Thread by @JimRosicaFL

Good morning from @floridastate and Ruby Diamond auditorium where @TDOnline is watching the first days of interviews of candidates to be the next president. Follow me for highlights throughout the day.

@floridastate @TDOnline We start with public comment from physics professor Todd Adams, who urges search panel to consider "diversity," not just academic and non academic.
Will Hanley brings up qualifications and procedure re: @richardcorcoran, who he says does not understand "tone" needed to lead FSU

@floridastate @TDOnline @richardcorcoran Hanley says Corcoran does not have appropriate experience and qualifications to be president, says he "simply does not understand" what's needed to run the university. Board must "protect" the school from unqualified candidates.

@floridastate @TDOnline @richardcorcoran Nancy Rogers, FSU faculty senator, says the senate wants a president w "strong academic background," is concerned about candidate - not mentioning Corcoran by name - who sits on the same board - the BOG - that will hire the president.

@floridastate @TDOnline @richardcorcoran "Universities must not be politicized," she concludes.

Matthew Lata (sp?), United Faculty of Florida, says they are not endorsing anyone but is concerned about Corcoran & whether he is qualified to lead.

@floridastate @TDOnline @richardcorcoran Robert Hollyday, TCC history professor, tells panel Thrasher have "caved to the most radical elements on campus," brings up recent building namings controversy (stadium, law school), anti-racism initiative.

@floridastate @TDOnline @richardcorcoran Hollyday says Thrasher's successor should disband inclusivity committees, etc., saying FSU was the "product of many minds and many hands, some good and some bad."

@floridastate @TDOnline @richardcorcoran Ralph Wilson brings up another angle, Corcoran's connection to the Koch network, which he says should disqualify Corcoran from the presidency. It's a "conservative political network affiliated with billionaire Charles Koch" (source: CNN)

@floridastate @TDOnline @richardcorcoran Attorney Hoyt L. Prindle III calls in from Tampa, saying the panel shouldn't bend over backwards trying to find a FSU grad to run the school, saying Bernie Sliger wasn't a Nole "until he became one."
He also warns against hiring Corcoran, saying no other university would hire him

@floridastate @TDOnline @richardcorcoran Rather, the clear choice is Sean Pittman, he says.
Stephen Smith, 2002 alum and attorney, by phone, (connection not so good) also recommends Pittman, will be a good CEO, has "strategic vision," has led Orange Bowl Committee. Can relate to people from all walks of life

@floridastate @TDOnline @richardcorcoran Destiney Campbell (sp?), by phone, says Pittman has the track record to run the university, believes his candidacy "should be strongly considered."

@floridastate @TDOnline @richardcorcoran A rising senior (I'll get the name later) at FSU takes to the mic to support Pittman, says he will get the university admitted to the prestigious Association of American Universities. Says Pittman is a proud double alumnus.

@floridastate @TDOnline @richardcorcoran Sorry, was talking to someone and missed name, but another current student is rising in support for Sean Pittman, he's "part of the community...knows what it is to be a student here, to work w the administration here."
"He's the only option," she concludes.

@floridastate @TDOnline @richardcorcoran Sarah Jenkins, another student, who says she wants to be White House press secretary some day, opposes Corcoran by name, supports Pittman, says he will "support students."

@floridastate @TDOnline @richardcorcoran Brandon Ackerman brings up the last time FSU went through a presidential search, says many had same concerns with Thrasher, but reminds panel of Thrasher's leadership after Strozier shooting as example. He instilled pride in school, he says

@floridastate @TDOnline @richardcorcoran Alex Chang, presidential scholar, says Pittman has longtime promoted the university, served on committees, "he demonstrates what it means to be an ideal presidential candidate...sees value of our community...understand values of university"

@floridastate @TDOnline @richardcorcoran The university has now provided this helpful list of people who signed up to give comment! My apologies to those whose names I have already mangled!
Will also add here, for economy of time, three more students have voiced support for Pittman.

@floridastate @TDOnline @richardcorcoran Now appears that many of these students are part of the #Pittman4President movement I previously tweeted about here:

https://twitter.com/JimRosicaFL/status/1392948627358814208?s=20

@floridastate @TDOnline @richardcorcoran Some are just boosting Pittman, while others are also giving a thumbs down to Corcoran by name. One says the bottom line is: "Sometimes doing the right thing isn't easy."

@floridastate @TDOnline @richardcorcoran Search committee chair Bob Sasser is now getting concerned that the speakers are getting repetitive and that the panel is getting behind schedule.
Pittman, by the way, is the first candidate set to be interviewed, at 10:30 am ET, which is less than 1/2 hour from now.

@floridastate @TDOnline @richardcorcoran Program note: You can also follow along here, and read all the previous coverage of the FSU presidential search.
tallahassee.com/story/news/202…

@floridastate @TDOnline @richardcorcoran Search committee has decided to end public comment by phone because too many people waiting to speak weren't muting their phones and background noise and chatter was making it hard to hear people. (May have overheard one person ordering coffee.)

@floridastate @TDOnline @richardcorcoran The last few speakers have been solidly in support of Pittman. See my previous tweet for the list of speakers, which has a column for affiliations, several say "Student (Pittman)."

@floridastate @TDOnline @richardcorcoran Public comment has ended.
My DMs now getting slammed with notes that "certain leaders in (FSU) Student Government have sent out waves of messages in support of Pittman."
Examples here:

@floridastate @TDOnline @richardcorcoran Before Pittman comes up, another program note that we will not be sharing the questions asked, just the answers that candidate give, per a request from @floridastate to "preserve integrity" of process. Concern was that later candidates would benefit from knowing exact Qs.

@floridastate @TDOnline @richardcorcoran Each candidate will be asked the same 8 questions. "Anything after that is bonus round," search consultant Alberto Pimentel says. Those who will be asking questions will revolve, full list of panel members is here: presidentialsearch.fsu.edu/advisory-commi…

@floridastate @TDOnline @richardcorcoran Sean Pittman is now taking the stage at Ruby Diamond, the first candidate to be interviewed. He's smiling, joking "I've never had the middle seat before." (He is sitting with committee members on each side of him.)

@floridastate @TDOnline @richardcorcoran Congratulates members for their work, "what it speaks about you for being selected to do this," mentions he has been on similar panels. He explains why he's here: Calls the presidency "a labor of love," says he was called to be here bc the job description fit him.

@floridastate @TDOnline @richardcorcoran He says he backs academic excellence, more research ("the lifeblood" of great universities), "I will help marshal us through" admission to Association of American Universities, "composed of America's leading research universities" (source: website)

@floridastate @TDOnline @richardcorcoran Brings up his lobbying experience, including for @floridastate , as a bonus. He has sports experience, mentioning Orange Bowl committee and other, but is cut off. Jokes he wasn't going to go through the whole description.

@floridastate @TDOnline @richardcorcoran Observation: Pittman, after being asked question, takes time to jot down notes before he answers. Says he wants to "chase dollar signs" to build $1B endowment to make FSU a top university. "We have to get creative to amass resources" for scholarships, programs, etc.

@floridastate @TDOnline @richardcorcoran He says, as an FSU Foundation trustee, school must get more into "doing important things at important times," $1B endowment is one goal, but then shoot for $2B, $3B. FSU needs to figure out - "how do we will build prestige?"

@floridastate @TDOnline @richardcorcoran "Branding is an incredible issue for recruitment," Pittman says. FSU must show itself as a student-centric place, meaning more focus on getting undergrad in 4 years, not taking longer. Programs in place, "we must expand those."

But first, "we gotta brand better."

@floridastate @TDOnline @richardcorcoran He again talks about how getting admitted to the AAU would be a major goal of his. From their website: "Our universities earn the majority of competitively awarded federal funding for academic research and are educating tomorrow’s visionary leaders and global citizens."

@floridastate @TDOnline @richardcorcoran "Research is expensive," Pittman says. "The numbers I'll follow will be dollar signs." Need resources to give to faculty to do kind of research that will give FSU the added prestige he says it needs.

@floridastate @TDOnline @richardcorcoran Pittman now talks about diversity and inclusion, says students want to see themselves reflected in their faculty and admin. Has worked on equity issues, created his own scholarship fund for minority students to go to law school. (If I did not mention, Pittman is Black.)

@floridastate @TDOnline @richardcorcoran Pittman refers to Thrasher's task forces on reconsidering building names and statues on campus, anti-racism, etc.
Mentions the "economic impact" of diversity and equity: "we don't spend enough time talking about it," clarifying "it costs a lot *not* to be diverse," he says.

@floridastate @TDOnline @richardcorcoran Pittman also talks about balance btwn academics and athletics, wants Athletic Director to work under notion that "kids should compete in the classroom the same way they do on the field or the court...They're here to go to school, not just go to sport...starts with recruiting."

@floridastate @TDOnline @richardcorcoran But, he adds, athletic "facilities are really, really important," Pittman says. "It's the best recruitment tool."

@floridastate @TDOnline @richardcorcoran Pittman talks about "choices" and "balance," in talk about academics vs. athletics, but keeps pounding on the need for more and better facilities. He would be a nontraditional, non-academic president, he admits, but a president should "find the resources to do all those things."

Pittman says schools are judged by the amount of contracts and grants they get: "it's hugely important," he says, referring to the importance of the work of the FSU Foundation, which has to know what university is doing so it can "sell it" to funders.

Pittman commends the College of Entrepreneurship, College of Engineering, optimizing the relationship with @FAMU_1887 to "move the needle for the AAU."
"I don't have time to share all my love for FSU but come to my office, you'll see."

@FAMU_1887 He closes by revisiting his main points: He'll build prestige, "tell our story in a way that connects w people," make FSU a place for great research, boost programs and athletics, "as much as we have taken flight, we still got a lot of runway."

@FAMU_1887 FSU "saved his life...bleeding garnet and gold means you'll do anything for it...i want FSU to change lives, to make people able to change society. I'm ready" to lead, he says.

@FAMU_1887 In abundance of caution, going to start another thread for next candidate, Robert Blouin. Back in 10.

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