Positively Faustian. He made a deal with El Diablo! On 10/5/08, Jim Devine <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Sponsorship denied: > > History professor's deal with burrito joint went against school policy > > By CHRIS ARNESON for the Missoulian > > About 250 University of Montana students walked into the first day of > their U.S. history class to a new experience. > > On the projector screen was a logo for the local burrito and taco > joint, El Diablo. > > The same logo was printed on the class syllabus for "The Americas: > Conquest to Capitalism," and a sticker for El Diablo was clipped to > it. > > "I've never seen anything like it," said Sara Ford, a freshman in the class. > > Kyle Volk, an assistant professor of history, told students the course > was sponsored by El Diablo. > > University of Montana assistant professor Kyle Volk: worked out a deal > with El Diablo, a Missoula Mexican restaurant, to sponsor one of his > history classes, then learned it was against university policy. > > Volk brokered the deal with the burrito shop, which made a $250 > donation to the University of Montana history department. In return, > he handed out El Diablo stickers, mentioned the business in class and > printed its logo on the course syllabus. > > El Diablo has never donated money to the university before, Volk said. > And he wanted to pilot a sponsorship program with a local business. > > But UM administrators said such advertising contradicts school policy. > > History department Chairman Richard Drake said he didn't know in-class > advertising was against school rules, but said the idea was never to > challenge the university's policies. > > According to Drake, the advertising was intended to send a message. > > "I regarded this idea as a witty way to draw attention to the plight > of this history department," he said. > > Last June, the department ran out of paper and toner for the copying > machine, Volk said. Professors had to ride out the rest of the > semester without printing or making copies. > > "We're struggling for basic everyday needs," he said, because of the > rising cost of school supplies. > > UM is especially vulnerable to funding problems because its main > source of income is tuition and state funds, he said. "This school and > schools like it are going to have to think about more creative ways to > compete, and whether or not we like it, that's going to mean more > money." > > Volk said he will make sure future fundraising conforms to school > policies. But with the state of education funding today, he said the > university should consider allowing advertising in classrooms. > > UM attorney David Aronofsky said there are reasons that instructors > can't put advertising on a class syllabus. > > "You've got to control the commercial activities on campus," he said. > "Otherwise, the campus could become a commercial bazaar." > > Aronofsky said the university won't punish Volk or the history > department for the violation, calling it a "good-faith mistake." > > "It probably won't happen again," he said. > > He also said the university doesn't want to chastise El Diablo, or > deter donations to the university. > > Volk said the department planned to use the money for a staff travel fund. > > "Each faculty member is allotted $350 for travel," Volk said. "If > you've ever flown out of Missoula, that doesn't go very far." > > The extra money would allow professors to attend out-of-state > conferences and do research in other parts of the country, he said. > > Some students said they were surprised by the advertising, Volk said. > But he doesn't see it as sending a bad message. > > Sara Ford said the advertising hasn't affected the class or Volk's > teaching. "I've never seen a lecture class with a professor that into > teaching," she said. > > In fact, Ford said she wouldn't mind seeing advertising in other > classes, but it would have to be similar to the El Diablo ads. > > "I think it would be fine to a certain extent, but not to the point > where it is overpowering," she said. > > Volk said he didn't think the advertising would be an issue because > students encounter advertising all around campus. > > But there are some problems with professors doing fundraising, he > said. Instead of talking to advertisers and donors, Volk said he could > be researching or writing books. > > "The time commitment isn't enormous or overly burdensome. But it is a > cost," he said. > > El Diablo did not respond to repeated telephone calls from the > Missoulian, seeking comment for this story. > > http://www.missoula.com/news/node/1860 > > -- > Jim Devine / "Nobody told me there'd be days like these / Strange > days indeed -- most peculiar, mama." -- JL. > _______________________________________________ > pen-l mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/pen-l >
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