[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
What Lewis Wendell alleges as a series of missteps on John's part are in fact the gravest indictment of his own inadequate leadership, after nearly two years at the helm, of the administration of the UCD, and as a mature organization UCD's failure to develop, implement, and maintain the ongoing training of such policies as well as to frequently and effectively audit the compliance with such policies.
I addressed this point in an ealier note. One of the reasons to conduct an investigation was to determine whether UCD's existing policies were adequate or too lax. Of course, neither one of these conclusions would make UCD look good: either its policies or its enforcement of those policies would be called inadequate.
The entire problem is not of Lewis Wendell's making, because he is not the elected mayor of a small town but more like the installed facility manager of a small community association, driven by highly biased socio-economically and strategicly inadequate operational guidelines. His outline of UCD's community outreach is what one would more realistically associate with the marketing of the Lower Main Line than an */urban/* University City, unless UCD's powerful corporate backers are trying to de-urbanize the off-campus communities. It is further stunning that the UCD wants to implement a taxing power to promote its societal changes. For instance it is much more powerful to want to bring free concerts with the Philadelphia Orchestra to Malcom X Park to share the pleasures of one of our nation's great cultural jewel with citizen' who may be financially hard pressed to afford to take a family to such a concert at the Kimmel Center. Given the current economy and culture, it is totally ludicrous to stage the orchestra in Clark Park for the local bourgeoisie, who can easily afford such a treat, while subliminally sending the message - look what we can do more of for you, if you only increase our revenue stream through the power of self-directed taxation. If the local universities think their "poor" students need such an experience then fund it on-campus.
Not to defend Lewis Wendell, but this invocation of the allegedly bourgeous appeal of the Orchestra is just silly-- almost Moyeresque. It rests entirely on the idea that a concert in Clark Park would play solely to the middle-class bourgeousie, while the lower-class citizens near Malcolm X park would go wanting. And while it'd be great if the Orchestra could play at Malcolm X... well, tell me, Craig: how are people by Malcolm X park kept out of Clark Park? People out there are free to come over and watch the Orchestra every bit as much as you and I are. (There is actually a good reason to have the concerts in Clark Park: the shape and size of the Bowl.)
Lewis Wendell's comment, the UCD has only been working on a BID scenario for approximately two years is so off the mark, I can only assume the current UCD Board treats him as some U.S. Presidents have treated their chief press officers - don't give them all the facts so their responses will be plausibly earnest, though unknowingly incorrect because they don't need to know the whole truth and the big picture.
Actually the BID scenario has been in the works for two years. At least. ---- You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named "UnivCity." To unsubscribe or for archive information, see <http://www.purple.com/list.html>.
