SCAD - NASAD Certification and fast growth concerns

RainingAgain
Wed, 13 Oct 2010 17:59:22 +0000

/// …he $1.8 million comped founder also employs her husband, mother, son, daughter and daughter in law at the school. I find that odd…///

SCAD was the brain child of Richard and Paula (Poetter) Rowan. The college was established in the late 1970s.

Paula’s parents - including May Poetter - helped to finance the college. Paula’s sister Pam was also a founding member. It was a family effort financed by family money and bank loans. The Poetters purchased an abandoned 3-story building in Savannah (now called Poetter Hall), and renovated it themselves in time for classes with just a few dozen students attending the first year. May Poetter, Paula, and sister Pam have been employees of the college from day one.

Richard Rowan - Paula’s first husband - was named President of SCAD. He was initially the visionary for the college. Paula was the provost, and I believe May Poetter was in charge of admissions. I don’t know what Pam Poetter’s title was in the beginning - but again, she was with the college from day one. Let’s remember that.

Fast forward a couple of decades…Richard and Paula Rowan separated and divorced. Paula retained the college and Richard went elsewhere. A couple of years later Paula married the existing Director of Building Management (something like that), Glenn Wallace, who had been employed by SCAD for a number of years already. When May Poetter stepped down from Admissions, Pam Poetter took her place as VP of Admissions.

Richard and Paula Rowan had a son and a daughter. The daughter attended SCAD, and was very fond of horses. No doubt this is why SCAD has a fine equestrian program, and she competed in horse jumping competitions. I’d bet my last dollar she is presently in charge of the program. Anyone have a problem with that?

The son attended a school in Europe (I think) to become a chef. Eventually (+/- 5 years ago) he was hired to manage the small cafe across from Poetter Hall. I have no idea what he does presently, but it probably has something to do with food service. Anyone have a problem with that? Presumably the son married, and the daughter in law is employed by the college as well. I have no idea in what capacity.

Is all of this appropriate? I don’t see any issues. There are many family-run ventures in the U.S. SCAD’s attendance has grown from a few dozen students the first year to 6 or 7 thousand. Why? Because of the efforts of the Poetter family. They deserve every penny they make. How many Presidents of other colleges were also the founding members of the same college?