Notes from the Desk – 1/14/10
The first time I heard the name John McCardell was during my first couple days at Middlebury. My junior counselor (this dates myself) told our hall about the former president, who continued teaching a couple of classes annually. He’s a wonderful professor as well, she added. That was enough for me. I signed up.
Professor McCardell’s classes were gripping. It didn’t matter how far we got in the material. His closing sentences were so eloquent that as a student you couldn’t help but get excited for the next lecture. My favorite time was discussion, though. Professor McCardell would push us to defend ourselves, prove our points and participate actively.
Later that year, I asked him to be my advisor. In the time since then, I have been fortunate to have known Professor McCardell outside of the classroom and to have benefited from his wealth of knowledge and experiences. What strikes me, above all else, is how he connects with people and how much he values time with students.
One summer, he agreed to meet with me after I finished language school. We met for lunch in The Grille. In the short distance from the counter to the table, many people stopped Professor McCardell. He knew the name of everyone, asked about their families and had polite discussions with everyone. It was genuine interest.
Had I not been told beforehand, I would not have suspected that Professor McCardell was president of the College for more than 10 years. He does not hide behind the title and is extremely humble. Even while juggling an appearance on “The Colbert Report” or working tirelessly at Choose Responsibility, he always made time to meet with me and never showed signs of his dozens of responsibilities in class.
One of the most important traits of Professor McCardell is his desire to work with students. He taught a class every year of his presidency except one. He wants to have an active link to students. It is a testament to his teaching and personality that his Civil War seminar fills up almost instantly every single year, and his Jefferson and Jackson class this year was one of the most popular classes in the history department. They remain popular even though no one at the College today was a student during his tenure.
It is a testament to John McCardell, the person, that he remains as connected to the community following his presidency. I know of no other president who continues to teach and instruct students with as much frequency and interest.
The news of his departure last week shocked me. It’s hard for us to imagine Middlebury before John McCardell. The school has changed so profoundly in the last 20 years. Under his leadership, the school gained confidence and rose to new heights.
In every discussion I’ve had with Professor McCardell, certain traits remain constant. He genuinely cares about people and attempts to understand the reasons why they feel the way they do. His opinions are strong, but he hopes, in the end, for the solution that will be best for everyone in question. In spite of the wealth of accolades and titles, he remains a professor first. That is how I see him. A teacher.
While his presence will be undoubtedly missed in the community, the opportunity at Sewanee seems too good to pass up. I wish him the best as he embarks on the latest challenge in an impressive academic career. I am lucky enough to have known and worked with John McCardell. He represents the gold standard for a college administrator and a person. His is an example that should be followed whenever and wherever possible.
- Johnny-mac gives presidential history lesson
- Student Reminds That with Rights Come Responsibilities
- Editorial – 1/14/10
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Why are Sewanee’s racist rednecks attacking John and Bonnie McCardell before they even arrive?
http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=11905&com_id=115878&com_rootid=115878&com_mode=flat&com_order=0#comment115878
Re: SEWANEE: Nation’s Episcopal University Follows F…
http://middleburycampus.com/2010/01/13/mccardell-to-depart-college-leaves-rich-34-year-legacy/
McCardell to depart College, leaves rich 34-year legacy
“President Emeritus of the College and Professor of History John M. McCardell, Jr. will assume the position of vice chancellor at Sewanee: The University of the South, beginning July 1.”
does McCardell agree that the stand alone name “The University of the South” is offensive to african american minorities and to northerners? will he extend to african american minorities the unearned race privilege of only using “Sewanee: The University of the South” at the expense of donors who loved dear old “The University of the South”?
“Announcing his decision on Jan. 6, McCardell said, ‘The prospect of serving a unique institution whose history and traditions are so inextricably tied to the American South and to the Episcopal Church, and where the academic attainment of its faculty, students and alumni is so distinguished, was one to which I felt particularly drawn.’ ”
is there any of that history and any of those traditions tied to the American South that he will propose to white students for which they should feel shame? if he can make them feel shamed, will that tend to lower their scores on Sewanee’s “white identity” psychological tests administered by african american Eric Bejnamin? will McCardell explain to the Sewanee Parents’ Council why their white children are scoring too high on “white identity” tests and explain to these donors and fundraisers what he plans to do about the emergency?
“McCardell said an old friend approached him in August and asked him if he could recommend anyone for the vice-chancellorship of Sewanee, as part of a national presidential search for the position that began in February 2009.”
who was that?
“McCardell offered a few possibilities, and was then asked, ‘What about you?’ McCardell responded with a resounding ‘no,’ but later said he would ‘think about it — I’ll think about anything.’
will McCardell use that same trick with prospective Visiting Committee members? “we just wanted your ‘advice’ on how to improve Sewanee, but we never ever realized you were so rich. really, we just had no idea. how could we have known you were so rich? but hey, since you are, would you like to donate some money to our multicultural mission?”
“McCardell was still resistant, but found the reasons for his hesitancy seemed quite sparse.”
playing hard to get
“Yet, as this particular opportunity presented itself, we found it increasingly intriguing”
the social science of eradicating and transforming “white identity” is certainly intriguing, and has been since Boa’s 1938 revision of The Mind of Primitive Man, revised by excluding evidence presented in the 1911 edition
“This is a great day for Sewanee,” said Meacham. “In John McCardell, we have found a leader who believes, and in many ways embodies, our universal and distinctive values. We are fortunate beyond expression that he has consented to come among us.”
if jon meacham approves, and uses fancy phrases like “embodies, our universal and distinctive values”, then DONORS BEWARE. the alexander-mecham-mccardell team will use your money to bring more gene robinson wannabes and woe-man burrbizzkee types to surround your children
“John’s presidency was transformative,” said Ralph. “The College built on a number of its strengths. It gained greater confidence and became more ambitious.”
he’s being brought to Sewanee to continue the Sewanee hating transformation begun by Williamson? ambitious to eradicate all that offensive “white identity”?
“Bonnie has been a great supporter and advocate of Middlebury College and making Addison County a better place,” said Ralph.
will she advocate making Sewanee a better place by helping students score lower on their “white identity” tests?
I enjoyed reading this column about Dr. McCardell. At Sewanee, we’ve been following with interest and enthusiasm the outpouring of appreciation and admiration for John and Bonnie McCardell, from Middlebury and across Vermont. I feel compelled to respond to Jervais Croberg’s posting of excerpted comments from another Web site.
Many of us at Sewanee are as offended by these comments as Mr. Croberg. We hope you will not mistake something written on a Web site that is not created, maintained, or sanctioned by the University of the South for the feelings or beliefs of people associated with this university. We have received hundreds of comments regarding Dr. McCardell’s election as Sewanee’s next president—from students, parents, faculty, and alumni—expressing delight that he will lead the university and the McCardells will be joining the Sewanee community.
Comments posted online without clear attribution to a named author certainly do not represent the ideals of academic discourse that characterize the University of the South. We condemn this rhetoric. Moreover, there is no evidence that the person quoted by Mr. Croberg has any relationship to the university at all. Those of us who are proud to be affiliated with this university look forward to welcoming the McCardells.
Laurie Saxton, University of the South ‘78
Director of Media Relations
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