Radford University alumnus and billionaire R.J. Kirk is leaving his post on the RU Board of Visitors (BOV). He has been appointed to the Board of the University of Virginia by his buddy, Gov. Tim Kaine.
This is yet another example of how money buys power and influence. Kirk leaves chaos, poor leadership, and a budget crisis behind at RU—at some of that being, in part, his responsibility—to take a plum post at “Mr. Jefferson’s university,” as he called the University of Virginia in a Roanoke Times article.
How is it that so many rich, white guys move on to greener pastures after leaving destruction in their wake?
Of course, Kirk seemingly doesn’t feel that RU has devolved into a train wreck in his tenure on the BOV, which has been since 2003. He said to The Roanoke Times, “Most of the constructive input that I was able to supply to Radford I’ve already contributed.” Um, what was that constructive input?
Is it that somehow RU can take students with “sort of mediocre high school results” and make something out of a few of them? Hmmm. Well, RU is not Mr. Jefferson’s university, I suppose.
Faculty members today are celebrating Kirk’s departure like the Munchkins embraced Dorothy’s crash landing on the Wicked Witch of the East.
Former BOV member Bob Blake has spoken in detail with the New River Voice about Kirk’s tight control of the BOV, which would seem to put the university on shaky ground with its accrediting agency, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). And Kirk didn’t win many fans at the last round of BOV meetings when he showed up wearing camouflage. Is that really the respect he had for his BOV position?
Kirk had been the ring leader in the effort to bring lottery czar Penny Kyle to RU as president, despite her vast inexperience in education, and was a prime cog in the effort to get new contracts for Kyle, including the most recent that includes a $1 million bonus from RU Foundation money if she sticks around for a few more years. This in the face of drastic budget cuts upcoming for RU and wage freezes for the rest of the faculty and staff.
Well, not all of the faculty and staff. Kirk gave the OK to hire Wil Stanton as provost a couple years ago and made sure Stanton got a hefty raise just as it became clear that the RU budget was going to have to be drastically cut in these tough economic times.
And perhaps it should be mentioned that Kyle and Stanton are at the center of an investigation by an ad hoc committee of the Faculty Senate to explore “numerous, serious, and credible allegations . . . that certain decisions and actions of members of the Radford University administration are in contravention of the RU Internal Governance Document and the Core Values expressed in the 7-17 plan.”
But guys like Kirk live their own reality, one that is quite distant from the rest of us. Despite all the problems that have arisen at RU during Kirk’s tenure on the BOV, in his world RU is a better place because he waved his magic wand around campus and made it so.
Of the oft-criticized BOV that has allowed the RU administration to do whatever it wants with impunity, Kirk told The Roanoke Times, “It’s a testament to the quality of that board that they were able to ignore, to a great extent, just ignore, the bad reporting that they had to endure and focus on their real mission, which was to make that university a better university.”
Right, that’s it. RU’s admission numbers aren’t down for the fall. No one is upset with the raises given to Kyle and Stanton. Faculty loved the expedited program review that they went through in the spring. Everyone at RU is enjoying slashing their budgets. The folks in the Anthropology Department were happy to have their department cut. Yeah, it’s all been bad reporting, or at worst case some rabble-rousing from “a minority of disaffected faculty,” as Kirk said.
Yep, R.J., you did a great job. Just keep believing that all the way to Charlottesville, where as one RU faculty member said this morning, “Let UVA deal with him now!”
Tim W. Jackson is Editor of the New River Voice.
48 responses so far ↓
1 The Man Who Snarls // Jul 16, 2009 at 8:25 am
This is good bad news.
It’s good news because, as I’ve mentioned in the past, I’ve had it out for that rich arse since he spoke utter nonsense at the 2007 graduation ceremony.
I’m really forming a distaste for rich white guys. (Have I ever mentioned the aging, alcoholic British moron who tried for the better part of an hour on Thanksgiving trying to rope me into an argument on why homosexuals shouldn’t be allowed in the military?)
This is bad news because we’re once again reminded that virtue and compassion aren’t rewarded in this world, but rather avarice and being a white man with a $100 tie. RU is damned and Mr. Kirk is probably going to celebrate by buying a new mistress or an Escalade–or, better yet, an Escalade with a mistress who doubles as a chauffer.
I really don’t like rich white men… If I ever become one, put me down.
2 Proud Alumni // Jul 16, 2009 at 9:02 am
But Kirk ISN’T completely gone…he’s STILL a member of the RU Foundation Board: “Kirk remains a member of the Radford University Foundation board of directors and he said he expects to remain actively involved with the university.”
3 Christi // Jul 16, 2009 at 9:29 am
“Faculty members today are celebrating Kirk’s departure like the Munchkins embraced Dorothy’s crash landing on the Wicked Witch of the East.”
KUDOS to the writer for not only speaking the truth, but speaking it in a way that made me CHORTLE out loud!
Good riddance of bad rubbish, at least on the BOV side.
4 Nose // Jul 16, 2009 at 9:39 am
Good riddance indeed.
@snarls: Umm…read some history. You owe your whole world to rich white men.
5 Callme Ishmael // Jul 16, 2009 at 10:03 am
Since Kirk himself pushed for Penelope Kyle to become RU’s president I am now wondering…with UVa’s presidential opening…hm-m-m-m-m-m…
6 RuTheDay // Jul 16, 2009 at 10:28 am
So, here’s the plot: A guy with a billion dollars gets appointed to lead a university board, and he totally revolutionizes the place, turns it inside out, makes it a new kind of university. The catch? He’s a miser and doesnt spend any money, so everything he does turns out to be a bust. Kind of a comic - tragic thing. But really more on the tragic side, sort of like Dickens but without the happy endings.
Well, Goodbye Mr. Scrooge. You and your president really set a terrific example. Too bad you couldnt save tiny Tim, or the anthropology department, or chemistry, or physics, or geography …. or the university itself, for that matter.
7 Screw it, I give up // Jul 16, 2009 at 12:48 pm
Good article. I’m glad he’s gone. The rats are abandoning the sinking ship.
8 The Man Who Snarls // Jul 16, 2009 at 1:47 pm
@ Nose: Nah. History is overrated, what with it being written primarily by rich white men and all.
9 NRJMike // Jul 16, 2009 at 7:32 pm
You people are so funny. I don’t think RJ was a billionaire when he was appointed 8 years ago. In any case you just whine and whine instead of doing anything. Typical. If I didn’t look at the calendar every day, I would swear we were back in the sixties. Peace, love, dope. Sheesh.
10 Roudy Red // Jul 16, 2009 at 10:07 pm
I can pretty well assure the tax payer that if UVA was doing the culling and selecting, Mr Kirk wouldn’t get so much as a sniff or a tut. The man said all RU students should haved to take Aristotilian Logic. Besides making out with his girl friend on Tyler Avenue across from the campus, this billionaire has given RU some decimal dust for Chinese studies.
Good riddance! Can you imagine this intellectual lightweight on the UVA Board? Imagine him spouting forth his idiocy in C’ville. I would love to watch dismay and repugnance register on the faces of his fellow Board members at UVA.
As for RJK’s continuation on the RU Foundation Board, somebody has to make certain Penny gets her money.
Roudyred
11 RadfordGrad // Jul 17, 2009 at 6:30 am
I have written a letter to the governor protesting this appointment. I encourage everyone to do this. No, it won’t do any good but at least it shows that the citizens are alive, well and watching the antics.
12 Plaid Warrior // Jul 17, 2009 at 8:33 am
NRJ Mike…It’s not whining. When we as collective alumni and employees are all miserable when 10 years ago we were broke, but happy in our jobs, there has to be a reason. But that’s ok if you think it’s ok for someone to get a $200K raise when the university has have to slash MILLIONS from the budget and the people that make it go don’t get any raise at all. And as for doing something, it’s very difficult to do something when you know you’ll be fired. Call the Lottery and ask why they cheered when she left there.
RadfordGrad–don’t protest about the appointment, otherwise we’ll get him back. Let him go to UVa where they will eat him alive.
13 Just another concerned student // Jul 17, 2009 at 10:50 am
Hey, it’s a discussion about RU on New River Voice! It’s time for NRJ Mike to whine about other people whining! This is the only place people pay attention to you, isn’t it? Secretly, you’re very jealous people don’t pay attention to your own blog, so you come out from under your bridge whenever you see the magic words “Radford University,” don’t you?
Don’t bother, Plaid Warrior. He thinks he’s clever.
14 Joey // Jul 17, 2009 at 1:11 pm
I think we start a new approach beginning today. Penny Kyle is the best president we ever had, actually overqualified and not yet tested in her reign as president of RU. Being President of UVA would be a perfect fit for her, it being her alma mater and she being a distinguished alumnus. Her ability to build concensus, create a sense of family and mentor individuals to blossom in their careers is unmatched. And she would be closer to home!
15 RuPast // Jul 17, 2009 at 1:32 pm
UVA can have the “illustrious” RJ and Penny Kyle. I’m not sure what else they can accomplish at RU–I think their time really has come to an end. Let’s recap what they’ve done so far…they’ve managed to alienate the campus community, lose enrollment to the tune of 400 students, see a significant drop in fundraising (of course, I’m sure that’s not their fault at all–it’s probably due to the VP for advancement, otherwise known as Brad Greenberg’s girlfriend, who has supposedly been placed on probation), and illicit the inquiry, “What the hell is going on over there” anytime RU is mentioned…really, what else IS there left to do? Let’s see how they fare at UVA.
16 Speak Up and Fight Back // Jul 17, 2009 at 2:26 pm
After months of watching and listening to friends about R.U. Pres. Kyles personal affront by waging war on the university, it’s student and staff, and the surrounding region I have come to believe that the only way to be heard is to shout to every media source that is beyond the local left. Take it to the Fox news…. they’re interested….
and when you’re done shouting and demonstrating and writing to the media take it to the Governor’s office.
http://www.governor.virginia.gov/AboutTheGovernor/contactGovernor.cfm
Send it out of state…. don’t leave it local or regional….
Let them know what this crazy B%$@h is doing…. Take an example from those of us who are old hippies from 60’s…..
It’s time to kick some butt!
17 Bill from Roanoke // Jul 20, 2009 at 1:57 pm
Roudy Red…I think there’s something wrong with R.J. Kirk being on the foundation when he also has an employee on the foundation…Matt Crisp. This has been noted to the Governor’s office.
18 Bubbles // Jul 21, 2009 at 12:56 am
I was so excited to see this article! Thank goodness RJ Kirk is leaving. However Penny is still at RU…
One thing I have questions about: how much will that investigation of PK and Wil Stanton really do? Is there anything to report on regarding the investigation?
19 Plaid Warrior // Jul 21, 2009 at 2:34 pm
Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
How many good people have been fired or run out of town because Penny knows better than they do?
20 R Campbell // Jul 21, 2009 at 9:09 pm
Turns out fundraising is up for this year at RU. Given what’s been posted on this website, are you sure enrollment is down? Other facts are suspect.
21 Plaid Warrior // Jul 22, 2009 at 7:55 am
where are you seeing fundraising is up? The enrollment is according to the RT story on incoming freshman at VT and RU
22 ?Everything // Jul 23, 2009 at 7:13 am
I would also like to see the data to support an increase in fundraising. It is correct that new freshman and transfer enrollment is down this fall. The latest numbers are closer to 460 less. We are also hearing that there has been a new athletic director hired for women’s basketball and someone hired in alumni affairs that will report directly to Pres. Kyle. Doesn’t seem right that they are hiring top level positions, yet threatening to cut positions on lower levels.
23 R Campbell // Jul 23, 2009 at 7:29 am
The Foundation has the fundraising numbers.
24 RU Insane // Jul 23, 2009 at 7:48 pm
The question that needs serious investigation is whether or not their was any impropriety for RJ Kirk to simultaneously be the Rector of the BOV, and on the Foundation Board, while the Foundation invested most of its funds into New River Pharmaceuticals (Kirk’s company).
The timing of the Foundation’s investment seems to have been just prior to the Feb 20 2007 purchase of NRP by Shire for $64/share. The purchase made Kirk a billionaire and netted the Foundation nicely as well. Soon thereafter the Kyle $1M Stay bonus was proposed. Pry open the RU Foundation’s books folks!
25 Plaid Warrior // Jul 24, 2009 at 9:45 am
R Campbell…saying the foundation has the numbers is the equivalent to saying The White House had the evidence of the WMDs.
So I ask again, where have YOU seen the increased fundraising numbers?
26 Plaid Warrior // Jul 24, 2009 at 10:13 am
?Everything, just to clarify, when you talk about a “new athletic director for women’s basketball,” if you are referring to the Director of Basketball Operations that was just hired, this is NOT an athletic director type position. This is a common low-level position on a basketball coaching staff. DOBOs, as they are usually called, are young coaching hopefuls that do grunt work such as hotel scheduling and meal arrangements for the teams.
27 ?Everything // Jul 24, 2009 at 11:23 am
Thanks for the info Plaid Warrior. It’ still does not make sense that they are hiring people with one hand and threatening positions with the other….this is one crazy place! I agree that asking the foundation for numbers is a joke!
28 RU Insane // Jul 24, 2009 at 7:31 pm
And while all RU departments are required to submit 5-15% budget cutbacks, the RU Administration has added another high paying position to their ranks, a new Associate Vice President for Information Technology : https://jobs.radford.edu/applicants/jsp/shared/frameset/Frameset.jsp?time=1248481643191
29 Real Friend of RU // Jul 25, 2009 at 7:48 am
So, the RU Foundation invested its funds in Kirk’s NRP just before it sold. Didn’t Martha Stewart go to jail for something like that?
30 R Campbell // Jul 25, 2009 at 9:24 pm
Call the foundation Plaid Warrior. They are audited by an independent firm. So you can ask the auditing firm about anything you think questionable.
31 Informed Professor // Jul 27, 2009 at 12:58 pm
What has the New River Voice, or any of these other “pretend” friends done to help RU? If all these allegations were true and factual, and the university is in such dire straits, why wouldn’t these allegations be supported by real names of real people with real data who are knowledgeable about the university, instead of those who seem to be only interested in using rumor to diminish fthe work of students, faculty, and staff. Perhaps Tim Jackson would share what his and his wife’s connection is to Radford University.
32 NRV Admin // Jul 27, 2009 at 1:24 pm
The New River Voice welcomes commentary on all of its articles, editorials, and columns, and as a staff we prefer to let the community provide comments without interference or additional opinions from us. We try to allow you, the reader and member of the community, to have your own voice.
But because Tim Jackson was addressed specifically by Informed Professor, Tim will add that 1. he is not married, and 2. he currently has no official affiliation to Radford University.
Tim worked in Student Activities at RU from 2004-2007 where he worked with Student Media, and after that worked for a while as an adjunct instructor in Media Studies.
Having had a past affiliation with RU, Tim is well aware of the great work going on daily by the students, faculty, and staff at RU and he is happy to commend those people for their extraordinary efforts, even in challenging times.
33 ?Everything // Jul 27, 2009 at 2:42 pm
Informed Professor: I don’t think anyone is diminishing to work of anyone at RU! They are trying their best to expose what is happening to RU under the current administration. They are leaving comments here and also on Roanoke Times. They are writing letters to the governor and state education department. They are writing letters to representatives. As far as people leaving real names, we have seen that people who speak out against the RU administration soon find themselves out of jobs, so a lot of people are afraid to publicly speak out.
34 Tim C. // Jul 27, 2009 at 10:19 pm
You are right ?Everything, we fear for our jobs. The woman even fires those she hires, imagine what she would do to me and others if we provided our names. There is a definite patter of settling scores. You don’t cross this woman. If you do, you pay dearly. Same thing happened at the Lottery when she took over. Massisve turnover, same type of culture. This is from excellent sources that worked for her there. The woman is evil in many’s eyes and it is unfortunate for RU.
35 RU IT // Jul 28, 2009 at 8:34 am
It looks like the new RU IT Vice president position is already decided and the job search is a sham. We all know who positioned himself for this job . Adding another $20,000 to an existing 86K salary is another decision by the President that continues to throw fuel on the academic department . With her new IT VP and the two new PR people at about 200K total we will be lucky to keep anyone to support faculty.
36 Are you surprised? // Jul 28, 2009 at 8:35 am
Are you really surprised at this? He was responsible for more IT workers leaving RU than anyone
37 ?Everything // Jul 28, 2009 at 11:46 am
It seems that most of the job searches are just dog and pony shows.
38 Plaid Warrior // Jul 28, 2009 at 2:56 pm
Informed Professor, most of us on here have some very endearing connections to RU. I’d be willing to bet that everyone critical on here knows someone who has been fired/run off, not because they were bad but because of her actions. Here’s an example: She’s been here for four years now. In that time she’s been through THREE PR people. Two Provosts. FOUR VPs of Advancement. THREE Business and Finance VPs. Let’s say that all of those positions head deadbeats when she came in. Fine. I can buy that. But to cycle through those positions two and three more times in four years is amazing. Even more so when you consider she didn’t change much in her first year.
39 RU CHECK // Jul 29, 2009 at 6:14 am
President’s office AND Advancement should be audited. I understand that there are drinking parties that include the president, vp of development, select board members, and a Mrs. Morris, the wife of the secretary of education. Morris is an advancement staff employee and is a personal childhood friend of the president! Isn’t this a conflict of interest? Worse, do donations pay for these socials? Definitely unethical! Let’s see the stat’s on fundraising, am interested to see if Morris is bringing in any money for her friend Kyle. CALL THE HOTLINE NOW.
40 ?Everything // Jul 29, 2009 at 6:59 pm
RU just hired a new Chief Communications Officer. According to the RU release: “Jeffery Douglas and is currently director of the office of public relations and communications at the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech, will assume the post on Aug. 17.” Hmmm….sure is funny that, once again, they are hiring high level positions in a time when everyone else is being told that we may have to cut the budget again, and possibly eliminate positions.
BTW….I hear that the president has been trashed at several of these drinking parties. Not a very positive image to be presenting…
41 RU CHECK // Jul 30, 2009 at 8:14 am
Call the reporters back in. I’m surprised Trejbal isn’t on this. With ties to the governor’s office, secretary of education, president, vp of development, athletics, board members–this could make national news. Is the new guy connected? Probably so, someone said that he used to work at RU. Was he fired?
As I’m sure you’ve all noted, these people aren’t even discreet, BRad hoops broadcasts all his affairs/parties even when the administration is trying to can the “party school” concept.
42 Concerned Highlander // Aug 4, 2009 at 2:48 pm
As long as we are talking about inequities, inconsistencies and unfairness in the hollowed halls of Martin, let’s also about the $6000 raise that was recently given to the Provost’s secretary. We might also want to ask why so many extra people have been added to his staff to make up for his secretary’s inabilites (not to mention that she will not return phone calls or emails). Another question would be about the long line of Executive Secretaries to the President. At least two of these secretaries are now reassigned to other areas of campus but they have maintained their “executive salaries”. All agency salaries can be found at the website http://collegiatetimes.com to verify this information.
Many classified staff members will love hearing about this $6000 raise when our fair and impartial provost refuses to allow others answering indirectly to him to even receive a compliment that has no money connected.
Yes, there are many investigations needed (Foundation questions, human resources activities, consultant fees, legal representations, etc.) but what about just making Radford University a pleasant and fair place to work again. Is that too much to ask?
43 Bill from Roanoke // Aug 8, 2009 at 9:51 am
RU Check…Do I understand you correctly…Mrs. Morris works at Radford University in Advancement? I received a letter of reply last week from her husband via the Governor’s office. Letter stated the regulation on how the Board of Visitors is established and their powers. Instead of the Governor or Mr. Morris addressing the issues of the university…the letter suggested that the public can attend most meetings of the board! This is your fine government at work to protect the interest of donors!
44 RadfordGrad // Aug 8, 2009 at 3:46 pm
After contacting the governor to tell him protest that he was going to be the commencement speaker at the end of this past school year, I received a letter from Secretary Morris, not the governor. When I spoke with someone from the governor’s office saying that had I wanted to speak with the secretary, I would have written to him, I was told that the secretary answers all questions regarding education. I told the person who returned my phone call that the secretary’s wife is a paid consultant to RU and that I doubted he could be impartial, the caller said, “hmm, I hadn’t heard that.” The speaker would not give me his last name. I have yet to hear from the governor about my protest of RJ Kirk being appointed to UVA. I doubt I will. Wouldn’t the governor love to know that Kyle was very upset when he won the governors race! Got that from someone who knows her.
45 Bill from Roanoke // Aug 13, 2009 at 12:04 pm
Thanks…Radford Grad for the additional input. Ms. Morris being a RU consultant will certainly be mentioned in my appeal letter to Federal Authorities. There are several pieces to this puzzle which account Kyle receiving such an enormous raise!
46 fred douglas // Aug 16, 2009 at 4:53 pm
Gal is now paid, counting her retention bonus, more than the president of the University of WEst Virginia with 27,000 students, more than the president of the University of Maryland, more than the head of University of NOrth Carolina at Chapel Hill and much, much more than the presidents of Appalachian State, Marshall, VCU (who turned her down), William and Mary and George Mason.
But she is a good buddy of Governor Kaine and his benefactor Kirkie.
This is so stupid it defies logic and most of what Kaine has done does that. He shuts down rest stops on the Interstate highways in Virginia and it saves less than one tenth of one percent of the state highway budget. Kaine with his left eyebrow kirked up is teaching us Virginians a lesson..give him taxing power or he will not let us p… on the way to Bristol.
Kaine is the worst governor in modern Virginia history and is getting worse. He mispredicted the state revenues in 2008 when the budget was passed so he could claim to have money for his favorite new social programs. He knew then that he was wrong. But now that we all know that he fudged the budget what is he doing…cutting education and not touching any of the goooood new programs so dear to his heart.
Virginia under Kaine is beginning to look and act like New Jersey.
God help Virginia now that he is Obama’s walking boy.
47 Voiceover: RU Firings Invigorate Campus // Sep 15, 2009 at 9:46 am
[…] my concern about RU’s Board of Visitors—in fact, more than once. I’ve expressed my thoughts about R.J. Kirk leaving the BOV. But at the New River Voice, we strongly believe that we are your voice. And in listening to your […]
48 1active Student // Sep 21, 2009 at 9:26 pm
I love you Tim, words out of my mouth
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