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Some context on #StevenLeath as he and Auburn move on from what has been a difficult two-year tenure, and I prepare for what will be my fifth president after 13 years on Auburn's faculty.
1) His tenure got off to a bad start because the trustees cloaked the search in secrecy. It was only after he was confirmed as AU's president that stories emerged of airplane accidents and land purchases. These were not openly discussed before, so he started with PR negatives.
2) Yes, the Research I designation is awesome and beneficial, but it is short-sighted to neglect Dr. Jay Gogue's role in getting Auburn there. Leath deserves credit for finishing the journey, but it did not all happen during his tenure.
3) Likewise, the president's mansion renovation, which Gogue supported, was approved before Leath got there. Leath was president when the renovation was carried out, the phase that had the potential for creating difficulties that did not exist in the planning stage.
4) Leath was definitely more of a sports fan than Gogue, and most college presidents in general. I personally found his approach to sports unbalanced, especially at a time when reform is needed, and it certainly added to his problems.
5) The 500-new-faculty pledge could have been framed as a commitment to re-energizing and enhancing Auburn's excellent faculty (it included replacements for retirees and resignations), but because he did not state it clearly enough, many mocked it as overselling.
6) History will decide if Auburn was better after Leath's two-year tenure. Others use their own adjectives to describe it. Overall, for now, I will term it disappointing. We charge the trustees with finding a president whose tenure will bring stability and growth. #WarEagle
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