The Dixie Sun

Issue date: 11/16/09 Section: Opinion

Media Credit: Bree Skinner Stephen Nadauld exercises his responsibilities as interim president at DSC. Nadauld has no official contract, and some are concerned because there is no permanent leadership in place.

Regardless of the success of Interim President Stephen Nadauld, the lack of action and explanation from the board of regents' failure to initiate a search for a permanent president is detrimental to this school.

After the upheaval surrounding the departure of former President Lee Caldwell, Nadauld originally committed to a tenure of a year and a half, but his unassigned term is continuing into its 20th month. In the face of this discrepancy, some kind of explanation or plan of action from the board of regents might be expected, yet this body has remained strangely silent on the matter.

After interviewing Nadauld and other higher-ups in administration, we have come to understand many of the factors that have led to Nadauld's extended stay.

We at the Dixie Sun feel the president is doing an excellent job, especially when the dramatic decreases in available budget facing this college is taken into account. We appreciate his commitment to DSC and its students. It takes an above average individual to invest the time and energy needed to support a school when he knows his time there is limited.

However, the question remains: How limited is that time? Despite the seemingly important nature of this information, the board of regents seems to be sitting on its hands when it comes to discussing, let alone finding, a replacement president.

We are not clamoring for the immediate removal of Nadauld. But, as Nadauld said himself, "[Being 68 is not] exactly the time to start a long-term commitment."

We realize Nadauld is devoted to the office of DSC president, but he admits he doesn't want to do this forever, even saying he expects to be gone within the next two years.

After the recent mysteries surrounding a potential University of Utah affiliation as well as the mascot fiasco, some are looking for solidity in their educational environment. We as students seem to be caught in a "red storm" of rebels, red hawks, cartoon bulls, U of U prospects, budget cuts and presidents. Isn't it about time to grab at least one of those objects and tie it down? The board of regents should start considering the people their jobs are for: the students.

Continued...

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