One’s glucose levels are constantly surging with each new attempt to increase the pressure on Jim Ramey to resign as president of the University of Louisville. Fortunately, it seems to bounce right off Ramsey, easily the most effective administrator in the school’s history.
The old adage that successful leaders attract enemies has never been more true. No getting around the fact that it can be lonely at the top.
Ramsey’s detractors keep coming up with new surveys in an effort to create the illusion that momentum is building within the university for his ouster. The School of Law, the College of Arts & Sciences, the Faculty Senate and, predictably, the Student Government Association conducting their own polls. Symptomatic of a poll-driven society in which surveys have been relegated to delivering desired results of the most politically-motivated.
Despite all the static, Jim Ramsey never seems to waiver, doing the kind of things he does that have resulted in unprecedented growth for UofL. Record high fundraising levels, graduation rates, incoming freshman academic averages. The university spreading its influence throughout the community, unparalleled growth of the campus and in the availability of student housing. Unprecedented growth in recognition and respect for the many facets of the university’s athletic program.
There are some in the community and state who resent UofL’s success.
Some of the animosity comes from people who consider the university a rival, outraged that UofL was competing with them in the development arena. At least three members of the core group stalking Ramsey are business partners, wanting to take him down, regardless of the impact on the university. Possibly some remorse that the UofL Foundation declined to participate in the 62-story Museum Plaza project after it was denied HUD funding.
Then there was a former Governor, an alumnus of the University of Kentucky. According to some sources, he privately resented Jim Ramsey’s success, seeing UofL’s growth as a direct threat to UK’s preeminence. He wanted to do away with the University of Louisville Foundation, consistently appointing anti-Jim Ramsey members to the UofL Board of Trustees.
Impressive that Ramsey is still President, refusing to resign under constant public pressure, magnified by unrelenting coverage from the Courier-Journal. Reporter Andrew Wolfson relies heavily on anti-Ramsey faculty members for source material, and has made Dr. Ricky Jones, head of African-American Studies, a star on the op-ed page. Rarely does anybody hear anything from any Jim Ramsey supporters in the CJ. Like they don’t exist?
Most people would have thrown in the towel a long time ago. Ramsey is stronger than most people would be under similar circumstances. That says tons about his character, his inner strength and his ongoing commitment to UofL.
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