As most of you already know, Brian Anse Patrick passed away the day after Christmas. Brian was the driving force behind the blog. If there was any satire afforded here he was predominantly responsible. While he wrote primarily as Bloggie, he used several forms of identification. To say he disliked bureaucracies would be an understatement of huge proportions. He had little use for hierarchies. Originally a parochial school student, a nun told him he was going to hell but first he was going to jail. A priest excommunicated him. He was then tossed from public schools as well ostensibly for starting a riot. Eventually he obtained a G.E.D. and a Ph.D. He hunted and quoted Aristotle, Burke, and Mill. And the Communication Department had the good sense to hire him. His students loved him and there was often a cadre in his office until the department was moved from University Hall and sequestered in Sullivan. When people got upset with the blog, he would note that the University had a million dollar PR office and the faculty had the blog. I will be giving a more complete eulogy at the Faculty Senate meeting January 31st.
Brian will be missed by those who knew him well. The blog will miss him. But there are several major issues facing the faculty, so we will attempt to muddle on. Those include: a new (or another) strategic plan, a new 10 year plan for the use of space and probably a new Union contract. There is a lot to discuss, so let's get at it.
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Many would say this blog resulted in the break up of A&S. Whether you agree that outcome was negative or positive it was a direct result. And I know of no other influence this blog had on views or actions by Jacobs or any one else from previous or current administrations. Just an observation, not a judgement.
Over the last two years, numerous posts on this blog pointed out the tremendously disproportionate and depressing impact that UT layoffs had on different classes of employees, that members of the Professional Staff Association singularly bore the brunt of cost-cutting measures while faculty members kept their AAUP-protected jobs.
President Sharon Gaber, I suspect, either read or heard that message, which influenced her decision to tap into university reserves to balance this year’s budget instead of throwing more PSA staff members over the cliff.
A doff of the derby to her for that call.
Congratulations to Dave Tucker on his unanimous election to the College of Arts and Sciences Executive Board! Serve and Preserve!
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