He had twenty years to free UM from BSC bondage...

[kemajic]

Getting back on topic, let's just hope the current incumbent does not have 20 years....

 

[Dillon]

Getting back on topic, let's just hope the current incumbent does not have 20 years....

Yep!

 

[RE Hammond]

Dennison must have missed that memo about football being priority number one.

And call me crazy but what the hell does Haslam being Amish, Hutterite or Mormon have to do with anything related to him doing his job?

Back to lurking...

Go read the minutes from the organic constitutional convention. No tolerance for outsiders.

 

[griz4life]

Dennison made a lot of questionable moves as UM president--INSA anyone? How about Fort Missoula? -- that said, Dennison was mostly good for UM athletics. To suggest the opportunity to go FBS was there for 20 years and never taken is just plain wrong.

 

[TxGriz]

This thread makes an inadvertent point with the mention of the university president's salary parity issue. That is UM and MSU are to be kept as equal as possible in the eyes of the legislature and the Board of Regents, and by extension, the taxpaying public of the state of Montana.

How much power did George Dennison or anyone before or after him have to bring about the ascendancy of Montana into the rarefied air of the exalted FBS, where all things magical and wondrous instantly fall from the sky upon the announcement?

It should be clear that any movement of UM must be accompanied by MSU, that is a political reality. Add to that the reality of the political climate in Montana. I think George Dennison wisely saw that he was constrained by such things as MSU, the legislature, the Board of Regents and the voting public in Montana. Seems to me like he did pretty well operating within the confines of that reality.

So the world of the big time, the bright shining lights of FBS college football beckons with its siren song and Montana is irresistibly drawn to it. Where is the invitation for a place to Montana to go to? I don't recall the Mountain West ever extending an invitation.

So Dennison managed Montana's role as a big fish in a small pond and all UM has to show for it is a bunch of new infrastructure on campus? I think those who are so gifted that they see this as a setback they need to get their resumes off the the Board of Regents immediately.

 

[rimrockgriz]

I personally know 2 B.O.R.'s and have had discussions with a third this spring. Ah... we're f....d :grenade: P.S. I've known the "Commish" back to the 90"s...nice guy. Don't expect ANY new trails being blazed here... :egriz: "water and the meek follow the path of least resistance".

 

[Copper Griz]

Dennison must have missed that memo about football being priority number one.

And call me crazy but what the hell does Haslam being Amish, Hutterite or Mormon have to do with anything related to him doing his job?

Back to lurking...

I believe religion, ethnicity, etc. have a lot to do with performance on the job. Why? Your background and social experiences are not easy to leave behind (especially for certain religions) You past experiences can play a big role in your decision making and risk tolerance. To think otherwise is simply naive. People should be treated equally without prejudice, but that does not mean their history, culture and religion do not impact their leadership style. I don't know what religion Engstrom or Haslam are, but Amish sounds about right from what I have seen thus far.

 

[tnt]

Dennison made a lot of questionable moves as UM president--INSA anyone? How about Fort Missoula? -- that said, Dennison was mostly good for UM athletics. To suggest the opportunity to go FBS was there for 20 years and never taken is just plain wrong.

All thats true, and despite all the other things he may or may not of accomplished he also gave us Jim Foley along with unbridled power that lead to some significant faculty and dean defections and played a large part in the "investigations" Also a part of Dennisons legacy will be Pat Williams and Royce Engstrom.

 

[grizindabox]

I expected so much more for a thread with "Bondage" in the title...

 

[RE Hammond]

I expected so much more for a thread with "Bondage" in the title...

OK. There was a boy and girl down in old Arizona. They were Mormon. The boy fantasized about tying the girl to a tree and committing the ultimate crime against humanity. Neither had a good ending.

 

[kemajic]

So Dennison managed Montana's role as a big fish in a small pond and all UM has to show for it is a bunch of new infrastructure on campus?

Pretty much, if what you mean by new infrastructure is a series of his legacy buildings which had insufficient priority to merit conventional funding. His accounting creativity to syphon money from Griz football to his legacy construction fund was his strongest capability. He was a control freak that let no one get in his way; just ask Wayne Hogan, who dared to try to grow the Griz football program.

 

[Spanky]

Everything went according to the wishes of George when he ran the show. This included the selection of Engstrom resulting from the so called national search which was smoke and mirrors. Some of you think George did a good job..some think the Amish guy is doing a good job. I think both men use strong arm methods to realize their goals and will do almost anything with no concern for others. Sad that UM has individuals with little integrity in this position of leadership.