President Blaine Brownell has found himself under attack. Whispered rumors, unnamed sources and stories based on speculation say President Blaine Brownell is on thin ice with the Board of Trustees.
But the people so intent on undermining his administration with suggestions that his job is on the line because of excessive travel have so far refused to identify themselves.
Mardi Brownell, the president's wife, denied one of the rumors yesterday, saying her husband has never been to Nepal and did not travel to Korea for a keynote address.
She didn't say much else, but at least she was willing to put her name next to what she did say.
If people want to drag Brownell through the mud, they should put their names on that, too.
In the meantime, we should suspend judgment. All that is known now is that a professor--with who knows what motivation--wants people to think that the trustees are planning action against Brownell. That, by itself, tells us nothing.
The trustees' lack of response also tells us nothing. Anthony Edmonds, history professor and author of a book on Ball State history, said contract negotiations are routine, and he doesn't see why the board should comment on rumors.
In the past, the trustees have refused to comment on rumors regarding the future of Ball State coaches, according to former president John Worthen. Some of those coaches were fired, but some were not.
The very nature of rumors is that they are uncertain. The original story making the rounds had it that certain trustees were upset that Brownell hadn't made enough progress fundraising for improvements to the stadium. Now, it seems, travel expenditures are the problem.
The Ball State community should wait until the facts are in.
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