tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3492014659405332380.comments2023-10-10T04:30:38.687-05:00Deo volenteDave Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09100006856645294730noreply@blogger.comBlogger5135125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3492014659405332380.post-2869293000995582642016-07-15T09:21:41.495-05:002016-07-15T09:21:41.495-05:00Thanks for the comment, Tony.Thanks for the comment, Tony.Dave Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09100006856645294730noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3492014659405332380.post-78403347403376353562016-07-15T08:37:34.519-05:002016-07-15T08:37:34.519-05:00Dave, Congratulations on trying. Ceasing (apart fr...Dave, Congratulations on trying. Ceasing (apart from your other duties) is understandable. Nobody wants to know. But, I'd question your remarks on Brexit as the issue is much more complicated. Remain also had its share of "lying scoundrels" and all proponents of the debate revealed many flaws. Apart from those xenophobic types that would prevent any reasonable person being on the Tonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16901694376782407983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3492014659405332380.post-65582129030649202222016-07-04T13:20:04.279-05:002016-07-04T13:20:04.279-05:00You forgot an important stage: start a pilot progr...You forgot an important stage: start a pilot program that requires extra work from faculty and grad students, including a study of whether the pilot program is working. Then you can put on your cv that you created an initiative. One that worked. Doesn't mean you're going to fund it, silly! You'll just create another pilot program which depends on the hard work of faculty and grad Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3492014659405332380.post-54712461841220309872016-07-02T10:11:32.641-05:002016-07-02T10:11:32.641-05:00Well David, this is one post where I fully agree w...Well David, this is one post where I fully agree with you. In higher education we are also facing our own version of 1984 and (21st corporate Taylorism where statistical methodology involving metrics are brought in to evaluate courses, even those in Music, and I was so surprised to see faculty from that discipline passively accept such a horrendous concept. Maybe Rita was right after all with herTonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16901694376782407983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3492014659405332380.post-13884560977126712642016-07-01T11:13:25.421-05:002016-07-01T11:13:25.421-05:00Well, many thanks for your interest and comments--...Well, many thanks for your interest and comments--and for you're keeping at it even when we so often disagree. I think your analysis of apathy is in some large part correct. The fear in this case isn't of some administrative crackdown (which seemed reasonable enough in the Cheng years) as just fear of facing how dire our situation may well be in the medium term. It's also hard to dealDave Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09100006856645294730noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3492014659405332380.post-26124053905639226982016-07-01T10:06:56.843-05:002016-07-01T10:06:56.843-05:00Dave, It is a shame that you are losing interest i...Dave, It is a shame that you are losing interest in your blog and if you shut it down (as you probably will due to taking on that new responsibility), it will be due less to your dedicated and sincere promotion of important issues but more to the apathy of people here who resemble the scared townspeople in HIGH NOON. Apathy rules and the majority are not prepared to fight for their rights. So, Tonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16901694376782407983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3492014659405332380.post-34118295615286598912016-06-22T16:53:30.949-05:002016-06-22T16:53:30.949-05:00It should also be noted that the co-non-mentioned ...It should also be noted that the co-non-mentioned (coincidental?) Chair is a leading light of the FA. Another one known for his compliance with the administration is also on that committee. Any union should be opposing higher administration, demanding the elimination of sports and the inflated bureaucracy as well as actively defending threatened NTT faculty. Again, another sell-out by the FA! Tony Williamsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3492014659405332380.post-61539679333754598602016-06-15T16:32:42.968-05:002016-06-15T16:32:42.968-05:00Thanks for the comment. I don't quite see how ...Thanks for the comment. I don't quite see how this plan in itself pushes us toward adjuncts, though that is certainly an administrative temptation, and the overall proportion of NTT faculty has risen in recent years. <br /><br />Cutting programs is presumably a way to make the university work with fewer faculty overall (thus saving $$), as opposed to trying to keep doing everything by Dave Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09100006856645294730noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3492014659405332380.post-75455362179930922016-06-15T16:25:54.295-05:002016-06-15T16:25:54.295-05:00Yes, I agree completely. Some cuts will make units...Yes, I agree completely. Some cuts will make units seem more "efficient" in the short run, so they will score higher in any sort of prioritization scheme, but at some point the camel's back breaks, morale plummets, necessary courses go untaught, and faculty cannot any longer give much attention to program building. Students will drift away to programs lucky enough to have more Dave Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09100006856645294730noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3492014659405332380.post-34209524936026594762016-06-15T16:19:31.541-05:002016-06-15T16:19:31.541-05:00You definitely have and this is all part of a move...You definitely have and this is all part of a move towards 100% adjunct faculty throughout the entire campus. Tony Williamsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3492014659405332380.post-2452010391516296632016-06-14T23:01:10.211-05:002016-06-14T23:01:10.211-05:00The Math Dept is weak, or at least weaker than it ...The Math Dept is weak, or at least weaker than it was a few years ago. Tenure track faculty has been cut nearly in half. This is due an extremely hostile dean for fives years until he was pushed out the door, to the current unsympathetic dean, burdened further by the recent budget madness. We have fewer tenure track faculty now than SIUE. <br /><br />So, in assessing a program we need to take Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3492014659405332380.post-10177450561667494692016-06-04T09:22:17.996-05:002016-06-04T09:22:17.996-05:00At least, one person is "out there" and,...At least, one person is "out there" and, as the drunk says in THE BIRDS (1963), "Tis' the end of the world." Viewing the UK version 1956 version of TITANIC is relevant in view of current circumstances!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3492014659405332380.post-63328479933420945622016-05-23T21:04:48.700-05:002016-05-23T21:04:48.700-05:00Since you've mentioned "non-instructional...Since you've mentioned "non-instructional costs", pruning six figure administrators is a priority. Again, why not reduce Athletics particularly college football as medical studies show how dangerous it is to players? Also, do we need a President and Chancellor? FormerSIUC President Albert Somit thought not. Maybe getting administration back to 1970s levels with One Dean and Tony Williamsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3492014659405332380.post-55147422609784026702016-05-18T19:13:54.644-05:002016-05-18T19:13:54.644-05:00Rauner will leave us all in limbo until November (...Rauner will leave us all in limbo until November (and probably beyond) no matter the number of demonstrators. A retired SIUC professor has cogently argued that what he has done so far represents grounds for impeachment. However, I don't see Union lawyers pursuing this course of action so be prepared for another 2017 budget stalemate.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3492014659405332380.post-4893185274287574482016-05-04T11:08:41.185-05:002016-05-04T11:08:41.185-05:00So what else did you expect, Dave? This nothing ot...So what else did you expect, Dave? This nothing other than the weekly spin-doctoring done by Glenn and (Glenda) Rita on Morning edition with Jennifer Fuller on WSIU. WDBX is much better and should receive the type of support our mediocre PBS does. Anyway, Dunn has spoken his version of Thunderclap Newman's "Something in the Air" and it is not "Revolution" but a Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3492014659405332380.post-40013098674824151262016-04-29T09:24:31.355-05:002016-04-29T09:24:31.355-05:00What do you expect when a passive Senate and Gradu...What do you expect when a passive Senate and Graduate Council has allowed administrators to get away with murder in the past and a Faculty Union that supports them by passivity? Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3492014659405332380.post-4068872923776227462016-04-27T22:28:53.094-05:002016-04-27T22:28:53.094-05:00The response column is here. The headline given by...The response column is <a href="http://thesouthern.com/news/opinion/editorial/guest/guest-opinion-carbondale-is-too-special-to-die/article_9e7dc448-f852-5372-b480-3d66ec5ba1c8.html" rel="nofollow">here</a>. The headline given by the SI is misleading: the column's author has already left. My column is really an effort at a call to arms, to save Carbondale; the respondent has already left (not Dave Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09100006856645294730noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3492014659405332380.post-49582033156743602752016-04-27T20:37:28.461-05:002016-04-27T20:37:28.461-05:00The Carbondale Times has a story on this.
http://...The Carbondale Times has a story on this.<br /><br />http://www.carbondaletimes.com/042716may2<br /><br />There is also a letter responding to your piece in the Southern Illinoisan. I do not know if it is in their online version. <br /><br />-Mike SullivanAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3492014659405332380.post-40931174703806179002016-04-27T16:43:13.534-05:002016-04-27T16:43:13.534-05:00Details are still in development. I'll post mo...Details are still in development. I'll post more when I know more. Dave Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09100006856645294730noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3492014659405332380.post-35935294347681473002016-04-26T21:35:34.170-05:002016-04-26T21:35:34.170-05:00I've only heard very small bits and pieces of ...I've only heard very small bits and pieces of the teach-in on Monday. Where might we find more information? Thanks!Sandynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3492014659405332380.post-56113266842017130512016-04-19T16:02:38.843-05:002016-04-19T16:02:38.843-05:00Nice commentary. -Mike SullivanNice commentary. -Mike SullivanAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3492014659405332380.post-22900973289874060032016-04-16T18:31:20.008-05:002016-04-16T18:31:20.008-05:00The unions are working together. From a recent ema...The unions are working together. From a recent email:<br /><br />"On April 20, the FA (working with the Illinois Coalition to Invest in Higher Education and other unions across the state) will be taking people up to Springfield as part of a campaign to fund higher education in Illinois. We will leave at 8:30am from the IEA office in Carterville."<br /><br />-Mike SullivanAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3492014659405332380.post-18494338016839239112016-04-16T15:30:24.043-05:002016-04-16T15:30:24.043-05:00The NTT faculty union supported the FA during Chen...The NTT faculty union supported the FA during Cheng's attack. It will be interesting to see if the FA will reciprocate this time since NTT and GA's appear to be in the firing line.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3492014659405332380.post-10988214592429783182016-04-16T08:52:37.964-05:002016-04-16T08:52:37.964-05:00TA funds have been cut by 25%. Some departments fu...TA funds have been cut by 25%. Some departments fund RAs through grants, so they won't be hit as hard, and some grad programs, like Engineering and Computer Science, have many students paying their own way. But it is a disaster for Math and likely many other departments.<br /><br />-Mike Sullivan Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3492014659405332380.post-54497829259316546922016-04-16T08:37:14.792-05:002016-04-16T08:37:14.792-05:00I have had to tell SIU seniors in my dept that if ...I have had to tell SIU seniors in my dept that if they want to go to grad school they need to apply out of state because I do not have the TA funds to support them. I had planned on admitting about ten new grad students, but will instead admit one or two. <br /><br />-Mike SullivanAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com