Saturday, May 23, 2009

The End.

Tad graduated today. And, simultaneously, his alma mater . . . our alma mater closed its doors for the last time.

RIP Taylor University Fort Wayne.

Today, as I listened to Dr. Habecker blah blah blah at the podium, I couldn't help but hear the sigh of relief behind his every word, see the burden lift from his shoulders, and know that in the back of his mind, he was saying, "It's almost over. Just a few more hours and this whole thing is over."

No more dirty glares from students. No more making the 'tough' decisions. No more guilt. Because let's face it. The only reason he had any guilt was because he was forced to face the people he hurt...deal with their problems and determine their fate.

So, here is a bunch of word vomit on why I am struggling with hating mr. habecker and his board of trustees:

I don't believe for a second he and the board of trustees cared for the campus. How could they? They never visited.

I don't believe they wanted us to succeed.

I don't believe money was the only issue. They whined about this 'million dollar defecit' all the time to a point where I was almost on their side, wishing we weren's such a burden. Wishing we didn't take so much of their resources. Then, after they closed TUFW, I found out Upland is looking into a multi-million dollar upgrade of its science facilities. These people aren't hard-up for cash. They never have been.

I don't believe they had anyone in mind but themselves when they closed the campus. I mean, we were always an embarassment, right? Nothing more than a leech? Just a bunch of poor, dumb kids and sub-par academic programs? But not the writing program. No. One too many students were lost to Dr. Hensley and his magic program. Better start lying to the kids at the college fairs...tell them about the JOURNALISM program at UPLAND when they ask about CREATIVE WRITING. Yeah, better aquire that program as fast as possible.

Ah, I could go on. And maybe I will...when I'm not so bitter....which could very well be never.

Thanks TUFW, for doing so much for me. No thanks, Upland, for taking that away.

I guess the bright side is I never have to feel pressured to donate money ever again.

And when I'm famous and they ask me to speak in chapel or guest lecture, I'll say, "I'm sorry, did you think that you were going to fire me, take away something that was very precious and still be able to exploit me? Should have thought that one through."

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If you are an Upland student or alum, please, don't take this post personally. My feelings aren't against you. You had nothing to do with this. And, to be fair, my feelings aren't solely directed at Habecker. Because in the end, he has to do what the group of old men tell him to do.

Please, if you have any comments or thoughts or arguements, feel free to share them. Because unlike Habecker, I'm willing to say what I really think and feel and, in turn, be okay if others don't agree.

7 comments:

  1. I agree with you whole heartily on this whole "Death of the school situation". I would put it in the back of my mind and not worry about it because we had time. Now we don't which is why i fought so hard to get "The office" movie done on location. We weren't necessarily making fun of the school ending but paying homage to a place i had a blast for 4 years at. Doing school there in real life was a lot like the office. That's why I had to do it. At first, I took there side saying Fort Wayne was in Debt. That The school was failing and there was no way to stop it. But then when i returned, I knew in my heart Upland didn't care. we where there "Sister campus" but in reality they treated us like "orphan babies separated at birth sisters" TUFW always tried to reach out to Upland but Upland wanted nothing to do with us. I remember when Dr. Backstabber was instated after gyertson left, and he wanted to involve us more. but Alas, He didn't Which is why i am becoming bitter too. anyway My arguement is this: Why didn't the board of trustees try to work out something with TUFW so they could AT LEAST have something besides "Brown Gables" for it's alumni? That dormatory and Library was beautiful and right now Upland is trying to make a horrible movie adaptation to a book according to there explanation of the school closeing. I am not mad at upland or mad at backstabber. I am however angry at the ultimatum that backstabber gave us and the amazing people who will soon be at different jobs or, Out of jobs........Thank Backstabber because when i returned to my alma matter one last time to shoot a movie and say hi to mr. luedeke, I saw the horror before my eyes as the place wasn't full of life the last time i remember rather of survivors clinging to a ship as it sunk as people did with the Titantic. My heart breaks with this scenario. Thanks a Lot Backstabber for not seeking out other options.

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  2. On the flip, flip side, I'm grateful that Upland saved TUFW way back when. If they hadn't, I wouldn't have met Tad.

    So there's always that...

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  3. Good point. I guess here a lesson from Saddington would save us. History is doomed to repeat itself. My question is, why didn't Taylor take a look at what these other schools in the past did and didn't do. Why not try corrective action instead of say...building new buildings and pouring funds into said campus. It's like putting making make-up on to cover up the wart. It looks pretty, but really we wished it wasn't on our face. Thanks Taylor Upland for removing the wart instead of embracing it...we could have been a beauty mark instead!

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  4. i agree with both of you but in reality this whole business decision was terrible

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  5. I wrote a long response, Amanda, and then my IE crashed. I'll assume that God didn't want me posting it and so I'll just let sleeping dogs lie. Or is it lay? Oh well.

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  6. Palmer...Yeah, probably in your case, it's for the best. Though I would have loved reading it.

    ednarb...agree! I've totally been thinking about how the two campuses could have worked together to provide the ultimate college experience. One campus for programs that require more rigorous academia (engineering, music) and one campus for the programs that require hands-on experience (Elementary Education, Social Work). One campus for the students who wants to get away and one campus for the student who wants to get involved.

    Jeremy...I can see how it was both a good and bad business decision. It just so happens that where we're concerned, there's nothing but bad.

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  7. Oh, and in response to Palmer...

    my dog is having a serious case of insomnia.

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