BB&T to universities: you get money, but only if you teach Ayn Rand

Hoo boy, this one's a sticky wicket on several levels.

My blogfather Wes sent me an article this morning from The Chronicle of Higher Education, and as a progressive blogger and as someone whose career is in higher education fundraising, this is really stunning. It seems the BB&T Charitable Foundation, affiliated with BB&T Bank out of Charlotte, N.C., has made financial grants of up to $2 million each to at least 17 American colleges and universities, with the condition that Ayn Rand's novel Atlas Shrugged be taught in at least one course.

Skeptics have said that such provisions give too much leverage over the curriculum to a major donor. The [Charlotte] Observer quotes Richard Cohen, a professor of religious studies at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, as saying, "It’s going to make us look like a rinky-dink university." The Charlotte campus received a $1-million gift from BB&T in 2005, but the Atlas Shrugged requirement only became widely known there earlier this month, according to the Observer.

The Chronicle reported last summer on the efforts of Rand’s followers to promote the academic study of her ideas. Dozens of Rand-related grants have been made by the Anthem Foundation for Objectivist Scholarship, a small California-based charity, and by the BB&T foundation, an arm of a large North Carolina financial corporation whose chairman is an admirer of Rand.

This raises a lot of questions:

First, is it appropriate for a university to alter or adapt its educational mission -- its curriculum -- in order to comply with conditions of a grant? Well, a "grant" is different than a "charitable gift," in that the grant can be designed to start a particular program or even advance a particular ideology. Moreover, universities regularly alter their priorities, even academically, when a million-dollar donor dangles funding for a project. But this blatant carrot-and-stick approach seems very problematic to me.

Second, Atlas Shrugged? Seriously? Look, I've spent the better part of the last year trying to wade through the soporific muck that is Atlas Shrugged, and I've found it impossible to finish. It's tedious, it's boring, Rand beats the reader over the head with her "message," the premise is completely impossible, it abruptly shifts from quasi-realism to fantasy without warning ... in short, it's just an unreadable piece of garbage. Granted, I personally find the concept of objectivism completely banal, simplistic, abhorrent, and ludicrous, but I really did try to read the book with an open mind ... and I failed miserably. Good luck to the college kids.

Third, I'm concerned about conflating the charitable foundation with the business, in this case BB&T. It's one thing for a private foundation or an individual to work to advance an ideology through philanthropy. But when a corporation is involved -- especially a publicly-held corporation -- I think this creates some real issues of conflict of interest and ethics.

Finally, there's the whole issue of academic freedom. An article in The Charlotte Observer sheds more light on the controversy from that perspective:

Companies have long endowed college professorships and programs that fit their areas of interest. Sometimes, schools reject gifts if they can't live with a donor's conditions.But as state legislatures reduce higher education budgets, business is playing a bigger role in the classroom, experts say.

"They're so desperate for funding sources that they're willing to take more money with strings attached," says Jennifer Washburn, author of "University Inc.: The Corporate Corruption of Higher Education."

Some companies, including IBM, have developed curricula for schools that teach skills to make graduates good employees. In California, critics have complained that the University of California system has sold out to oil, following a $500 million research deal with oil giant BP.

At Hunter College in New York, faculty are crying foul over a course sponsored by a coalition of companies, including Chanel, Coach and Reebok, that's trying to combat low-cost knockoffs of their products. In the class, students would create a campaign against counterfeiting.

But many schools defend the "Atlas Shrugged" requirement. Administrators say it'll be one of many views studied, and professors are free to teach it as they want. "We would not have accepted anything that would have been so narrowly drawn that it restricted academic freedom," [Johnson C. Smith University] President Dorothy Cowser Yancy said in a written response to the Observer.

At [the University of North Carolina-Charlotte] last week, several business students said they weren't bothered that a donor is choosing a book to be required in a course. The school needs money, several said, and it can't hurt to read a book, as long as it's presented objectively.

"I certainly don't see an issue, unless the cost outweighs the benefit. That's what they teach you in business school," said Josh Greenberg, 23.

But the gift sparked controversy in Raleigh, where faculty at Meredith College rejected $420,000 from BB&T in 2006, saying the book requirement violated their academic freedom.

I guess the bottom line is that the faculty can present the book however they like. If it were me, I'd teach it as an example of horrific writing and even worse thinking. But, then, that's me.

Governing Florida's universities: a glimmer of hope?

Ever since Jeb! Bush ruined Florida's system of higher education by trashing the old system, replacing the centralized Board of Regents with individual -- and gubernatorially-appointed -- Boards of Trustees at each of the 11 universities (a similar system was imposed on the 28 community colleges) and a central -- but weakened -- Board of Governors also appointed by the Governor, the state has seen increasingly dysfunctional university governance, a uptick in presidents chosen for their political savvy rather than their academic résumés, and a plunge in rankings when compared with universities outside Florida.

Finally, there may be a light at the end of the tunnel. State Sen. Lisa Carlton (R-Sarasota) has introduced legislation that could return control to the Legislature, which by definition should have a better understanding of education than the governor.

The Senate Pre-K-12 Education Committee voted unanimously for a bill that would ask voters in November to give budget authority over the state's 11 universities to the Legislature, stripping it from the Board of Governors. Senate sponsor Lisa Carlton said lawmakers should control the debate over how to set tuition rates, not "some appointed board outside of this building."

Carlton ... said that every dollar increase in tuition requires an equal increase in two state-subsidized programs -- the Pre-Paid College Tuition Program and the Bright Futures scholarships. With every tuition increase, she said, the Legislature must come up with more money to pay for the programs, and more students could be priced out of going to college.

Seems to make sense, doesn't it? Well, as you might imagine, ol' Jeb! isn't happy about it:

But Gov. Jeb Bush told The Miami Herald he opposes the measure because he believes that electing an education commissioner will weaken the power of the governor, politicize education and give the Legislature less control over education policy. His view is expressed by the Foundation for Florida's Future, he wrote in an e-mail, referring to the non-profit education reform advocacy group he started.

The group's director, Patricia Levesque, told the committee Wednesday that "there should be a vocal advocate for education in the state of Florida. We just believe it should be the governor."

Oh. My. Fucking. God. (I keep saying that because I can't believe the crap Republicans sling these days.) Weakening the power of the governor, fine -- I have no problem with that. But the idea that an elected education commissioner would inject more politics into education is complete crap.

I can't fathom a more politicized structure than we have now. Thanks to Jeb!, we went from about a dozen or so gubernatorial appointees related to universities to well over 100, and when you add in the community colleges the number approaches 200. I have worked for two state universities and one community college. I have seen firsthand the effect that the political appointees have had on the institutions. The boards today are stacked with Republicans, largely people who gave large amounts of money, or raised large amounts of money, for campaigns for people named Bush, and most of them don't have a fucking clue about how to run an educational institution. As for the Legislature having less control over policy -- when they take over governance as opposed to the current situation -- how the high holy fuck is that even possible?!?

"There should be a vocal advocate for education in the state of Florida," says Levesque. And it should be the governor, she adds. Sure. I agree. Damn straight our governor ought to be a vocal advocate for education. But you can be a "vocal advocate" for universities without governing them. Hell, I'm a vocal advocate for Florida's universities, and I don't govern them -- nor would I want to. Because I'm not qualified.

Kind of like the current Boards of Trustees. Unqualified.

I think the Legislature might actually Get It and this proposed constitutional amendment has a good chance of getting on the ballot. Check out this little exchange:

The committee also heard criticism of the plan from State University System Chancellor Mark Rosenberg, who said that a third revamp of the university system in 10 years would continue to diminish the quality of the education that university students receive.

"It will make our education system weaker, not stronger," he said. "It will further erode our state credibility in national educations circles" and make it more difficult to attract faculty.

He said that higher education needs to rely on both tuition and state funding and "if we can get more state support, we don't need to raise tuition."

Rosenberg's comments irritated Sen. Don Gaetz, chairman of the committee. He asked Rosenberg why he wants to keep the current system if it's so bad -- "a system by the way which you just indicted, by saying it's not giving Florida students the quality education -- which is on your watch, by the way."

Ooooh, burrrrn.

I'd like to invite Jeb! -- and Rosenberg and Levesque, while I'm at it -- to kindly fuck off. Haven't you already done enough to destroy Florida? Seriously, shut the hell up and go crawl in a hole somewhere, you miserable cretin. You, Jeb!, are history. Go make your money and let Florida clean up your mess without interfering. Thanks in advance.

And thanks to the Legislature, or at least the Senate education committee, for taking steps to clean up that mess. Better late than never.

I'll have what he's smoking

I'm not sure what Gov. Crist is seeing, but the glasses he's wearing sure are rosy:

In light of the dire assessments of state university presidents on the effects of more budget cuts, The Buzz asked FSU alum Gov. Charlie Crist if he sees himself as presiding over an historic deterioration of Florida's higher education system.

Of course not, he said. Universities should live within their means and be satisfied with his spending proposals, which include more money and no tuition increase. "They have a right to that view," Crist said. "We have great universities and their recognition of that fact is important, and I am very proud of my Florida State roots ... If they're unhappy, maybe they ought to turn the reins over to somebody else."

This means you, T.K. Wetherell [of FSU], Bernie Machen [of UF], Frank Brogan [of FAU], Judy Genshaft [of USF], John Delaney [of UNF] ...

[...]

FIU President Mitch Maidique spoke of a system facing "the biggest threat in its history" with deeper cuts anticipated.

Crist doesn't see it. "My point is, things are pretty good in Florida," he said. "We have it pretty darn good here."

As the kids say, OMFG. Charlie, remember Amendment 1, which passed thanks in no small part to your smiling mug on all the billboards? You know, the tax break for the wealthy that's going to drain $9.2 billion from the state's coffers, on top of $15 billion in cuts that your pals, House Speaker Marco Rubio and Senate President Ken Pruitt, shepherded through the Legislature? Money that would have gone to public services and schools and, oh yeah, the state universities? Remember now?

Charlie, if you're going to be a tool, at least be an honest one. Hell, even I'm not sure I'd go so far as to say you're "presiding over an historic deterioration of Florida's higher education system," but you certainly inherited one from your truly odious predecessor. I don't know if you're lying, or if you truly believe that "we have it pretty darn good here." Maybe that unnatural tan is seeping through to your brain ...

(h/t Eschaton commenter sdf (Stu) )

The damaging legacy of Jeb! Bush, Vol. 3: More trouble for Florida's state universities

As an employee of a state university in Florida, I'm acutely aware of the harmful effects of the state's budget crisis on our higher education system, which thanks to Jeb! Bush's destructive policies already has been laboring under the weight of an ignorant and nonsensical political bureaucracy. In the third installment of my occasional series, "The Damaging Legacy of Jeb! Bush," I'm looking at education once again, but after the FCAT and intelligent design, it's time to turn to the postsecondary side.

Jeb! decimated both the eleven institutions of the State University System and the state's 28 community colleges (one of which also employed me at one time) by shifting their leadership from a centralized Board of Regents to a powerless Board of Governors and individual boards of trustees -- who are politically appointed by the governor.

As a result, our state has 39 dysfunctional, disconnected, and disassociated institutions of higher learning, run by people who generally have little or no understanding of or interest in education at all. And it's only getting worse.

According to the report [by college readiness group Enlace Florida], if Florida's financial resources don't improve, the state's limited-income students will soon find the doors of institutions of higher learning closed to them.

"The fact that tuition at Florida's universities is the lowest in the country does not mean that Florida's students can afford the cost of attendance," [Enlace Florida executive director Paul] Dosal said in the report.

He said Florida invests little money in need-based financial aid. The biggest amount is $400 million, from the Bright Futures Scholarship program. Bright Futures accounts for 80 percent of the total financial aid — and about 20 percent of those dollars is given on the basis of need, Dosal said in his report.

The report states, "A student who receives the Academic Scholars Award (the highest Bright Futures Award) would find that the award covers less than 23 percent of the total cost of attending Florida Atlantic University, Florida International University, University of Central Florida or University of South Florida."

[State higher education chancellor Mark] Rosenberg told university stakeholders at the December Board of Governors' meeting to expect further budget cuts before the end of the fiscal year.

"This could mean layoffs. This could mean a reduced number of classes for students. We continue to dig ourselves in to a deeper and deeper hole," he said.

He apologized to students, university employees and alumni of public colleges and universities.

"Whatever rankings that their institutions have are, unfortunately, likely to slide further, de-valuing the degree of a Florida public university," he said.

I've worked for three of these 39 institutions in my career. I've seen firsthand the effects of the instant budget crisis, and I've seen students struggle and battle to stay in school despite crushing financial pressures. In short, the horrific fiscal management of the Jeb! Bush administration merges here with their systematic and wholly intentional dismantling of Florida's system of higher education, with disastrous results for tens of thousands of students.

It's appalling. It's disgusting. And it's another reminder that the nation's tragic "Bush Boom" is exacerbated in Florida, because we're trying to overcome not only Drunky McStagger's profound idiocy, but also that of his younger -- and allegedly smarter -- brother.

Guns don't kill people; however, faculty might

I have a friend who is a professor at the University of Nevada-Reno. I ought to call him and ask about this:

The University of Nevada system is one step closer to letting professors, faculty and staff carry guns on campus.

It's a controversial plan that the Board of Regents agreed to on Thursday. Some students and staff are concerned it may not be the best idea.

The tragedy of Virginia Tech is still fresh in the minds of many in the collegiate world and campus police departments from Reno to Las Vegas are trying to find a better solution. But students are dumbfounded by the plan to arm teachers.

"So there would be no reason for a teachers to run around, just try to play hero with a gun," said Chris James, junior.

Still the Board of Regents plan would allow faculty take a 21-week course in Carson City. That class would cost more than $3,000 per person and the universities would pick up the tab. But it would use a legal loophole to essentially deputize the employee. That way they wouldn't break the law.

Right now it's a Class E felony to carry a gun on campus.

I have never understood the logic whereby gun violence can be reduced by arming more people. The deterrent factor, in my opinion, is vastly overrated.

I also think the argument that Virginia Tech or Columbine or any other such tragedy could have been avoided or mitigated if teachers or faculty had been armed is flawed: no one knows what might have happened, and besides, it's hard to believe anything would have stopped the attackers (especially if they've locked the armed faculty in classrooms).

Actually, I'm kind of surprised this didn't happen in Florida first. After all, we're the home of "Shoot first, ask questions later."