Nepotism in the Church/Henry J. Eyring new president of BYUI

[bsjkki]

When reading this announcement that Henry J. Eyring is the newly announced president of BYU-I, I noticed in my facebook stream, there were concerns about nepotism in church leadership. Is this a valid concern? From the article, it seems clear he is qualified for the position. Do you think the family name hurts or helps people when seeking employment in the church? http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865672792/Henry-J-Eyring-announced-as-new-president-of-BYU-Idaho.html?pg=all

[Duncan]

Plus Matthew Holland is the President of UVU? I figure so what, the bigger they are the harder they fall-not that I want them to or anything but I wish them the best. Besides I couldn't even name the President of BYU or BYUI or BYUH or BYUUUUUUUUP now, it's a local thing of interest

Edited February 7, 2017 by Duncan

[strappinglad]

So, should being a relative of a GA  automatically exclude someone from any position within the prevue of the Church? Nepotism carries the negative implication of incompetence or raised beyond qualifications. Does this apply here?

[rockpond]

2 hours ago, bsjkki said:

When reading this announcement that Henry J. Eyring is the newly announced president of BYU-I, I noticed in my facebook stream, there were concerns about nepotism in church leadership. Is this a valid concern? From the article, it seems clear he is qualified for the position. Do you think the family name hurts or helps people when seeking employment in the church? http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865672792/Henry-J-Eyring-announced-as-new-president-of-BYU-Idaho.html?pg=all

I don't know if it's a concern but the church does have a long history of nepotism when it comes to employment and callings. But that doesn't mean they aren't qualified nor even the best person for the job. 

Edited February 8, 2017 by rockpond

[bsjkki]

15 minutes ago, strappinglad said:

So, should being a relative of a GA  automatically exclude someone from any position within the prevue of the Church? Nepotism carries the negative implication of incompetence or raised beyond qualifications. Does this apply here?

I agree...sometimes as family you have to work twice as hard to prove yourself. I've also seen the reverse but I don't know the history of these thing in the church.

[Jeanne]

Quote

There would be more to say perhaps if we knew who the other applicants were and how qualified they are.  Meh..I don't care.  It is the way of the church and high callings in the past.

[Atheist Mormon]

2 hours ago, bsjkki said:

 

Nepotism in the Church/Henry J. Eyring new president of BYUI

 

And so?

I'm sure J.Eyring is qualified for the job. If that's the case why give the job to someone else? I'm a long time resigned member and find nothing unusual about this move. 

[Duncan]

Plus it's BYUI, who wants to attend school in Idaho?

[Kenngo1969]

49 minutes ago, Duncan said:

Plus it's BYUI, who wants to attend school in Idaho?

True.  Now, say, on the other hand, BYU-San Diego?  

[sunstoned]

4 hours ago, bsjkki said:

When reading this announcement that Henry J. Eyring is the newly announced president of BYU-I, I noticed in my facebook stream, there were concerns about nepotism in church leadership. Is this a valid concern? From the article, it seems clear he is qualified for the position. Do you think the family name hurts or helps people when seeking employment in the church? http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865672792/Henry-J-Eyring-announced-as-new-president-of-BYU-Idaho.html?pg=all

Church leadership is full of nepotism.  It is a fact of life in the church and in Utah.  Case in point, Matt Holland went for an Associate Professor at BYU, who had just made tenure.  He had never head a management position.  Had never been a Department Chair, or an Assistant Dean, Dean, Academic Vice President.  And yet he went from Associate Professor to President of an University.  This is unheard of.  I sit on promotion and hiring committees at the university where I teach.  It would be a big stretch for a new Associate Professor to be promoted to department chair.   Matt got his position because of his last name and who is father is.  

Edited February 8, 2017 by sunstoned

[Kenngo1969]

As has been pointed out, having a readily-recognizable last name can cut both ways: Some say it might lead to such folks more-or-less being handed things on a silver platter, while others opine that such folks actually are held to a higher standard which is tougher to meet because of who their parents/relatives are.  Brother Eyring had been on BYU-I faculty for a number of years, so I don't think his "promotion," if you want to look at it that way, is a surprise.  

There's also the factor that, often, working for an institution sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is seen, not just as a job, but as a calling.  (Given the reputation of the Church as not being among the highest-paying entities when it comes to comparing its salary and benefits with those of comparable positions elsewhere in the private sector, perhaps fewer people would be willing to fill such positions for the Church, if they didn't see that opportunity as a calling. ) Does inspiration play any sort of a role in who is selected?  If one of the Brethren meets with a particular candidate, might he suggest that the candidate fast and pray about the possibility of being selected, or that the Lord might, somehow, be involved in moving upon the Brethren to offer a particular position to a particular candidate?  I'm not sure such things happen in all cases, but I'm also not sure they never do.

I'm sure that, for example, Kim B. Clark had a really nice gig at Harvard, and it would have been really hard for the Church of Jesus Christ to lure him to BYU-Idaho based on a simple comparison of the prestige between the two schools alone.  I'm sure Rexburg is a really nice town, but it sure as heck ain't Cambridge!

 

[Kenngo1969]

33 minutes ago, sunstoned said:

Church leadership is full of nepotism.  It is a fact of life in the church and in Utah.  Case in point, Matt Holland went for an Associate Professor at BYU, who had just made tenure.  He had never head a management position.  Had never been a Department Chair, or an Assistant Dean, Dean, Academic Vice President.  And yet he went from Associate Professor to President of an University.  This is unheard of.  I sit on promotion and hiring committees at the university where I teach.  It would be a big stretch for a new Associate Professor to be promoted to department chair.   Matt got his position because of his last name and who is father is.  

Perhaps Brother Holland's surname doesn't hurt.  I certainly don't know enough to know for sure (I'll grant that you, as a member of the academy, are in a much better position to know much more about such things than I do) but (notwithstanding that I will concede that there are probably a fair number of Latter-day Saint faculty, staff members, and administrators at UVU), as a state-sponsored institution, UVU can ill afford to consider itself "BYU-Orem" and to operate accordingly.  Yes, Elder Holland (Jeffrey Holland, that is) is a Latter-day Saint. Yes, if he were not a Latter-day Saint, his chances of being named president of BYU-Provo would have been absolutely nil.  Yes, Elder Holland's history in higher education leadership probably hasn't hurt his sons.  But what strings do you suppose were pulled (and by whom?) to get David F. Holland, formerly a lowly assistant professor of history at U N L Freaking V, of all places,  an endowed full professorship at Harvard?  

Perhaps I'm simply grossly underestimating Elder Holland's reach and influence, and the nepotism that results, throughout the insular higher education community.  (Though I find it hard to believe that someone who last was active in the higher education community 37 years ago, and at such an educational backwater as BYU-Provo, at that, continues to wield such vast influence over such a wide sphere, or that the many of the powers-that-be at, e.g., Harvard, don't consider BYU-Provo to be something of an educational backwater, or that a Harvard administrator told his secretary, "What's that? Jeff Holland, former president of BYU-Provo from a lifetime ago, is on the phone asking about a potential full, endowed professorship for his son?  Hold my calls!"

Still, maybe the explanation actually is much simpler than that.  Perhaps "the apples don't fall far from the tree," and perhaps the Hollands really are that impressive.  

Edited February 8, 2017 by Kenngo1969

[Duncan]

Just now, Kenngo1969 said:

True.  Now, say, on the other hand, BYU-San Diego?  

hahahhahahha! or BYU Toledo, with Max Klinger as the President

[SeekerB]

I guess this goes right to the top.  Every job God has open gets filled by one of his kids.

Edited February 8, 2017 by SeekerB

[Thinking]

6 hours ago, Duncan said:

Plus Matthew Holland is the President of UVU? I figure so what, the bigger they are the harder they fall-not that I want them to or anything but I wish them the best. Besides I couldn't even name the President of BYU or BYUI or BYUH or BYUUUUUUUUP now, it's a local thing of interest

I'm not sure what your point is about Matthew Holland being the president of UVU. The LDS Church doesn't own UVU so certainly nobody could make a case for nepotism. BTW, I think Matthew Holland has done an exceptional job building that university.

[Duncan]

Just now, Thinking said:

I'm not sure what your point is about Matthew Holland being the president of UVU. The LDS Church doesn't own UVU so certainly nobody could make a case for nepotism. BTW, I think Matthew Holland has done an exceptional job building that university.

just as a son of an Apostle plus he wasn't a Dept. head or anything he jumped over some university layers, did his dad get him the job? who knows! I know Pres. Hinckley said he felt strongly about nepotism but it was hard to believe him when two of his kids became general leaders in the Church, but do I care about BYUI or UVU and their Presidents? no or who becomes a GA in the Church? as long as it's not John Bytheway then I could care less, I am never going to meet any of these people so their impact on my life is almost nil

[Stargazer]

There's always been what appears to be nepotism in the Church.

Peter and Andrew were brothers. So were James and John.  These two sets of brothers worked together as fisherman.

Joseph Smith, Sr and Hyrum Smith, father and son, were both Patriarchs to the Church, and they were of course father and brother to the Prophet.  Of the Eight Witnesses, four were Whitmers, and three were Smiths.

In my previous stake, there was a family whose patriarch was literally the stake patriarch, and who had also served as a stake president.  At the time I moved from the stake, two of his sons, although less than 40 years old, were on the stake high council, and both had served as either bishops or bishops counselors.  Their family name was rather prominent in stake and ward leadership positions in Relief Society and Primary as well.  I knew them well, and they were all strong members having strong leadership skills and faithfulness, and testimonies.  Besides that they were all very friendly, open, and great to be with.  There was another family in the stake, and all the men had served either as stake presidents, bishops, high councilors and counselors to all the same.  They could be described in the same terms as the first family I mentioned.  Other families in the stake had similar qualifications, and had served in similar leadership capacities.

It seems to me that great leaders are not only great leaders, but they raise great leaders, either from their own families, or from their examples.

I don't think it is nepotism, by and large.

Edited February 8, 2017 by Stargazer

[Stargazer]

1 hour ago, Duncan said:

just as a son of an Apostle plus he wasn't a Dept. head or anything he jumped over some university layers, did his dad get him the job? who knows! I know Pres. Hinckley said he felt strongly about nepotism but it was hard to believe him when two of his kids became general leaders in the Church, but do I care about BYUI or UVU and their Presidents? no or who becomes a GA in the Church? as long as it's not John Bytheway then I could care less, I am never going to meet any of these people so their impact on my life is almost nil

Not to derail the thread, but what's wrong with John Bytheway?

[Duncan]

3 hours ago, Stargazer said:

Not to derail the thread, but what's wrong with John Bytheway?

oh nothing, he and people like him rub me the wrong way though

[Calm]

5 hours ago, Thinking said:

I'm not sure what your point is about Matthew Holland being the president of UVU. The LDS Church doesn't own UVU so certainly nobody could make a case for nepotism. BTW, I think Matthew Holland has done an exceptional job building that university.

My husband works there and has had interactions with him and agrees with you.

[CV75]

14 hours ago, bsjkki said:

When reading this announcement that Henry J. Eyring is the newly announced president of BYU-I, I noticed in my facebook stream, there were concerns about nepotism in church leadership. Is this a valid concern? From the article, it seems clear he is qualified for the position. Do you think the family name hurts or helps people when seeking employment in the church? http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865672792/Henry-J-Eyring-announced-as-new-president-of-BYU-Idaho.html?pg=all

Is there any evidence that the decision-makers favor their appointees primarily on the basis of their being relatives and friends? To me that would be nepotism, not just the fact that the appointee happens to be a relative or friend. Of course it is easy to misuse the term, intentionally or not.

[JLHPROF]

8 hours ago, SeekerB said:

I guess this goes right to the top.  Every job God has open gets filled by one of his kids.

I know right?  He gave the most important biggest job to his eldest son and heir.

Fortunately he is more than qualified.

[stemelbow]

I wouldn't know how nepotism would be avoided in the Church.  Nearly everyone treats the general leaders as some kind of royalty.  No doubt families get preferred treatment.  Sure this Erying hire seems like a bit of nepotism.  Likely he's quite qualified so no one can really call foul too loudly.  Who else was in the running?  Other GA's sons and another highly qualified unconnected dude?  Women?  Probably none taken seriously. 

But, Holland's son made some giant leap in his career?   Not really nepotism.  It's likely those who do all the hiring knew the connection, saw the benefit of hiring an apostle's son.  So not nepotism but it's likely his family name got him special consideration.  And apparently he's done a good job.  Welcome to the smarmy world of job advancement.  It's not just about who you know, although that is a big part of it, it's about how much you can position yourself from the perspectives of decision makers to gain the advantage.  Most of us are just bad at that kind of smarmy living.  But some are real good at it as it seems to be the top priority on their minds. 

[Rain]

7 hours ago, Stargazer said:

There's always been what appears to be nepotism in the Church.

Peter and Andrew were brothers. So were James and John.  These two sets of brothers worked together as fisherman.

Joseph Smith, Sr and Hyrum Smith, father and son, were both Patriarchs to the Church, and they were of course father and brother to the Prophet.  Of the Eight Witnesses, four were Whitmers, and three were Smiths.

In my previous stake, there was a family whose patriarch was literally the stake patriarch, and who had also served as a stake president.  At the time I moved from the stake, two of his sons, although less than 40 years old, were on the stake high council, and both had served as either bishops or bishops counselors.  Their family name was rather prominent in stake and ward leadership positions in Relief Society and Primary as well.  I knew them well, and they were all strong members having strong leadership skills and faithfulness, and testimonies.  Besides that they were all very friendly, open, and great to be with.  There was another family in the stake, and all the men had served either as stake presidents, bishops, high councilors and counselors to all the same.  They could be described in the same terms as the first family I mentioned.  Other families in the stake had similar qualifications, and had served in similar leadership capacities.

It seems to me that great leaders are not only great leaders, but they raise great leaders, either from their own families, or from their examples.

I don't think it is nepotism, by and large.

I was just thinking about this kind of thing this morning during family scriptures.  There is a LOT of father to son stuff in the Book of Mormon. I was thinking that knowing the Book of Mormon it makes sense that many thought Joseph Smith's son should be his successor. We talked about why sometimes it does seem to go father to son and sometimes it doesn't - what makes Heavenly Father choose besides some sons not being righteous? I think it would be very interesting to study what makes them different, but we didn't get that far since some of us barely had eyes open! 

[Anijen]

"It is not what you know but who you know"

In my opinion,  the practice among those with authority or influence of giving jobs to friends or relatives is everywhere. It is in our jobs, our churches, our politics, in our military, in our culture. It is neither bad nor good. We, generally, love our friends and we love our families and we want them to be successful. If those who are bosses, presidents, politicians, etc., have an opportunity to assist those we love and if they are qualified we naturally will choose them over someone we do not know. We will give them the job because we know them, we love them and we can help them succeed. 

Is this appropriate? Again, in some cases, yes, it is, but in some cases it is not. Lets take Mathew Hollands (to me) an obviously leap frogging type promotion. I do not believe at all that Elder Holland had a hand in his promotion. However, it would not surprise me that those who made the decision to elevate him knew of his father and perhaps did not want to offend any church leadership. Having said that, I still believe Brother Holland has the knowledge, skills, abilities, talents and qualities worthy of that promotion (even though he did skip over a few levels). I believe there will be no harm with him obtaining that position.

Leaders in our church's, in our politics, and in our culture tend to breed leaders. The apple does not fall too far from the tree, so to speak. This can be good, (sometimes, I admit it could be bad). Good examples of this are Joseph Smith and Hyrum Smith were very worthy of the positions they held, and Joseph F. Smith and Joseph Fielding Smith as well were well suited for the positions they were called to (IMO, by Heavenly Father and not by their earthly fathers). President Hinckley, worried so much about his son coming into the 70, he even publicly remarked on it, which caused his son to say; "I believe I am the first 70 to come with a disclaimer" (paraphrased).

Church is true! 

Remember God chose his Son to be our Redeemer.

Edited February 8, 2017 by Anijen