Joan Gabel has been named 19th chancellor of the of the University of Pittsburgh.

[Dakota2]

He interjected with some random TN drivel completely unrelated.

Which is it -- random guy or random TN drivel?

 

[Ewert86PC]

Reality can be uncomfortable.

Don't worry. The Academy is thoroughly detached from reality. Agendas and ideology matter more than results. It explains why they put up with mediocre, or worse, athletics. They refuse to push athletics for increasing funds when the Legislature seeks to clamp down the funding spigot.

 

[Ewert86PC]

I spend most of my week dealing with these kind of issues. There was a clear ethical concern here and it's clear you cannot or do not want to understand why so best of luck to you

The clear and ethical concern is that Securian manages the endowment trust for the U. It is an existing arrangement which could allow the President to override decisions made by the board of the trust for personal gain rather than the interests of the University.

The Target board example is a hypothetical and a great way to fearmonger missed opportunities while ignoring the fundamental differences in the lines of business of each company.

This is why a college education is a vital part of society. I have worked with vocational graduates and found, from personal experience, that they are often ideologically trapped as a result of an inability to process nuance in issues.

 

[Gophers_4life]

The clear and ethical concern is that Securian manages the endowment trust for the U.

Part of it.

It is an existing arrangement which could allow the President to override decisions made by the board

It could?? Says who?

I find that incredible that the U president could unilaterally overrule the CFO and finance department recommendations and overrule the Regents on such important matters.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

Bump - the Strib has a guest editorial from Dr. Steven Miles.

Dr. Steven Miles, of Minneapolis, is an emeritus professor of medicine and bioethics, University of Minnesota.

within the editorial is this paragraph:

• A sports empire, never envisioned as a land grant priority, has carved a huge footprint on the campuses as academic buildings have been neglected. Straightforward reporting of the cost and revenues of arcane finances within the U's sports empire are extremely difficult to obtain.

when people suggest that that certain factions at the U of MN do not support athletics, this is what they are talking about.

Most of the editorial criticizes the U of MN for what Miles sees as straying from its original mission.

So, again, as in 1854 and 1863, the Legislature and people of Minnesota are having difficulty seeing the value of a university that is focused on internal priorities that have drifted from its land grant mission to help Minnesota thrive.

 

[Dakota2]

Bump - the Strib has a guest editorial from Dr. Steven Miles.

Dr. Steven Miles, of Minneapolis, is an emeritus professor of medicine and bioethics, University of Minnesota.

within the editorial is this paragraph:

• A sports empire, never envisioned as a land grant priority, has carved a huge footprint on the campuses as academic buildings have been neglected. Straightforward reporting of the cost and revenues of arcane finances within the U's sports empire are extremely difficult to obtain.

when people suggest that that certain factions at the U of MN do not support athletics, this is what they are talking about.

Most of the editorial criticizes the U of MN for what Miles sees as straying from its original mission.

So, again, as in 1854 and 1863, the Legislature and people of Minnesota are having difficulty seeing the value of a university that is focused on internal priorities that have drifted from its land grant mission to help Minnesota thrive.

Sports is not the reason for loss of focus on the U's loss of focus on its academic mission.

 

[GopherTheJugular]

Sports is not the reason for loss of focus on the U's loss of focus on its academic mission.

Agreed. I'd also disagree with the following:

So, again, as in 1854 and 1863, the Legislature and people of Minnesota are having difficulty seeing the value....

I'm not gonna try and speak for the politicians, but I think plenty of Minnesotans see the value of a good athletic program at the state's flagship university. I'd also question if the author did any research into the actual opinions of people in 1854 and 1863, or if the author just stated it as fact, thinking no one would challenge it (especially considering it's an editorial, so not held to the same "standards").

Rather, I think Minnesotans question the value of half of the majors at the U of M.

 

[Dakota2]

Agreed. I'd also disagree with the following:


I'm not gonna try and speak for the politicians, but I think plenty of Minnesotans see the value of a good athletic program at the state's flagship university. I'd also question if the author did any research into the actual opinions of people in 1854 and 1863, or if the author just stated it as fact, thinking no one would challenge it (especially considering it's an editorial, so not held to the same "standards").

Rather, I think Minnesotans question the value of half of the majors at the U of M.

Last sentence nails it.