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Couple tapped to head program
By Allison Bailey
abaile19@mscd.edu

Photo by Heather Longway-Burke • longway@mscd.edu Jefferey Taylor and his wife Leslie will take charge of the honors program for the time being. Jefferey was appointed to the position of interim director of the honors program and Leslie was appointed interim associate director. Metro’s provost, Rodolfo Rocha, announced the appointments on Nov. 17.

After a difficult semester, the troubled Metro honors program is finally beginning to see some light at the end of the tunnel with the appointment of an interim director.

Jefferey Taylor will serve as interim director at least until the end of the spring semester, and possibly longer. His wife, Leslie Taylor, was appointed to the position of interim associate director. Metro’s provost, Rodolfo Rocha, announced the appointments on Nov. 17.

Jefferey said he has been speaking with the former director of the program, Dolph Grundman, for several months about making sure the program survives. Grundman resigned from his position in September over disagreements with the Metro administration about expectations and funding for the program.

According to Jefferey, Grundman’s main concern is that the program continues at Metro.

“That’s the biggest reason I agreed to do this,”Jefferey said. “Because I also want the Honors program to survive.”

Grundman said he believes there has been less worry among honors students and faculty now that an interim director has been appointed.

“I feel really good about the selection,” Grundman said. “Jeff and Leslie are really good people.”
Several honors students also voiced relief that someone had been appointed to the position.

“We’re happy to finally know what’s going to happen next semester,” said Karlee Castro, an honors student. “I don’t know either of the Taylors very well, so I look forward to getting to know them better.”

Although things have calmed down and a certain amount of stability has been restored, the honors program still has several obstacles to overcome. It will undergo changes in upcoming semesters, but the administration and faculty involved with the program are unsure of what these changes will be.

“The real changes have yet to be decided,” Jefferey said.

The administration at Metro would like to see more students participate in the program, and would like to see more community outreach, Jefferey said.

Several honors students have said they would like more classes and a greater variety, while the faculty is concerned about getting more funding to use for scholarships and events.

The honors program held a meeting Nov. 28 for students, faculty and administration to discuss what changes they’d like to see in the program and to start the process of figuring out how best to bring them about.

“It would be ideal to have the program shaped and a new director by next fall,” Jefferey said. “And we might be able to do that, but we might not. What is known is that there will be an honors program. There will be changes, but no interruption.”

To assist with determining a new direction, a consultant, Gary Bell, will come in February to evaluate the program and make some suggestions. Bell is dean of the honors college at Texas Tech University and has worked with many honors programs at institutions across the country, according to Linda Curran, Metro’s associate vice president of Academic Affairs.

“He’s going to come and talk to just about everybody and help us figure out what’s the best way to go in terms of the honors program,” Curran said. “I think we need a little help, and that’s what he will come for.”

Jefferey has taught English at Metro for the past six years. Before coming to campus he was involved with the honors programs at St. Louis Community College in Meramec, Mo., and Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. He has taught honors English classes at Metro and has also been involved with many other programs. Leslie teaches honors English as well, and is also a visiting professor for the University of Colorado’s English department.

At the moment, he is not thinking about accepting the position on a more permanent basis, Jefferey said.

Curran said she would like to have a permanent director for the program by the end of the spring semester, but at this point there are too many unknowns to make a time frame.

“First we have to figure out where we’re going. It’s hard to recruit a director when we don’t know what the program will be like,” she said.