Re: [ECOLOG-L] Cuts everywhere...except a few states

2016-04-08 Thread Malcolm McCallum 
Um, David,

Maybe if you just read the 30-40 emails I got, some from people whose
resumes are over-the-top good, and read their hopelessness and helplessness
after losing jobs or inability to obtain one, largely because a bunch of
politicians in multiple states are playing games with their lives, you
might not have such a cocky, blatantly uncaring, and largely insensitive
and cavalier view.
There are a lot of people who are on foodstamps right now, many of whom
have, frankly, better credentials than you, me, or many of the others who
are on this listserv.

#1 Making people aware that it is not just "their state" is not a.
complaining or b. throwing your hands up
#2 Those are all links sent to me from the listserv
#3 I guess you must be either a. securely employed with nothing to worry
about, or b. living in another country, or c. completely oblivious to what
is going on in the world.
#4 not sure what you mean by "why don't we hired an undergrad or two
#5 you are making a rash assumption that none of these things are being
done, advising people to do it.

Unfortunately, empathy is not a widely distributed quality in the human
race.





On Fri, Apr 8, 2016 at 4:13 PM, David Reed 
wrote:

> So you've collected headlines from roughly half the states, of which some
> really don't paint a doom-and-gloom picture (Colorado, Minnesota ,Oregon,
> while Mississippi and Alabama are increasing funding to K-12 education),
> and then proceed to make some pretty sweeping claims. It's almost as is
> often repeated quip about states being the laboratories of democracy has
> some truth to it! If this was the draft thesis of an undergrad paper, I
> would return it and ask for more effort.
>
> Instead of complaining about it to each other in an echo chamber, how
> about we actively work to fix it! Those of us with budgets, why don't we
> hired an undergrad student or two for the summer. Those of us with elegant
> writing, send in a letter to the editor to your local paper. Those of us
> with a cell phone, call your elected Representative. Those of us teaching,
> get non-science majors exciting about what you (and the rest of us) are
> doing!
>
> Throwing your hands up and blaming it on a disinterested populace is a
> lazy excuse since we are the ones educating that populace. Saying there is
> a war on science is worse since it helps increase the amount
> of polarization in our society.
>
> david reed
>
> On Fri, Apr 8, 2016 at 1:21 PM, Malcolm McCallum <
> malcolm.mccallum.ta...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> THere are a few states with increased higher ed budgets, and the vast
>> majority being slashed and burned.
>> IF you read through these articles, you will find common threads in
>> regard to party-lines, common issues, etc.
>> Bottom line, there is a ware on higher education and science.  The excuse
>> is budgets; however, you can't milk a stone.
>> It all boils down to lack of creativity, an general unwillingness of
>> those benefitting form higehr education to do anything,
>> and largely a disinterested populace who believes whatever tripe is
>> shoved down their throat by part-sponsored news agencies.
>> I feel for the new graduates who are hoping to get a job, its hard enough
>> when you have been let go as a line item and
>> have some cv to shop around. These people just keep making things worse
>> through ineptitude and ignorance.
>>
>> *Some General responses*
>> Apparently, most states are increasing out-of-state enrollment an
>> decreasing in-state enrollment due to cuts.
>>
>> http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2016-04-01/colleges-look-to-out-of-state-students-amid-state-funding-shortages
>> 
>>
>> another article on the topic of state budgets & higher ed
>>
>> http://www.dailytexanonline.com/2016/03/28/states-must-protect-higher-education-from-budget-cuts
>>
>> I keep hearing stories from certain family members that higher ed is a
>> waste of time based on fox news reports. I don't agree, but , I'm and
>> part-time employed PHD, and most of them are employed, about to retire or
>> retired highschool/college drop outs.  Maybe they are right?
>>
>>
>> https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2016/04/07/lincoln-project-report-offers-suggestions-public-research-universities-financial
>>
>> A report from the Lincoln Project, which has been studying public
>> research universities since 2013. Final report was issued yesterday, with
>> wide-ranging suggestions for financial futures of these institutions.
>>
>> Lawmakers hiked tuition faster than schools did..
>> http://interactives.dallasnews.com/2016/tuition-costs/
>>
>>
>> *Alabama*
>> The $6.28 billion budget approved is the largest Education Trust Fund
>> since 2008, before the Great Recession led to an ebbing of state revenues.
>> The 2017 ETF is about $290

Re: [ECOLOG-L] Cuts everywhere...except a few states

2016-04-08 Thread David Reed 
So you've collected headlines from roughly half the states, of which some
really don't paint a doom-and-gloom picture (Colorado, Minnesota ,Oregon,
while Mississippi and Alabama are increasing funding to K-12 education),
and then proceed to make some pretty sweeping claims. It's almost as is
often repeated quip about states being the laboratories of democracy has
some truth to it! If this was the draft thesis of an undergrad paper, I
would return it and ask for more effort.

Instead of complaining about it to each other in an echo chamber, how about
we actively work to fix it! Those of us with budgets, why don't we hired an
undergrad student or two for the summer. Those of us with elegant writing,
send in a letter to the editor to your local paper. Those of us with a cell
phone, call your elected Representative. Those of us teaching, get
non-science majors exciting about what you (and the rest of us) are doing!

Throwing your hands up and blaming it on a disinterested populace is a lazy
excuse since we are the ones educating that populace. Saying there is a war
on science is worse since it helps increase the amount of polarization in
our society.

david reed

On Fri, Apr 8, 2016 at 1:21 PM, Malcolm McCallum <
malcolm.mccallum.ta...@gmail.com> wrote:

> THere are a few states with increased higher ed budgets, and the vast
> majority being slashed and burned.
> IF you read through these articles, you will find common threads in regard
> to party-lines, common issues, etc.
> Bottom line, there is a ware on higher education and science.  The excuse
> is budgets; however, you can't milk a stone.
> It all boils down to lack of creativity, an general unwillingness of those
> benefitting form higehr education to do anything,
> and largely a disinterested populace who believes whatever tripe is shoved
> down their throat by part-sponsored news agencies.
> I feel for the new graduates who are hoping to get a job, its hard enough
> when you have been let go as a line item and
> have some cv to shop around. These people just keep making things worse
> through ineptitude and ignorance.
>
> *Some General responses*
> Apparently, most states are increasing out-of-state enrollment an
> decreasing in-state enrollment due to cuts.
>
> http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2016-04-01/colleges-look-to-out-of-state-students-amid-state-funding-shortages
> 
>
> another article on the topic of state budgets & higher ed
>
> http://www.dailytexanonline.com/2016/03/28/states-must-protect-higher-education-from-budget-cuts
>
> I keep hearing stories from certain family members that higher ed is a
> waste of time based on fox news reports. I don't agree, but , I'm and
> part-time employed PHD, and most of them are employed, about to retire or
> retired highschool/college drop outs.  Maybe they are right?
>
>
> https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2016/04/07/lincoln-project-report-offers-suggestions-public-research-universities-financial
>
> A report from the Lincoln Project, which has been studying public research
> universities since 2013. Final report was issued yesterday, with
> wide-ranging suggestions for financial futures of these institutions.
>
> Lawmakers hiked tuition faster than schools did..
> http://interactives.dallasnews.com/2016/tuition-costs/
>
>
> *Alabama*
> The $6.28 billion budget approved is the largest Education Trust Fund
> since 2008, before the Great Recession led to an ebbing of state revenues.
> The 2017 ETF is about $290 million higher than the current budget, an
> increase of about 4.8 percent.
>
> http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/news/politics/southunionstreet/2016/03/08/ala-house-approves-education-budget-teacher-pay-raise/81437740/
>
> *Alaska...*
> Alaska is a good example - cuts have been proposed on the order of 10-20%
> (and more, if you count cuts in the last couple years).  Programs have been
> lost already - fairly grim.
>
> Also look into the situation in Alaska. Here are some links:
>
> http://www.adn.com/article/20160127/university-alaska-leaders-plan-restructure-campuses
>
>
> http://www.cnbc.com/2016/03/14/alaskas-schools-face-cuts-at-every-level-over-oil-collapse.html
>
>
> http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/15/us/oil-collapse-drains-alaskas-wide-ranging-education-system.html?_r=0
>
> *Arizona.*
>
> http://tucson.com/news/local/education/college/tuition-rate-hikes-ok-d-for-arizona-universities/article_5b5b3e8d-925f-5738-9cdd-950f82a7c6b7.html
>
> *Arkansas...*
> facing $100M budget hole, some congressmen calling for $14B in higher ed
> cuts
>
> http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/mar/19/analysis-arkansas-lawmakers-shop-competing-budget-/
>
>

[ECOLOG-L] Cuts everywhere...except a few states

2016-04-08 Thread Malcolm McCallum 
THere are a few states with increased higher ed budgets, and the vast
majority being slashed and burned.
IF you read through these articles, you will find common threads in regard
to party-lines, common issues, etc.
Bottom line, there is a ware on higher education and science.  The excuse
is budgets; however, you can't milk a stone.
It all boils down to lack of creativity, an general unwillingness of those
benefitting form higehr education to do anything,
and largely a disinterested populace who believes whatever tripe is shoved
down their throat by part-sponsored news agencies.
I feel for the new graduates who are hoping to get a job, its hard enough
when you have been let go as a line item and
have some cv to shop around. These people just keep making things worse
through ineptitude and ignorance.

*Some General responses*
Apparently, most states are increasing out-of-state enrollment an
decreasing in-state enrollment due to cuts.
http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2016-04-01/colleges-look-to-out-of-state-students-amid-state-funding-shortages


another article on the topic of state budgets & higher ed
http://www.dailytexanonline.com/2016/03/28/states-must-protect-higher-education-from-budget-cuts

I keep hearing stories from certain family members that higher ed is a
waste of time based on fox news reports. I don't agree, but , I'm and
part-time employed PHD, and most of them are employed, about to retire or
retired highschool/college drop outs.  Maybe they are right?

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2016/04/07/lincoln-project-report-offers-suggestions-public-research-universities-financial

A report from the Lincoln Project, which has been studying public research
universities since 2013. Final report was issued yesterday, with
wide-ranging suggestions for financial futures of these institutions.

Lawmakers hiked tuition faster than schools did..
http://interactives.dallasnews.com/2016/tuition-costs/


*Alabama*
The $6.28 billion budget approved is the largest Education Trust Fund since
2008, before the Great Recession led to an ebbing of state revenues. The
2017 ETF is about $290 million higher than the current budget, an increase
of about 4.8 percent.
http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/news/politics/southunionstreet/2016/03/08/ala-house-approves-education-budget-teacher-pay-raise/81437740/

*Alaska...*
Alaska is a good example - cuts have been proposed on the order of 10-20%
(and more, if you count cuts in the last couple years).  Programs have been
lost already - fairly grim.

Also look into the situation in Alaska. Here are some links:
http://www.adn.com/article/20160127/university-alaska-leaders-plan-restructure-campuses

http://www.cnbc.com/2016/03/14/alaskas-schools-face-cuts-at-every-level-over-oil-collapse.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/15/us/oil-collapse-drains-alaskas-wide-ranging-education-system.html?_r=0

*Arizona.*
http://tucson.com/news/local/education/college/tuition-rate-hikes-ok-d-for-arizona-universities/article_5b5b3e8d-925f-5738-9cdd-950f82a7c6b7.html

*Arkansas...*
facing $100M budget hole, some congressmen calling for $14B in higher ed
cuts
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/mar/19/analysis-arkansas-lawmakers-shop-competing-budget-/

*Colorado...*
Uncertain how this impacts universities...
http://gazette.com/skirmishes-over-proposed-25.8-billion-colorado-state-budget-continue-in-legislature/article/1573646

*Connecticut..*

The committee and Malloy proposed cutting UConn’s funding next fiscal year
by $15 million under the committee plan, and the UConn Health Center would
lose $6.4 million.The Board of Regents for Higher Education, which oversees
the four regional state universities, 12 the community colleges and the
online Charter Oak College, would lose $19 million in 2016-17. College
officials have said the governor's proposed funding levels would leave them
with sizeable shortfalls -- $18 milllion for the regents and $30 million
for UConn." source:
http://ctmirror.org/2016/04/06/budget-plan-offers-painful-cuts-but-remains-out-of-balance/
)

*Georgia.*

http://www.northwestgeorgianews.com/polkfishwrap/news/local/as-state-house-wraps-up-work-kelley-looks-to-the/article_c5bd3f46-fcd6-11e5-9612-bb9e3bec8df0.html

*Hawaii..*

Universe of Hawaii Manoa, the state's only research university, faces a $50
million cut. By a slight of hand, $50 M will be moved from operations of
research units to "maintenance". The budget will be