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UVA Computer Science professor resigns over incompetence of board

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Re: UVA Computer Science professor resigns over incompetence of board

#61

Post by Bullislander05 »

chrisrhoden wrote: post #58
jmduke wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Virginia -- particularly Charlottesville and Richmond -- is not some Southern stereotype. That being said, I think the people most interested in this news are those with vested interests in Virginia higher education -- alums, donors, etc. -- and that tends to raise the average level of discourse.

Most of the south isn't a southern stereotype. The DC metro is more like a new england city than either of the two you mentioned. This paper is based out of southeastern VA, in the VA Beach and Norfolk area.

Even the VA Beach and Norfolk area is significantly different than the average southern stereotype. It has a medley of cultures, mostly due to the massive military presence there.

That said, I'm surprised the comments are so cordial. I agree with the analysis that the fact that it's mostly UVa alums/students and interested parties commenting contributes to the higher level of discourse.

Re: UVA Computer Science professor resigns over incompetence of board

#62

Post by _delirium »

rayiner wrote: post #54
jmduke wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What about the change in money brought in due to research done (aka the main revenue generator for academic institutions)? Also, do you have a source for the 80% growth?

UVA 2000-2001 budget: http://www.virginia.edu/budget/Docs/Budget%20Summaries/summa... (p. 4) UVA 2011-2012 budget: http://www.virginia.edu/budget/Docs/Budget%20Summaries/2011-... (p. 1, 15) Note that the 2000-2001 budget lists only the UVA academic division, while p. 1 of the 2011-2012 budget includes the UVA medical center. The academic division is broken down on p. 15 of that budget. Thus the pie charts on p. 1 of…

I'd be interested in what proportion of that is spent on education, because sponsored research is sort of its own (problematic) can of worms. When sponsored program revenues are up by 60%, for example, that almost requires that expenditures go up by 60-80%, because those programs generally come with quite strict conditions on spending the money expeditiously, and often specify exactly how to spend it (this is particularly common with DARPA grants, which are extremely front-loaded and micromanaged). In addition, these grants often come with some co-funding requirement on the part of the university, both explicitly and in terms of "upgrading facilities", though some of that is then taken back again by the university in overhead charges.

UVa, like most research universities, has been quite aggressive in trying to "encourage" faculty to get more grants. If that's successful, overall spending must of course increase proportionately, because the grant requires the recipient to ramp up hiring of program personnel. If that's not a goal, then the university should de-prioritize or even discourage grants, because they mandate spending increases.

A different angle would be to look at breakdowns by department. Which departments have gotten more expensive? My guess is that, as this is likely tied to grant-funded research, it's mostly STEM departments, not the "marginal" humanities.

Re: UVA Computer Science professor resigns over incompetence of board

#63

Post by rayiner »

_delirium wrote: post #62
rayiner wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

UVA 2000-2001 budget: http://www.virginia.edu/budget/Docs/Budget%20Summaries/summa... (p. 4) UVA 2011-2012 budget: http://www.virginia.edu/budget/Docs/Budget%20Summaries/2011-... (p. 1, 15) Note that the 2000-2001 budget lists only the UVA academic division, while p. 1 of the 2011-2012 budget includes the UVA medical center. The academic division is broken down on p. 15 of that budget. Thus the pie charts on p. 1 of…

I'd be interested in what proportion of that is spent on education , because sponsored research is sort of its own (problematic) can of worms. When sponsored program revenues are up by 60%, for example, that almost requires that expenditures go up by 60-80%, because those programs generally come with quite strict conditions on spending the money expeditiously, and often specify exactly how to spend it (this is partic…

As I said, sponsored programs only make up a quarter of UVA's budget. It's not a heavy science/tech school where most faculty salaries are funded by research grants. A 60% increase in sponsored programs revenue would imply a 15% increase in overall expenditures.

Half the 80% increase in expenditures was funded by A tripling of tuition. This is not a situation where expenditure increases are being funded mostly by grants.

Re: UVA Computer Science professor resigns over incompetence of board

#64

Post by ahi »

tryitnow wrote: post #49
chrismealy wrote: post #16

The lack of "strategic dynamism" part is hilarious: http://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/confessions-community-co...

This article is the most unbiased I've read. As a UVA alum I tend to side with the BOV in this case. Virginia is a notoriously stingy state and it's inevitable that big changes have to be made to keep UVA competitive. The current leader of any organization is rarely the best choice for making big changes. Unfortunately, it seems Sullivan was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. My guess is the BOV wanted to bri…

UVA is not the corporate world. If UVA wants to maintain its stature it can't be missing entire departments (of thought). You end up with a university that is less than the sum of its parts.

Re: UVA Computer Science professor resigns over incompetence of board

#65

Post by ChristianMarks »

Camillo wrote: post #51
ChristianMarks wrote: post #47

For background and context, please see http://leiterreports.typepad.com/ NEWSFLASH: the Vice-Rector has resigned. Let's hope that Rector Dragass [sic] resigns too.

That's too much and not enough at the same time. We really need a decent summary.

You could start with this: http://leiterreports.typepad.com/blog/2012/06/coup-detat-at-...

Re: UVA Computer Science professor resigns over incompetence of board

#66

Post by rayiner »

brown9-2 wrote: post #60
rayiner wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

He may be impressive, but he also sounds like an entitled baby boomer who thinks he should get more and more tuition dollars from young people in the name of "academic freedom." His resignation letter is devoid of even a sop to the budget crisis that has forced the Board to cut departments in lieu of raising tuition beyond the 275% the University has raised it in the last decade.

He may be impressive, but he also sounds like an entitled baby boomer who thinks he should get more and more tuition dollars from young people in the name of "academic freedom." Source? Sounds like his entire complaint is about the BOV. I don't see anything in the letter that would give you a different impression about the professor's complaint.

It's implicit in the context of the larger debate. The furor is in response to the board trying to cut departments, because UVA has increased expenditures by 80% in the last decade while tripling tuition.

It's easy to say that's not what it's about, but practically that what it's about. The university has been increasing faculty expenditures at 4-5% for years in the face of 0.7% increases in enrollment. The state has no more money. Faculty salary expenditures are the biggest line-item in the budget. If academic freedom is to be preserved by opposing the board's cuts, the practical consequence is continued rises in tuition.

Re: UVA Computer Science professor resigns over incompetence of board

#67

Post by _delirium »

rayiner wrote: post #66
brown9-2 wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

He may be impressive, but he also sounds like an entitled baby boomer who thinks he should get more and more tuition dollars from young people in the name of "academic freedom." Source? Sounds like his entire complaint is about the BOV. I don't see anything in the letter that would give you a different impression about the professor's complaint.

It's implicit in the context of the larger debate. The furor is in response to the board trying to cut departments, because UVA has increased expenditures by 80% in the last decade while tripling tuition. It's easy to say that's not what it's about, but practically that what it's about. The university has been increasing faculty expenditures at 4-5% for years in the face of 0.7% increases in enrollment. The state has…

Perhaps he's among the people one might want to cut, then—highly paid scientists! Faculty salary increases are mainly going to the prominent STEM faculty, who typically make >$100k (sometimes >$150k recently), because otherwise you are not going to retain them in the face of competition from other universities and the private sector. So I guess the board should be happy about his departure, no? A decrease in payroll! Certainly some $65k philosophers who haven't gotten a raise since 2003 isn't where all the extra money is going.

Re: UVA Computer Science professor resigns over incompetence of board

#68

Post by atacrawl »

rfrey wrote: post #53

Apologies in advance for the off-topic comment. But in looking for more information on this story, I read http://hamptonroads.com/2012/06/amid-uproar-uva-moves-replac... the Virginian Pilot. Which is not the item. The item is: I have never in my life read such civilized and respectful comments from blog or newspaper readers who clearly disagree with each other on an important issue. My goodness! Is this a regular fea…

I grew up in Virginia Beach -- you won't find much in the way of overheated rhetoric in the public discourse.

Re: UVA Computer Science professor resigns over incompetence of board

#69

Post by rayiner »

_delirium wrote: post #67
rayiner wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's implicit in the context of the larger debate. The furor is in response to the board trying to cut departments, because UVA has increased expenditures by 80% in the last decade while tripling tuition. It's easy to say that's not what it's about, but practically that what it's about. The university has been increasing faculty expenditures at 4-5% for years in the face of 0.7% increases in enrollment. The state has…

Perhaps he's among the people one might want to cut, then—highly paid scientists! Faculty salary increases are mainly going to the prominent STEM faculty, who typically make >$100k (sometimes >$150k recently), because otherwise you are not going to retain them in the face of competition from other universities and the private sector. So I guess the board should be happy about his departure, no? A decrease in payroll!…

If those faculty aren't bringing in increased grant funding to cover their salaries, then let them go. Grant funding made up only 1/4 of university revenue, and in the face of only a 60% increase as overall expenditures have grown 80%, has actually dropped from just over 1/4 in 2001 to significantly under 1/4 in 2012.

At the end of the day, the growth in expenses has not been funded by grants, etc. The biggest component of increased revenue has been tuition. A tripling of tuition is what has paid for the 4-5% annual increase in faculty salary expenditures. Opposing faculty cuts is a slap in the face to the students that now pay 1/3 of the university's operating expenses.

Re: UVA Computer Science professor resigns over incompetence of board

#70

Post by _delirium »

rayiner wrote: post #69
_delirium wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Perhaps he's among the people one might want to cut, then—highly paid scientists! Faculty salary increases are mainly going to the prominent STEM faculty, who typically make >$100k (sometimes >$150k recently), because otherwise you are not going to retain them in the face of competition from other universities and the private sector. So I guess the board should be happy about his departure, no? A decrease in payroll!…

If those faculty aren't bringing in increased grant funding to cover their salaries, then let them go. Grant funding made up only 1/4 of university revenue, and in the face of only a 60% increase as overall expenditures have grown 80%, has actually dropped from just over 1/4 in 2001 to significantly under 1/4 in 2012. At the end of the day, the growth in expenses has not been funded by grants, etc. The biggest compon…

How about the significant decrease in per-student state funding?

In any case, I don't see anyone on either side in this standoff making that tough proposal. Instead, we have the (now-fired) incrementalist looking for across-the-board savings, and the apparently-incompetent Goldman Sachs schemers looking to cut the faculty who don't even account for the past decade's salary increases (humanities, etc.). If someone is actually in favor of making the tough call to fire the 6-figure STEM faculty, they should come out and say so, and lay out their proposal.

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