UT Student Protest of April 29 (Photo by Holly Layman)

Loyalty

Loyalty is a funny word. It is often used by higher ups when they want you to do something. We now see how loyalty is repaid by the university administration. People who have given their lives to this institution have been axed by it. How many of us remember the claim that our budget and the hospital's would have nothing to do with one another--unless you count fund transfers. Ask those who have been cut about improving the human condition and how transformative this is going to be for them.

One person on the list is Karen Rhoda. Dr. Tinkle does not know her personally, but sees in her removal a giant step toward outsourcing all of online learning. Can anyone say, "Higher Education Holdings?" I have an idea. Why not outsource our administration? If this is the best this administration can do after three years of manipulation, then it and the BOT need to go.

My dear sweet mother used to tell me, "Tinkle, never put your faith in an institution, it will only screw you over. Put your faith in your family and friends." We should all listen to our mothers a little more.

His Human Condition!

Townhall Synopsis on April 27

A few items concerning President Jacobs' Townhall meeting of April 27 as reported by Bloggie's roving intelligence agents:

1.  Give thanks to Providence, but no UT administrators are being laid off today.  How the top- heavy careening of the Jacobs' administration might be affected by such a rash act, Bloggie does not even want to consider. 

2.  The low-level vulnerable people who are being laid off are being led away today by a HR professionals and disposed of in a "humane" way, according to the words of UT Central Committee members, comrades Jacobs, Haggett and Scarborough.  

3.  A UT rumor-control operation to trap reactionaries and counter-revolutionaries is now underway.  You are to report rumors to your Dean or the Provost.   (Nothing was said yet about  unauthorized conversations in hallways, but beware.)  Report  all suspicious gossip!  Bloggie thinks, to be even more helpful, that anything you might hear in the restroom that sounds suspicious should be reported immediately to the Provost.   You will be thanked for your input, of that you can be reasonably assured. 

4.  The townhall meeting was held in a room that held perhaps 25 persons, despite it being the townhall meeting of the semester that was most likely to attract attention.  This appears a deliberate choice,  although Jacobs attempted to pass blame to a low level functionary for the choice.

5.  Jacobs will be keeping his bonus because he earned it, and he defended it.  It's his.  

The amazing thing about all of this is that Bloggie is not making any of it up or even exaggerating.  And these points report only just some of what happened.  How does one even satirize an administration that is an auto-parody? 

CORRECTION.  Bloggie was wrong about the part of item #2 that concerns "low-level" people,  Apparently a few people were laid off that were not going along with the program, who by no means could be described as low-level,. e.g., Karen Rhoda , head of distance learning.  Now presumably Jacobs is free to turn this  DL fiefdom over to one of his liegemen-cronies. 

Implementation

Okay Folks let's discuss implementation of the Round Table points. But first, let's have an operational definition of the word. There are some issues over exactly what is being done by the groups at this Saturday's fun and games. If by implementation it is meant to actually make final decisions and "put those into effect" then this little gathering scares me to death. If by implementation it is meant to begin a rather lengthy discussion then I am all for it. For example, there is a curriculum committee. This committee is going to examine the college core and, I assume, how that core is presently delivered. There is likely to be blood on the sand during such a discussion. I cannot imagine implementing anything said Saturday by the end of May. But, just because I can't imagine it does not mean this administration can't imagine it. They are desperate for money. Please remember how quickly Higher Education Holdings became a part of our local jargon. So, if this is the beginning of a true and lengthy discussion about a core curriculum then let's do it; if all they want are larger classes taught over the web, then no. Zemsky says students don't care about quality. My answer is, "then we have to." We are the responsible adults in this process.

A look back

Dear Friends: Just a quick comment about last Friday's announcement. It was well known in public relations that if you had bad news you held the news conference late on Friday afternoon because the stations could not get the film developed in time for the six o'clock news. That is an old, old model. (remember the Simrell firing just before Thanksgiving) Given the inability of the Jacob's administration to understand the "human condition" here at UT, I am not supprised. We've known for a long time that the administration was playing fast and loose with where the money was going and how it was being divided up. Now we know they are also cowardly. I have asked before and now ask again that the unions demand a complete accounting. I want to know what money was moved from which accounts and where it went. It is the least we can do for our friends.

Stewardship?

Bloggie always thought "stewardship" had to do with accountability and trust--as in "where did all the money go?"

And Bloggie never knew that a budget was a game of "musical chairs."

And that administrative rhetoric could go so effortlessly from this:

"Under his leadership, the University, which operates three campuses and has an annual operating budget of more than $700 million, has enjoyed tremendous momentum, experiencing enrollment growth in the last three years to more than 22,000 students."

to this:

"Next week, UT will announce layoffs for employees across all campuses.  We will have to say goodbye to friends and colleagues who helped improve the human condition in academics, health care and other areas of university engagement"

Bloggie wonders how many of these "friends and colleagues" will be high level administrators.  But Bloggie must also admit that the practice of rewarding bad stewardship with big bonuses has become the standard in American business practices in recent times (e.g., AIG) and in this UT has shown itself as advanced as any of these cutting edge firms.  

Maybe this is what is meant when the UT President wants to put more people with "business experience" in charge of UT colleges?   

Poor Bloggie doesn't have a head for such business and cannot understand it.