NEW ADMINISTRATION, OLD RESULTS.

Chicago State University has long been an example of a subprime dropout factory.  Five years ago, I linked to a Chicago Tribune editorial weighing in on a search for a new president, because the existing president had a very good gig. "Living like a Third World dictator and running an access-assessment-remediation-retention scam is nice work, if you can get it."  That president, Elnora Daniel, took her pension and handed the mace and medallion to Wayne Watson, who had himself retired as chancellor of the City Colleges of Chicago.  Five years on, Mr Watson lives like a Third World dictator and runs an access-assessment-remediation-retention scam that continues to hemorrhage students.

The administrative failure to take the necessary steps to ensure compliance with the provisional requirements imposed on the university by the [U. S. Department of Education] will subject the school to possible termination of its ability to grant financial aid. How many students will we have then? How many students are going to register for courses on the west side if the school cannot provide them with financial assistance?

The Department of Education did not invoke double-secret probation: the internal control problems in Chicago State financial aid have been a matter of public record since sometime in 2011.

But de-recognizing the Faculty Senate is one of the plays in the Third World Dictator's Handbook, as is ignoring the advice from external advisors.  (I actually have one and might get around to posting a review of it.)