Shepard: ‘Out with the old, in with the new, and screw you on your way out’
Student Body President Joseph Shepard’s final meeting with President John Bardo — planned for Monday — was cancelled 10 minutes before its scheduled start time.
“Dr. Bardo has had something come up off campus and will be unable to make it to your 2:30 meeting, so I will need to cancel this off his calendar,” the emailed cancellation sent to Shepard from Bardo’s secretary said.
“Dr. Bardo wishes you all the best for the remainder of this school year and as you work towards completing your master’s degree. He appreciates your service to the institution and the work that you have done on behalf of students.”
Shepard addressed his concerns about the cancelled meeting, and concerns about President-elect Paige Hungate’s treatment by administration, during his report at SGA’s Wednesday meeting.
Shepard said Bardo had no intention to reschedule.
Faculty members — who Shepard would not name because of “the culture of fear,” he said — told Shepard that Bardo was seen at the Braeburn Square Starbucks during the meeting time.
Teri Hall, vice president of student affairs, said whether Bardo was at Starbucks or not, whatever he cancelled the meeting for was likely important.
“I’m sure that if he cancelled it, there must have been a good reason,” Hall said. “Him sitting in Starbucks is probably still a meeting, too. He’s not just sitting doing whatever.”
Shepard said he has not met with Bardo in over two months. He said the final meeting had been on his schedule since the start of the term, though rescheduled from its original date.
He said the cancelled meeting is a continuation of the administration’s eagerness to clean their hands of Shepard and Azad and move into the next SGA session.
He said this eagerness toward the incoming SGA session was shown Friday during the AAC announcement. President-elect Paige Hungate was invited by WSU to speak at the announcement. Shepard received no such invitation.
“I feel that was his way of saying, ‘Out with the old, in with the new, and screw you on your way out,’” Shepard said.
President-elect Hungate said she believes she was chosen for the event because the change would happen during her term, not Shepard’s — not because of an ulterior motive.
Shepard and Bardo have had a rocky relationship since Shepard’s first term, Shepard said. He said it all stems from his friendship with the 57th session’s student body president, Matthew Conklin, which has left him caught in the middle of a “political crossfire.” Conklin’s term ended with the removal of pews from the Grace Memorial Chapel. He was also outspoken in his defense of former Vice President for Student Affairs Wade Robinson, who is currently involved in a lawsuit with WSU and Bardo.
“(Bardo) didn’t like that,” Shepard said. “(The administration) didn’t like that.”
Hall said she doesn’t expect similar issues between administration and the SGA cabinet during the 60th session.
“I’ve been to a lot of SGA meetings, and they’re not like these,” Hall said. “I want good dialogue with students and I expect students to disagree with us. But the question is, ‘How do we have those conversations?’
“Frankly, I don’t want my colleagues from administration to come to these meetings because it’s hostile – hostile to me and to others.”
Shepard said there’s an “undeniable difference” between the treatment of him and Vice President Taben Azad and the student body president-elect and vice president-elect.
“It’s very clear that the incoming student body president and vice president are being treated like royal dignitaries, whereas Taben and I are being treated like the bottom of someone’s shoe.”
After Wednesday’s meeting — during which Vice President Azad and Hall had several back-and-forths — Azad approached Hall and asked if they could set up a meeting to talk things out.
Azad: Can I talk to you, just for 30 seconds? Please. Could we meet tomorrow or Friday? Just for like 20, 30 minutes?
Hall: I’ll have to check my schedule. I really don’t know what my schedule’s like. It’s been very, very busy. I’m very, very busy this week.
Azad: Okay. Are you free anytime next week if you’re not free this week?
Hall: I will look at my calendar.
Azad: Could you let me know tomorrow?
Hall: I will look at my calendar.
Azad: Should I follow up tomorrow?
Hall: I will look at my calendar.
Andrew Linnabary was the 2018-2019 Digital Managing Editor of The Sunflower. He studied journalism and minored in English. Linnabary is from Wichita, Kansas.
Basic White Girl • Apr 17, 2017 at 11:31 pm
Bardo would order a skinny venti iced white mocha no whip, 5 extra pumps white mocha. What a basic white girl. Couldn’t that have waited until after your meeting with Shepard?
Is anyone else beginning to wonder if Bardo is even real? Who is this Bardo? Let’s dress him up in red stripes and play ‘Where’s Bardo?’
Unfortunately • Apr 17, 2017 at 10:16 pm
I have never known an occupation that has allotted anyone so much leave. With all that free time on Bardo’s hands, when does the man find time to work?
Just saying • Apr 15, 2017 at 4:45 am
Is anyone going to actually mention why Bardo cancelled or are we going to ignore the fact that he has a very sick wife and needed to go see her in the hospital?
The coffee was probably the only thing getting him through that.
Star Bucks • Apr 13, 2017 at 3:45 pm
Probably an important meeting with David Murfin and his business associates to determine what the next Innovation Campus project is that they will get.
Be Proud • Apr 13, 2017 at 3:42 pm
Joseph and Taben,
Be proud of what was accomplished this year.
1. Chapel changes were fully implemented with your hard work and dedication.
2. Foot washing stations were approved with your hard work and dedication.
3. The move to the American Athletic Conference was achieved with your fee and full support to Athletics.
4. Innovation Campus grew.
5. The inclusion of WATC was approved.
6. The potential waste of millions of dollars on a YMCA was not supported by SGA.
7. A No Confidence resolution was passed against Bardo which reflects accountability.
All of this was accomplished during this session with Joseph as President and Taben as Vice President. The Administration recognized your leadership and approved items 1-5. The next SGA had nothing to do with these accomplishments so be proud of all you have done.
Mr. Jones • Apr 14, 2017 at 1:47 pm
So numbers three and four were due to that blowhard and charlatan? Let’s not let subjectivism act as facts.
Basic White Girl • Apr 17, 2017 at 11:35 pm
Good job guys! Awesome work. You’ve done so much for us before you left us. Thank you.
Pot Luck • Apr 13, 2017 at 3:35 pm
Joseph, Joseph, Joseph,
This didn’t have anything to do with Conklin or Robinson. You didn’t have a potluck event when you started to get everyone together.
Tex • Apr 13, 2017 at 10:34 am
Mr. Shepard and Mr. Azad,
This is karma in all its glory. This is how you are treated when you treat others poorly; when you call people names, bully them, belittle and mistreat them for disagreeing with you. This is karma for creating a toxic, negative environment in the SGA Office.
Don’t let the door hit you on the way out 🙂
Toodles,
Tex
Rex • Apr 13, 2017 at 2:41 pm
Azad, Shepard, I will hold the door open. Job well done. Tex, pointing out other people’s bad karma is not good Karma for you.
Tex • Apr 13, 2017 at 3:06 pm
Oh no! The karma police are going to come and get me for bringing up someone’s bad karma!
I am shaking in my cowboy boots 😉
Dear Rex • Apr 17, 2017 at 11:17 pm
What Tex is trying to say is that he doesn’t really… I’m actually not sure what Tex is trying communicate.
I think he might be hurt by Shepard. Tex, I’m sorry that he hurt you. I hope you guys can forgive one another.
But I really do believe that Shepard is doing a great work. It doesn’t end in a term. Shepard and Taben have both been admiral to watch as they maneuvered the confusion that is the political and personal and educational of many. I’ve really appreciated your jobs well done. I’m very sad you are leaving. Bardo won’t be able to screw you on your way out because Karma is a real bitch, sort of like Tex mentioned. But that Bardo has screwed himself.
Shepard you will do very very well. I’m glad you were in leadership. Thank you for representing me, it means the world to me.
Satisfied Student • Apr 13, 2017 at 10:21 am
You reap what you sow, gentlemen.
Dissatisfied Student • Apr 13, 2017 at 11:22 am
You probably have no idea about how wsu works, want to demand to graduate on time, you get laughed at. Talk about academic integrity issues, you are ignored. Raise awareness that the administration abuses more than their governed powered, they hide behind a wall of self made beurocracy and try their best to remove you from from any position with the University and make sure nothing goes your way. That’s why WSU will never get to the goal of 20,000 students to support all the corporations coming to campus. Because they (upper administration) stomps and grounds out any constructive criticism that would greatly improve campus and ultimately improve academics.
20 Grand • Apr 13, 2017 at 3:48 pm
WSU will get to 20,000 as soon as they take over a couple more schools. Newman better look out. Butler CC is probably in the sights. Friends is primed to be an affiliate. Sucking in WATC helps a little with the enrollment explosion promised back in 2012. No need to spend umpteen million on a company to buy names when you can just annex another college or university. Getting WATC should get WSU past Fort Hays on the Regent enrollment report!!!!
14 Grand • Apr 13, 2017 at 11:21 pm
Newman is will not join WSU, there’s no need for it, not to mention Newman has better academics. Friends university will just go bankrupt. Also what good does it do to annex community colleges and technical schools. It’s not going to increase the amount of students getting a four year degree, in fact I bet it lessens the number of undergraduates because it will nearly be impossible to get past enrollment for prerequisite courses once you have to fight everyone else for a seat. Why go to WSU when KSU is cheaper for freshmen because their dorms are significantly cheaper, more scholarships available, and you don’t have this nonsense of fighting classmates for seats in a class. BTW wsu dorms for a starting freshman with a required meal plan is over $1000/month for the months spent on campus.