Editorial: Drop the interim tag and make him the full blown VP

The Beacon would like to extend a whole-hearted congratulations to Larry Lunsford on his recent appointment to the University’s Interim Vice President of Student Affairs. After 23 years of unyielding service to the University, this is a well deserved honor to an individual who is more than qualified to take the Division of Student Affairs in the direction that University President Mark B. Rosenberg envisions.

However, the University needs to put aside its phobia of commitment and make its relationship with Lunsford Facebook-official.

There’s no need to have its profile read: relationship status ‘it’s complicated.’

The Beacon strongly feels that the ‘Interim’ tag is an unnecessary one given that, after months of a costly national search for other viable alternatives, Lunsford has been at the top of the list.

After the original search, four candidates were produced, one of which was Lunsford. This process cost the University a significant amount.

One of the reasons given for the continued search of a permanent VPSA from the outside is the hope of bringing in an outsider with fresh ideas. We feel this would create an unnecessary learning curve students could be spared from.

We also note that, although we don’t agree with every decision made by the division, it is clear to us that Lunsford displays the qualities that we, as students, would like to see in our Vice President of Student Affairs.

It is our opinion that this should be one of those situations where the Administration considers the input of students for a change and name Lunsford as the official vice president of student affairs.

He is an individual who is in tune with what students would like to see from their administration and he has exemplified such traits as both the associate vice president of student affairs and as ombudsman.

The Beacon doesn’t stand alone in the matter; both Laura Farinas, Student Government Council at the Modesto Maidique Campus president and Pablo Haspel, Student Government Council at the Biscayne Bay Campus president, stand united with us on this issue.

If there ever was a time to heed the words of the students, it would be at a time like this— a time when the leaders of the two largest student organizations at the University, who are often at odds, stand united for a common cause.