Above photo: Martin Tadlock, left, has been interim regional chancellor of USF St. Petersburg since September 2017 and was named regional chancellor Tuesday. He is pictured with former student body president David Thompson.
By Emily Wunderlich
Now that his position as regional chancellor is secure, Martin Tadlock vows he will work hard for students and faculty as the St. Petersburg campus prepares to unify under one accreditation with Tampa and Sarasota-Manatee in 2020.
In a phone interview with The Crow’s Nest, Tadlock called himself a “staunch defender of making sure students have every opportunity possible.”
“I’ve never been shy about expressing the needs that we have in St. Pete,” he said.
Tadlock and others reacted to the change in campus leadership, which made permanent his role as the seventh leader in Judy Genshaft’s tenure since she became system president in 2000.
After Sophia Wisniewska’s abrupt ousting as regional chancellor last September, Genshaft announced she would begin searching for a permanent replacement. Tadlock was to assume the interim role during the search.
That search never happened, said Ray Arsenault, longtime professor of history and politics, and it wasn’t the first time, either.
Arsenault said the faculty didn’t have any say when Margaret Sullivan was hired after chancellor Karen White was replaced in 2009 for mishandling the campus’ accreditation. Sullivan also started as interim regional chancellor, according to a 2008 report in the Tampa Bay Business Journal.
“There was no search, (Sullivan) was just named,” Arsenault said. “There were a lot of people upset that that happened.”
During the spring, Arsenault said, various department chairs from the university sent a letter to Genshaft stating the campus needed more stability as it undergoes reorganization. The letter suggested Tadlock would better serve the university if he were not an interim.
Tadlock accepted the offer Tuesday, and in a system-wide email Wednesday, Genshaft commended his contributions to student success, citing the 10-point increase in freshman retention this year.
“It’s not just about me, it’s about President Genshaft’s trust in everyone at USFSP,” Tadlock said.
Although his contract will only extend through June 2021, Tadlock said he will continue to focus on implementing the priorities already set forth by campus faculty, students and administration.
“I’m not going to think about what comes three years from now,” he said. “That’s just something you don’t know. Student success comes first, that’s why we’re here.”
Under the contract, Tadlock will earn an annual $315,000 in his new position, plus a performance-based stipend determined solely at Genshaft’s discretion.
The contract directs Tadlock to “provide proactive, collaborative leadership to implement the Consolidation of the USF System with no lapse in accreditation, preeminence or opportunities for our students to graduate on time,” to “keep the (third) USFSP residence hall project on budget and on schedule” and to “continue to focus on meeting student success goals and the Performance Based Funding metrics for USFSP.”
Once his contract expires, he can opt to return to an active faculty position after completing a semester of professional development.
Here is a sampling of reactions to the Tadlock news around campus.
Arsenault
“I think if we weren’t in the reorganization, a lot of faculty would be upset about hiring a chancellor without a search. But under the circumstances, I haven’t heard any rumblings. They’ve given (Tadlock) a very substantial salary so it’s a vote of confidence. So who knows? I think it’s conceivable he could be chancellor for the next 10 years. But who knows if we’ll even have a chancellor after the reorganization is done?
“The only problem I see (with Tadlock) is we fought hard for shared governance in these decisions. (The letter) certainly provided President Genshaft with a rationale, a basis for doing what she did (promoting Tadlock). I suspect the majority of the faculty feels like they wouldn’t like this to set a precedent. I think most people understand under the special circumstances, although this has happened before.”
Kaeden Kelso, student body president
“I was relieved and surprised … Just seeing our university take a step in the right direction toward more of a solid foundation, rather than we’re in and out.
“This would be a very smart move by the university — to make sure that we are in this continuity during consolidation, so we have a chancellor guiding us through this.
“We haven’t necessarily worked with Tadlock as much, but in the past, I know David Thompson, our former student body president, worked alongside him (and) enjoyed working with him. Dr. Tadlock does support a lot of student-led initiatives. Sustainability is a very big one for him.”
Sohrab Bakhtyari, adjunct instructor of mathematics and statistics
“Sounds good to me.”
Sridhar Sundaram, dean of Kate Tiedemann College of Business
“I think it’s a crucial time, and having stability and leadership will be a tremendous help to our community.”
Carolina Nutt, director of COMPASS First-Year Experience
“I think it’s a very good thing. I just sent him an email to congratulate him. He’s a perfect fit for the role, he’s a perfect fit for the campus and he really understands what we’re going through under consolidation.”
Catherine Cardwell, dean of Nelson Poynter Memorial Library
“It’s wonderful. We need a strong leader for our community. I’m happy about it.”
Here are the duties that Genshaft listed in her contract letter to Tadlock on Tuesday:
- Representing the interests of the USFSP institution in the strategic planning, priority setting, and policy development process that ties into the overarching plans and processes for the University of South Florida System.
- Providing leadership to the USFSP institution to further its mission with respect to teaching, research and service to students and the community within the University of South Florida System.
- Providing direction to program development and organization for the USFSP institution which ties into the overall University of South Florida System mission.
- Maintaining sound management practices for the USFSP institution including program and fiscal accountability, enrollment numbers, retention and graduation rates, and fundraising.
- Working with faculty to improve the programs, services and products of the USFSP institution.
- Exercising administrative authority over the utilization of the USFSP institution resources in service of the mission of the institution and the overall USF System.
- Working closely with the Provost and USF System Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and other USF System vice presidents and campus deans in furtherance of the educational, research, and service goals of the USFSP institution and USF System.
- Working with the USF System Sr. Vice President for Advancement and the USF System Associate Vice President for Governmental Relations to build financial, alumni and legislative support for the USFSP institution and USF System.
- Working with external constituencies in the community, especially school districts, to promote excellence in education at all levels and to promote the University of South Florida System.
The Crow’s Nest’s Amy Diaz, Dylan Hart and Dinorah Prevost contributed to this report.
