In just a few short weeks John Metoyer will be leaving Harold Washington College. Let’s take a few moments to identify ways that Metoyer has positively influenced faculty, staff and students in his roles as President of Faculty Council, Associate Dean, Dean of Instruction, President and Vice President of HWC.
If anyone would like to post verse in iambic pentameter, musical numbers, odes or Haiku – that would be awesome!
Bonne chance mon ami.
The Harold Lounge 
Because I love John..Take your pick.
There once was a man from the 6th floor
Whose career was certain to soar
He rose to great heights
But administration bites
And now is an administrator no more
There once was a man from N’awlins
Who thought administration was part of his calling
He earned the big bucks
But life at the top really sucks
His faculty paycheck will be really appalling
There once was a man named John
Who served another John and a Don
He worked day and night
He fought the good fight
And now returns to the life of a peon
I just received two emails that explained that John is not rejoining faculty….that he is remaining an administrator. Please disregard the above limericks, ignore the jabs at administration and let’s celebrate John’s continued administrative salary.
He is going to be faculty so all jabs at administration can stand:)
I would like to thank John for helping TIP (Tenure Informational Panel) get established in 2006. John supported the group and helped give us credibility by supporting our workshops and tasking us with interfacing with new faculty who came in after our cohort. TIP continues as a Blackboard site, an occasional meeting and I think as a part of the new District wide TAP project;)
I am so sad to lose yet another brilliant colleague, friend, superior and all-around great guy to this dark age. There are no words.
This just blows.
John, you will be greatly missed at HWC.
John was a staunch supporter of faculty and faculty initiatives, while always keeping the students first. He recognized that developmental education is a cornerstone of our mission long before the reinventors discovered its importance. John helped me get the developmental math bridge program off the ground and always found funding to run it even if we only had a handful of students enrolled. He supported the creation of the Dev Ed committee and the work we did, including funding the Student of the Month program for outstanding students in dev ed classes.
John is the type of leader described in the Tao Te Ching quote Don used, “When the best rulers achieve their purpose
Their subjects claim the achievement as their own.” My achievements – earning tenure, helping start TIP, creating the math bridge program, and pursuing a PhD – are all attributable to the support and encouragement of John Metoyer.
John knew all of the faculty, and his door was always open for us to wander in to complain, ask questions, or just chat for a few moments. It’s a disgrace to the City Colleges and HWC when a proven leader is replaced because he is not simply a “yes man.”
I agree. John was a trusted colleague – he worked well with staff, faculty, AND students. I knew, and most of us who dealt with him knew, that he did not hedge, BS, or confuse an issue. If I had a question or an idea, it was always addressed honestly and clearly – and even if I did not like the answer, I always respected the truth of it. Sadly, that seems to not matter. John will do great wherever he goes and I wish him well. He will be missed here.
The decision to remove a person that did a wonderful job does not inspire much confidence in the current leaderships choices for the direction of the school or the system in general. This new person has very big shoes to fill.
While I was working at Reinvention (and of course while I was at HWC too), John was always extremely forthcoming with information and helpful feedback. I emailed him many times wanting information or an opinion and his responses were thoughtful and nearly immediate. Thank you!
It does look rather bad when the incoming VP is married to a prominent figure at District. Maybe it’s a coincidence, but either way it looks bad.
In honor of John:
Prince of the city of big shoulders,
He laughs big
and leads quietly.
Thanks, John, for your leadership over the years!
For John:
When in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes,
I all alone beweep my outcast state,
And trouble deaf Heaven with my bootless cries,
And look upon myself, and curse my fate,
Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,
Featur’d like him, like him with friends possess’d,
Desiring this man’s art, and that man’s scope,
With what I most enjoy contented least:
Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,
Haply I think on thee,–and then my state
(Like to the lark at break of day arising
From sullen earth) sings hymns at heaven’s gate;
For thy sweet love remember’d such wealth brings
That then I scorn to change my state with kings’.
Shakepeare’s Sonnet #29 – (it has helped me through trying times over the years and I just thought I’d share it.) Yea for iambic pentameter 🙂
A dedication to a dear friend and colleague who has shown his love for all of us at HWC. May your life’s journey continue to be rewarded with honor and friendship along the way!! I know it will – I’m all smiles for your new quest! I’m all frowns for losing you at HWC!
This message is not a criticism about anyone.
John Metoyer is a good person. He is willing to help everyone and to support his colleagues. He is a person with great talent and ability, and he never tries to show that he is better than anyone. Although I am no longer with CCC, I will always feel you are forever my president (NOT INTERIM) no matter where I am eventually going to work. You will always be my president because you have earned that title according your ability and talent. You are a role model for me and I learned from you. The HWC loss will be Wright College’s gain. I am sure that students, colleagues, and friends will love to see you and work with you there. John will have all my best wishes.
Take care from all the good people who care about John!
So is it a confirmed fact that John is transferring to Wright College?
Yes, he is going to join the faculty at Wright.