Hey, It Could Happen!

THE AD

So, how many of you have seen the ad for the new Provost?  The ad appeared in the Wall Street Journal on April 18th.  It was on page B9.  It is filled with the usual academic jargon.  Words like "transformative leader," and "strategic thinker" are in the ad.  The new Provost is to be able to "...envision the future of higher education with its multiplicity of tensions and trends and to chart a course for the University of Toledo to pursue."  It would also be nice if he/she could walk on water.  The ad also notes that "...prior government, business, or other private sector experience is preferred."  Wow, we'll get a Wall Street Banker because they did so much to help the country avoid the housing bubble and get us all back on our feet.  I can hardly wait:  three martini lunches, limos, bonuses.  Non of that is for the faculty however.  We have been slurping at the public trough for eons.  The anticipation has me on the edge of my seat.  Just one last thought today.  I have read several articles recently and an editorial in The Blade that have all decried the state of rising tuition.  None of these has noticed the incredible expansion of administrative layers in both public and private institutions.  Too bad.

While I was away

Good golly Miss Molly: Having spent the last four days at the Broadcast Education Association in Las Vegas I was unable to respond to Jon Strunk's reasoned response to my cheap shot at the Collegian. I sincerely hope things work out so that the student newspaper remains truly independent. Just a couple of quick items: first it might have been nice if the journalism faculty of our department, some of whom have been involved with the Collegian, were brought into the loop especially as regards the selection of the new advisor; second, for those of us who were here during the Kapoor era and remember the events surrounding the leaving of the Collegian, the move back raises some concerns. Time will of course tell whether I should be worried. Until then I wish nothing but the best for the students involved.

Free Speech?

I have a couple seemingly unrelated pieces of information that I thought folks might like to know about. First, the Independent Collegian is moving back on campus with an advisor. He will apparently report to Tobin Klinger. It will now change its name to the Dependent Collegian. My how short some memories are.

Second the Board of Trustees, that group of happy campers, has amended its by-laws so that Board Members are not allowed to disagree in public with announced Board Policy. As I always say let by-laws be by-laws.

W-2,W-2,W-2

Wow do I feel priviledged. I have enough W-2s to paper my office. Just as a side note, while doing my taxes Turbo Tax said my employer was overwitholding my medicare tax. Since it was seven bucks I let it slide but will investigate the whole thing at another time. Speaking of other times and places, I assume everyone realizes that negotiations are supposedly taking place. I have gone to my crystal ball and can say the following: no raises, increased health care costs, increased workload and more money for the medical college and the vice presidents. See how easy that was? And, there will be no tenure track positions for departments that cannot guarentee that their graduates will be the next Bill Gates and return to the University lots of money. Now you can wander off to your summer destinations knowing what to expect when you return in the fall.