Activity

My Name is Scott Munroe class of 1998 and a Graduate of the Landscape Architecture Department. I too request your support for nomination to the Board of Trustees. 1) Why are you running? – and love of the University is not a legitimate answer. We all love the University. 

 I am running because we have a clearly broken system. Not just in the issues surrounding the Sandusky trial but in our overall culture of administration, the decision making process and the values used in that process. We have obvious issues of a BoT that is more interested in the prestige, money and power they have as members of their closed group, the lack of leadership in handling an issue that has a major impact on our schools reputation and pocket book as well as rips at the fabric of the values of being a Penn State Alumni, and the lives of innocents. The other issue is the changing of Institutional self control in resisting the need to follow good planning and scheduling practices that maximize the value of existing resources and instead act as enablers by supporting a building boom while existing space goes under utilized and thus allowing for a student base that only takes courses offered between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., and major spaces go unused. We need to build upon and empower our strategic planning, institutional planning and facility planning staff to work towards a goal of a leaner, more streamlined, state of the art institution that maintains a history of place while enforcing a practice of the highest and best use(s) for the space we have while minimizing our urge and need to spread. 2) What Leadership positions have you held? 
 The Campus Landscape Architect for The University of Maryland Member of the Steering Committee for the University of Maryland 20 year Master Plan Founding and current Member of the University of Maryland Arboretum and Botanic Garden Steering Committee. Member of the American Society of Landscape Architects Government Affairs Advisory Committee (ASLA GAAC) Project Manager for the redevelopment of base housing for enlisted, officer, and Generals families for Camp LeJeune and Camp Cherry Point Marine Corp Bases, N.C. Director of Landscape Architecture for CSD Architects Project Manager for Many large development projects. Finalist for the National Zoos Board of Trustees. Board of Deacons for Kingston Congregational Church Treasurer for Theta Delta Chi while inheriting an IRS Audit (we came out just fine) Eagle Scout 3) What boards have you been on in the past?

 Member of the Steering Committee for the University of Maryland 20 year Master Plan Founding and current Member of the University of Maryland Arboretum and Botanic Garden Steering Committee. Member of the American Society of Landscape Architects Government Affairs Advisory Committee Board of Deacons for Kingston Congregational Church 4) What Change Management initiatives have you led? 

 The 2011-2030 University Master Plan for the University of Maryland Establishing without dedicated funds a campus wide Arboretum and Botanic Garden that has achieved industry recognition as a leader in innovation for institutional based Arboretums and Botanic Gardens in less then 3 years with continued advancement. As a member of the ASLA GAAC helped to write and lobby for legislative issues in Congress and build the power of the ASLA from a fledgling player in lobbying efforts to a major player in the arenas of transportation, small business, environmental, health safety and welfare, job creation, and community building legislations. You can’t truly achieve meaningful change without an integrated team effort.
 
5) How do you want the board of trustees to change? 

 The make-up of the board needs to change to better represent the various colleges in the Penn State system while making the board less about the dollars members can make and donate to focusing on the critical issues to ensure that our University remains a world leader in education and research. Due to the way in which the board was established and the current make-up of the board, that legally the Pennsylvania State General Assembly would be required to amend the University’s Charter. 6) If you want to change the BOT or items related to how the University is run how will you convince the current sitting BOT members to agree with your position? 

 Convincing sitting members will likely be a long and difficult process however to legally enact the actual change that is needed will require a legislative action to amend the Charter as the members of the Board can only change bylaws and not the charter which is the document that establishes the make-up of the boards membership and the clauses that allow for secrecy and indemnification are granted through the Legislative actions as well. 7) What hurdles, scandals, etc. have you dealt with in your personal and/or professional life that make you feel you would be able to deal with the current situation at Penn State? 

 In just the last two years I have dealt with the birth of my youngest daughter, my mother-in-laws fight against and resulting death due to Pancreatic Cancer (while she and My father in-law live with us), two major Car accidents, the Universities new 20 year master plan, the declining health of my Grandfather, the current ongoing scandals at the University of Maryland regarding abusive workplace conditions, sexual harassment and sexual abuse and major administrative turnover, the ongoing budget cutting cycles, the taking on of additional job requirements as people left and were not replaced. This is just the last two years. 8) What is your stance on the current Bylaws associated with confidentiality in regard to the BOT? 

 The BoT should be a fully transparent organization with the only exception being the search and hiring process while the process is ongoing to protect candidate’s privacy and issues they may have with current employers. 9) What is your vision for the Penn State BOT and Penn State University over the next 10 years? Work to transform the board to achieve transparency, and integrity in the mission of the institution with an underlying structure that is nimble and responsive while maintaining planning, and fiscal discipline and divorcing the trappings of power that institutional major donors have from the process of governance of our institution.