Commencement

Some of West Virginia University's graduation ceremonies last week lacked a certain key element, the president.

After one ceremony where students took the opportunity to show their outrage, Garrison opted to skip the Eberly College commencement. An empty chair sat in the president's spot.

Did Mike Garrison understand how symbolic that could be? An open wound that refuses to heal. A vacancy where leadership ought to guide. Whatever good intentions or vision he had when he entered the job could not outweigh the harm he does daily by clinging to his seat. A university president driven from commencement ceremonies cannot possibly retain the moral authority necessary to continue.

In this blog I advocated last fall that Garrison deserved a chance and I stand by what I said. He did deserve a fair shot. How his administration handled this situation more resembles the Dukes of Hazzard character Jefferson Davis Hogg than David Hardesty. Hardesty often sparked complaint, but never derision or questions about honesty. Most people believe Hardesty led the university well, despite his hiring sparking many of the same complaints as Garrison. The handling of this degree was at best was incompetent, at worst corrupt.

Silence often speaks louder than a voice. In this case absence revealed more than presence. West Virginia University must have the opportunity to commence a new era in its history with untainted leadership.