computer and answer every question he receives is unpractical and exactly what we DON'T pay him to do.

He isn't here to answer every students' question, he is here to move the University forward to its goal of becoming a more well-known and regarded institution.

There are avenues to get your questions answered; I have seen Dr. Lefton at multiple student events where he has answered every question posed.

The President of any University is not a servant to the students and should not be thought as being required to answer every question that students e-mail him, so come to terms with that fact.
Post a reply to this comment

Preston Mitchum

posted 4/11/08 @ 3:36 AM EST

Are you kidding me? No offense Beth because I don't know you, but it seems like you think you are the most powerful woman or some Queen of Kent State University. How can you say "I don't give up too easily." Okay, well since you don't then quit complaining about it and figure out what you will do. When you figure out some answers, then you should possibly report it back to the students of Kent. This article is just ranting and raving because you are upset that a President of a large university didn't give "you" ten minutes. I wish you would understand that President's are busy as hell. Is it right for him to stand you up? No. Should he have sent you an email? Of course. But, I just don't understand the general purpose of this "rant" and un-pragmatic threats.

And for those of you who said "I thought the President was a good guy until this" is ridiculous. How can you let one person's opinion dictate yours. Who is to say that this will be your experience? I am so glad that I know how to think for yourself. I will be honest. I am not the "biggest" fan of President Lefton. Personally, I think he can be a bit arrogant about things, but I do understand how busy people can be. We are students for Christ Sake, so how do you think it is for administrators. I don't know anymore. It seems like we complain about a lot when we have the ability to change it. So, first come up with an action plan. If that action plan changes, then and only then can someone "complain" about something.
Post a reply to this comment

Drew

posted 4/11/08 @ 1:02 PM EST

I cannot believe all of the comments on this blog against Beth's position. So what if it may be too much to schedule a meeting, then the least he can do is respond back via e-mail.

We are not talking about the president of a major company--we're talking about Kent State University. In fact, if Lefton was in another form of public service, he wouldn't be able to hide as much as he is.

Absolutely ridiculous.
Post a reply to this comment

The Facts

posted 4/11/08 @ 4:31 PM EST

Originally posted by

Drew

 I cannot believe all of the comments on this blog against Beth's position. So what if it may be too much to schedule a meeting, then the least he can do is respond back via e-mail.

We are not talking about the president of a major company--we're talking about Kent State University. In fact, if Lefton was in another form of public service, he wouldn't be able to hide as much as he is.

Absolutely ridiculous.


Drew, you are right, your post is absolutely ridiculous.

Read my reply to Caitlin's post above, as much of it goes to you too.

And while this is Kent State University, it is very comparable to a major mid-cap company given its operations, cash flows, etc.

Do you think the CEO of any public company answers the questions that every worker e-mails him? Of course not.

CEO's aren't paid to do that, and neither is President Lefton.
Post a reply to this comment

Both Sides are Right

posted 4/12/08 @ 2:49 PM EST

Well, whatever the case...Lester Lefton CAN try to say hello to people when he is walking in the student center, that IS what my parents taught me to do. I'll be damned if I stand by him in line and he stares at me like he has never seen a student before. And yes, I understand he is a human being and may not want to be bothered, but the LEAST he can do is say hello. He has NOT spoken to plenty of other people. And considering the raise that these dummies gave to him he should be excited to speak to the students, we are the reason he is HERE. When it is a scheduled event, he can walk up to people and say, "Hi, what is your major?" But when he is in the student center, he is not "scheduled" to say those things. He is a busy man and no I wouldn't expect him to be able to meet with everyone, but we you are out between jobs, you can show some common courtesy and speak. Simple as that. And cut down on the European vacations...
Post a reply to this comment

Jim

posted 4/14/08 @ 3:03 PM EST

I pay taxes, therefore I want a meeting with George W.
Post a reply to this comment

Gerald Adkins

posted 4/14/08 @ 5:52 PM EST

If there is one thing that I have learned in my 21 years on this earth, is that love is stronger than hate. Hate is easier to do, but love conquers all. Why do we hate each other? Because its easy. Nobody wants to work on loving the other. Hate corrupts and consumes. If you can hate a person without knowing them, surely you can love them. But think about it, the ones you hate the most are people you really know. Beth I have only met you once but I had already had prejudice to hate you because It was easy considering my point of view. But I wont hate you. I dont agree with things you said dont get me wrong, but like Nas and Whodini (they're rappers look them up) said its only one love. So heres to you for no apparent reason....much LOVE.
Post a reply to this comment

Lefton doesn't care...

posted 4/19/08 @ 11:05 PM EST

Lefton strikes again...He almost hits a man with his car (someone who had a parking space made for him with cones)...and precedes to walk into a building like that man wasn't there. IS he a nice person?
Post a reply to this comment

Steve

posted 4/20/08 @ 1:21 AM EST

Beth, when you are older you will realize the cyclical nature of a college campus, and in a few years when you're gone there will be another student to ask the same pointless questions you will ask the President. He will sit there and humor you and you will waste 10 minutes of his day and fulfill your sense of entitlement.
Post a reply to this comment

April Samuelson

posted 4/20/08 @ 11:23 PM EST

I think the argument that CEOs of large companies don't talk to their employees isn't valid. I intern at a fortune 500. Once a quarter, the CEO and another member of the board has a townhall question and answer forum with employees at the corporate headquarters.

Kent State had this idea going. It was called coffee with the president. The problem was is someone made student senate in charge of it, and it was never very well publicized. Let's give this idea to University Communications and Marketing, get it listed on Kent's homepage, send out a flashline message, and put him in the auditorium. I think students would go. Maybe we can even get some professors to make it an official excused absence.

The impression I get of Lefton is that he is fundamentally afraid of students. I was at an event this winter for students. He stood awkwardly in a corner. He was really happy when some administrators started talking to him. The contrast was that Pete Goldsmith was working the room, talking to just about every student there.

Lefton is also still is relatively new to our university and he still hasn't quite gotten the hang of it. At the last coffee with the president, he openly admitted to not knowing what allerton is. Maybe he's just afraid he'll give the wrong answer.
Post a reply to this comment

call me Ishmael

posted 4/21/08 @ 4:25 PM EST

Originally posted by

April Samuelson

 I think the argument that CEOs of large companies don't talk to their employees isn't valid. I intern at a fortune 500. Once a quarter, the CEO and another member of the board has a townhall question and answer forum with employees at the corporate headquarters.

Kent State had this idea going. It was called coffee with the president. The problem was is someone made student senate in charge of it, and it was never very well publicized. Let's give this idea to University Communications and Marketing, get it listed on Kent's homepage, send out a flashline message, and put him in the auditorium. I think students would go. Maybe we can even get some professors to make it an official excused absence.

The impression I get of Lefton is that he is fundamentally afraid of students. I was at an event this winter for students. He stood awkwardly in a corner. He was really happy when some administrators started talking to him. The contrast was that Pete Goldsmith was working the room, talking to just about every student there.

Lefton is also still is relatively new to our university and he still hasn't quite gotten the hang of it. At the last coffee with the president, he openly admitted to not knowing what allerton is. Maybe he's just afraid he'll give the wrong answer.


Lefton has been here well over a year, well over. Any other employee at KSU who doesn't feel comfortable with his/her job after that much time would be booted out for afeasance/misfeasance and/or malfeasance. I guess Lefton's policy is at least more honest than Cartwright's since he never said he had an "open door" policy. Carol opened her door, came out, took whatever you had for her (like a petition), said nothing, returned to her door, walked back into her office and closed the door. Yo, Lester...you want to work this university per a business paradigm...you best treat your "customers" well, or at least recognize their existence...particularly student-run media. Orrrrrr...go back to the REAL paradigm, i.e. EDUCATION, not business, PUBLIC SERVICE, not business. Get it? Good.
Post a reply to this comment
  • Displaying 1 - 16 of 16

Post Your Comment

  • NOTE: Email address will not be published

Type your comment below (html not allowed)

  I understand posting spam or other comments that are unrelated to this article will cause my comment to be flagged for deletion and possibly cause my IP address to be permanently banned from this server.

Advertisement

Poll

What do you think of the service at DeWeese Health Center?
Submit Vote

View Results





Advertisement