Bloggie may do some more extensive polling later. Maybe even a confidence/no confidence poll.
RESULTS
F
(The Big F)
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A MUST READ FOR ALL ACADEMICS! Now on Amazon Kindle. Click on Professor Goat above to be directed to the book.
DON'T BE A SHEEP
UT's Officially Disapproved Information Source and HISTORICAL ARCHIVE. The only source of truth, where Paradox Manifests: Hundreds of thousands of visits. Yet No One Admits to Reading It. Welcome to the "Grey Area" where "Unethical Utterances," i.e., criticisms of administrators, are commonplace. Make U.U. here where genuine civility still reigns, a.k.a., freedom......................... UNIVERSITY OF TOLEDO'S EQUIVALENT TO RADIO FREE EUROPE
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HARD EIGHT
Hard Eight: Auto-Ethnographic Essays on Academic Culture Featuring the End of the Arts & Sciences College, University of Toledo, 2010
Daily Koan
Should the newly discovered black hole be named in honor of UT BOT?
Swamp Bubble
Do you agree or disagree that University of Toledo suffers from administrative bloat?
How do you feel about the proposed UT Degree Guarantee program? (Reposted to allow more people to vote.)
How do you feel about the proposed UT Guarantee program?
How would you grade the overall performance of the Jacobs' administration on running the University of Toledo?
COMMENT OF THE WEEK
Bloggie applauds this perspicacious observer:
"The administration is in a panic mode to implement controversial and irreversible structural and curricular changes campus-wide by early February fiscal plan deadlines with only the vaguest notions of their impacts. The plan is, according to an interview with a top administrator published in the most recent Independent Collegian, to cast out many seeds and "see what grows." This experimental garden, as most senators articulated in many different ways, seems a costly recipe for disaster. Utter madness. Stay tuned."
Print Version of Dictionary of Academia Available on Amazon.com
The profound ruminations of the goaty Sage are now available in this 119 page satirical masterpiece. See: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1480292494/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_2?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B009RC0SJA&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1JV8N5BYAYY9WC9SJWD2
"Dictionary of Academia" Read it While it's Hot
A MUST READ FOR ALL ACADEMICS! Now on Amazon Kindle. Click on Professor Goat above to be directed to the book.
Comment of the Week
"This is that old tension between the corporate way of doing things and the academic way of doing things. In the corporate world, you sweep everything under the rug to make your b.s. as shiny, pleasing to the nose, and profitable as possible. In the academic world, you operate with a higher moral standard. Veritas and all that."
Comment of the Week of August 13
Re UT academic posers and hypocrites:
Have their checks calculated in units of postmodern theoretical currency and issued in photocopied legal tender notes signed by Walter Benjamin with a photo of Karl Marx and a seal stamped “In Derrida We Trust”.
Comment of the Era
Wow! Ain't that something.
-Anonymous
Comment of the Week
Mention goes to the the anonymous commentator of Feb 7, who, regarding UT President Llloyd Jacob's "Investing in Faculty" letter, stated: "If we could use the same criteria for 'investing in administrators' we could cut most of those positions."
Comments to HLC
Make sure you address your comments to HLC to the email address listed below in the "Higher Learning Commission Wants to Know" post. This may be the only chance you have to be heard. Bloggie hears that UT administration has discussed giving faculty "training" so that faculty members know how to "properly" talk to the HLC folks. How's that for stacking the deck? Does everyone get a little script to read? Make sure you practice before a mirror at being bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.
Comment of the Week!
Definitely, the Comment of the Week award goes to Anonymous 12:14 pm, Dec 3, under the "Higher Learning Commission Needs to Know" posting by Diogenes. Pithy and pointed!
--Love,
Bloggie
MESSAGE OF THE DAY:
DON'T BE A SHEEP
Independent Collegian Article on Dicey Administrative Spending
IC reporter Casey Cheap looks at bow ties, apartments and movie tickets purchased by UT administrators at university/public expense. See
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Letter and Petition from Foreign Languages Faculty Member
A couple weeks ago, at the beginning of summer break, we in the Department of Foreign Languages were informed that our secretary's position was being eliminated and that while she will not lose her job (she'll be transferred), that position is not to be filled. We apparently will be expected to do our own jobs plus what we can of the secretary's. That is clearly not acceptable, and so one of the steps we in FL are taking against it is an online petition now available for any who want to (including those who for whatever reason--not a registered Ohio voter, not a US citizen, etc.--cannot sign the petition against SB5), to read and sign.
I know not everyone on the blog will be interested in this; I'm not asking anyone who doesn't want to, to sign or even read the petition. I do think that there are many who would be interested and would want to sign it--if they knew about it.
It's scary to post this under my own name; I'm as afraid as anyone of repercussions. But this is simply too important to keep quiet on, and we have to do something! FL is not the first department that this has happened to, and it's almost certain not to be the last if we don't speak up in a way that the administration will hear us and in a way that makes clear that other people are seeing that it's going on.
Here's the link to the online petition:For those who can make it, there will also be an informational meeting--including lunch and petition-signing--next Friday, May 27 in FH 2420, 12:00 - 2:00 p.m.
I know not everyone on the blog will be interested in this; I'm not asking anyone who doesn't want to, to sign or even read the petition. I do think that there are many who would be interested and would want to sign it--if they knew about it.
It's scary to post this under my own name; I'm as afraid as anyone of repercussions. But this is simply too important to keep quiet on, and we have to do something! FL is not the first department that this has happened to, and it's almost certain not to be the last if we don't speak up in a way that the administration will hear us and in a way that makes clear that other people are seeing that it's going on.
Here's the link to the online petition:For those who can make it, there will also be an informational meeting--including lunch and petition-signing--next Friday, May 27 in FH 2420, 12:00 - 2:00 p.m.
Katherine Best
Wave of the Future or Merely Sometime Later This Week?
The Chronicle of Higher Education ran a deeply fascinating article called, "When to Dissolve a Faculty Senate." Apparently this is any time that it becomes "adversarial" to administration.
The online comments to the article are priceless.
Nemeth on Mammon in IC
David Nemeth's most recent tour-de-force
Professor Nemeth has another fabulous and timely article in the new and increasingly wonderful Independent Collegian. See http://www.independentcollegian.com/forum/the-kraken-attacks-1.2340091
Nemeth Does it Again
See the forum article in The Independent Collegian at:
Nemeth's New Article in Collegian
The Independent Collegian has run another of Professor Nemeth's fine and provocative articles in its latest edition. This one discusses the double-talk by mouthpieces for the current UT administration concerning the effects of and reasons behind so-called strategic reorganization. Make sure you get the latest version of Newspeak 5.1 if you want to decode what UT administrators are really saying.
UT Ranks 13th Nationally on Administrative Bloat
See Appendix B of the Administrative Bloat report posted on 8/28 for evidence, but UT now has a higher proportion of administrators to students than all but 12 public universities in America. President Jacobs has finally put University of Toledo in the top tier. With Strategic Organization he may be aiming for number one.
This Blog is a free and independent information source. Contributions and comments are welcome. Contact: ASCBloggie@gmail.com WARNING AND DISCLAIMER !!!! This blog is entirely non-official!! People may express opinion here, exercising freedom of speech and association.
Recent Letters from The Blade
Jacobs' arrogance is astonishing
Recently, President Lloyd Jacobs of the University of Toledo stated that bonuses were justified because his administrators "took all the risks."
As a professor at UT, I am outraged that President Jacobs claims that administrators take all of the risks. What risks do they take that the other faculty and staffs on campus do not?
Administrators are protected by state and federal employment laws and by their contracts.
When ex-President Vik Kapoor was terminated, he remained a professor with a salary near what he was paid as president.
As president emeritus, Dan Johnson retained a salary greater than his pay as president.
In the recent layoffs, exceptionally few administrators were terminated. It seems to me that low-level personnel at UT have far more risks because the greater proportion of the layoffs have come from their ranks. And they did not have continuing salaries.
President Jacobs' answer to questions on two occasions regarding relinquishing part of his bonus was to the effect that he earned his bonuses and what he did with them was his business.
Administrators do not risk their personal money in their duties: they use taxpayer money and funds collected through donations and grants to the university.
Administrators take home salaries in the hundreds of thousands of dollars and then add bonuses for longevity and whatever else the president decides is fitting for their contracts.
However, the lower-level personnel have much lower salaries and no such bonuses. Where is the risk?
It seems to me that these bonuses are convoluted: The lower-level personnel are taking the greater risks with no bonuses while the administrators with very rewarding jobs with little risk receive large bonuses.
Am I missing something here?
WALTER W. OLSON,
Mechanical, Industrial, and Manufacturing
Engineering,
University of Toledo
It's the same old, same old at UT
I could hardly believe the arrogance of Dr. Lloyd Jacobs, president of the University of Toledo, when a reporter asked if he would be willing to forgo his bonus in light of the layoffs, raise in tuition, etc.
His comment was that he worked for it. Is that to say that the ones being laid off did not work for their pay?
All I can say is, business as usual at UT. Some things never change.
SANDY FLICK
Rose Acres Drive
UT also has checks, balances
In response to letter titled "Professors must focus on teaching," I would like to point out that the University of Toledo operates on the basis of shared governance.
This means that faculty members participate in the administration of the university.
A focus on teaching requires faculty to address administrative issues such as policies, procedures, and yes, finances, because these all affect classroom outcomes. A university with solid and equitable finances benefits everyone, including and especially the students. Just as the U.S. government is constituted to have checks and balances, so is our university government.
The UT-AAUP is one of those checks against UT administrators who most recently have displayed more concern for their own profit rather than a concern for the common good.
LINDA M. ROUILLARD,
Associate Professor
of French,
University of Toledo
Quote of the Year (so far)
The following is excerpted from the recent UT AAUP newsletter concerning the official university response to news of the bonus scandal:
. . . . Either Jacobs is misleading the media or he has misled the Board of Trustees. President Jacobs objected to "the general tone" of the UT-AAUP Newsletter. Many persons on this campus object to the "general tone" of the Jacobs Administration. During his tenure as President, he has introduced an administrative culture of fear and intimidation. . . . A point of logic must be raised here, with all respect to UT AAUP, the conclusions that President Jacobs has (1) misled the media and (2) the Board of Trustees are not mutually exclusive. Both would seem likely given his considerable talent at spinning "visions." |
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60 comments:
How could anyone paying close attention give Jacobs Inc. a "C" for fair? Absolutely no "value-added" toward advancing the academic mission of the main campus during the past seven years. Zero. Zip.
Instead we have dropped in academic reputation and all our momentum by every measure can be graphed as a downward spiral. A "C"? Get real!
http://www.toledoblade.com/Education/2013/01/26/Economic-development-point-man-s-1-200-a-day-salary-questioned-as-cuts-loom-at-University-of-Toledo.html
Just what I have been saying for years. The board, administration, and outside businesses and contractors have together been milking UT dry. They are all together playing a huge game of "hide the sausage" and it is mostly ending up in their pockets.
OK, I see how this works now. BOT hires Jacobs and cronies and gives them huge salaries. BOT leaves BOT and Jacobs gives them huge piles of money to start companies where they give themselves huge salaries.
UT loses big piles of money.
Companies formed with UT money lose big piles of money.
UT administrators rake in huge piles of money.
Former BOT members running companies funded by UT rake in huge piles of money.
I think I figured out what the problem is.....do I get anything?
$1,200 a day a pittance?
State employees working for private businesses run by former board members?
Created 35 jobs with ten million dollars?
Will be profitable....in a few years?
This has got to be criminal!
He has broken the cardinal rule of carpetbagging administrators: "Never stay around too long." Too addicted to the BOTeat he has failed to notice all the chickens coming home to roost. After the feathers fly and the dust settles he'll be lucky to get a golden parachute.
An A grade!!!
So we know now that Jacobs reads this forum too.
“We have a few people who long for the Middle Ages, during which time universities didn’t do this kind of thing, and that is good, they have a right to their feelings. … But longing for the Middle Ages is probably not what we need to be doing in the 21st century,” Dr. Jacobs said.
// Everything I want to say about this quote would not make it past the moderator. I'll just type some punctuation instead, Q-bert style. !$#@$%~!!!
After reading the Toledo Blade article I now why the prices in the fending machines on campus went up.
If I understand the Blade article, Stansley isn't even working for UT full time. He has other businesses and he collects his $1,200 a day salary by being inspirational or some such.
UTIE has no employee's itself and instead has UT employees working there on some kind of loan arrangement. I wonder what the UT employees' job descriptions are - no doubt this is where the staff A&S/LLSS lost went! Foreign Languages - check and see if your administrative assistant isn't now working over at UTIE!
We know the BOT won't do any thing about this criminal cronyism. They are eagerly awaiting their turn at the teat.
So now you smell blood and descend from your ivory towers to feast? Animals. You are mobbing. Piling on. Harassing the weakling. Shame on you all! Ok. I confess to have awarded the "A" in your survey. Why? Because I cannot abide bullying. Even of a tyranny slipping from its throne. Where are the gentle and passive scholars and intellects of yore? Who at UT will be left for our students to admire?
To 10:42
Do you live under a bridge?
Always so many construction and contracting executives on the BOT. I don't suppose they are dumb enough to award themselves all those construction contracts the university has been splurging on, but I wouldn't be surprised if they took turns rewarding each other....but they themselves are never going to seriously investigate this money circle of love. It would require and outside investigation.
Wow, somebody feels sorry for Jake, after all the people he has thrown under the bus, all the workers he fired, all the blood money and free work he squeezed out of the ones who remained just to fatten his own bank role and those of his cronies. All the bullying he and his lieutenants have done. As far as I am concerned, all his/their wounds are self-inflicted. Could the poster be weeping because he days on the teat are numbered?
I'm impressed that anonymous came out and admitted it was he/she that awarded the A grade. Of course coming out anonymously is not really coming out.
Just like we fear the wrath of the real bully here, perhaps hiding in the shadows allows you to attack the real weaklings in this power struggle.
ask yourselves, who is making money on this? who are the chartered members of the Board of Directors of the company? Who of them are current UT employees (main campus or medical campus)? What are their quarterly payments? What is the former Dean of the Business college making if he is a member of the Board of the UT company? Just like what is the $100,000 being made by the VP of enrollment services from the combined UT Foundation?
Follow the money.........
The faculty senate minutes from the Dec 4, 2012 meeting have been sent out. You can read the senators questioning the 30+ million shortfall.
The union also sent out another newsletter, with the arbitrator's decision regarding the grievance on Jacobs restructuring A&S without consulting Senate first. The AAUP "won." I put won in quotes because the arbitrator concluded he couldn't order the university to return to A&S and so rules that Jacobs "shouldn't do it again!"
And of course Jacobs has already done it again.
There's also a newsletter out from the AAUP regarding the workload agreements and forthcoming meetings in which all faculty are invited.
It is so funny and ironic that Jacobs talks about people wanting to go back to the middle ages. He and his gang are the ones that want to reverse a century of development of higher education; they trash democracy and run the place like their feudalistic fiefdoms dispensing their treasure and pleasures to those who pay feudalistic allegiance. They ignore 20th century concepts of democracy, collegiality and coworking. Their thinking anti-dates the enlightenment, the age of reason, and even the Renaissance. It is their modus operandi that is really from the dark ages.
This IS a "no-confidence" vote.
This is NOT a no-confidence vote. It is a site for malcontents and juvenile pranksters to piss on the playground without retribution. A no-confidence vote must come from the Faculty Senate and/or local AAUP. Get serious folks.
Speaking for myself, Bloggie is extremely contented.
The poll that should be conducted is this one: Will you lower your standards if forced to teach the Jacob Workload?
I'll be the first: YES
"[L]ess-selective colleges might actually harm their enrollment by spending more on instruction."
http://chronicle.com/blogs/buildings/whats-the-payoff-for-the-country-club-college/32477
This explains a lot. Jacobs is a genius -- just not particularly transparent.
If you do a confidence / no-confidence poll, I vote NO NO NO!!!
Bloggie
Regarding you being "extremely contented", this explains why you are a contented, juvenile, idiot and why it has taken 7 years for people to wake up, if they are yet awake. You were too happy to grab pictures and cartoons and invite the one-liner jerks to respond while dissuading serious response. You live in defense of satire vs. social justice - but satire takes too long to save any living souls. Too bad that I agree with your revolution, just not your self-serving strategies. I dare you to "comment moderation" allow this comment.
"This is NOT a no-confidence vote. It is a site for malcontents and juvenile pranksters to piss on the playground without retribution."
This says a lot about how the administration and people supporting it think.
Faculty are juvenile, pranksters, like little kids on playground. So, this poster also agrees that those who express themselves would receive RETRIBUTION. Exactly! Their freudian slips are hard to ignore.
By the way if people who post here are "pissing on the playground" then it is Jake who is stinking it up by taking a big healthy dump on students, faculty, and staff just as often as he can!
Read the article about UT venture capital co.
Shows the paradox and schizophrenia of our beloved leaders.
They say government institutions should not be involved in private business....but UT should.
Government institutions should make a quantifiable profit, except for the ones we run. Then it is OK to lose lots of money.
They just can't seem to understand that there is such thing as public interest that should be invested in and it is OK, if we do not make a countable profit. Public investment has always been a good thing.
Third, I still say it is wrong that Jake and his lieutenants are hiring and steering money and salaries to the people who hired them and were once their bosses.
Meanwhile Prez Jacobs continues to waste Ohio Taxpayers' money fighting court cases and arbitrations he has lost. The lawyer bills that he is causing to University must be staggering. Does anyone know the amount?
University lawyer fees are less than you might think. State law limits the amount of money a law firm may charge a public university.
The reference is to three arbitration cases which the AAUP has won, but which the university has taken to state court in attempts to try and have them overturned or revised.
One of the cases the AAUP won was on the 2010 A&S reorganization. Not sure what the other two were. Notice that the 2010 arbitration process lasted over two years!
While the public pays for Jacobs court costs, AAUP costs are paid for by faculty dues. Jacobs strategy seems to be trying to exhaust the union, both in terms of money and energy.
Over a million in tax liens? Leaving millions of dollars out of audits? This does not look good.
It doesn't look good, but who's going to stop it? Everyone above El Gordo in the state hierarchy shares his obsession with selling off public assets at any cost. And you can see in today's Blade report that the trustees have no sense of obligation to the taxpayers.
From today's Blade:
"Four UT trustees reached Wednesday — S. Amjad Hussain, Joseph H. Zerbey IV, Linda Mansour, and Sharon Speyer — cited a policy that only the chairman would speak to the media and refused to comment on UTIE investments, Executive Chairman Richard Stansley's $1,200-a-day compensation as a contract employee, or about the Ohio Department of Taxation’s liens filed in Lucas County Common Pleas Court claiming Mr. Stansley owed $1.1 million in sales tax."
Shameless corporate stonewalling. These clowns must all go. Let's clean house. Somebody call the IRS.
There is a phrase that keeps rolling around in my head...."Administrators deserve big rewards because they take all the risks." Well it is clear they are risking University money and reaping the rewards. But Faculty, students and the value of a UT education are paying the price for these executive decisions.
In is unfathomable that we could have an investment program losing that kind of money and not have a public audit of that program. That in itself ought to be enough to get Jacobs fired! That is a risk he should pay for.
We need to take back our University.
The tax liens explain Stansley's salary. Uncle Jake had to help him out of a jam.
The revolving door at UT. One trustee becomes a dean, one trustee earns $1200 a day as a contract employee. What is next? What will Jake earn after he "retires"? What corporate golden parachute is he knitting for himself?
The lack of transparency is the only thing relevant about this university.
So do the board members take turns "sitting out" votes for giving funds to each others' companies and friends?
Per Anon 2:26:
You said the lawyer fees are not much but what were the numbers? This sounds like an administration response that what was given was well deserved but the actual facts differ. For example, Prez Jacobs claims that Stansley earns his $1200/day but what did he do? What was accomplished?
I didn't write that the legal fees the university pays to outside law firms are "not much." I wrote they are not as much as we might think. A few years ago I followed one of the arbitrations that lasted over two years. At the end I was curious about how much it cost the university and I asked one of the union officers who was involved in the arbitration. He informed me that Ohio law limits the amount of money a law firm can change UT. After more than two years of legal expenses, involving a court battle and arbitration, the university legal bill was "only" 45000. I thought it would be six figures. So at least I was surprised.
Of course the admins don't care about the money - it's monopoly money to them. But they do get annoyed when they have to actually attend the hearings. In the court hearing I witnessed the judge put it on record that he was very disappointed that UT administrators listed in the lawsuit failed to show - only their legal counsel attended the hearing.
It's very true - these people at UT are ARROGANT.
Thank you for responding regarding the lawyer fees. Based on what you said, one arbitration ~= the salary of one non-professional school professor. I assume that the appeal is approximately the same. Therefore, can I could conclude that Prez Jacobs would rather fight arbitrations where he is the loser than invest in the education capital of the university?
"It is so funny and ironic that Jacobs talks about people wanting to go back to the middle ages."
Dear Friend: Jacobs is already back in the middle ages with his neo-feudalistic maffia of 26-27 lordlings. Look at the relationship between the king and church and see that parallel between the BOT and him. Yes, we are heading back to the dark ages where the kind of knowledge that challenges the establishment has no place in society. If your intellect surpasses Jacobs's or Scarborough's you might as well find a job where you are respected. Scarborough's presentation is the new math, or as Al Gore would call it, "Fuzzy Math..."
I think I'd better get back to my research because I have just cost the university another $36M worth of unfunded blogging...
"We know the BOT won't do any thing about this criminal cronyism."
But of course not: they are part of the crime ring! Boycott their businesses and the businesses that tolerate this madness.
January 31, 2013 at 4:42 AM: Shameless corporate stonewalling. These clowns must all go. Let's clean house. Somebody call the IRS.
Somebody said IRS? I think there are enough people in Lloydie & Scary Crime Bros and the BOT to start with. Imagine the amount in restitution...! The IRS will make the paparazzi around celebrities look small in comparison. Nobody likes tax audits, but don't be surprised if that may be the only way to change UT's name from University of Thugs to the University of Toledo.
Is it true that Jacob's son is living in a university house, he has multiple relatives working for the university and that the same law firm associated with the BOT member gets all the UT business? Just wondering....
I meant, is his son living in the UT owned house?
Just opened my W2. I wish I worked for the sort of institution that could be counted on to get these right. Who knows what mistakes lie within this year's, and how much personal time I'll have to waste recovering from their mistakes.
It's worth mentioning in this forum that the Jacobs strategy regarding the union & contract is to fight the union and undermine the contract at every turn. When the union wins in arbitration, the university files an appeal in court. When the court rules in the union's favor, the university contests it in the appeals court. And presumably, when the appeals court rules against UT, Jacobs will take it to the state supreme court. All of this takes years and costs the union a lot of money. Jacobs is using tax payer dollars and the courts to punish the union and delay decisions that will halt or limit his contract violations.
Latest AAUP newsletter reprints a pep talk sent by the Provost to the Deans. Here's an excerpt:
"As we have also predicted, however, there are some mischaracterizations we must endure. For example, some say we don't care about research-that we plan to become a teaching university. As I have said repeatedly, that is not true. Others say we will lose great research faculty if we ask them to teach more than one class a semester, and that might be true. But we can only afford to support a limited number of unfunded research faculty who do not teach a reasonable number of classes and students. And as I learned in healthcare, when presented with an either/or option, there are always people in the world who can and want to do both-both quality care and patient satisfaction-both quality research and teaching productivity. It might be time for some new faces on our campus who can and want to do both. They are out there, and we can get them."
From yesterday; the Provost's intimidating letter to the deans:
"It might be time for some new faces on our campus who can and want to do both. They are out there, and we can get them."
Translation: You principled deans are all expendable. Goons are everywhere in academia who will take money for doing bad things to fellow faculty, students, and staff where. Texas is full of them.
Bottem line: The kid gloves are now off. Be square if you dare.
"Nothing grows on scorched earth" ~ U.R. Moma
follow the money....
Much of SS's letter could have been written by AAUP or members of the Faculty Senate as a letter to the Deans.
We "want to begin by thanking you for your leadership. Leaders don't do what is easy; they do what isright-at the right time, and in the right way. Leaders don't seek to be popular; they seek to berespected, and to achieve outcomes that contribute to the greater good, not to narrow self-interests. Your leadership has been instrumental this past few weeks, and It will be essential over the next few weeks."
This could have been a salute to the Deans for standing up to SS and supporting quality teaching, for standing up to SS and supporting the academic needs of our students, for standing up to SS and supporting academic programs. All in the face of incredible pressure brought to bear by the SS (sorry- by SS) to destroy our overall mission in the face of an economic strategy that forgets students and our mission.
So I was surprised when it it was a letter from Scott to the Deans urging them to stand strong against the pressure of students, faculty, alumni and those who love the University to support the mission of an absentee Board and an overreaching President.
This is the least Student Centric plan that I can imagine
Please post the entire letter. (Skeptical)
Anon (9:53 am)
do not be surprised if your foe chooses to use you very own language to disrupt your colleagues. the bottom line is to be found in publishing, by name, who your enemies are. Follow the money....
That was exactly the same reading experience I had! During my reading of the first paragraph, I was reading it as though it was from the AAUP and was announcing something good - that with the help of the Deans one of the Provost's nutty plans had been thwarted.
Once it got going, I realized it was just another US v THEM diatribes. We need to band together and resist them, the medievalists. In fact, we should get rid of them, and replace them with like-minded, so we can all think alike at UT. Thinking alike, after all, is what a quality education is all about.
Good luck trying to build a real university with threats, intimidation, and bullying.
I thought this was worth reading: http://chronicle.com/article/The-End-Is-Not-Nigh-for/136957/
There's some material about the "Chicken Little" approach to higher education and self-fulfilling prophecies that is relevant to our situation.
In the for what it's worth department here's what I understand to be the administrations new normal logic for the new normal workload. All faculty start at 12/12, 70%, and then OWE the university the rest, the 30%. If you do more professionally and service than the 30% "owed," then you can argue for course reduction. Except, of course, that the Provost's office distinguishes between funded and unfunded professional activity. If your doing funded professional activity, then your in line for a reduction in teaching. Otherwise, not so much.
There seems to be, however, a sort of consensus going around that 3/3 loads will be approved in most instances and that 4/4's and even 3/4's aren't really happening much.
For the person who wants to read the entire letter, as shared by AAUP, here it is: Bulletin #121
"Dear Main Campus Deans,
I want to begin by thanking you for your leadership. Leaders don't do what is easy; they do what isright-at the right time, and in the right way. Leaders don't seek to be popular; they seek to berespected, and to achieve outcomes that contribute to the greater good, not to narrow self-interests. Your leadership has been instrumental this past few weeks, and It will be essential over the next few weeks.
We are at the moment in time we predicted-the moment in time when the toughest issues have to be addressed-the moment in time when we will either act responsibly and continue to redesign the models of higher education in ways that achieve both academic quality and economic sustainability-or we watch our beloved university die a slow death-all while enjoying our popularity. It is our choice.
As we discussed, teaching workload is the toughest issue we will face together. The decision to define reasonable parameters within which teaching workload is assigned will not be rescinded because it is the only way to effectively and responsibly redesign our university in a way that ensures both academic quality and economic sustainability. We will not accomplish this overnight, but we must start now. Time is of the essence. Over the next few weeks, we will complete the initial work that will begin to rebalance our economic model in a responsible way. No college will be excepted because every college is important to our mission.
As the new workload guidelines stated, there are transitional issues we must navigate and exceptions that need to be granted. In fact, exceptions have already been granted for writing composition and workplace credit, and more exceptions will be granted as we work through various workload issues over the next few weeks. In every case, we will do what is right for our students because they are our most important mission. On the other hand, we must challenge the status quo because it is not sustainable.
As we have also predicted, however, there are some mischaracterizations we must endure. For example, some say we don't care about research-that we plan to become a teaching university. As I have said repeatedly, that is not true. Others say we will lose great research faculty if we ask them to teach more than one class a semester, and that might be true. But we can only afford to support a limited number of unfunded research faculty who do not teach a reasonable number of classes and students. And as I learned in healthcare, when presented with an either/or option, there are always people in the world who can and want to do both-both quality care and patient satisfaction-both quality research and teaching productivity. It might be time for some new faces on our campus who can and want to do both. They are out there, and we can get them.
So I just wanted to write you this morning to say this-keep the faith and keep doing what is right for our students. They need higher education to be focused on them, not us. We have a very good strategic plan. We will implement that plan faithfully and skillfully, and will expect to see our teaching, research, and service missions improve and grow in the ways we have envisioned it. I remain very excited about our future and so do many others-the silent majority of people who simply go to work and do their jobs well. This is a time when leaders either emerge or shrink. Stand tall.
Sincerely yours,
Scott"
F F F F F!!!!!
President's roundtable with the Dean of LLSS and two faculty members from LLSS, discussing workload. The two admins do most of the talking.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTtAgOJnPKY
They frame this discussion with 'tough economic times' and in doing so give up the objectivity of the discussion, in my opinion. They don't discuss the 37 million for the medical campus cancer center or 350k plus salary for the President or the 150k plus salaries for deans, the creation of new colleges and new deans, etc etc. The issue isn't 'how do we cut back given the economic issues' the issue is 'where do we spend our money during a time of economic instability.'
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