Column by Taylor Shelton

In all of my time criticizing this university, I’m not sure I have ever felt as vindicated as I feel right now. Friday brought the news that Vice President of Student Affairs Pat Terrell had resigned her post in the university administration the previous evening.

In my book, I think of Terrell as being the only person in the university administration to have actually disrespected me to my face, as well as having been one of the most ardent opponents of the green fee. She was also responsible for the fee’s elimination in 2007, giving her the dubious honor of being similar to both Nick Phelps and Russ Williams, who cut the fee on their own earlier this year.

Unfortunately for those of us who have invested not just our time, but also our money, into this university, we have little idea what it was that precipitated Terrell’s abdication of responsibility. I don’t know why she stepped down, and I don’t know anyone who does. What people do know, however, is that the move was unexpected – evidenced by now interim Vice President of Student Affairs Victor Hazard’s bewilderment when the Kernel told him he had gotten the promotion.

The fact that Terrell’s number two in Student Affairs didn’t know she was stepping down makes this whole ordeal smell pretty fishy. What was it that Terrell did that required her to make such a sudden move? And while I’m not personally disappointed in her stepping down, I believe that all students, faculty and staff at the university deserve a prompt explanation from our administration.

Similarly, we don’t know why Terrell would be forced to step down in an all-too-sudden fashion, but be allowed to stay in the university administration as a special assistant to the Provost. The pieces of this puzzle don’t fit.

What is troubling, perhaps, is that this evidence of administrative incompetence and wrongdoing doesn’t seem to be the exception at our university. Rather, it appears more and more to be the rule. Friday also brought news that former Arts and Sciences Dean Steven Hoch was forced from his new position as Provost at Washington State University, due to a seemingly childish verbal and physical assault on one of his new administrative co-workers.

So, while it is certainly a blessing that Hoch is no longer at UK, what does it say about our university that we would allow someone of such character to hold such an important position at our university? And, while some members of the university administration have given us plenty to laud, how can we not be, at the very least, skeptical of all of our university and community leaders when we have people like Terrell and Hoch making the big decisions that affect us all?

Some readers may write me off, knowing that I’ve been an ardent critic of President Todd and the university administration for some time. And, until now, my criticisms have usually been based on relatively obscure events and circumstances at the university that few students are aware of. But, as I began this article, I now feel vindicated based on the news that has been revealed about our university’s present and past administrators in the last week.

I ask you to stand with me and demand answers from Todd about Terrell’s resignation and the evident pattern of impropriety and inappropriate dealings by our university administration. We all pay to be here, and we all deserve answers.