President Clough to step down in July

JoltinJacket

JoltinJacket

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Interesting how the entire public face of Tech will have changed within a couple years. A new page is truly turning.

Dear Colleagues:

It is with mixed emotions that I announce to the campus community that
I
will be stepping down as president of Georgia Tech as of July 1, 2008.
After a rich and rewarding tenure as president, I am privileged to have

one more remarkable opportunity and will serve as the Secretary of the
Smithsonian Institution. The Smithsonian is one of our great national
assets serving as a showcase of national history, the arts and the
sciences. For Anne and I, this new post presents many opportunities
and
challenges, but we will always celebrate our lives at Georgia Tech.

It has been my honor to serve as president of Georgia Tech for nearly
fourteen years. My life was enriched by my association with the great
students, faculty, staff and alumni of the Institute. We will miss
each
of you from the bottom of our hearts.

Within the next few weeks and months as we make plans to start a new
life, we will have opportunities to say farewell to our friends.
Unfortunately, I will not have the chance to thank each of you
individually for your support, so let me do so now. It has been an
honor
to lead my alma mater, and I could not have done it without the talents

of every member of the Georgia Tech family. Thank you for your hard
work, dedication to excellence, and your loyalty to Georgia Tech.
Click to expand...
 
That email was sent to everyone literally at 9:40 this morning man I guess it didn't take long to hit the boards lol
 
I would give President Clough high marks. He was able to diversify the Institute without changing its basic character and mission. Research, particularly in biomedical research and nanotechnology advanced at warp speed. He was not a particularly pro-sports President, but I guess I have to admit reluctantly there are more important things. Congratulations on a great new apointmentat the Smithsonian.
 
I don't think he was pro-sports either, but I never thought he was as anti-sports as he was made out to be either.

In the end that man did much more good for the Institute as a whole than bad.
 
I had the pleasure to meet the man twice, albeit briefly, and I can think of no finer representative and leader that Tech could have had. Pro-sports or not I don't think anyone can deny the great strides Tech has made under him. Thankfully he is ascending to another important position that we should all hope he brings the same level of progress to. He will be hard to replace.
 
What I don't understand is if he's supposedly so anti-sports in general and anti-football specifically, why we would spend as much money on facilities, coaches, etc as we have? I think most of what he's guilty of is being President while football has been stuck in neutral.
 
The university flourished under Clough on the academic side of the house. Academically, he was head-n-shoulders above any other public university President in the State of Georgia.

I give him slightly less accolades for his performance on the athletic side of the house. His level of achievements are somewhat mixed as a result of several things that happened to the university during his watch.

When all is said and done, as a university we were fortunate to have him as our President. I wish him well in his new job.
 
ncjacket said:
What I don't understand is if he's supposedly so anti-sports in general and anti-football specifically, why we would spend as much money on facilities, coaches, etc as we have? I think most of what he's guilty of is being President while football has been stuck in neutral.
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a few answers. The football stadium was funded through 15 year bonds and donations that the AA is paying off not the school. READ: Never hit Cloughs school or academic budget so he didn't care if it was done or how. Secondly it was an initiative realized in the 2000s, however it started in the early 90s before Wayne ever got there. Up until this year, the AA maintained a separate budget they were responsible for that flailed into near bankruptcy under Braine and Clough due to lack of oversite by Clough and Braine sucked. That all changed with Rad. The AA budget is now part of the school.

There is truth that wayne didn't care about athletics, he didn't too much. He cared, but he was satisfied with 7-5 records and mediocrity in sports. He let Braine run his own show and rarely input in on it...which is part of his job, so it was essentially ignored.

Baseball stadium, softball stadium and basketball practice facitility were all privately funded, with the baseball stadium as part of the football stadium renov. package.

So the point is simple...he never had to spend his money to do any of this...he didn't care...so it was done. Anyway that is how I understood it...i may be wrong with some of the details...
 
ramblinwise1 said:
Is the Secretary of the Smithsonian a step up in status? A step up in pay?
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The Smithsonian is apparently embroiled in some controversy from the last president's decisions. He could really put a mark on the institution if he rights the ship.
 
Great guy, sorry to see him go. Despite the fact that most may see his new job as a promotion, nothing would ever pry me away from Tech. But, this may be another opportunity for the school to get some positive attention. Hopefully the next guy will keep the Institute moving forward like President Clough has.
 
Well, in my experience 14 years is quite a long time for someone to stay in the position Clough has had. It's normal for university presidents to move on to something different and allow schools to inject some new blood. It's normally not the kind of place people retire from unless they take the job later in their careers.
 
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