The anonymous student who created the fake @PrezMcDavis Twitter account using OU President Roderick McDavis' name and headshot spoke with The Post via email. Read the full Q&A here.
The Post: What gave you the idea to create this account?
@PrezMcDavis: The idea came because I follow both Dr. Kent Smith and Dean Lombardi on twitter. I like following them and when I searched for President McDavis I found no verified twitter handle. I decided it could be funny to start a faux twitter account for Dr. McDavis, but I didn't expect such a quick or interested following.
Post: Where have you gotten the ideas for the tweets you've written so far?
@Prez: The tweets are just my lame attempts at writing jokes. None of them come from any deep rooted issues or displeasure I have with our administration. I try to think of something that would be funny to hear coming from a man as esteemed as President McDavis and go from there. The Real World tweet was just because I like watching the Real World.
Post: What do you think about the response you've received so far?
@Prez: The response has been pretty shocking. I started the account thinking there was a possibility it could grow, but not nearly as quickly as it has. I'm really pleased that everyone seems to be enjoying the account, but I hope no one takes any kind of offense from it. The tweets are only meant to be entertaining. I hope everyone continues to support the account, because I've really enjoyed maintaining it for the last 24 hours.
Post: Has anyone from the university tried to contact you about this?
@Prez: So far nothing. Not an email, direct message, @ mention, or any type of communication from the university or McDavis' office. The only reason I even knew they were aware of it is because of The Post articles.
Post: How do you feel about OU President Roderick McDavis?
@Prez: Personally I have no problems with McDavis. I don't think popular student opinion of him is very flattering, but I myself don't have anything bad to say about him or his administration. I don't think he's an evil guy, I don't think he is money-hungry and I don't think he's interested in taking advantage of students. I just think a lot of students are frustrated with the tuition increases, budget cuts, and other fiscal issues. I don't, however, think it's fair to lay all of those things on McDavis.
Post: Why did you choose to impersonate him, specifically?
@Prez: What really made me want to continue with the impersonation actually has to do with how I think most OU students feel about McDavis. It's disheartening that so many students feel so negatively about our President while only an hour north of here at Ohio State, President Gordon Gee is worshiped by his students. I kind of looked at this as a way to get students to feel a little more favorably about our McDavis, even if it isn't "our McDavis" whom they like.
Post: What, if anything, do you expect to see happen because of this account?
@Prez: I want to continue with the account, and I hope that it will continue growing at the rate it has. I love the enthusiasm everyone seems to have for it, and all the positive feedback I've been receiving (with exception to the administration I guess), so I just hope that continues to grow. OU and Athens are an amazing place to be, and they have a great sense of community. If a joke twitter account about our President drinking and taking it easy can increase that sense of community even more, that would be a great end-goal for me personally.
Post: Do you plan to continue tweeting on this account?
@Prez: I'll keep tweeting as long as possible. If I receive direct contact from the administration about closing down the account, I'll discuss it with them and see what comes of it, but I don't have any plans to stop for now.
Post: Are you an OU student? If not, an employee? An Athens resident?
@Prez: I'm an OU student.
Post: Will you give me your name?
@Prez: I'm not going to give you my name. I think it's in my best interest, both professionally and personally to remain anonymous for now. I don't want pissed off administrators looking for me.
Post: Any other info or comments?
@Prez: I've been contacted by a reporter at the Columbus Dispatch who is interested in interviewing me about the account. I don't know what will come of that or why anyone in Columbus would be interested about a fake McDavis account with 400 followers.
