The Quotable Mr. Gilles
There is nothing finer in this world than shooting off an email to a reporter and than a week later being told you were quoted in their publication. Such a thing happened to me today.
Kudos go out to Ms. Helal who actually made the important, but oh so boring fees committee, into an interesting story. Far too many fee committee types and reporters get bogged down by 'spreadsheetitis'. For those uninitiated with 'spreadsheetitis', it is an affliction that haunts fees committee members and symptoms include too much knowledge of Excel and the perplexing belief that there is nothing more important in this world than the office supplies line item for the Asian club.
This story was about the secretive process the administration is taking with the hope of gaining complete control, without any consequences, of the $20 Million paid in student fees. What's interesting is that this type of behavior is fairly endemic at the U.
*A few years ago the Regents wanted to pick the new U President in secret. They were later taken to court by the local media and lost resoundingly.
* During the Coffman renovations of the STUDENT Union that was paid for by STUDENT fees, the administration overrode the Coffman administration and arranged for all new revenues to flow to administration coffers, and not towards student programming or offsetting the $100 yearly increase in fees the renovation cost.
* Just a few months ago a strategy committee finished its recommendations, the most controversial of which was to close General College. While I agreed with that particular recommendation, President Bruiniks went to great lengths to deny anything was in the works in April, and didn't have to respond till everything was made public in May ~ nicely coinciding with finals and the end of the school year. GC was put to death by the Regents in their June summer meeting. Nothing like finals and summer to mute student input, discussion, or dissent.
* Now the U is suggesting that students pony up another $100 a year in fees to build a football stadium on campus. Will this extra $100 give students access to concession, ticket or parking revenue to support programming or offset the fee increase? No, all those things flow to admin coffers. Will students get season tickets with their fee? No, in fact ticket prices will likely soar with a new stadium. Will students be guaranteed access to tickets? Reserve 30,000 seats in a 40,000 seat stadium... forget about it - although a section or two might be put aside for students.
Most likely students will be railroaded once again on fees, the stadium and whatever else comes up next year. But here's hoping that the admin looks out their Morril tower windows and hears a gentle noise on the breeze...
THE PAIN TRAINS COMING! THE PAIN TRAINS COMING -WOO WOO! WOO WOO!
Kudos go out to Ms. Helal who actually made the important, but oh so boring fees committee, into an interesting story. Far too many fee committee types and reporters get bogged down by 'spreadsheetitis'. For those uninitiated with 'spreadsheetitis', it is an affliction that haunts fees committee members and symptoms include too much knowledge of Excel and the perplexing belief that there is nothing more important in this world than the office supplies line item for the Asian club.
This story was about the secretive process the administration is taking with the hope of gaining complete control, without any consequences, of the $20 Million paid in student fees. What's interesting is that this type of behavior is fairly endemic at the U.
*A few years ago the Regents wanted to pick the new U President in secret. They were later taken to court by the local media and lost resoundingly.
* During the Coffman renovations of the STUDENT Union that was paid for by STUDENT fees, the administration overrode the Coffman administration and arranged for all new revenues to flow to administration coffers, and not towards student programming or offsetting the $100 yearly increase in fees the renovation cost.
* Just a few months ago a strategy committee finished its recommendations, the most controversial of which was to close General College. While I agreed with that particular recommendation, President Bruiniks went to great lengths to deny anything was in the works in April, and didn't have to respond till everything was made public in May ~ nicely coinciding with finals and the end of the school year. GC was put to death by the Regents in their June summer meeting. Nothing like finals and summer to mute student input, discussion, or dissent.
* Now the U is suggesting that students pony up another $100 a year in fees to build a football stadium on campus. Will this extra $100 give students access to concession, ticket or parking revenue to support programming or offset the fee increase? No, all those things flow to admin coffers. Will students get season tickets with their fee? No, in fact ticket prices will likely soar with a new stadium. Will students be guaranteed access to tickets? Reserve 30,000 seats in a 40,000 seat stadium... forget about it - although a section or two might be put aside for students.
Most likely students will be railroaded once again on fees, the stadium and whatever else comes up next year. But here's hoping that the admin looks out their Morril tower windows and hears a gentle noise on the breeze...
THE PAIN TRAINS COMING! THE PAIN TRAINS COMING -WOO WOO! WOO WOO!
posted by Bill Gilles | 5:08 PM
1 Comments:
Hey Bill, I found your blog! Don't you just love Google? I've read some of your entries...the ones without all the politics. Say hi to Maggie for me!
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