I missed this one earlier in the week: from annarbor.com comes “EMU President Susan Martin to speak about personal ‘trials and triumph’ at campus event.” Here are the opening paragraphs:
Eastern Michigan University President Susan Martin will speak at a March event about trials and triumphs she’s experienced in her life and career.
The March event, “Trials and Triumph of an American Woman,” is being hosted by the EMU student organization B.L.A.C.K., Black Leaders Aspiring to Critical Knowledge.
B.L.A.C.K. hosted a similar event last year, when former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick spoke during its Second Chances and Redemption Series event in 2011.
First off, it kind of seems like Susan Martin hasn’t really been very visible this school year. I’m not suggesting she’s in “hiding” or something; it just seems like she’s had kind of a low profile since last summer’s Board of Regents’ warnings about (alleged) drinking issues.
Second, I’m not sure it’s a good idea to be following Kilpatrick as a speaker in a “Second Chances and Redemption Series” of any sort.
Dr. Martin attends the majority of the (major) athletic events and often cheers with the student section when not entertaining guests in her suite. I have seen her speak at two campus conferences this semseter alone, and the event to honor past President Porter late last semester. She attended an alumni event in Plymouth weeks ago (and even chainsawed an ice sculpture.) Throw in commencement and the other stuff I see pics of her attending and I think her profile is as “high” as it has ever been so I am not sure you made an accurate statement.
Fair enough. Maybe a better way of putting it is there haven’t been a whole lot in the way of controversies at EMU this past year, certainly not anything where Martin has made the front of annarbor.com for anything particularly bad. And I guess compared to this past summer, Martin seems to be keeping a comparatively low profile. But you’re right Grady, it’s not as if she’s been invisible or something.
I also think you’re being slightly unfair about the student group. They’re students after all. Kwame was not the greatest choice. Consider the president of the university an upgrade.