You are aware no doubt that Robert H. Bruininks currently is employed at your discretion at a high administrative level at the University of Minnesota, one that many equate with a position of significant leadership. A practical proposal which begs for your endorsement to Dr. Bruininks regarding our TOP THREE aspiration: Let's step back for a moment and select the TOP THREE THINGS we want the University of Minnesota to be recognized for nationally before we waste any more time, money, energy, and credibility. I don't think we've done anything remotely related to that. Don't we, as a public institution of the Great State of Minnesota owe this to our investors, the Minnesota taxpaying public? Or are we somehow no longer answerable to them? Once we figure out what we want to be when we grow up, we can, um, develop in a responsible fashion.
I suspect that, in truth, one of two things is the case:
- There's no substantial roadmap that will hold up to scrutiny.
- There's a fear that excellence and investment and commitment in a few well chosen areas will be interpreted and lesser excellence, investment, and commitment in other areas (which is exactly what it would be).
Dr. Bruininks correctly observes the University of Minnesota cannot rely on the tin cup model to move forward. Yet without goals, without having the courage to go on record about what we intend to be good at — without those things, we are asking the taxpayers of the state to invest blindly, simply to Trust Us that things will be better (somehow) with just a bit more money. How is this "investment policy" different from tin cup panhandling?
(You might also, ahem, quietly begin preparing your own arse-covering: your protracted tolerance of this situation has not gone unnoticed ... )
No comments:
Post a Comment