More higher education cuts?

[JackJD]

Re: More higher education cuts?

People need to take a breath and be mindful the Gov's budget is what starts the discussion. Those inclined to pray should be praying hard for some good ideas from the legislators. The process is never pretty ... And the problem is a tough one.

The Prof should have written his letter and then thrown it away. The responding legislators probably should have shown a little more restraint. The Prof would have been more influential if he devoted some time to coming up with a new idea or two.

Anybody else amazed we can get people to run for public office? Personally, I try to not be too hard on the people in Pierre (privately, I used words like "idiot" a lot) because I'm not willing to do that and I don't have any good solutions.

[Nidaros]

Re: More higher education cuts?

People need to take a breath and be mindful the Gov's budget is what starts the discussion. Those inclined to pray should be praying hard for some good ideas from the legislators. The process is never pretty ... And the problem is a tough one.

The Prof should have written his letter and then thrown it away. The responding legislators probably should have shown a little more restraint. The Prof would have been more influential if he devoted some time to coming up with a new idea or two.

Anybody else amazed we can get people to run for public office? Personally, I try to not be too hard on the people in Pierre (privately, I used words like "idiot" a lot) because I'm not willing to do that and I don't have any good solutions.

Amazed, no. I agree its a tough job to be elected to make new laws and take care of issues that affect everyone around you for miles. Writing the letter and then throwing the letter away was a good idea. It reminds me of myself especially in the early days of the move to D1. Some one opposed to the move made me very angry, and seems like VJ Smith, then the Director of the Alumni Association, reminded me of antedote about President Abraham Lincoln who had an assistant that was angry about an issue had addressed it in a form of a letter. President Lincoln asked the assistant to read the letter back to him and he did. The assistant felt rather foolish reading his own words and tore the letter and returned to his work. Unfortunately, I had already addressed this person with a wrathful email. Its an antedote I shall not forget and a lesson learned.

I did email Senator Belkga from Clear Lake and he very politely replied that he intended to introduce an increase in Sales Tax. I read yesterday that this measure failed in committee so I think, I am a little bit ahead of professor in emotional well being. Like you said this matter is going to be tough to deal with based on our taxation methods and resources.

[JimmyJack]

Re: More higher education cuts?

Let's start by noting that this whole exchange is just childish all around. Citizens should be respectful when they communicate with public servants. And legislators have an obligation to uphold the dignity of the office.

More importantly, the professor apparently has no idea that he has set the cause of higher education back by smarting off and then publicizing it. What did he win here? Did he convince anybody to put an additional dollar into higher education? No. All he did was prove that he's the cleverest smartass in the room. His little stunt just feeds stereotypes of "lazy" and "elitist" professors which in turn feeds the anti-intellectualism that is epidemic in this state and makes it easier for people to support deep cuts in higher education.

Nice work, Professor.

[Jacks#1Fan]

Re: More higher education cuts?

Let's start by noting that this whole exchange is just childish all around. Citizens should be respectful when they communicate with public servants. And legislators have an obligation to uphold the dignity of the office.

More importantly, the professor apparently has no idea that he has set the cause of higher education back by smarting off and then publicizing it. What did he win here? Did he convince anybody to put an additional dollar into higher education? No. All he did was prove that he's the cleverest smartass in the room. His little stunt just feeds stereotypes of "lazy" and "elitist" professors which in turn feeds the anti-intellectualism that is epidemic in this state and makes it easier for people to support deep cuts in higher education.

Nice work, Professor.

Well said, JJ! From 1971 to 1980, I lobbied at Pierre on behalf of higher education, so I have some insight into the process. #1, nobody I know would write a letter like this to their employer (and that's what legislators, who vote on budgets, basically are when it comes to state employees). Had I been a legislator and received that letter, I would have tossed it in the waste basket...period. The professor certainly didn't help our cause.