Should Rick Dickson continue as Tulane AD

[jonathanjoseph]

But then again... if I was at the helm we wouldn't be building a 30k stadium, allowing NIMBYs to get in our way, hiring OKAY coaches, allowing good ones to leave, basing success off competitiveness (success is being #1 and pushing the envelope of what a #1 can do), and seeing a dip in donations.


I would be fire and brimstone, balls to the walls, and demand more than mediocrity. Real winners don't point out facility upgrades and plans for the future. Real winners point out 12-0 records and as an aside glimpse at the towering facilities that are built in correlation.

Right. So why are we as alumni pretending that maybe another year of this is acceptable? What does it say that the University President is ok with widespread and obvious incompetence?

[jonathanjoseph]

I was pro PROPER OCS. Not sandbox. What can ya do.

You can say "NO". No I am not in favor of this administration continuing to destroy the university and taking steps, even if small, to make sure that they do not do so.

[tpstulane]

As I have been saying for the past year, not only is Dickson not getting fired but approving and having him run the OCS project is basically a lifetime contract. Zero chance of firing him in the middle of a major capital project he's running.

There is literally nothing Rick Dickson can do to be fired. He will be in charge as long as Cowen is allowed to remain in power. The Athletic department is but one area of Tulane Cowen is being allowed to destroy.

JD, you set the bar at a half decade of incompetence? When you graduate and enter the professional world rest assured no employer you ever encounter will allow that kind of leeway. There is no success without accountability.

JJ I think you're correct. I believe early in his career RD had the right idea of beefing up the football schedule and recognizing that New Orleans is a "big event town" but after being blindsided in 2003 with the review and Katrina in 2005 he has lost his way. Even to the point saying that Tulane doesn't judge success by wins and losses. RD is just going along with what his boss SC wants done. I believe once this stadium is up and running you'll see RD probably retire. His attempt to hire RR was about 13 years too late. Looking into the future with this new watered down CUSA, our athletic situation today has never been worse. I blame SC more than RD for that.

[jonathanjoseph]

As I have been saying for the past year, not only is Dickson not getting fired but approving and having him run the OCS project is basically a lifetime contract. Zero chance of firing him in the middle of a major capital project he's running.

There is literally nothing Rick Dickson can do to be fired. He will be in charge as long as Cowen is allowed to remain in power. The Athletic department is but one area of Tulane Cowen is being allowed to destroy.

JD, you set the bar at a half decade of incompetence? When you graduate and enter the professional world rest assured no employer you ever encounter will allow that kind of leeway. There is no success without accountability.

JJ I think you're correct. I believe early in his career RD had the right idea of beefing up the football schedule and recognizing that New Orleans is a "big event town" but after being blindsided in 2003 with the review and Katrina in 2005 he has lost his way. Even to the point saying that Tulane doesn't judge success by wins and losses. RD is just going along with what his boss SC wants done. I believe once this stadium is up and running you'll see RD probably retire. His attempt to hire RR was about 13 years too late. Looking into the future with this new watered down CUSA, our athletic situation today has never been worse. I blame SC more than RD for that.

I have no doubt of that. Dickson is battered and beaten as a professional and that's completely due to Cowen. But that doesn't make Dickson any worse for staying in a no-win position and collecting a nice paycheck while the athletic department he's responsible for is moving towards its death bed.

It's not just athletics. The academics side of Tulane is being similarly managed. Doubling down on failed policies and bad ideas. I'll continue to say that people do not understand the depth of the crisis at Tulane with Cowen's leadership. We may never be able to recover from the damage he's done.

[Fred Dowler]

He should have been fired the first time he publicly stated that we don't judge by wins and losses. Can you imagine an AD saying that any other school and keeping their job another day much less years.

That would happen at another school because some person who would be that school's equivalent of a Jim Wilson or Kent McWilliams would go to the school president or to the Board of Administrators or whatever it would be and straighten that situation out.

It's not even that complicated. Cowen has engendered such a ridiculous level of apathy among alumni that no one is paying attention.

If enough people were paying attention to anything that fool says enough people would have been furious that the backlash would have been immediate.

Cowen has successfully brought most of the elements of the alumni, etc. community under his control and instituted "one chief and the rest are tribe members" structure with himself as the chief.

He does not "work with" people; he just gives orders (like the CEO of a business).

The university area neighbors BTW that so many people so seem to want to castigate have pointed this very fact out quite succinctly. They'd like to be "worked with" w/r/t the new stadium but are concerned about being "steam-rolled" instead -- and they are absolutely correct to be concerned.

OTOH like I said before a lot of people do seem to be "drinking the potion" and do not seem to be that unhappy with the situation. It's crazy.

[Fred Dowler]

But then again... if I was at the helm we wouldn't be building a 30k stadium, allowing NIMBYs to get in our way, hiring OKAY coaches, allowing good ones to leave, basing success off competitiveness (success is being #1 and pushing the envelope of what a #1 can do), and seeing a dip in donations.


I would be fire and brimstone, balls to the walls, and demand more than mediocrity. Real winners don't point out facility upgrades and plans for the future. Real winners point out 12-0 records and as an aside glimpse at the towering facilities that are built in correlation.

Proper leadership would be one the recognize that, for one, with what's been built on the campus in that area between the Reily Center and South Claiborne, a decent-sized proper Div. 1 FBS type football stadium is just not workable (The ever-so-hated neighbors are only merely pointing out this very truth, which it is) and also would not be so stuck on relying on gimmicks that they have to marry themselves to focusing on this unworkable concept rather than on doing what they need to be doing anyway, which is providing an entertain, WINNING product on the field and that plays an attractive schedule (to which the gimmickry is only tangentially-related, anyway).

[jonathanjoseph]

Cowen has successfully brought most of the elements of the alumni, etc. community under his control and instituted "one chief and the rest are tribe members" structure with himself as the chief.

He does not "work with" people; he just gives orders (like the CEO of a business).

The university area neighbors BTW that so many people so seem to want to castigate have pointed this very fact out quite succinctly. They'd like to be "worked with" w/r/t the new stadium but are concerned about being "steam-rolled" instead -- and they are absolutely correct to be concerned.

OTOH like I said before a lot of people do seem to be "drinking the potion" and do not seem to be that unhappy with the situation. It's crazy.

Yes. I agree. Cowen has approached his tenure like a CEO who centralizes power but CEO's get judged on results. I have no problem with strong-handed leadership if it works (many great CEOs/Entrepreneurs have this trait). But it hasn't worked. It not only hasn't worked but it's been a complete disaster. Look at the US News rankings and the Athletic department as definitive proof of that.

[golfnut69]

Cowen has successfully brought most of the elements of the alumni, etc. community under his control and instituted "one chief and the rest are tribe members" structure with himself as the chief.

He does not "work with" people; he just gives orders (like the CEO of a business).

The university area neighbors BTW that so many people so seem to want to castigate have pointed this very fact out quite succinctly. They'd like to be "worked with" w/r/t the new stadium but are concerned about being "steam-rolled" instead -- and they are absolutely correct to be concerned.

OTOH like I said before a lot of people do seem to be "drinking the potion" and do not seem to be that unhappy with the situation. It's crazy.

Yes. I agree. Cowen has approached his tenure like a CEO who centralizes power but CEO's get judged on results. I have no problem with strong-handed leadership if it works (many great CEOs/Entrepreneurs have this trait). But it hasn't worked. It not only hasn't worked but it's been a complete disaster. Look at the US News rankings and the Athletic department as definitive proof of that.

So I guess I will not be looking for Cowens name to be listed with Warren Buffet...T Boone Pickens...Donald Trump..or that matter Al Copeland or May Kay or even Martha Stewart !!!!....Cowen is terrible and alumni, freinds and Fans should pressue the board to vote his azz out...hell , he must be close to 65 years old...how much longer should we be subjected to his krap ?!?!?

[JDTulane]

All interesting posts but now a bit off topic. I really WAS interested in how people would gauge the current AD hiring process as if they were SC (not him but his title).

[RWR]

fred many have been posting for years that we don't have any McWilliams,etc anymore.

As for Dickson he has always been a lazy loaf. He was playing tennis and socializing instead of working. He didn't even know the review was going on and then whined about losing 30 lbs. trying to save it. You don't step down from a school like he was at for the Tulane job. He was on his way out for his lying ways there and he continued them here. He has no redeeming value. He can't even plant flowers well.

[Jonathan]

Rick Ikon our A D is a loser. Spent more time watching his daughter play volleyball at TU than dong his job. His coaching hires are the worst in the nation. Citadel coach a losing record that cannot coach or recruit. Bob Toledo and contract extension an embrassment. He should fire Rick Jones now. He and Cowen need to retire today. The worst athletic programs in the nation!

[Jonathan]

Sorry Rick Dickson our AD

[tpstulane]

NCAA AD salary list:
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/ ... 50669958/1

[ajcalhoun]

NCAA AD salary list:
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/ ... 50669958/1

Really? You made me clink a link and then scroll down to the "T"s just so that I could find out RD's salary was N/A?

That post sucked.

[tpstulane]

NCAA AD salary list:
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/ ... 50669958/1

Really? You made me clink a link and then scroll down to the "T"s just so that I could find out RD's salary was N/A?

That post sucked.

Do I have to do everything?
The average salary for C-USA athletic directors is $329,768. Of course with Tulane and Rice being privates their salaries were not available. So based on that avg I'd guess RD makes between $300-$400K.


School
Athletic director
University pay
Other pay
Total pay
Max bonus

Alabama-Birmingham
Brian Mackin
$243,338
$0
$243,338
$0

Central Florida
Keith Tribble
$365,580
$20,000
$385,580
$241,283

East Carolina
Terry Holland
$361,400
$2,000
$363,400
$0

Houston
Mack Rhoades
$392,000
$0
$392,000
$75,000

Marshall
Mike Hamrick
$244,494
$3,000
$247,494
$0

Memphis
R.C. Johnson
$332,500
$0
$332,500
$191,250

Rice
Rick Greenspan
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A

SMU
Steve Orsini
$431,944
$0
$431,944
$0

Southern Miss
Richard Giannini
$298,000
$0
$298,000
$49,666

Texas-El Paso
Bob Stull
$227,460
$1,000
$228,460
$376,190

Tulane
Rick Dickson
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A

Tulsa
Bubba Cunningham
$374,964
$0
$374,964
$0

[ExileWave]

No "Cone of Silence" at SMU and Tulsa- both private schools that actually disclose information?

[Fred Dowler]

No "Cone of Silence" at SMU and Tulsa- both private schools that actually disclose information?

No silence at Tulane, either -- when it comes time to ask for donations.

[Fred Dowler]

No "Cone of Silence" at SMU and Tulsa- both private schools that actually disclose information?

Seriously, though, no one should be angry at the university area neighbors who are against the new stadium for being upset at how we all know that Tulane usually is.

We have questions. We get the Cone of Silence treatment.

They have questions. Same story.

Though it isn't just a Rick Dickson practice. It comes from the top

The Cone of Silence has to go.

[jonathanjoseph]

No "Cone of Silence" at SMU and Tulsa- both private schools that actually disclose information?

Seriously, though, no one should be angry at the university area neighbors who are against the new stadium for being upset at how we all know that Tulane usually is.

We have questions. We get the Cone of Silence treatment.

They have questions. Same story.

Though it isn't just a Rick Dickson practice. It comes from the top

The Cone of Silence has to go.

This is obvious. Besides being standard best practices for corporate communication, it's also necessary if you don't want your local NIMBYs to derail your important capital projects.

At what point are the people of NOLA going to just demand that Scott Cowen's reign ends? Notice how much PR Tulane is doing regarding the stadium since the IZD? They've never done PR like this before, only now that their project is in jeopardy.

The simple reason why they NEVER do PR is that they are ALWAYS HIDING SOMETHING from you. Whether that's small stuff (25K seats vs 30K seats or we have confusing JC transfer rules) or major stuff (pssst, we're going D3... or we're getting rid of engineering) there's always dishonesty and surprise. Don't be surprised that locals want to know what they are getting themselves into before saying yes, simple communication could have solved the problem before it was a problem.

It's another display of complete incompetence and the new PR blitz is proof of that.

Which is more important to you? Competent leadership or a stadium? Most of you are clearly prefer the latter.

[DrBox]

No "Cone of Silence" at SMU and Tulsa- both private schools that actually disclose information?

Seriously, though, no one should be angry at the university area neighbors who are against the new stadium for being upset at how we all know that Tulane usually is.

Oh please. For every 1 unit of Bad that TU does to those neighbors, it gives 10 units of good. Those greedy poverty-lovers want the ten units, without giving up the 1.

Taking the side of the hapless NIMBY's is ridiculously revealing.

[Fred Dowler]

No "Cone of Silence" at SMU and Tulsa- both private schools that actually disclose information?

Seriously, though, no one should be angry at the university area neighbors who are against the new stadium for being upset at how we all know that Tulane usually is.

Oh please. For every 1 unit of Bad that TU does to those neighbors, it gives 10 units of good. Those greedy poverty-lovers want the ten units, without giving up the 1.

Taking the side of the hapless NIMBY's is ridiculously revealing.

As if the stadium supporter crowd really gives a hoot about any of the neighbors' concerns.

As if no. 2...as if President Cowen and Rick Dickson are always completely forthcoming and have never and would never look to hide anything from all of us.

As if no. 3...as if we haven't seen before and we see continually how the Cone of Silence keeps being implemented on a variety of topics.

Bottom line: there's no excuse for it. The Cone of Silence has to go.

[Fred Dowler]

No "Cone of Silence" at SMU and Tulsa- both private schools that actually disclose information?

Seriously, though, no one should be angry at the university area neighbors who are against the new stadium for being upset at how we all know that Tulane usually is.

We have questions. We get the Cone of Silence treatment.

They have questions. Same story.

Though it isn't just a Rick Dickson practice. It comes from the top

The Cone of Silence has to go.

Notice how much PR Tulane is doing regarding the stadium since the IZD? They've never done PR like this before, only now that their project is in jeopardy.

The simple reason why they NEVER do PR is that they are ALWAYS HIDING SOMETHING from you. Whether that's small stuff (25K seats vs 30K seats or we have confusing JC transfer rules) or major stuff (pssst, we're going D3... or we're getting rid of engineering) there's always dishonesty and surprise. Don't be surprised that locals want to know what they are getting themselves into before saying yes, simple communication could have solved the problem before it was a problem.

It's another display of complete incompetence and the new PR blitz is proof of that.

Which is more important to you? Competent leadership or a stadium? Most of you are clearly prefer the latter.

Exactly.

[JerseyWave]

If this guy had any honor he would have a letter on Cowen's desk first thing in the morning.

[jonathanjoseph]

If this guy had any honor he would have a letter on Cowen's desk firt thing in the morning.

that's been the case every day for numerous years now. Meanwhile, Cowen has given Dickson a lifetime vote of confidence by letting him lead the stadium project.

This situation is scandalous.

[Fred Dowler]

If this guy had any honor he would have a letter on Cowen's desk firt thing in the morning.

that's been the case every day for numerous years now. Meanwhile, Cowen has given Dickson a lifetime vote of confidence by letting him lead the stadium project.

This situation is scandalous.

I agree with that wholeheartedly.

The stadium project IS a scandal, pure and simple. Travis Mackel or Lee Zurik or someone needs to be on top of that.

They're so insistent on it while the program itself is just going backward apparently and right downhill and into the sewer and interest is drying up.

I'd think just in order to induce a sell-out crowd on opening day at the 25,000 seat stadium there would just about have to be 1998 repeated next season and heaven knows what chance there is of that happening.