EVAN DOBELLE
by RYAN CAULFIELD
The Westfield Voice
WESTFIELD – Last week, the president of Westfield State University, Dr. Evan Dobelle, stood quietly and patiently near the entrance of the Peter Mazza Student Government Room while waiting to be introduced by Taylor Fote, president of the Student Government Association.
Most, if not all, the senators looked at Dobelle with curiosity and suspicion as they waited for him to address the room. In previous years at Westfield State, Dr. Dobelle’s image would most likely be a positive one among students. Now, due to all that has happened to the president since local media first broke the story during the summer, Dobelle’s reputation has been questioned.
When Fote welcomed Dobelle to the podium, the senators applauded and Dobelle started his speech by addressing the elephant in the room.
“I’m in a complicated situation that I can’t quite figure out why,” he said, speaking in a strong voice to the senators, making eye contact, occasionally glancing to different sides to the room and never raising his voice during his speech. “I’m not a conspiratorial person.”
Dobelle said he wonders why his actions of spending from several years ago are under scrutiny now, even when all money has been accounted for. He said that he hopes the inspector general is a serious man and not a political one.
Dobelle recounted the meeting in Boston with the Board of Higher Education, telling senators that the secretary of education (Matthew Malone) turned on him and scolded him for going to Tanglewood, the summer venue for the Boston Symphony Orchestra. He said this scolding was an attempt to “roll him.”
He said he strongly believes that there are many agendas going on in the Commonwealth’s goal to take over public higher education. In describing the media’s constant focus on the issue, Dobelle said, “they can’t stop” making accusations about him. He was saddened that the Boston Globe would write such stories about him.
With the board of trustees and Dobelle in a conundrum, he stated that the construction of the new academic building would be delayed, even though it is funded, because the Board of Higher Education is using it as “black mail” and that is is an example of “victimizing the faculty, staff and students.” The most notable political statement he made was that Governor Deval Patrick was getting information from “insecure higher education members.”
Dobelle closed his comments with a hope that this issue involving him does not affect the students’ experiences at Westfield State. He said he would “carry it,” and not let it affect the institution.
He said he has no doubts the institution will last in the long run and will make sure it provides students with the quality education of a private institution at an affordable rate. Unaware that there was no time allotted for questions due to SGA’s packed agenda, Dobelle encouraged the students to call or email him with any questions they may have.
Dobelle thanked the senators for their attention and left to applause, but the situation is not over, and speculation still floats over the campus.
