[Alumni-chat] Re:

[toyboy (andy at svcable.net)]

With decentralization, Guskin created the separate
identities, and hence the us-them. As much as AU Admin
posits "Antioch University IS the only legal entity,"
unification stops there.

What I indicated in my message was unification of the
three, a true Antioch University, centered in Yellow
Springs. Not quite a return to the early Guskin era- a
better structure of the early Guskin era.

....

All of this is probably something for Mr. Devine to respond to since, as it has been claimed (by someone else, not me) he was the disciple (or whatever term Bob wishes to call it) of Guskin.

But just the same I fail to find your explanation as an explanation for the enemy lines.

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"And as for mules or hybrids, some Alums might say
that Antioch College has been something of a mule in
recent years."
What application of 'mule' are you applying to in this
case- I can't tell from your brief statement. I
indicated how I thought the definition aptly applied.

.....
Sorry, being lost in my own metaphors as usual. You described the Centers as mules, which I take as a metaphor as a dead-end. It's a rather rude metaphor in and of itself. But just the same it would then be fair to say that the current state of Antioch College is much the same way. If not more so. It's the one that's been failing. 

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Here's another thought experiment- if one of the
satellite campuses were to close, how much alumni
support (and outrage) would that campus receive to
keep it open? San Franciso? Philadelphia? London? Law
School?

............
Actually if I recall correctly there was a certain amount of outrage when the Law School closed, if only that it, at the time, was one of the more successful centers and quite true to an Antioch spirit. 

Obviously no Alum at the College probably gives much thought to the Centers. Even in the hey-day of the Centers, I really doubt anyone in YSO gave much thought about the Centers, other than those directly involved in their administration. But then you demand that the Centers only give thought to the College. Thought experiment back: is it a one-way street? Or, what difference does it make? I don't feel resonsible for the Centers and don't feel any Alum at a Center should be responsible for the College. And we can each still lead full lives. I've barely felt responsible for the College over the years!

But, yeah, if you're saying that the current University Admin just sees the College as just another Center, I can see what you're saying. But so what really? We wouldn't be sitting here arguing these points had there not been the closure announcement, and Antioch College would be limping along like it has been....without any outrage over that. I can only speak for myself, but it didn't take closure of the College for me to realize that Antioch had been in dire straits for a long time, or for me to feel sad, let alone helpless, about it.

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"People have indicated we need to stop arguing about
'our graduates' and 'their graduates'. As long as the
core identity of Antioch University is NOT at the core
of the historical residential institution, it will
*always* be "our graduates" and "their graduates." "

..............
Perhaps, but as along as the College continues to renounce the University for using the College as part of their identity then I fail to understand how, or why, the University could put the College as part of their core identity without even more outrage on the part of the College. They're in a no-win situation. If the College retaining it's own BoT will somehow give it the will and determination to change the direction it's been going in for the past few decades I'm happy with the Centers doing whatever they please with the Antioch name. (But I'm not terribly upset with their using the name as it is...sorry.)  I find all this stuff about the Centers leeching off the College to be nonsense, in the least when it can be explained how the percentages of income of the Centers has been brought over regularly to help the College. There's enough facts in both directions to call it a truce... at least one would hope.