September 29, 2009
Coming Soon - BlogWear!
MTSAffront.blogspot.com T-shirts and bumper stickers!!! Ideas for designs are welcome! Stay tuned!
September 27, 2009
Where Else Can You Have a 4-day Work Week?
“It is the philosophy of MTSA that it be operated as a freestanding, single purpose, anesthesia specific, graduate degree granting institution; rather than be enveloped by a multi-disciplinary university.”
Why would anyone choose this as a philosophy for their school? It is a philosophy that places it at odds with all top rated anesthesia schools not to mention most all of the rest. Is it that MTSA is so much further ahead of all those other schools? Or is the converse true? Is it that they are further behind? Form usually follows function. Architecturally speaking, if an object has to perform a certain function, its design must support that function to the fullest extent possible. Let’s take a look at MTSA – the stated values, goals, and philosophies of the school. Surely within these we’ll be able to catch a glimpse of the visions and aspirations of the school as well as an understanding of this philosophy.
First off, we see that MTSA “views itself as a leader in academic and professional excellence, specific to graduate nurse anesthesia education”. This is a very interesting portrayal of the school. From this quote we can see that the administration has a very unbalanced self-view; dare I say a delusional view. Although they may view themselves as leaders, there is ample evidence to suggest that this is not the case. By the way, what criteria do you use in making that claim? Based on the claims of most of the alumni that have been sent to “The Blogger” they believe your staff is bloated, the class size is too big, the administration is malevolent and self-serving, and they want to know what you’re doing with all the money. But I digress. Let’s forget about the alumni for just a moment and get back to you being a “leader in academic and professional excellence”. You see, I think most anyone with half a brain would tell you’re off your academic rocker and that you’re setting a really bad precedent by alledgedly admitting someone to the program who is a convicted felon and a drug user. I’ll stop by Walgreen’s and get some of those really big crayons and try and draw it out for you in a way that’ll make sense. Were you off your medication when that happened or what? Maybe someone left a vaporizer turned on in close proximity to your office or something. If queried, I’m certain you’d have some anonymous and purportedly veracious answer detailing why you thought it was a good idea. It really is interesting to see “academic and professional excellence” juxtaposed alongside the alledged admittance of a felon and drug user. Umm, I’m guessing that most “deans, other administrators, and/or faculty at accredited degree programs or schools” would say that’s just plain crazy. Wait, wait, wait! The answer just came to me. I’ll bet he or she was family. Right? If not, I’ll wager $500.00 that this person was SDA! But, hey, your academic and professional excellence stands alone, so business as usual – Just do whatever you want! That IS business as usual!
As has already been mentioned a few times in this blog, U.S. News ranked MTSA 69th in the nation among other anesthesia schools. To reiterate, this ranking is “based solely on the results of peer assessment surveys sent to deans, other administrators, and/or faculty at accredited degree programs or schools in each discipline. Respondents rated the academic quality of programs on a 5-point scale: outstanding (5), strong (4), good (3), adequate (2), or marginal (1)”. So the administration of MTSA thinks the school is “a leader” however, your peers rank you 69th. Your peers gave you a 2.6 – not outstanding, not strong, but a 2.6. Let me say it for you – “Almost good”. Not quite good, but almost. Hmm, sounds like there is a discrepancy there. While you view yourself as a leader, those at the top of their game, those ranked among the best in the nation, -- they view you as “Almost good”. Hey, maybe you can use some of your well-honed tactics on these folks at U.S. News and on your peers. After all, your M.O. is to attack those who differ with your opinion or those who threaten you in some way. No doubt, the administration will posit that the rankings are unfair in some way and that they really should be among the top ten.
“Researchers Evan Rogers and Sharon J. Rogers have compared rankings produced by the 1995 National Research Council study with those U.S. News has developed, looking specifically at the U.S. News rankings based on peer assessment data only. They concluded that there was "a very high positive association between U.S. News peer assessment scores and rankings and those reported by the NRC." Their article in the May 1997 issue of the American Association of Higher Education Bulletin further discusses this topic”.
If the vision of the administration were truly one that tended toward “academic and professional excellence” then we could reasonably expect them to be laser-focused on securing top-notch academic instructors possessing stellar credentials and qualifications along with recruiting the very best students both regionally and nationally. Among a myriad of other things that sounds reasonable, right? I mean, it does if your goal is “academic and professional excellence”. Let me spell it out for you. Everything at MTSA, I mean EVERYTHING, is secondary to the primary goal and that primary goal is making absolutely certain that everything that can be SDA-certified IS SDA-certified. That’s why they are freestanding. That’s why they're 69th. That’s why some students are referred to as non-SDA. That’s why many of the alumni hate them and won’t loosen their purse strings. That’s why there are no instructors with great credentials and qualifications (Larry Lancaster excluded of course – hey, by the way Larry, in my opinion you are one of the best instructors to ever walk through the doors of that school. I think my class should get together and get you a gift card at Fortnum & Mason. Kudos!)
This obscenely myopic vision is why the President and Dean are both SDA. It is why, if the administration had their way, every person associated with and/or working for the school would be SDA. “Reflecting Christ in Anesthesia" is code for “All Things Adventist”. Don’t you know? No one can properly “reflect Christ” unless they are SDA. That’s why they are freestanding. Because if they were not they would lose control of this myopic, ethnocentric, xenophobic stranglehold that causes the school to languish both in funding and in ranking and yes, in “academic and professional excellence”. MTSA is not reaching and will never reach its true potential as long as this religious fanaticism continues. HELLO? Who works for whom here? Don’t any of the board members read this blog?
More to follow . . . .
Why would anyone choose this as a philosophy for their school? It is a philosophy that places it at odds with all top rated anesthesia schools not to mention most all of the rest. Is it that MTSA is so much further ahead of all those other schools? Or is the converse true? Is it that they are further behind? Form usually follows function. Architecturally speaking, if an object has to perform a certain function, its design must support that function to the fullest extent possible. Let’s take a look at MTSA – the stated values, goals, and philosophies of the school. Surely within these we’ll be able to catch a glimpse of the visions and aspirations of the school as well as an understanding of this philosophy.
First off, we see that MTSA “views itself as a leader in academic and professional excellence, specific to graduate nurse anesthesia education”. This is a very interesting portrayal of the school. From this quote we can see that the administration has a very unbalanced self-view; dare I say a delusional view. Although they may view themselves as leaders, there is ample evidence to suggest that this is not the case. By the way, what criteria do you use in making that claim? Based on the claims of most of the alumni that have been sent to “The Blogger” they believe your staff is bloated, the class size is too big, the administration is malevolent and self-serving, and they want to know what you’re doing with all the money. But I digress. Let’s forget about the alumni for just a moment and get back to you being a “leader in academic and professional excellence”. You see, I think most anyone with half a brain would tell you’re off your academic rocker and that you’re setting a really bad precedent by alledgedly admitting someone to the program who is a convicted felon and a drug user. I’ll stop by Walgreen’s and get some of those really big crayons and try and draw it out for you in a way that’ll make sense. Were you off your medication when that happened or what? Maybe someone left a vaporizer turned on in close proximity to your office or something. If queried, I’m certain you’d have some anonymous and purportedly veracious answer detailing why you thought it was a good idea. It really is interesting to see “academic and professional excellence” juxtaposed alongside the alledged admittance of a felon and drug user. Umm, I’m guessing that most “deans, other administrators, and/or faculty at accredited degree programs or schools” would say that’s just plain crazy. Wait, wait, wait! The answer just came to me. I’ll bet he or she was family. Right? If not, I’ll wager $500.00 that this person was SDA! But, hey, your academic and professional excellence stands alone, so business as usual – Just do whatever you want! That IS business as usual!
As has already been mentioned a few times in this blog, U.S. News ranked MTSA 69th in the nation among other anesthesia schools. To reiterate, this ranking is “based solely on the results of peer assessment surveys sent to deans, other administrators, and/or faculty at accredited degree programs or schools in each discipline. Respondents rated the academic quality of programs on a 5-point scale: outstanding (5), strong (4), good (3), adequate (2), or marginal (1)”. So the administration of MTSA thinks the school is “a leader” however, your peers rank you 69th. Your peers gave you a 2.6 – not outstanding, not strong, but a 2.6. Let me say it for you – “Almost good”. Not quite good, but almost. Hmm, sounds like there is a discrepancy there. While you view yourself as a leader, those at the top of their game, those ranked among the best in the nation, -- they view you as “Almost good”. Hey, maybe you can use some of your well-honed tactics on these folks at U.S. News and on your peers. After all, your M.O. is to attack those who differ with your opinion or those who threaten you in some way. No doubt, the administration will posit that the rankings are unfair in some way and that they really should be among the top ten.
“Researchers Evan Rogers and Sharon J. Rogers have compared rankings produced by the 1995 National Research Council study with those U.S. News has developed, looking specifically at the U.S. News rankings based on peer assessment data only. They concluded that there was "a very high positive association between U.S. News peer assessment scores and rankings and those reported by the NRC." Their article in the May 1997 issue of the American Association of Higher Education Bulletin further discusses this topic”.
If the vision of the administration were truly one that tended toward “academic and professional excellence” then we could reasonably expect them to be laser-focused on securing top-notch academic instructors possessing stellar credentials and qualifications along with recruiting the very best students both regionally and nationally. Among a myriad of other things that sounds reasonable, right? I mean, it does if your goal is “academic and professional excellence”. Let me spell it out for you. Everything at MTSA, I mean EVERYTHING, is secondary to the primary goal and that primary goal is making absolutely certain that everything that can be SDA-certified IS SDA-certified. That’s why they are freestanding. That’s why they're 69th. That’s why some students are referred to as non-SDA. That’s why many of the alumni hate them and won’t loosen their purse strings. That’s why there are no instructors with great credentials and qualifications (Larry Lancaster excluded of course – hey, by the way Larry, in my opinion you are one of the best instructors to ever walk through the doors of that school. I think my class should get together and get you a gift card at Fortnum & Mason. Kudos!)
This obscenely myopic vision is why the President and Dean are both SDA. It is why, if the administration had their way, every person associated with and/or working for the school would be SDA. “Reflecting Christ in Anesthesia" is code for “All Things Adventist”. Don’t you know? No one can properly “reflect Christ” unless they are SDA. That’s why they are freestanding. Because if they were not they would lose control of this myopic, ethnocentric, xenophobic stranglehold that causes the school to languish both in funding and in ranking and yes, in “academic and professional excellence”. MTSA is not reaching and will never reach its true potential as long as this religious fanaticism continues. HELLO? Who works for whom here? Don’t any of the board members read this blog?
More to follow . . . .
September 20, 2009
New Comments!
From non-alum:
"I can't stand this school. I've seen the way the students are treated, and how unprofessional the faculty and administration can be. I am a Christian, and I see nothing about this organization that "Reflects Christ", through anesthesia or any other thing they do. Not even close. Nepotism is the perfect word . . . whether that nepotism happens within actual blood-[realted] families or within the SDA "family." I have never been so happy to work in an area (now) where I don't have to listen to SDA rhetoric constantly all day long".
"I just wanted to say that it's not just alumni who are sick of this school. The market is flooded with CRNAs, and good luck to all the new graduates who need a job in town!"
From alum:
"Did you know they let in a student last year with a conviction for robbing a bank [a felon], and he had a history of drug use. Those with concerns on the admission comittee were told it was OK because he didn't use a gun to rob the bank, and he was now a SDA (so he must be OK). Some people on the admission comittee had serious reservations and this guy still got in. This is the story I get from someone in the know".
"Ready for the next one . . ."
"More posts please, LMAO"!
"I don't think you should change a thing. Great new blog. Keep up the good work".
"Preach on, brother (or sister)"!
"You are absolutely 150% on the money! Nothing like luring people in with the "reflecting Christ in anesthesia education" angle, and then actually "reflecting ANTI-Christ", once the tuition money is forked over. Your 3 entry blog is everything that has pissed me off about that school since I attended. They told me that they were "just like a big family". What a joke! I was one of those unfortunate individuals that was subjected to this unchristian behavior, and I am (WAS) an Adventist, while watching select others get whatever they wanted. And like clockwork they want my alumni donations. I've got a donation for them . . . I wonder if I could sue them for falsely advertising the "reflecting Christ in anesthesia education" lie. Thank you for telling it like it is! ---------------- a former MTSA castigation horse".
"The truth and the light will set MTSA free from so many years of unethical pratices. I agree with the blog updates that these events have occurred multiple times with first hand knowledge in so many ways. Please support this blog and add your stories to help change the future of CRNA's from MTSA".
"WOW! Negative most definitely does not mean untrue . . . nice post. The Alumni is watching . . . and waiting".
"I can't stand this school. I've seen the way the students are treated, and how unprofessional the faculty and administration can be. I am a Christian, and I see nothing about this organization that "Reflects Christ", through anesthesia or any other thing they do. Not even close. Nepotism is the perfect word . . . whether that nepotism happens within actual blood-[realted] families or within the SDA "family." I have never been so happy to work in an area (now) where I don't have to listen to SDA rhetoric constantly all day long".
"I just wanted to say that it's not just alumni who are sick of this school. The market is flooded with CRNAs, and good luck to all the new graduates who need a job in town!"
From alum:
"Did you know they let in a student last year with a conviction for robbing a bank [a felon], and he had a history of drug use. Those with concerns on the admission comittee were told it was OK because he didn't use a gun to rob the bank, and he was now a SDA (so he must be OK). Some people on the admission comittee had serious reservations and this guy still got in. This is the story I get from someone in the know".
"Ready for the next one . . ."
"More posts please, LMAO"!
"I don't think you should change a thing. Great new blog. Keep up the good work".
"Preach on, brother (or sister)"!
"You are absolutely 150% on the money! Nothing like luring people in with the "reflecting Christ in anesthesia education" angle, and then actually "reflecting ANTI-Christ", once the tuition money is forked over. Your 3 entry blog is everything that has pissed me off about that school since I attended. They told me that they were "just like a big family". What a joke! I was one of those unfortunate individuals that was subjected to this unchristian behavior, and I am (WAS) an Adventist, while watching select others get whatever they wanted. And like clockwork they want my alumni donations. I've got a donation for them . . . I wonder if I could sue them for falsely advertising the "reflecting Christ in anesthesia education" lie. Thank you for telling it like it is! ---------------- a former MTSA castigation horse".
"The truth and the light will set MTSA free from so many years of unethical pratices. I agree with the blog updates that these events have occurred multiple times with first hand knowledge in so many ways. Please support this blog and add your stories to help change the future of CRNA's from MTSA".
"WOW! Negative most definitely does not mean untrue . . . nice post. The Alumni is watching . . . and waiting".
September 19, 2009
Whited Sepulchres
Great News! MTSA may have moved up in rank! The Navy Nurse Corps Anesthesia Program has closed so that may mean they move up one without having to change anything. Now, if only 67 more schools close they can be number 1!
One of the vulnerabilities of writing a blog like this is that you may be perceived as crazy or as malfeasant as the entity or person you are seeking to expose. Which begs the question, Is it better to do or say nothing about the wrongdoing of those in power so that public opinion of oneself may be preserved? I think the answer to that question may lie within the following quotes:
“Evil will triumph when good men do nothing”.
"If we believe a thing to be bad, and if we have a right to prevent it, it is our duty to try to prevent it and damn the consequences." — Lord Milner
It is a risk to speak up. That’s why more people don’t do it. Often times when you speak up about the wrongdoing of others you become a target. I was raised to believe that I should never pursue a fight or enjoy controversy but that I must never be reticent to engage either when and if necessary. So let’s talk about why this blog exists. Why in the world would anyone do such a thing?
It’s simple really. The administration of this school is malfeasant, misguided, and meretricious. No, they are certainly not Nazi baby-killers but their actions do rise to such a level that I believe someone must do something to see that it stops. The motto of the school is “Reflecting Christ in Anesthesia.” That, in my opinion, is a very audacious motto. As a school, if you are claiming that your primary focus is to reflect the Creator of the universe then you had better be ready to live and die within that motto. To clarify what I mean by that, simply this: There should be no room for malfeasant behavior within the administration of a school making such a bold statement. Forget about the schools reputation! You are, according to your own motto, reflecting God. Therefore, as an administrator, you’d better measure up; zero tolerance for charlatanism here. If those charged with the administration of the school are chronically and continually engaging in behavior blatantly non Christ-like what needs to be done? Who needs to know? Who is in charge of these people? Shouldn’t someone say something?
I have been tied to the Administration’s whipping post for too long now and I’ll have no more of it. I am tired of being lied to and lied about. The Administration is claiming to reflect Christ and yet engaging in duplicitous behavior that should never occur in any school, let alone one claiming to “reflect Christ.” And duplicity is the word best describing the modus operandi of the administration. They have continued over many years and are continuing to operate under a façade of religiosity. It’s best called pseudo-spirituality. As best I can tell, character assassination, vilification, dishonesty, innuendo, lying, – none of these serve to reflect Christ! They are wrong to commit these acts even if they weren’t professing to reflect Christ. The fact that they do them while wrapping themselves within the meretricious banner of “reflecting Christ” makes their actions loathsome in my opinion. Who is responsible for MTSA’s version of Jim Baker and Tammy Faye? Will someone please hold them accountable for their actions? Hello? Who’s minding the store here? Someone needs to step in before they ruin the school! They either need to change the administration or the administration needs to change.
Reflecting Christ doesn’t automatically make one better prepared to take a certification exam. Reflecting Christ doesn’t make you better at managing a difficult airway. Reflecting Christ doesn’t help you better understand how to deliver a variety of anesthetics. Let me make my point a different way. What if the motto of the church was, “Delivering Anesthesia Education and Training of the Highest Order”. Wouldn’t that seem a bit odd? Wouldn’t you ask yourself something like, “I thought the church was supposed to reflect Christ -- His sacrifice and His works. Why is the church trying to provide anesthesia education"? Seeking to reflect Christ is a laudable goal for any individual and for some entities, but it’s not a goal that imparts anesthetic knowledge or makes you the best anesthesia school. That should be obvious based on the current ranking.
As an entity, if you want to reflect Christ then do the works of Christ: feed the hungry, clothe the naked, provide shelter for those that have none, comfort the grieving and dying, preach salvation to the outcast, give sight to the blind, care for the widowed, etc. These are the deeds I know to be a reflection of Christ. Let’s be honest here- relative to the schools audacious claim -- it’s never been about reflecting Christ anyway. As a child I was always told a variation of the popular axiom – “Believe none of what you hear and half of what you see”. My father would say, “If you hear someone standing on a soapbox telling you how virtuous they are and what wonderful things they do – you'd best steer clear of that person. Good people don’t need to tell you how good they are”. People who reflect Christ don’t need to tell you, “Hey, I’m reflecting Christ”. You can tell. I think the motto should read: “Reflecting the Doctrines and Dogma of the Seventh-day Adventist Church”. But then wait, that wouldn’t be true either really. More correctly: “Reflecting the Beliefs of the Family That Runs the School and Are Members of the Church Next Door”. There. That’s much more accurate!
"As a leader, you have to not only do the right thing, but be perceived to be doing the right thing. A consequence of seeking a leadership position is being put under intense public scrutiny, being held to high standards, and enhancing a reputation that is constantly under threat."
— Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and Andrew Ward in Firing Back
It is the perception of more than just a few that the leadership of the school has some other agenda besides competing for the number one spot with VCU. It is for that reason, many believe, that alumni funds and support languish. My guess is that the administration of the school doesn’t care what the alumni think. If they did they would have been mending fences long ago. There are many who love the school and would like to support it and would like to be engaged in some fashion. But you get what you give -the alumni are responding with apathy. While I do not speak for all alumni, a great many I know will not engage the school and will not support it financially until this dynasty ends. Where is Moses when you need him?
So . . . if you’re satisfied over there with a 69th ranking, if you’re OK with paltry alumni support, if the pseudo-religiosity game seems best in your eyes, if you think trumpeting your religious beliefs and placing them above what the school ought to be about is right, if you think vilifying those who dare to call you out qualifies as efficient administration – then you’re doing a great job! I think most folks still call it delusion.
One of the vulnerabilities of writing a blog like this is that you may be perceived as crazy or as malfeasant as the entity or person you are seeking to expose. Which begs the question, Is it better to do or say nothing about the wrongdoing of those in power so that public opinion of oneself may be preserved? I think the answer to that question may lie within the following quotes:
“Evil will triumph when good men do nothing”.
"If we believe a thing to be bad, and if we have a right to prevent it, it is our duty to try to prevent it and damn the consequences." — Lord Milner
It is a risk to speak up. That’s why more people don’t do it. Often times when you speak up about the wrongdoing of others you become a target. I was raised to believe that I should never pursue a fight or enjoy controversy but that I must never be reticent to engage either when and if necessary. So let’s talk about why this blog exists. Why in the world would anyone do such a thing?
It’s simple really. The administration of this school is malfeasant, misguided, and meretricious. No, they are certainly not Nazi baby-killers but their actions do rise to such a level that I believe someone must do something to see that it stops. The motto of the school is “Reflecting Christ in Anesthesia.” That, in my opinion, is a very audacious motto. As a school, if you are claiming that your primary focus is to reflect the Creator of the universe then you had better be ready to live and die within that motto. To clarify what I mean by that, simply this: There should be no room for malfeasant behavior within the administration of a school making such a bold statement. Forget about the schools reputation! You are, according to your own motto, reflecting God. Therefore, as an administrator, you’d better measure up; zero tolerance for charlatanism here. If those charged with the administration of the school are chronically and continually engaging in behavior blatantly non Christ-like what needs to be done? Who needs to know? Who is in charge of these people? Shouldn’t someone say something?
I have been tied to the Administration’s whipping post for too long now and I’ll have no more of it. I am tired of being lied to and lied about. The Administration is claiming to reflect Christ and yet engaging in duplicitous behavior that should never occur in any school, let alone one claiming to “reflect Christ.” And duplicity is the word best describing the modus operandi of the administration. They have continued over many years and are continuing to operate under a façade of religiosity. It’s best called pseudo-spirituality. As best I can tell, character assassination, vilification, dishonesty, innuendo, lying, – none of these serve to reflect Christ! They are wrong to commit these acts even if they weren’t professing to reflect Christ. The fact that they do them while wrapping themselves within the meretricious banner of “reflecting Christ” makes their actions loathsome in my opinion. Who is responsible for MTSA’s version of Jim Baker and Tammy Faye? Will someone please hold them accountable for their actions? Hello? Who’s minding the store here? Someone needs to step in before they ruin the school! They either need to change the administration or the administration needs to change.
Reflecting Christ doesn’t automatically make one better prepared to take a certification exam. Reflecting Christ doesn’t make you better at managing a difficult airway. Reflecting Christ doesn’t help you better understand how to deliver a variety of anesthetics. Let me make my point a different way. What if the motto of the church was, “Delivering Anesthesia Education and Training of the Highest Order”. Wouldn’t that seem a bit odd? Wouldn’t you ask yourself something like, “I thought the church was supposed to reflect Christ -- His sacrifice and His works. Why is the church trying to provide anesthesia education"? Seeking to reflect Christ is a laudable goal for any individual and for some entities, but it’s not a goal that imparts anesthetic knowledge or makes you the best anesthesia school. That should be obvious based on the current ranking.
As an entity, if you want to reflect Christ then do the works of Christ: feed the hungry, clothe the naked, provide shelter for those that have none, comfort the grieving and dying, preach salvation to the outcast, give sight to the blind, care for the widowed, etc. These are the deeds I know to be a reflection of Christ. Let’s be honest here- relative to the schools audacious claim -- it’s never been about reflecting Christ anyway. As a child I was always told a variation of the popular axiom – “Believe none of what you hear and half of what you see”. My father would say, “If you hear someone standing on a soapbox telling you how virtuous they are and what wonderful things they do – you'd best steer clear of that person. Good people don’t need to tell you how good they are”. People who reflect Christ don’t need to tell you, “Hey, I’m reflecting Christ”. You can tell. I think the motto should read: “Reflecting the Doctrines and Dogma of the Seventh-day Adventist Church”. But then wait, that wouldn’t be true either really. More correctly: “Reflecting the Beliefs of the Family That Runs the School and Are Members of the Church Next Door”. There. That’s much more accurate!
"As a leader, you have to not only do the right thing, but be perceived to be doing the right thing. A consequence of seeking a leadership position is being put under intense public scrutiny, being held to high standards, and enhancing a reputation that is constantly under threat."
— Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and Andrew Ward in Firing Back
It is the perception of more than just a few that the leadership of the school has some other agenda besides competing for the number one spot with VCU. It is for that reason, many believe, that alumni funds and support languish. My guess is that the administration of the school doesn’t care what the alumni think. If they did they would have been mending fences long ago. There are many who love the school and would like to support it and would like to be engaged in some fashion. But you get what you give -the alumni are responding with apathy. While I do not speak for all alumni, a great many I know will not engage the school and will not support it financially until this dynasty ends. Where is Moses when you need him?
So . . . if you’re satisfied over there with a 69th ranking, if you’re OK with paltry alumni support, if the pseudo-religiosity game seems best in your eyes, if you think trumpeting your religious beliefs and placing them above what the school ought to be about is right, if you think vilifying those who dare to call you out qualifies as efficient administration – then you’re doing a great job! I think most folks still call it delusion.
September 10, 2009
"If You Have Integrity, Nothing Else Matters. If You Don't Have Integrity, Nothing Else Matters".
Within The Principles of Accreditation of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), integrity is the very first thing mentioned --- “Section 1.1 The institution operates with integrity in all matters”. And rightly so. Unless you have integrity nothing else you do will really matter. Here are three definitions of that word:
1. Steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical code.
2. The state of being unimpaired; soundness.
3. The quality or condition of being whole or undivided; completeness.
Can the administration of the school pass muster within any of these definitions? This blog has already highlighted some of the malfeasance occurring within the administration of the school. Some years ago prior to a SACS visitation I overheard an administrator of the school discussing two part-time employees of the school who had been listed as full-time employees in order to meet SACS requirements. I recollect there being some talk about this because there were concerns about possible repercussions if this were known. These two people were then full-time employees at TCMC. They were, and still are, full-time anesthesia providers and their affiliation with the school was part-time. To the author of this blog this type of behavior seems dishonest and malfeasant. If it occurred, it violates the very essence of what Section 1.1 entails. Lack of integrity equates to trying to be something you are not – like operating a school that professes to “reflect Christ” all the while engaging in this kind of alleged abhorrent behavior.
I like this quote: “To reach a great height a person needs to have great depth”. (There are many quotes about integrity. I chose this one because it’s anonymous.) Assuming this is true, administrative integrity must exist in a shallow puddle over at MTSA. MTSA touts itself as the first and only regionally accredited, anesthesia-specific, graduate degree-granting, program in the United States. As such, it ought to be held to the highest standard; perhaps even higher due to its unique status. Scrutiny, properly brought to bear will likely reveal many additional deficits. I feel certain that all institutions struggle with a variety of problems relative to maintaining proper checks and balances. As a free-standing institution MTSA should embrace a mode and manner of conduct that would avoid the very appearance of cronyism and nepotism. Instead, they have adopted a means of operation that allowed the Council on Accreditation to give them less than a perfect accreditation. This type of overt nepotistic behavior threatens the schools very existence and lessens its reputation and standing within the academic community. Unless this overt nepotism can be dealt with effectively, MTSA will continue to operate as a “Mom & Pop” sort of school all the while touting itself as a “University.” Has the current administration of the school, through a variety of actions both past and present, demonstrated an inability to “make reasonable and responsible decisions consistent with the spirit of integrity in all matters”? Any and all business of the school and the conduct of those charged with its’ administration should be predicated upon the one supreme principle “essential to the purpose of higher education” – integrity.
Speaking of University and higher education, let’s revisit this issue of school ranking for just a moment. Based on MTSA’s ranking after 50 years, how long does it take to get to number 1 – 150 years? According to the MTSA website, “MTSA ranks as one of the largest”. So . . . if your criteria for choosing an anesthesia program is that it must lack administrative integrity, be “large”, and rank in the bottom 1/3 – Hey, we’ve got what you’re looking for! It should be fairly obvious to all but those having zero common sense that ranking – either low or high – is, to some degree, tied to the leadership of the institution. It should also appear obvious that if your leadership style tends toward religious and institutional-inbreeding, nepotism, cronyism, and neuroticism there’s a better than average chance you might rank a little lower than number 1 – say, I don’t know -69th? I would also expect that the Director of a number 1 program like Virginia Commonwealth University would have commensurate credentials and qualifications.
Let’s juxtapose the two and you draw your own conclusions.
Vice President and Dean of MTSA
Diploma, Nursing, Mountain Sanitarium and Hospital School of Nursing
Certificate, Madison Hospital School of Anesthesia
BA, Ottawa University
MEd, Tennessee State University
MS, Middle Tennessee School of Anesthesia
Additional study at, Capella University (Online), Andrews University, and Tennessee State University
Licensed Registered Nurse
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist
Licensed Advance Practice Nurse
I would list the qualifications of the Director at Virginia Commonwealth University, the Number 1 ranked anesthesia program in the country, however it is over 15 pages long. You may view it here. He has more credentials and qualifications than the President and the Dean put together. And, oh, their program started in 1969. You need more than just impressive credentials to make it to the top. Let's hope MTSA can find someone like the guy at VCU! Heck, another Nelda Faye Ackerman would be a step up!
1. Steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical code.
2. The state of being unimpaired; soundness.
3. The quality or condition of being whole or undivided; completeness.
Can the administration of the school pass muster within any of these definitions? This blog has already highlighted some of the malfeasance occurring within the administration of the school. Some years ago prior to a SACS visitation I overheard an administrator of the school discussing two part-time employees of the school who had been listed as full-time employees in order to meet SACS requirements. I recollect there being some talk about this because there were concerns about possible repercussions if this were known. These two people were then full-time employees at TCMC. They were, and still are, full-time anesthesia providers and their affiliation with the school was part-time. To the author of this blog this type of behavior seems dishonest and malfeasant. If it occurred, it violates the very essence of what Section 1.1 entails. Lack of integrity equates to trying to be something you are not – like operating a school that professes to “reflect Christ” all the while engaging in this kind of alleged abhorrent behavior.
I like this quote: “To reach a great height a person needs to have great depth”. (There are many quotes about integrity. I chose this one because it’s anonymous.) Assuming this is true, administrative integrity must exist in a shallow puddle over at MTSA. MTSA touts itself as the first and only regionally accredited, anesthesia-specific, graduate degree-granting, program in the United States. As such, it ought to be held to the highest standard; perhaps even higher due to its unique status. Scrutiny, properly brought to bear will likely reveal many additional deficits. I feel certain that all institutions struggle with a variety of problems relative to maintaining proper checks and balances. As a free-standing institution MTSA should embrace a mode and manner of conduct that would avoid the very appearance of cronyism and nepotism. Instead, they have adopted a means of operation that allowed the Council on Accreditation to give them less than a perfect accreditation. This type of overt nepotistic behavior threatens the schools very existence and lessens its reputation and standing within the academic community. Unless this overt nepotism can be dealt with effectively, MTSA will continue to operate as a “Mom & Pop” sort of school all the while touting itself as a “University.” Has the current administration of the school, through a variety of actions both past and present, demonstrated an inability to “make reasonable and responsible decisions consistent with the spirit of integrity in all matters”? Any and all business of the school and the conduct of those charged with its’ administration should be predicated upon the one supreme principle “essential to the purpose of higher education” – integrity.
Speaking of University and higher education, let’s revisit this issue of school ranking for just a moment. Based on MTSA’s ranking after 50 years, how long does it take to get to number 1 – 150 years? According to the MTSA website, “MTSA ranks as one of the largest”. So . . . if your criteria for choosing an anesthesia program is that it must lack administrative integrity, be “large”, and rank in the bottom 1/3 – Hey, we’ve got what you’re looking for! It should be fairly obvious to all but those having zero common sense that ranking – either low or high – is, to some degree, tied to the leadership of the institution. It should also appear obvious that if your leadership style tends toward religious and institutional-inbreeding, nepotism, cronyism, and neuroticism there’s a better than average chance you might rank a little lower than number 1 – say, I don’t know -69th? I would also expect that the Director of a number 1 program like Virginia Commonwealth University would have commensurate credentials and qualifications.
Let’s juxtapose the two and you draw your own conclusions.
Vice President and Dean of MTSA
Diploma, Nursing, Mountain Sanitarium and Hospital School of Nursing
Certificate, Madison Hospital School of Anesthesia
BA, Ottawa University
MEd, Tennessee State University
MS, Middle Tennessee School of Anesthesia
Additional study at, Capella University (Online), Andrews University, and Tennessee State University
Licensed Registered Nurse
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist
Licensed Advance Practice Nurse
I would list the qualifications of the Director at Virginia Commonwealth University, the Number 1 ranked anesthesia program in the country, however it is over 15 pages long. You may view it here. He has more credentials and qualifications than the President and the Dean put together. And, oh, their program started in 1969. You need more than just impressive credentials to make it to the top. Let's hope MTSA can find someone like the guy at VCU! Heck, another Nelda Faye Ackerman would be a step up!
It's All About Control!
Wow! The emails are coming in so fast I can barely keep up. I just want to say a quick thank you to Phil for all the free publicity! Did you ever wonder what living in a socialist country might feel like? Here’s a glimpse below. And remember, if you know of anyone harboring Jews, er, uh, I mean writing anything you think we wouldn’t like, call the propaganda minister immediately!
Disdains Meretriciousness,
Thank you for the service you are providing. I had been thinking of something similar for quite sometime. Kudos to you for beating me to it! I look forward to having discussions about this subject and providing material (such as what is written below) for your excellent blog.
Colonel Nathan R. Jessep USMC
---------------------------------------------------------------
As an MTSA alum, I received an email this week from Phil Hunt concerning this blog. See below.
"Dear Alumnus,
Several of you are already aware of a blog that was recently created and posted that does not have the blessing of MTSA, but is in reality very negative about our School. If any of you happen to be invited to view this blog, please be aware that it was not posted by anyone from MTSA. I would appreciate you calling or emailing me if you receive any phone calls or are invited to view this blog. Emails from Ikey DeVasher at ikey@mtsa.edu are valid. Any other emails that are similar, but not exactly the same as listed in this email, are NOT from Ikey or MTSA.
I want to take this opportunity to thank each one of you for your commitment to and support of our School. Please continue to remember the School in your prayers.
Yours in His service,
L. Phil Hunt, EdD MTSA President"
Let's take another look at one of the sentences. "I would appreciate you calling or emailing me if you receive any phone calls or are invited to view this blog." After I read it, the thought struck me: where have I seen something like this before? It took a couple of minutes but then it came to me. Just in the past few weeks a similar plea for information was introduced at our highest level of government.
See the site below: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/facts-are-stubborn-things/
“There is a lot of disinformation about health insurance reform out there, spanning from control of personal finances to end of life care. These rumors often travel just below the surface via chain emails or through casual conversation. Since we can’t keep track of all of them here at the White House, we’re asking for your help. If you get an email or see something on the web about health insurance reform that seems fishy, send it to flag@whitehouse.gov.”
Interesting terminology used here. "There is a lot of disinformation . . . out there". "If you get an email or see something on the web . . . that seems fishy," "Since we can’t keep track of all of them . . . we’re asking for your help." Well I'm just a simpleton from the south, but I see a similarity between Dr. Hunt asking for people to contact him about viewing this blog and the current administration asking for people to send "disinformation" to an email address with the word FLAG as the primary component of said address. I know if I were establishing a snitch line (and make no mistake, it is a snitch line), I would probably come up with an email address that didn't signify that I was marking certain people with opposing views with a FLAG. But that's just me. What the hell do I know anyway, I was educated at MTSA for God's sake.
But the main question to ask ourselves is why would the White House or old Phil want to be contacted about "disinformation?" That is probably the easiest question to answer. We all know why. Control. And one thing MTSA has had for decades is control. Control of their image. It is basic human nature to want to always be portrayed in the best light. But they now have encountered something they cannot control. Thank Gaia for Al Gore and his internets.
One more point about Dr. Hunt's email. In it he mentioned that the blog was ". . . in reality very negative about our School." Notice that nowhere in his email did he state that what is contained in the blog is not true. Interesting. Very, very interesting. Until next time I will leave you with a quote from author Aldous Huxley:
"Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you mad."
Semper Fidelis,
Colonel Nathan R. Jessep,USMC
Disdains Meretriciousness,
Thank you for the service you are providing. I had been thinking of something similar for quite sometime. Kudos to you for beating me to it! I look forward to having discussions about this subject and providing material (such as what is written below) for your excellent blog.
Colonel Nathan R. Jessep USMC
---------------------------------------------------------------
As an MTSA alum, I received an email this week from Phil Hunt concerning this blog. See below.
"Dear Alumnus,
Several of you are already aware of a blog that was recently created and posted that does not have the blessing of MTSA, but is in reality very negative about our School. If any of you happen to be invited to view this blog, please be aware that it was not posted by anyone from MTSA. I would appreciate you calling or emailing me if you receive any phone calls or are invited to view this blog. Emails from Ikey DeVasher at ikey@mtsa.edu are valid. Any other emails that are similar, but not exactly the same as listed in this email, are NOT from Ikey or MTSA.
I want to take this opportunity to thank each one of you for your commitment to and support of our School. Please continue to remember the School in your prayers.
Yours in His service,
L. Phil Hunt, EdD MTSA President"
Let's take another look at one of the sentences. "I would appreciate you calling or emailing me if you receive any phone calls or are invited to view this blog." After I read it, the thought struck me: where have I seen something like this before? It took a couple of minutes but then it came to me. Just in the past few weeks a similar plea for information was introduced at our highest level of government.
See the site below: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/facts-are-stubborn-things/
“There is a lot of disinformation about health insurance reform out there, spanning from control of personal finances to end of life care. These rumors often travel just below the surface via chain emails or through casual conversation. Since we can’t keep track of all of them here at the White House, we’re asking for your help. If you get an email or see something on the web about health insurance reform that seems fishy, send it to flag@whitehouse.gov.”
Interesting terminology used here. "There is a lot of disinformation . . . out there". "If you get an email or see something on the web . . . that seems fishy," "Since we can’t keep track of all of them . . . we’re asking for your help." Well I'm just a simpleton from the south, but I see a similarity between Dr. Hunt asking for people to contact him about viewing this blog and the current administration asking for people to send "disinformation" to an email address with the word FLAG as the primary component of said address. I know if I were establishing a snitch line (and make no mistake, it is a snitch line), I would probably come up with an email address that didn't signify that I was marking certain people with opposing views with a FLAG. But that's just me. What the hell do I know anyway, I was educated at MTSA for God's sake.
But the main question to ask ourselves is why would the White House or old Phil want to be contacted about "disinformation?" That is probably the easiest question to answer. We all know why. Control. And one thing MTSA has had for decades is control. Control of their image. It is basic human nature to want to always be portrayed in the best light. But they now have encountered something they cannot control. Thank Gaia for Al Gore and his internets.
One more point about Dr. Hunt's email. In it he mentioned that the blog was ". . . in reality very negative about our School." Notice that nowhere in his email did he state that what is contained in the blog is not true. Interesting. Very, very interesting. Until next time I will leave you with a quote from author Aldous Huxley:
"Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you mad."
Semper Fidelis,
Colonel Nathan R. Jessep,USMC
September 09, 2009
Pay No Attention To That Man Behind The Curtain!
Careful now. If you are reading this blog it might just be against the policy of the administration. What better way to let people know what this blog is all about than to TELL THEM what it is about. You can’t afford to let them form their own opinions. You certainly can’t leave that determination up to the individual. Because they’re not smart enough to figure things out for themselves, are they? Er, uh, I mean, they are not smart enough to reach the right conclusions. You must make certain they reach the “correct” conclusion. Damage control mode. You must TELL THEM what this is about. It’s very similar to what the media already does – report the news and then tell the public what it means. So . . . read the blog entries out loud - like a mother reading to her children. LOL! And then instruct them, tell them, teach them, what they are to think about these matters. Probably should send out an email to all the alumni too. They won’t be able to figure it out on their own either. Board members, staff – let’s see who else do we need to tell what to think.
It’s obvious, based on comment after comment, that there is an underlying ill will among many of the alumni toward MTSA. These folks, despite having received an education that places them among the top wage-earners in the nation, close their pocketbooks when asked to support their alma mater. The common thread? Nepotism and mistreatment. It seems as if, relative to this ever-increasing number of displeased alumni, MTSA finds itself in a conundrum. If they summarily reject the objections of these alumni they risk further alienation of an alumni base that won’t give them any money. However, if they accept these objections as valid then they risk exposing their malfeasance even further. Hmmmm, what to do, what to do. Wait, here’s an idea! And it’s a plan already in your play book. It really is diabolical. It allows you to accuse, condemn, and pronounce summary judgment upon anyone who dares to disagree with you or expose your malevolent behavior. Here’s what you do: Attack their moral and professional integrity. I mean, they are of no use to you anyway, right? Identify these errant alumni and punish them for not towing the line. Send a letter or email to their employer stating you have “anonymous feedback” that suggests they are unsafe practitioners and that they are endangering the safety of patients. And never speak to or notify the practitioner directly. Only speak to their employer that way you never have to talk to one of “your children”. Then wavier and waffle: “Well, we can’t disclose the evidence. It’s anonymous”. “Well, not really. I mean, we can identify a student who probably said this”. “Well, no, I mean, yes, it’s anonymous”. “We might know someone, somewhere who said this”. “No, wait, it really is anonymous and someone really said this”. OK, who said this and what did they say?” Silence. Maintain your silence. And don’t forget plausible deniability. Maintain these. Just cast aspersions and accuse. All you really need to do is to cast doubt about their character. Try and get others to view these detractors with a jaundiced eye. That’s all you need, right? Because, remember, everyone assumes you are operating under the “reflecting Christ” banner. Come to think of it – so does Benny Hinn. Man, that’s working out pretty well for him. Think of the fundraising possibilities if you paired up with him! You could just thumb your nose at all the alumni! Here’s one you might not have thought of – oh wait, what am I saying? Surely you HAVE thought of this one. It’s a variation of the first idea. Suggest they are incompetent and unsafe because you have “anonymous feedback” suggesting they are using drugs. Best keep these plans under wraps though. What do you think might happen when all the clinical coordinators and all the anesthesia providers at each of these sites find out that you have no compunction about using these sorts of tactics? Do you think they want to risk educating your students when you are willing to stoop to this sort of behavior? Why would anyone want that liability? And for goodness sake don’t let the board find out. If the board ever finds out what you’re up to. Wow! That could be bad maybe, huh? Hey, why don’t you try out some of these tactics on them? Better yet, get someone else to do your dirty work. Remember, plausible deniability!
This description of behavior sounds unbelievable, doesn’t it? I mean, in the world we live in you might expect to hear something crazy like this on the news. But if you were to tell someone that this sort of behavior is occurring among the administration of a school which professes to “reflect Christ” – it’s sounds like confabulation. Even to the author of this blog. It is more than just a little bit interesting to read emails from folks who have similar stories and experiences. While there’s some level of comfort in commiserating with others who share similar tales of nepotism, insolence, arrogance, and malfeasance, the alumni needs to be about the business of making themselves heard and thereby making things change. If they want your money then they damn well better be listening to what you have to say. You have already spoken through your refusal to give. Right now an audible voice is needed. A few things need to happen. One, the modus operandi of the administration must be exposed. Two, for those who care about the school, including this author, a clear path should be forged away from this misguided, malfeasant, and meretricious leadership. One that will lead back toward excellence, fairness, and inclusion. One that leads toward admiration and a higher ranking among other anesthesia programs rather than the current attitude – “we like to stand alone”. Three, constructive and well-received alumni involvement is imperative in order to preserve the long-term purposes, goals, and direction of the school. In order to engage a greater percentage of the alumni they must see, in a very real way, that things are changing for the better. The new motto of the school should be, We’re Cleaning House. A massive enema and scope has revealed (sorry, I just couldn’t resist that analogy) many deficiencies. The road to health, even for schools, can sometimes be messy.
It’s obvious, based on comment after comment, that there is an underlying ill will among many of the alumni toward MTSA. These folks, despite having received an education that places them among the top wage-earners in the nation, close their pocketbooks when asked to support their alma mater. The common thread? Nepotism and mistreatment. It seems as if, relative to this ever-increasing number of displeased alumni, MTSA finds itself in a conundrum. If they summarily reject the objections of these alumni they risk further alienation of an alumni base that won’t give them any money. However, if they accept these objections as valid then they risk exposing their malfeasance even further. Hmmmm, what to do, what to do. Wait, here’s an idea! And it’s a plan already in your play book. It really is diabolical. It allows you to accuse, condemn, and pronounce summary judgment upon anyone who dares to disagree with you or expose your malevolent behavior. Here’s what you do: Attack their moral and professional integrity. I mean, they are of no use to you anyway, right? Identify these errant alumni and punish them for not towing the line. Send a letter or email to their employer stating you have “anonymous feedback” that suggests they are unsafe practitioners and that they are endangering the safety of patients. And never speak to or notify the practitioner directly. Only speak to their employer that way you never have to talk to one of “your children”. Then wavier and waffle: “Well, we can’t disclose the evidence. It’s anonymous”. “Well, not really. I mean, we can identify a student who probably said this”. “Well, no, I mean, yes, it’s anonymous”. “We might know someone, somewhere who said this”. “No, wait, it really is anonymous and someone really said this”. OK, who said this and what did they say?” Silence. Maintain your silence. And don’t forget plausible deniability. Maintain these. Just cast aspersions and accuse. All you really need to do is to cast doubt about their character. Try and get others to view these detractors with a jaundiced eye. That’s all you need, right? Because, remember, everyone assumes you are operating under the “reflecting Christ” banner. Come to think of it – so does Benny Hinn. Man, that’s working out pretty well for him. Think of the fundraising possibilities if you paired up with him! You could just thumb your nose at all the alumni! Here’s one you might not have thought of – oh wait, what am I saying? Surely you HAVE thought of this one. It’s a variation of the first idea. Suggest they are incompetent and unsafe because you have “anonymous feedback” suggesting they are using drugs. Best keep these plans under wraps though. What do you think might happen when all the clinical coordinators and all the anesthesia providers at each of these sites find out that you have no compunction about using these sorts of tactics? Do you think they want to risk educating your students when you are willing to stoop to this sort of behavior? Why would anyone want that liability? And for goodness sake don’t let the board find out. If the board ever finds out what you’re up to. Wow! That could be bad maybe, huh? Hey, why don’t you try out some of these tactics on them? Better yet, get someone else to do your dirty work. Remember, plausible deniability!
This description of behavior sounds unbelievable, doesn’t it? I mean, in the world we live in you might expect to hear something crazy like this on the news. But if you were to tell someone that this sort of behavior is occurring among the administration of a school which professes to “reflect Christ” – it’s sounds like confabulation. Even to the author of this blog. It is more than just a little bit interesting to read emails from folks who have similar stories and experiences. While there’s some level of comfort in commiserating with others who share similar tales of nepotism, insolence, arrogance, and malfeasance, the alumni needs to be about the business of making themselves heard and thereby making things change. If they want your money then they damn well better be listening to what you have to say. You have already spoken through your refusal to give. Right now an audible voice is needed. A few things need to happen. One, the modus operandi of the administration must be exposed. Two, for those who care about the school, including this author, a clear path should be forged away from this misguided, malfeasant, and meretricious leadership. One that will lead back toward excellence, fairness, and inclusion. One that leads toward admiration and a higher ranking among other anesthesia programs rather than the current attitude – “we like to stand alone”. Three, constructive and well-received alumni involvement is imperative in order to preserve the long-term purposes, goals, and direction of the school. In order to engage a greater percentage of the alumni they must see, in a very real way, that things are changing for the better. The new motto of the school should be, We’re Cleaning House. A massive enema and scope has revealed (sorry, I just couldn’t resist that analogy) many deficiencies. The road to health, even for schools, can sometimes be messy.
The Emperor Has No Clothes!
The Emperor's New Clothes "is a fairy tale by Danish poet and author Hans Christian Andersen about an emperor who unwittingly hires two swindlers to create a new suit of clothes for him". "The story has given rise to its common reference as a metaphor in numerous situations. Most commonly, the statement "the emperor has no clothes" is used to refer to a situation in which (at least in the opinion of those using the phrase) the majority of people are unwilling to state an obvious truth, out of fear of appearing stupid, unenlightened, sacrilegious, or unpatriotic, or perhaps out of "political correctness". In such cases it is often implied that the motive and rationale for not seeing the obvious truth has become so ingrained that the majority do not even realize that they are perpetuating a falsehood".
That is precisely the point relative to this blog and to MTSA. This is not to be mistaken for anything other than what it really is - forcing others to see what they cannot or will not see. For far too long no one has had the gumption or the willingness to yell at the Emperor and say, "You have no clothes on! You're naked!" That happens sometimes in government, in corporations, in organizations, and yes, even in anesthesia schools. No one likes or wants to state what is true because sometimes the plain truth hurts. Surely those who profess to be "reflecting Christ in anesthesia education" couldn't/wouldn't be doing something untoward. I mean, they just wouldn't, right? They have the best interests of the school and the students at heart, right? But remember that saying about smoke and fire - remember? The hunch, in starting this blog, was that there must be plenty of folks (alumni) who have endured abuse, mistreatment, and/or some form of insult from those at the helm of MTSA. That hunch was as accurate as the fact that the sun is going rise in the morning. Malfeasant behavior of this nature rarely occurs in isolation. Already, emails are pouring in! Absolutely amazing! To prove my point, I'll share some remarks (all from alumni) in a moment.
First, allow me to share a submission from someone who was a member of the interview committee in years past. This person had "great concern" about the interview process and wrote the following letter to the school:
"I have great concern over the tabulation of our voting scores for potential candidates. I know for certain that scores are being manipulated. The way I know that numbers were manipulated is because the scores were read back for -applicant- and they were all in the teens. I know for a fact that my score was not in the teens. I also know that one other person's score was not in the teens. I noted that you made the comment that you thought something was "fishy." Indeed, something is “fishy”. Next year some system of checks should be in place to prevent this from happening. Firstly, what has happened is just plain wrong. Secondly, this could prove legally catastrophic for the school if candidates can prove that the interview process is flawed. There needs to be some way of proving, should this matter ever arise, that it is not possible for this to happen. I see this as a liability for the school. One simple method would be to count the votes immediately after every candidate in plain site of each committee member. Finally, I consider it a waste of each person’s time to have their vote taken away by the manipulation of scores. It is disheartening, infuriating, and dishonest. I hope you understand my hesitancy to identify myself. I write this anonymously for a variety of reasons".
How is this possible? Admission to the school is being manipulated? Of course "rational" thought mandates that you should attack the person sending this letter. Damage control mode - Attack the whistleblower! Discredit them by whatever means possible. Make it seem as if THEY are behaving in a malevolent fashion. That sort of behavior belongs on Capital Hill (if anywhere) not within an entity claiming that they are "reflecting Christ"! (At this juncture, please read the title of this blog again).
Here are some comments about this blog so far. Again, all from alumni -- some claiming to have been didactic and clinical instructors and committee members. All anonymous just like the school likes to do (we'll talk more about the malevolent use of anonymity at a later date).
"I have never seen a 2 blog entry be so spot on in my life".
"Nepotism. It is unbelievable that this is allowed to continue. It totally takes individual perception and critical thinking out of play. Add in friends and church members and you get the mess that is now MTSA. Favoritism at its best".
"The level of success in teaching RN's to become COMPETENT CRNA's is dropping . . . fast". (I hear this all the time from a variety of sources).
"Wonder why the alum's are not giving? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? The way we were treated in school and now you want more money??! The school uses fear and intimidation on a daily basis".
"It is this alum's feelings that there are many problems facing MTSA today. It seems with the growth that the school has undertaken these problems have been magnified".
"Bring in some nationally ranked credentialed CRNA talent. You don't see a university with all the professors graduates of that institution".
"You have alienated your alum. And their families".
"The "we own you" part that the Dean likes to throw out when angry, does not cut it with me and is why I will not support the school while this is allowed. They want to build a top school but refuse to come out of the dark ages".
"Thank you for this blog".
"Thanks for stepping up".
"Your blog is, IMHO, very accurate".
"As a former member of the admissions committee, I have seen this [nepotism] first-hand . . . especially for friends of the family and SDA church members".
"Some of the students now are so unprepared coming out I've had to personally instruct them on basic anesthesia".
Speaking out on disparate discipline: "This is also corrupt! Once again, I have been in on this too"!
"Complete, and I mean complete, lack of objectivity".
"The school is full of greed and is rapidly flooding the anesthesia market in Nashville".
Wow, I am truly overwhelmed by the influx of comments. So much, so soon. Where is Nelda Faye Ackerman when you need her? Expect a blog about her soon.
That is precisely the point relative to this blog and to MTSA. This is not to be mistaken for anything other than what it really is - forcing others to see what they cannot or will not see. For far too long no one has had the gumption or the willingness to yell at the Emperor and say, "You have no clothes on! You're naked!" That happens sometimes in government, in corporations, in organizations, and yes, even in anesthesia schools. No one likes or wants to state what is true because sometimes the plain truth hurts. Surely those who profess to be "reflecting Christ in anesthesia education" couldn't/wouldn't be doing something untoward. I mean, they just wouldn't, right? They have the best interests of the school and the students at heart, right? But remember that saying about smoke and fire - remember? The hunch, in starting this blog, was that there must be plenty of folks (alumni) who have endured abuse, mistreatment, and/or some form of insult from those at the helm of MTSA. That hunch was as accurate as the fact that the sun is going rise in the morning. Malfeasant behavior of this nature rarely occurs in isolation. Already, emails are pouring in! Absolutely amazing! To prove my point, I'll share some remarks (all from alumni) in a moment.
First, allow me to share a submission from someone who was a member of the interview committee in years past. This person had "great concern" about the interview process and wrote the following letter to the school:
"I have great concern over the tabulation of our voting scores for potential candidates. I know for certain that scores are being manipulated. The way I know that numbers were manipulated is because the scores were read back for -applicant- and they were all in the teens. I know for a fact that my score was not in the teens. I also know that one other person's score was not in the teens. I noted that you made the comment that you thought something was "fishy." Indeed, something is “fishy”. Next year some system of checks should be in place to prevent this from happening. Firstly, what has happened is just plain wrong. Secondly, this could prove legally catastrophic for the school if candidates can prove that the interview process is flawed. There needs to be some way of proving, should this matter ever arise, that it is not possible for this to happen. I see this as a liability for the school. One simple method would be to count the votes immediately after every candidate in plain site of each committee member. Finally, I consider it a waste of each person’s time to have their vote taken away by the manipulation of scores. It is disheartening, infuriating, and dishonest. I hope you understand my hesitancy to identify myself. I write this anonymously for a variety of reasons".
How is this possible? Admission to the school is being manipulated? Of course "rational" thought mandates that you should attack the person sending this letter. Damage control mode - Attack the whistleblower! Discredit them by whatever means possible. Make it seem as if THEY are behaving in a malevolent fashion. That sort of behavior belongs on Capital Hill (if anywhere) not within an entity claiming that they are "reflecting Christ"! (At this juncture, please read the title of this blog again).
Here are some comments about this blog so far. Again, all from alumni -- some claiming to have been didactic and clinical instructors and committee members. All anonymous just like the school likes to do (we'll talk more about the malevolent use of anonymity at a later date).
"I have never seen a 2 blog entry be so spot on in my life".
"Nepotism. It is unbelievable that this is allowed to continue. It totally takes individual perception and critical thinking out of play. Add in friends and church members and you get the mess that is now MTSA. Favoritism at its best".
"The level of success in teaching RN's to become COMPETENT CRNA's is dropping . . . fast". (I hear this all the time from a variety of sources).
"Wonder why the alum's are not giving? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? The way we were treated in school and now you want more money??! The school uses fear and intimidation on a daily basis".
"It is this alum's feelings that there are many problems facing MTSA today. It seems with the growth that the school has undertaken these problems have been magnified".
"Bring in some nationally ranked credentialed CRNA talent. You don't see a university with all the professors graduates of that institution".
"You have alienated your alum. And their families".
"The "we own you" part that the Dean likes to throw out when angry, does not cut it with me and is why I will not support the school while this is allowed. They want to build a top school but refuse to come out of the dark ages".
"Thank you for this blog".
"Thanks for stepping up".
"Your blog is, IMHO, very accurate".
"As a former member of the admissions committee, I have seen this [nepotism] first-hand . . . especially for friends of the family and SDA church members".
"Some of the students now are so unprepared coming out I've had to personally instruct them on basic anesthesia".
Speaking out on disparate discipline: "This is also corrupt! Once again, I have been in on this too"!
"Complete, and I mean complete, lack of objectivity".
"The school is full of greed and is rapidly flooding the anesthesia market in Nashville".
Wow, I am truly overwhelmed by the influx of comments. So much, so soon. Where is Nelda Faye Ackerman when you need her? Expect a blog about her soon.
Maybe 69th is Too High!
Of those anesthesia programs ranked in the top 10 in the nation there is a common denominator. The commonality among most of these schools is that they are affiliated with a college or university. This affiliation is an asset to these programs and not just for obvious reasons. Being a stand-alone institution decreases the levels and layers of scrutiny; scrutiny to which these top-schools are subjected. I believe it helps to foster nepotism and allows one to run a school as a Mom & Pop store might be run (Mom, Dad, & daughter all work at MTSA). Allegedly this nepotism rose to such a level that it allowed the schools accreditation to be suspended by the Council of Accreditation just last year. Reaching for a higher rung on the academic ladder might jeopardize this nepotistic stranglehold in which the school is held.
The uniqueness of MTSA seems to easily allow the hiring of friends and church members thus further buffering any indiscretions or wrongdoing that may be found out about. Running a school in this fashion allows favoritism to be shown through the changing of grades and through the changing of interview scores. It might allow the changing of a student’s grade from a B to an A and it easily allows changing the scores of an applicant from an 8 to an 18. Being a stand-alone school might allow you to focus on who you want to be there (qualified or not) rather than who is most qualified. Being a stand-alone school could make it easier for you to impose the dogma and doctrine of your church upon students even though the school has no affiliation with nor does it receive financial support from any organized religion. Which begs a question: If you had the choice, who would you rather have put you to sleep - a mediocre anesthesia provider who is a great Christian or a top-notch anesthesia provider who is an atheist? Some say there’s been an increase in those failing their board exams. Is that true? Word on the street also says that some new graduates were so incompetent that they were fired from there first job. Is that also true? Maybe 69th is too high!
MTSA also likes to tout the grades of the students, hours spent doing cases, and the amount of cases done by students. Great! As if to say, “Even though we’re 69th we have something to be proud of”. These ARE laudable results. But what are you doing that will help to elevate the school to a higher ranking? Why wouldn’t a school strive to be among the top ten? MTSA likes to talk about the fact they’ve been around for 50 years. Fifty years and you can’t make it into the top 20 or even the top 50? When then?
And let’s talk about the building fund. Let’s talk about the grandiose plan to build a multi-million dollar school – oh, but wait. Some of the bigger contributors wouldn't sign on to that project and one reason for that is because of the paltry number of contributing alumni. Tisk tisk! Perhaps if you spent more time concentrating on the quality of the program and less time making sure that everything is SDA-certified then those alumni you refer to as non-SDA would not disdain you so much and pony up with some cash. Not many alumni like the school well enough to contribute. Instead of a new building you had to settle for a new addition and some remodeling - the cost of which has to be paid for by a few who are cajoled into giving. Again, 50 years and you can’t seem to get more than just a few of the folks whose earnings are among the top 10% in the nation to give you a nickel. That’s very telling! Very telling indeed. At least priorities are in order - Mom, Pop, & daughter are still firmly entrenched. Sad really, very sad.
The uniqueness of MTSA seems to easily allow the hiring of friends and church members thus further buffering any indiscretions or wrongdoing that may be found out about. Running a school in this fashion allows favoritism to be shown through the changing of grades and through the changing of interview scores. It might allow the changing of a student’s grade from a B to an A and it easily allows changing the scores of an applicant from an 8 to an 18. Being a stand-alone school might allow you to focus on who you want to be there (qualified or not) rather than who is most qualified. Being a stand-alone school could make it easier for you to impose the dogma and doctrine of your church upon students even though the school has no affiliation with nor does it receive financial support from any organized religion. Which begs a question: If you had the choice, who would you rather have put you to sleep - a mediocre anesthesia provider who is a great Christian or a top-notch anesthesia provider who is an atheist? Some say there’s been an increase in those failing their board exams. Is that true? Word on the street also says that some new graduates were so incompetent that they were fired from there first job. Is that also true? Maybe 69th is too high!
MTSA also likes to tout the grades of the students, hours spent doing cases, and the amount of cases done by students. Great! As if to say, “Even though we’re 69th we have something to be proud of”. These ARE laudable results. But what are you doing that will help to elevate the school to a higher ranking? Why wouldn’t a school strive to be among the top ten? MTSA likes to talk about the fact they’ve been around for 50 years. Fifty years and you can’t make it into the top 20 or even the top 50? When then?
And let’s talk about the building fund. Let’s talk about the grandiose plan to build a multi-million dollar school – oh, but wait. Some of the bigger contributors wouldn't sign on to that project and one reason for that is because of the paltry number of contributing alumni. Tisk tisk! Perhaps if you spent more time concentrating on the quality of the program and less time making sure that everything is SDA-certified then those alumni you refer to as non-SDA would not disdain you so much and pony up with some cash. Not many alumni like the school well enough to contribute. Instead of a new building you had to settle for a new addition and some remodeling - the cost of which has to be paid for by a few who are cajoled into giving. Again, 50 years and you can’t seem to get more than just a few of the folks whose earnings are among the top 10% in the nation to give you a nickel. That’s very telling! Very telling indeed. At least priorities are in order - Mom, Pop, & daughter are still firmly entrenched. Sad really, very sad.
First Things First
The content of this blog will likely take many twists and turns. It's all about MTSA - where it's come from, where it's going, why it's future may be in peril because of a misguided, malfeasant, and meretricious leadership. We will explore many angles, thoughts, and ideas. Hopefully, among other things, some fallacies regarding MTSA will come to light. And there are many. Let's deal with one right off the bat. You might have heard someone say that MTSA is one of the best programs in the country. We will deal with this more thoroughly at some point but for a cursory first look lets turn to US News and World Report's Rankings for Nurse Anesthesia Programs in 2007. Do we find MTSA among the top 20? Nope. Top 30? Nope. How about the top 40? Nope. OK, surely it must be in the top 50! Nope. Top 60 then? No again. The programs are ranked “based solely on the peer assessment data from academics involved in that particular field”. “To gather the peer opinion data, [they] asked deans, program directors, and senior faculty to judge the academic quality of programs in their field on a scale of 1 ("marginal") to 5 ("outstanding")”. Out of just over 100 schools listed, MTSA ranks 69th with a score of 2.6. So . . . one of the best in the country? The numbers suggest this is not the case. There are reasons why this score isn't higher. Again, first things first - or should I say 69th things first. More later.
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