10 years since RU-UMDNJ merger

[srru86]

Brian Storm in Star Ledger

Celebrating the largest higher education merger in U.S. history | Opinion​

I keep a pretty close eye on RU and what it does. Was, and remain, a huge fan of re-integrating the Med school. But some of this I missed.

We've discussed before - this is among the top five things to ever happen to Rutgers. You can argue it might rank a little higher than 4.

1. Land Grant Designation

2. Established as State University

3. Admitted to American Association of Universities

4. Med School Merger

5. Joined the Big Ten

 

[retired711]

Brian Storm in Star Ledger

Celebrating the largest higher education merger in U.S. history | Opinion​

I keep a pretty close eye on RU and what it does. Was, and remain, a huge fan of re-integrating the Med school. But some of this I missed.

We've discussed before - this is among the top five things to ever happen to Rutgers. You can argue it might rank a little higher than 4.

1. Land Grant Designation

2. Established as State University

3. Admitted to American Association of Universities

4. Med School Merger

5. Joined the Big Ten

I hadn't realized it has been ten years! It was a great move --kudos to those who made it happen!

 

[ru8081]

They have come a long way and still have a long way to go! This should be the premier Hospital in New Jersey

 

[DJ Spanky]

The integration of the med school back into RU is about the only good thing I can credit Barchi for.

Let's hope politics never rears its ugly head again in further attempts to wrest it away from RU.

 

[retired711]

The integration of the med school back into RU is about the only good thing I can credit Barchi for.

Let's hope politics never rears its ugly head again in further attempts to wrest it away from RU.

But that's what he was hired to do because he had been president of Thomas Jefferson. Like you, I disagree with many of his other decisions (although you and I might differ about which were his bad decisions.)

 

[DJ Spanky]

But that's what he was hired to do because he had been president of Thomas Jefferson. Like you, I disagree with many of his other decisions (although you and I might differ about which were his bad decisions.)

I always thought he should have been hired as a consultant or in a special administrative position to accomplish that.

 

[retired711]

I always thought he should have been hired as a consultant or in a special administrative position to accomplish that.

I understand that argument, but someone had to be able to crack the whip to make things work. Only a president can do that.

 

[DJ Spanky]

I understand that argument, but someone had to be able to crack the whip to make things work. Only a president can do that.

Perhaps you're right. But from people who were close to his office I heard that outside of issues relating to research and the merger, he was a paper tiger. I also heard he didn't do well with personnel issues. Not even talking about athletics here, we all know about that, but other issues internally with the administrative staff. I think the problem was that overseeing this merger came along at the same time as needing to hire a new president.

 

[retired711]

Perhaps you're right. But from people who were close to his office I heard that outside of issues relating to research and the merger, he was a paper tiger. I also heard he didn't do well with personnel issues. Not even talking about athletics here, we all know about that, but other issues internally with the administrative staff. I think the problem was that overseeing this merger came along at the same time as needing to hire a new president.

He was worse than a paper tiger-- he made some bad decisions. I'm not surprised he was bad on personnel issues; he didn't strike me as having great people skills. You've identified the problem well. But the merger was very difficult to pull off, and he was uniquely qualified to do that.