CSU Faculty Voice: Where have all the polticians gone?...Long time waiting...

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Where have all the polticians gone?...Long time waiting...

Last spring we were promised two things from our Trustees--a new leadership (or manager) for CSU, who would bring us political connections in Springfield, an insider who knew how to get funds from politicians, and southside ministers who would be bringing how many --400? 1000? a million? voices to campus who would shout "Amen" as a reminder that we need to remain the southside community college under "local" control. Well, except for the appearance of that veritable bulwark of politicians in the front row sitting with Rev. Finney et al. at Convocation in October I haven't seen or heard much of either. Anyone who cares to can enlighten us as to how our esteemed university managers are making their promises reality. At the Town Hall meeting with the faculty it seems there was more emphasis on micromanaging programs and cues (and counting how many students use the library) than on any information of what was being done to milk our state or for that matter our decidedly local "connections." In the meantime, look what Governors State just got:

Federal job training money headed to Illinois
Chicago Tribune, February 13, 2010

Illinois is to receive more than $8 million in federal money for job training initiatives.

U.S. Sen. Roland Burris on Friday announced the funding from a Department of Labor grant program. Illinois is to receive two grants, which the senator's office says are meant to provide job training in health care and emerging industries.

One grant for $4.9 million is to go to Governors State University in University Park. Another $3.4 million grant is to go to the National Council of La Raza in Chicago.

Burris says the awards will "ensure that Americans receive first-rate training in health care and other emerging industries that will lead to good paying jobs and security for families across the country."

1 comment:

CordayFeb 19, 2010, 8:45:00 AM
UPDATE: we understand that the university managers are working on certain "funding initiatives with Burris, Jackson and Durbin related to health care, clean energy, etc." There also seems to be the expectation that the worker bees on campus (i.e. faculty & staff) will apply for grants that the mangers have been sending out.
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Thanks to Haki Madhabuti

"1. He/she must be a scholar of national note, with significant peer review publications and books in his or her field. There must be no doubt as to his/her standing in the community of scholars. This would also include a history of the candidate’s participation in the appropriate professional organizations.

2. He/she must have served with distinction as the administrative head of a major unit within an institution of higher learning or at the important position of Provost and/or Dean. Of course, prior service at the presidential level is preferred.

3. He/she must have a documented history of raising significant monies from the private and public sectors. At most major and research one universities it is not unusual to expect the president to come with a plan to raise in excess of half a billion dollars or more in the first few years.

4. The prospective president must have a consensus buy-in from the faculty, students, administration and staff, therefore, arriving with a unity mandate to lead by joining a University community that has bought into his or her vision for the future."

From an open letter to the CSU Community, 2009.