Letters: King Les Wexner ruling Ohio State. Board should be ashamed Johnson resigned.

Letters to the Editor
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(Left) Ohio State University president Dr. Kristina Johnson during a medical center board meeting Feb 14, 2023 at the Longaberger Alumni House. Mandatory Credit: Doral Chenoweth-The Columbus Dispatch(Right) During Wexner Medical Center Board meeting Feb. 20, 2019, where the board announced Dr. Harold "Hal" Paz as the new executive vice president and chancellor for health affairs. Paz is center, with his hands folded on the table, Ohio State Board of Trustees member Les Wexner right.
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Les Wexner pulling Ohio State's strings

After reading the Feb. 16 article "Power Struggle?" and the column by Kristine Johnson "Agenda we set, pursued, not wanted by OSU trustees," I was reminded of the last line of the Ohio State alma mater, "how firm thy friendship O-H-I-O."

Talk about money talks...Ohio State and their board should be embarrassed that they have forced President Johnson to resign.

OSU's Kristina Johnson: 'I won’t apologize for pushing us all to achieve' levels deserved

This is a public university not Les Wexner’s private company. I am sure that he was threatened by President Johnson and her willingness to challenge his “rule."

The next time I get a request for money from Ohio State (as a graduate) I will refer them to Wexner, who has all the money and pulls all the strings.

Go Bucks indeed!

Jackie Albert, Columbus

Time's up at Ohio State

As to the OSU presidency, it's "time."

Time to give Les and Abagail (Wexner) back their $100 million, and give Les a shuffleboard stick.

And time to plead for Kristina Johnson to stay and run the place with a firm hand. And for those who chafe under a firm hand, it should be their "time" as well.

David Pritchard, Columbus

Shame on trustees and government that appointed them

After reading the Feb. 16 article "Power Struggle?", I am alarmed for higher education in Ohio.

Everyone who has a role in that process should be insisting on greater transparency from Ohio State as to what happened during Kristina Johnson’s aborted tenure and looking for mechanisms to assert more influence over the next transition.

More:Four things to know about Kristina Johnson's departure from Ohio State

The job of deciding the path and mission of major universities should not be delegated to the person or persons with the deepest pockets. I view this as abandonment of the role of the trustees, the board of regents and the government that appoints them.

More:Ohio State President Kristina Johnson confirms she's made 'difficult decision' to resign

And, a shame.

Bob Moorehead, Upper Arlington

Johnson didn't follow the rules. Adios.

Ohio State University president Dr. Kristina Johnson during her final Ohio State University Board of Trustees meeting Feb 16, 2023 at the Longaberger Alumni House.
Ohio State University president Dr. Kristina Johnson during her final Ohio State University Board of Trustees meeting Feb 16, 2023 at the Longaberger Alumni House.

Former Ohio State University President Kristina Johnson obviously didn’t understand the Buckeye way. This was made crystal clear by the Feb. 16 article “Power Struggle“.

Johnson, a former Duke University Dean of Engineering, didn’t understand the foundational building rules for OSU:

  • Rule 1:  The golden rule- She/He who has the gold makes the rules;

  • Rule 2: Reread rule 1.

This is not a pejorative statement. It is just a fact of life.

Personally, I am happy that the most fortunate and blessed among us, share their gelt with Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Ohio State University, and numerous other central Ohio charities.

Those who give generously make all of our lives better; so farewell President Johnson, it was time for you to say adios for not following the rules.

Michael Oser, Columbus

King Lex

Abigail, left, and Leslie Wexner have left the L Brands board. Here, the high-profile couple is shown at the naming of the Wexner Medical Center at Ohio State University.
Abigail, left, and Leslie Wexner have left the L Brands board. Here, the high-profile couple is shown at the naming of the Wexner Medical Center at Ohio State University.

It appears that Les Wexner and The Ohio State University board of trustees want to be king and the court, with the governor as lord chancellor in charge of the money.

Wallis J. Harsch, Columbus

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Letters: Ohio State President Kristina Johnson didn't follow the golden rules