The Best WU Can Do?
It was recently reported in The Topeka Capital-Journal that K-State was able to attract the former governor of Kansas to its teaching staff. Former Governor John Carlin is teaching in their political science department.
Faculty members with practical, hands-on experience in the areas taught can bring a different perspective to the student's classroom experience.
Washburn University also employs members of the community as part of their faculty. For example, in the School of Business, Legal Environment of Business is taught by Richard D. Terrill. The purpose of this course is to inform students of the legal process, explore the nature and sources of the law, and to study the government regulations and administrative laws as they affect business.
It is an interesting choice of instructor by the School of Business. As the former general counsel for Westar Energy, and the first witness called to testify for the defense in the retrial of two former Westar executives, he should provide the students with an interesting perspective of how laws and regulations affect business, or not.
His testimony at the trial, as reported in The Topeka Capital-Journal, indicated that he amended three years of his tax returns after learning that the value of personal travel on the Westar Jet by family members was considered a "disallowing deduction" by the Westar tax department. However, the value of his wife's trip, when accompanying Mr. Terrill to Paris, was not reported on any of his amended tax returns.
If I could afford to take more classes at Washburn, I'd love to sit in on these classes to hear the perspective that Mr. Terrill is bringing to his students. Though mostly I wonder, is this really the best that Washburn University can do?