So loyal readers, let’s play a game of this can’t be true. I will give you five statements and you decide if it’s true or not.
First, the university support of professional development namely the Faculty Resource Network, has been eliminated because the unquantifiable wasn’t quantified. Yes, that’s true. The “geniuses” in the administration could not figure out the value added to the university for having faculty participate in this extremely worthwhile program. Chalk one up for the incompetents on the third floor for doing away with a program that in the grand scheme costs nothing.
Second, the university has had nine consecutive semesters of declining enrollment. Ok, you already know the answer to that question. As reported here, CSU is near the bottom of the list nationally in enrollment since 2010. Thanks to incompetent administrators and the bored trustees the university faces the very real prospect of diving beneath 4,000 students for the Fall 2015 semester. Contrary to the popular administration narrative of national trends, the data doesn’t quite support the narrative.
Third, the HIV/AIDS Research and Policy Institute is being closed. Though no official word has gone out as of this publication, unofficially the university is moving in a different direction vis-a-vis HIV-AIDS. This is particularly peculiar given that the African-American community is disproportionately impacted thirty plus years into this epidemic. Score another public relations hit for the regime with this one.
Fourth, library resources are being reduced. I know, how serious is a university that hires a Library Dean with no Library Science degree and then doesn’t name the building save for NAL (New Academic Library)? After being operational for ten years the bored trustees can't name it? Now resources that academics would assume would be available at an institution of higher learning are suddenly on the chopping block. And which six figure administrator is going to bat for academic interests. As of this writing, none!
Finally, in the category of “You Can’t Make This Up”, the university that has entrepreneurship as part of its mission eliminated the Economics degree, the Economics department and has now served termination notices to the remaining faculty, telling them that adjuncts can teach whatever needs to be taught. The attack on tenure continues and every tenured faculty member should be aware of the threat to their jobs. Don’t for one minute think that you are the subject matter experts in your discipline. This administration views faculty as interchangeable parts. It should not surprise any of my faculty colleagues as this administration has no university faculty experience. Deans and chairs who have never been faculty and are then expected to participate in personnel actions is disgraceful.
This administration is like Santa Claus, the gift that keeps on giving. Or is that necrotizing fasciitis, the flesh eating bacteria that keeps on giving???
First, the university support of professional development namely the Faculty Resource Network, has been eliminated because the unquantifiable wasn’t quantified. Yes, that’s true. The “geniuses” in the administration could not figure out the value added to the university for having faculty participate in this extremely worthwhile program. Chalk one up for the incompetents on the third floor for doing away with a program that in the grand scheme costs nothing.
Second, the university has had nine consecutive semesters of declining enrollment. Ok, you already know the answer to that question. As reported here, CSU is near the bottom of the list nationally in enrollment since 2010. Thanks to incompetent administrators and the bored trustees the university faces the very real prospect of diving beneath 4,000 students for the Fall 2015 semester. Contrary to the popular administration narrative of national trends, the data doesn’t quite support the narrative.
Third, the HIV/AIDS Research and Policy Institute is being closed. Though no official word has gone out as of this publication, unofficially the university is moving in a different direction vis-a-vis HIV-AIDS. This is particularly peculiar given that the African-American community is disproportionately impacted thirty plus years into this epidemic. Score another public relations hit for the regime with this one.
Fourth, library resources are being reduced. I know, how serious is a university that hires a Library Dean with no Library Science degree and then doesn’t name the building save for NAL (New Academic Library)? After being operational for ten years the bored trustees can't name it? Now resources that academics would assume would be available at an institution of higher learning are suddenly on the chopping block. And which six figure administrator is going to bat for academic interests. As of this writing, none!
Finally, in the category of “You Can’t Make This Up”, the university that has entrepreneurship as part of its mission eliminated the Economics degree, the Economics department and has now served termination notices to the remaining faculty, telling them that adjuncts can teach whatever needs to be taught. The attack on tenure continues and every tenured faculty member should be aware of the threat to their jobs. Don’t for one minute think that you are the subject matter experts in your discipline. This administration views faculty as interchangeable parts. It should not surprise any of my faculty colleagues as this administration has no university faculty experience. Deans and chairs who have never been faculty and are then expected to participate in personnel actions is disgraceful.
This administration is like Santa Claus, the gift that keeps on giving. Or is that necrotizing fasciitis, the flesh eating bacteria that keeps on giving???
Pro sports teams get rid of non-producers but only requirement to be dean or chair here is to be brain dead, morally bankrupt, someone willing to see and say nothing...
ReplyDeleteIt is the case that the Library, like every other unit we're told, took a hit in terms of cuts to our acquisitions budget. As of yesterday, we were assured that we would have the funds to meet our obligations and to maintain what we have. We have been working hard to ensure that all players are informed as to why these are important - they are essential for accreditation, retention, matriculation, and for students and faculty to fulfill the requirements of their academic work. We fight to keep what we have, we scramble to figure out ways to obtain what we have not. We are grateful to those who support our efforts.
ReplyDeleteIt would appear that the practices of old are back in vogue. The acquisitions budget used to be a favorite target of budget cuts during the 1990s and early 2000s. I would have thought we learned our lesson and stop stripping away "mission critical" parts of the academic enterprise.
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