Changes • One
of F. King Alexander’s projects
during his presidency at Murray State
was improving common spaces like
the dinning area, shown above. On
the top,
members of the Lambda Chi fraternity
gather for an emergency meeting at
their Fraternity house to discuss
the hit-and-run death of an international
student who was killed. A member
of
their fraternity was charged. Tracey
Roman / Online Forty-Niner
WTC • President F. King Alexander, left, former Governor
of Kentucky Martha Layne Collins, left, along with other faculty members, unveil
the sign that will hang at the first college campus World Trade Center Brach.
Tracey Roman / Online Forty-Niner
Alexander’s energy reflected in MSU upgrades
By Joseph Serna
Online Forty-Niner
Staff Writer
MURRAY, Ky.—With President Robert C. Maxson’s retirement
at the end of the semester rapidly approaching, eyes are settling on
his successor, F. King
Alexander from Murray State University, and what changes he might bring to
Cal State Long Beach.
“
I just need to get my feet planted on campus and take my own, real personal
analysis,” Alexander said.
He is hesitant to say what, if any, future plans he has for CSULB until he can
spend more time on campus and have an understanding of the issues surrounding
the school, which is vastly different in size and atmosphere from MSU.
So far Alexander has only committed to saying he plans to continue steering CSULB
in the positive direction Maxson has taken it. He carried this same attitude
at MSU when he took over for his father, Kern Alexander, four years ago.
In his predecessor’s tenure, MSU developed most of its highly praised
programs and organizations to raise retention rates, which to date have increased
every
year for the last 11 years.
However, while the direction of the school was determined before he stepped foot
on campus, faculty and students alike credit Alexander as the catalyst for the
rapid improvement of university life and morale.
“
He made the university grow unbelievably,” said Craig Bagby, a business
student who has been at MSU since Alexander’s father was president.
Alexander
became president of MSU at age 39, and in four
years built upon his father’s programs
and also left some of his own footprints. Some
changes were more popular than others.
“
He’s not the greatest guy for Greek life,” said Shaun Barshert,
an occupational safety and health student and member of the Pi Kappa Alpha
(PKA) fraternity. “It’s about studying hard, and partying hard.”
To party hard, at least at a fraternity party, students are required to be on
an invitee list—a requirement Alexander initiated almost two years ago.
At MSU, Greek parties are required to be registered with the school, and they
must also turn in an invitation list.
Only other members of the Greek system who are on the list can attend. Underage
students are given an armband at
the door so they will not be able to receive alcohol.
“The
reason why [parties must be registered] is
people were just drifting in,” Alexander
said. “Quite frankly, open parties are
not a good idea.”
One fraternity, Lambda Chi, is currently under investigation for possible university
violations after an incident in the middle of the night Nov. 10.
Harrison Yonts, 20, a member of Lambda Chi and the son of Democratic Rep. Brent
Yonts of Kentucky, was charged with second-degree manslaughter in connection
with the death of Nadia Shaheen, 62, an international student from Egypt.
Her body was found lying in a ditch close to her home after an apparent hit-and-run,
police said.
Alexander has not yet determined what, if any action will be taken against the
fraternity, but he said they may lose their charter.
Outside of this incident, students say Alexander is wholly supportive of Greek
life, especially in community and university efforts.
“
He supports the campus aspect [of fraternities],” said Bagby, also
a member of PKA.
The more constructive role, and ultimately important role for Greek life, is
to make students a part of something smaller and more intimate so they don’t
get lost in the shuffle and feel like a number, Alexander said.
MSU’s ability to keep students from feeling like a number is one of its
best features, and the addition of student-oriented programs and facilities contributes
to that, according to a study on the school by the American Association of State
Colleges and Universities.
“
While not directly affecting graduation rates, the quality of the academic
buildings and other ancillary structures is a major contributing factor
to the quality of the academic experience, and thus, to an environment
for student success,” the report stated.
Among the buildings built under Alexander, is a $1 million science building,
with two more on the way, a 73,000-square-foot recreational and wellness center
and a branch of the world trade center on campus.
The branch, which opened in early November, is the first in the country to be
on a university campus.
Its founding, along with the renovation of the dining center from cafeteria-style
rows of benches to smaller, personal round tables is due in part to Alexander’s
ability to raise funds and seize opportunities, he said.
“
I spend a lot of time with campus budgets,” he said. “Thirty
percent of my job is lobbying.”
Unlike CSULB which is part of a 23 campus system, MSU’s budgeting and spending
is virtually autonomous, Alexander said. This has given Alexander many chances
to receive grants and loans from the state, which generally carry conditions
of where and how the money must be spent.
Unlike CSULB, Alexander said, MSU does not have many opportunities to redistribute
general funding from one campus program to another.
While
MSU has been able to obtain funding for specific
causes, $4.8 million worth of budget cuts over
the last three years resulted in several changes,
some of which are not popular.
“
Honestly, they don’t give a shit about the smaller programs,” said
Chris Champion, a history education student.
Champion was a shot putter for the track team before the program’s funding
was cut, and he lost his scholarship.
Alexander knew some students would lose their scholarships when he cut the track
team, he said, but if they chose to compete for a different school he would understand,
and if they chose to remain at MSU, he would have made every effort to make sure
they could afford it and keep them there.
Champion
was able to stay at MSU because of an academic
scholarship, he said.
Possibly the biggest change to the athletic department under Alexander was the
removal of the Athletic Director, E. W. Dennison.
“
We’re just cleaning up our athletic program,” Alexander
said.
Dennison’s change from director to another department followed 15 arrests
in two years by student athletes, and the forfeiting of six games by the 2002
women’s volleyball team after one player was found to be ineligible, according
to
several faculty members.
Dennison is now suing Alexander and MSU.
While Alexander may have caused friction with some faculty and alumni with Dennison’s
removal, he contends he has been improving relations between administration and
faculty since the beginning of his presidency.
While Alexander’s father had helped initiate some of the positive changes
to the campus, in his final years ideological differences with faculty raised
issues.
When Kern Alexander made teacher evaluations available for viewing to students
and withheld pay raises for some faculty, some at MSU said he did so without
clearly communicating the reasons behind his decisions—something King Alexander
is more than willing to share, faculty said.
“
Maxson was a great president,” Alexander said. “But there
are things we can work on.”
“
[Alexander’s] been very good to work with, and work for,” said
Gary Brockway, provost and vice president of academic affairs. “He
listens.”
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