>>Date: Thu, 03 Mar 2005 10:26:15 -0500
>>To: UTCINFO
>>From: Richard Rice <[log in to unmask]>
>>Subject: UT Board Address
>>
>>You may have noticed all the state cars parked between Brock Hall and the
>>UC the last two days. They indicate the UT Board Meeting held here every
>>four years. As host institution Senate President, I was invited to speak
>>to the Board, representing all campuses.
>>
>>My comments are below, and they are being distributed to all UT system
>>faculty. You will note that I have liberally borrowed from your  comments
>>posted here at UTC, particularly in the admonishing THEC section, where I
>>felt Matt Greenwell's ideas worth sharing with the board. Apparently so
>>did the other Senate Presidents, who edited and added their ideas as
>>well. You may be as surprised as I was that the UTK campus was not aware
>>of the recent (February 17) THEC formulation. They are now.
>>
>>All campuses are understandably concerned with the Academic Freedom
>>issue. As the recent lively debate on Raven here shows, students with
>>certain beliefs may feel conflicting ideas create a "hostile" environment
>>and will be encouraged to file a complaint form. President Petersen
>>advised us to wait while he seeks to fill the UT lobbyist position. He
>>assured us that he as concerned as we are.
>>
>>Finally, we (the Senate Presidents) all agreed that something more needed
>>to be said about compensation issues.
>>
>>Here is the address:
>>
>>
>>Welcome to your campus here in Chattanooga. Those of you who have not
>>been here in the last two years have seen a big and positive change in
>>the UTC physical plant; notably the long-awaited and much appreciated new
>>Engineering, Math, and Computer Science Building, the first purpose-built
>>academic building in decades. You have also been introduced to our new
>>Sim Center Building, housing a program with tremendous potential to bring
>>technology to this city and the state of Tennessee. We have great hopes
>>for its success. You cannot help but notice the remodeling and extension
>>of this University Center, providing much needed space for student
>>activities suitable for a commuter campus.
>>
>>But UTC is less a commuter campus than in the past. With the construction
>>of large numbers of new dorm rooms across McCallie Avenue at UTC Place,
>>we now have about one-third of our students on campus. This project has
>>helped transform the downtown, showing that UTC is indeed "engaged" in
>>metropolitan development and provided housing for students who choose to
>>live on campus.
>>
>>Last fall in Knoxville, UTK Senate President Candace White applauded the
>>new Board of Trustee changes that allow student and faculty
>>representatives to be involved in the Academic Affairs and Student Life
>>Committee, and I would like to reiterate her appreciation for inclusion
>>and communication at the trustee level. We thank you for your efforts and
>>support of higher education in this state.
>>
>>I would like to recognize UTK Senate President Candace White. Senate
>>President K.U. Malik from the Health Science Center in Memphis had to
>>return to his duties after our committee meeting, and UTM Senate
>>President Dan Pigg was unable to attend. However, we all discuss via
>>email faculty issues that have a state-wide impact, and there are, as you
>>know, unprecedented challenges this year to the future of higher
>>education in Tennessee.
>>
>>Dr. Petersen is quite aware of these issues, and we continue to have
>>great confidence as he steers the University of Tennessee system through
>>difficult and treacherous financial waters. Some of the problems are
>>probably the result of his predecessors, who arguably lacked integrity
>>and perhaps some common sense. It will take some time to rebuild
>>confidence in the UT system, and convince the voters and their
>>representatives in Nashville that higher education remains essential to
>>the economy and future of Tennessee.
>>
>>My colleagues think we face three major threats this year in terms of our
>>mission, our freedom to think, and our funding. All three threaten the
>>ability of the UT system to strive for the excellence we want and you
>>expect, which is the only way we will be able to fulfill the important
>>service we provide. I want to focus our attention and not dismiss the
>>dangers we face in 2005.
>>
>>First, the THEC Master Plan. Last fall our campuses had the chance to
>>examine and discuss the document. However, legitimate concerns we
>>expressed are ignored in the most recent version; it seems clear that we
>>have little say in the final formulation. But I will comment on just a
>>few anyway.
>>
>>It is a defeatist document stating that "state funding has been
>>permanently reduced." Yes, TennCare, revenue shortfalls, and needs for a
>>better K-12 education have pre-empted adequate funding for higher
>>education, but we should never, ever, give up our effort to show how
>>important a good college education is for both the individual and the state.
>>
>>This plan mentions on page one the "intrinsic worth of education," but
>>then devotes 24 pages to importance of revenue generation and work force
>>preparation. It talks about  "Mission Differentiation" without describing
>>what that means. Who will determine "institutional reallocation and
>>redirection of resources"? Who is to say which programs are "highly
>>regarded"and "mission critical"? The plan sees education in narrowly
>>vocational terms, assuming that we can predict the future needs of
>>industry by establishing the two-year institutions as "major education
>>access point[s]."
>>
>>Education is surely more than preparing a qualified work force. We do not
>>manufacture components for the "knowledge based society," students gain
>>knowledge and expertise through time and effort. Universities should and
>>do contribute to our economy, but we are not job centers. I would note
>>that both Japan and Germany have excellent vocational training programs,
>>but their economic growth in the last decade has been far less than in America.
>>
>>The Master Plan would direct funding towards the two-year colleges,
>>minimizing their tuition and increase tuition at UT system schools,
>>leaving a four-year experience out of the range of many students. This
>>is, amazingly, called institutional revenue adequacy.
>>
>>Yes, it does cost more for UT institutions to offer a credit hour; we are
>>larger and offer a more varied curriculum. Our faculty are better
>>trained, and we carry out research. If THEC really believed in the
>>intrinsicvalue of education, they would be lobbying for greater, not less
>>state support. Truly equal opportunity would allow students to make the
>>choice between two and four year institutions without economic penalty.
>>
>>Our graduates are among the few (one out of five) Tennesseans with a
>>college degree. There is indeed an economic argument that THEC should be
>>making to our legislators and tax payers. I tell my students that each
>>day they are in class, they will make $1,250, more than most will ever
>>make on the job. Why $1250? The difference over a forty year working
>>career (or careers) between a college graduate and a high school graduate
>>is $700,000. Divide that by years, semesters, and days in class, and you
>>will find that each day our students attend university, they are adding
>>$1250 (on average) to their lifetime income potential. And when they
>>spend those dollars in Tennessee, the taxes generated will add to future
>>revenue. Education does indeed have an economic return, both to the
>>individual and to the commonwealth.
>>
>>But more importantly, they will also be educated,with all the enrichment
>>of life and advantages it conveys. Yes, we are creating a future work
>>force, but also a better life. Have you ever met anyone who regretted
>>earning a college degree?
>>
>>The second challenge is the so-called Academic Freedomlegislation which
>>has aroused a predictable uproar on all campuses. Despite the fact that
>>all UT campuses have formulated, published, and followed guidelines long
>>ago about acceptable faculty behavior in and out of the classroom, this
>>legislation and the resulting student complaint forms would subject every
>>class period to the comfort level of the student. We as faculty have the
>>responsibility to present what we believe is the best information
>>available, not what some political group finds acceptable.
>>
>>The bill implies that we are not to be trusted to teach the subjects we
>>have spent years of our lives and large amounts of money to master. It
>>suggests that legislators and our students are to be judges of what
>>material is appropriate and what opinions are indoctrination.We are
>>enjoined to avoid creating a hostileenvironment by avoiding controversial
>>topics. Yes, there are unfortunate and well-publicized examples of
>>educators who lack common sense, but we should not react by introducing
>>broad laws that in fact will stifle true academic freedom.
>>
>>On behalf of all the Senates and the faculty they represent, I ask you to
>>join us in working pro-actively with legislators to defeat the Academic
>>Bill of Rights legislation.
>>
>>The third challenge is older and seemingly endemic to higher education in
>>Tennessee. We find it more and more difficult to recruit talented younger
>>faculty, and worse, to retain them for long as they gain experience in
>>the classroom and professional recognition. Too many, even in this era of
>>funding problems throughout academe, are leaving the UT system for higher
>>pay elsewhere. Year after year salary adjustments, eroded by higher
>>health insurance costs, do not even keep up with the cost of living. We
>>rely more and more on adjuncts or term appointments to save money. This
>>too is not a healthy trend.
>>
>>  Those of you in this room today are in a position to affect change for
>> the better; you are entrusted to act in the best interests of the UT
>> system, its faculty, staff, and students. The free exchange of
>> information, ideas, and opinions is the only way we can build a better
>> university -- and a better society for all of us in Tennessee.
>>
>>Thank you for the opportunity to speak frankly today.
>>
>>Richard Rice, UTC Faculty President
>>UT Board Meeting
>>March 2, 2005
>>
>>
>>
>>