As the 2009-2010 Kansas University school year draws to a close, those KU alumni and friends genuinely interested in the excellence of the university have reason to be concerned.
The school is drifting and has been for the past 15 to 17 years. There’s been plenty of lip service but few concrete examples of advancement in its academic mission.
Prior to the formation of the current Big 12 Conference, KU was the flagship institution of the Big Eight. It was one of the first conference schools invited to join the prestigious American Association of Universities and was the academic leader in a broad range or programs. The KU Endowment Association was the leader in total assets of all Big Eight schools.
In subsequent years, however, KU has dropped in national academic rankings. State fiscal support has declined significantly, and several other universities within the conference say they are exploring leaving the Big 12 to join other conferences such as the Big 10 or Pac 10. They claim their universities are more in line with the excellence and research efforts of those conferences, saying indirectly that KU does not provide academic stimulation.
Several reasons can be offered for the decline in state support for KU and the state’s other universities, but it is clear KU has not made a sound, positive case for the state to increase its funding for higher education.
In past years, the KU chancellor served as the spokesperson for all state universities when outlining the importance of adequate state support. State legislators had respect and confidence in KU chancellors and their messages concerning the critical relationship between the state’s health and its level of support for higher education.
Over the years, the Kansas Board of Regents has become politicized and no longer has, or deserves, the respect of legislators — or the public. It now serves as a convenient and easy place for a governor to take care of political IOU’s rather than appointing individuals who are respected and can make a powerful and convincing case for higher education.
In her State of the University address a few weeks ago, KU Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little outlined her major goals: better recruiting of the state’s top high school students, improved student retention, more effective use of scholarship money and better measurement of the excellence of KU’s research programs.
These seem more like remedial actions that acknowledge the school has slipped in these efforts. Where are the great challenges that would inspire faculty, students, parents, taxpayers and legislators?
Faculty morale is not as good as it should be. Some deans seem to be losing support within their own schools, and it is puzzling that Strong Hall is not aware of these situations.
Yes, KU does indeed have programs that are recognized among the nation’s best. Some of these include pharmaceutical chemistry, special education, public administration and speech pathology.
KU Endowment officials are trying to put together a major capital campaign with a goal of probably $1 billion or more. Initial planning for a drive has been under way for a number of years, but, due to situations at Strong Hall, the drive has been delayed or postponed.
Over the years, the KUEA has been very successful in raising private money for the school, and there have been a number of major gifts in recent years. Money contributed to KU Athletics is counted as money raised by the endowment association, and this has helped inflate recent gift totals.
Unfortunately, there is more than the usual level of concern about whether the upcoming drive will have the leadership necessary to inspire donors to make major contributions. The “stars” do not seem aligned at this time for a successful effort.
Where are the giants KU used to have who were quick to tell the school’s story and, at the same time, tell those in Strong Hall, the Board of Regents and state legislators what actions were needed if the university was to grow? These individuals had the courage to tell KU officials to get their acts together.
Where are alumni such as Henry Bubb, Jordan Haines, Bill Douce, Paul Endacott, Bal Jeffrey, Kenneth Spencer, Oscar Stauffer, Tom Veatch, Clay Blair, Roy Edwards and others who had intense interest in KU and would speak up and call for corrective or positive actions?
Today, most anyone who questions or criticizes anything at KU is portrayed as disloyal to the school. Unfortunately, there are too many who publicly voice wild enthusiasm and support for the school and those in senior positions but privately acknowledge things are not as good as they should be. They talk out of both sides of their mouths but don’t have the courage to say or do what is necessary.
The ongoing embarrassing expenditures for the university’s athletics programs have caused serious concern among faculty and alumni. The salaries of some within KU Athletics are almost obscene, as is the case at many other major universities. Again, there is a lot of talk about the need to curb these salaries but no actions.
One of the great assets of the university are those designated as distinguished faculty members. These men and women are recognized as national and world leaders in their respective fields and they have turned down numerous opportunities to accept far more lucrative positions at other universities.
They are far more important to the university than a fancy coach’s office or a $3.2 million super-duper scoreboard, but their salaries, as well as the salaries of most other KU faculty members, are a shame when compared to what KU and other universities are paying those in their athletics programs.
KU has the potential to be a truly great state-aided university and was on its way to that goal in past years. However, it doesn’t have the strong, powerful, visionary and inspirational leadership — on and off the campus — needed to raise KU to a higher level of academic excellence.
Again, a lot of people do a lot of talking about the needs of the university, but they seem to lack the conviction or courage to speak out publicly.
Perhaps the new provost will help bring about positive changes and a far deeper and better overview of how various schools, departments and deans are carrying out their responsibilities. Hopefully, he will make changes where needed. Perhaps the new provost will do a better job of telling the KU story to a Board of Regents that is less than involved or motivated. Perhaps the governor will dig deep into the Kansas talent pool and select some courageous, visionary, knowledgeable and respected individuals as members of the board.
The question is: Why don’t more people get serious about making KU a better school? Don’t they care, are they satisfied with the current operation, or are they afraid to speak out? Complacency and silence are deadly.
What will KU’s position be a year from now compared to what it is today? Just because KU has done well in the past is no guarantee the school can quickly correct current problems.
Comments
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FreshAirFanatic (anonymous) says…
It's much larger than just KU. It's a dying industry...
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_bl...
sourpuss (anonymous) says…
Universities are not a "dying industry." Far from it. However, they do need reforming and what happened at KU under the last chancellor is a perfect example of how not to run a university. Bloat it with management, fire support staff, ignore technical advice if it doesn't agree with your uninformed opinion, issue mandates to support departments without giving them the means of correctly implementing them, hiring people with shiny resumes instead of actual skills, clumping together unrelated departments under a central manager who does not know who to manage any but one of them, fail to properly oversee physical development of the campus, start expensive initiatives and abandon them just as others are taking them up... disaster.
FreshAirFanatic (anonymous) replies…
and why is that not dying?
canyon_wren (anonymous) says…
A good and much-needed column!
LJD230 (anonymous) says…
Excellence costs money and effort:
1. Kansas is supporting too many four year schools. It should support only two.
2. Recruit a truly national student body. and raise admission requirements
3. Retain students
4. Identify pillars of academic exccellence at KU and support them to the fullest.
5. Increase the amount of money KU Athletics provides to support academic programs
6. Acknowledge the importance of a liberal education as a necessary survival tool in today's global economy and support curriculum and graduation requirements that support this reality.
And no more crap about KU's leadership. The current chancellor was the chief academic officer of a GREAT national university. She gets it. KU's former academic leadership, sans the last chancellor, have done pretty well for themselves: the presidency of Iowa and Oregon, dean of liberal arts at Ohio State, dean of a nationally ranked school of law etc.
The problems facing KU and the solutions required to remediate them, reside in Topeka. Let Mr. Simon vent his spleen at the legislature.
parrothead8 (anonymous) replies…
"1. Kansas is supporting too many four year schools. It should support only two."
BINGO! For some reason, Kansas tries to financially support as many four-year institutions as states with twice as many people. Quality over quantity, folks.
puddleglum (anonymous) says…
seems like the last chancellor did very well for himself, and hooked up lew with a huge bonus, after hooking up himself with an extra years pay and bonus as well.
and eliminated jobs cutting the budget, what a hero.
manplanner (anonymous) says…
Once again, another Dolph column claiming that the University of Kansas "seems" to not be as prestigious as it used to be. Unsubstantiated statements, hearsay, and no critical evidence to support these arguments.
No quotes from faculty and professors, even anonymous to support your claim that they are losing morale. Not that I don't believe that this may indeed be the case, but come on Dolph, you can't just write this crap without a single piece of evidence.
evidence please!!!!!!!
75x55 (anonymous) replies…
That's why these are called "opinion" pieces....
manplanner (anonymous) says…
"Some deans seem to be losing support", which Deans?
"Faculty morale is not as good as it should be", what proof do you have?
"but, due to situations at Strong Hall, the drive has been delayed or postponed", what situations, please describe?
Just a few examples of statements from this article that wouldn't even be allowed on a Wikipedia page.
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus (anonymous) replies…
Yes, manplanner, but if this column had all that evidence you're clamoring for, it wouldn't be a "Saturday Column," now would it?
And it'd get better than a C- grade on a social-promotion grading curve.
OldEnuf2BYurDad (anonymous) replies…
How many pages do you expect this editorial to be?
01290129 (anonymous) says…
I cannot comment intelligently on the academic side of the University, but Mr. Simons is without question right on the embarrassment the Athletic Department has become. But I see no will on the part of the alums to do anything about it.
9070811 (anonymous) replies…
Hilarious because the Simons family spends tons of dollars on their athletic packages and donates a lot to the programs.
manplanner (anonymous) says…
"Just because KU has done well in the past is no guarantee the school can quickly correct current problems".
What problems?!~~!! I don't get it Dolph, what problems?????? Seriously, I can't say it enough, what exactly are you talking about? Just because you "perceive" something is a problem, you can't just write an editorial without any justification.
Please give me some evidence to support your argument, and then people might start getting behind your cause. This article isn't journalism...it's faux news. Try taking to basic journalism courses Dolph.
Rickyonealku (anonymous) says…
Hey look at ......GREECE....now ask your Kansas Farmers and ranchers if they would like to help Kansas Students more......Sports at KU and those TV contracts bring in TONS of money...now how that money is divided....ask your AD.....going to another conference...outside the BIG XII....we sports NUTS have been talking about that all year long...
Rickyonealku (anonymous) says…
T. Boone Pickens has donated Millions at O-State which he also is attempting to educate the USA on United States resources.... T. Boone Pickens understands where the money is generated from....tv..espn...foxsports...research...
Now what proof do you have that Kansas University stands alone as being not so highly ranked in the BIG XII and has slipped????
My son graduated from OU in 2006 and my daughter is a Senior at KU...heck none of the improvements in Football, Basketball and Baseball were in place back 4 years ago.
The World Job market really has sucked since 2008....so don't start pointing fingers at Football, Basketball and other sports before you understand .....for example how the Country of GREECE...is surviving this week...
devobrun (anonymous) says…
Dolph asks the question best: "Where are the great challenges that would inspire faculty, students, parents, taxpayers and legislators?"
They have been usurped by people who believe that the process of rational, selective thought is bigotry. New thought conflates science with urgent emotional needs. New think puts speech restrictions in student behavior codes. Academic advancement is measured by the number of computer geeks who quit school after two years and start the next social network. Then come back and donate, baby, donate.
In other words, Dolph, great challenges directed toward the faculty involve recruiting social misfits who team with university dropouts to produce the next googletwitterfacebooksocialnetwork worthless entertainment medium.
The EECS department now employs professors who derive programs for data mining. You know, all those annoying popups and random offers from Amazon. And this isn't limited to KU.
All academics suffers from a lack of originality, rigor, or fecundity.
--------------
As far as students, parents, taxpayers, and legislators are concerned: There isn't much they can do unless and until they start to complain to the professors that the graduating students from the university have been changed in ways that are not acceptable.
That is, students who come out of the university with an inability to think are not useful in the non-university setting. Emotions are fine. They don't make for good decisions.
Thus, business and government suffer because more and more university grads are driven by the way things ought to be rather than by the way things are.
I "feel" that we should replace fossil fuels with alternatives, therefore to heck with good engineering practice and fundamental laws of physics. It is that kind of driven student who enters the society as a whole with nothing but emotion and scattered propaganda regarding how things should be.
You get whiners, complainers, malcontents and lazy bums.
None of which get the job done. And this is one important reason that we face the troubles we have today, whether it is energy, gangs, economic and political corruption, they all derive from a university which is teaching the wrong message to young students.
We are in the age of hippies running the world. Hippies grew up and became deans of colleges. They were arrogant useless and malcontent 40 years ago and they are still useless. They teach students how to be useless as well.
FreshAirFanatic (anonymous) replies…
Exactly.
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus (anonymous) replies…
"You get whiners, complainers, malcontents and lazy bums."
"We are in the age of hippies running the world."
I'm sure glad you are able to stay detached and unemotional in your astute analysis of what's wrong with academia, devo. No resorting to overly broad, aimless ad hominem attacks from you. Nosiree!!!
phoggyjay (anonymous) replies…
I would have to agree. Those damn hippies had it all and then threw it all away for money, money, money. Now, as they retire and watch this country go down in flames, they'll sit back and enjoy their golden years. Don't forget they're the ones who are against legalizing cannabis (D.A.R.E. program... look, but don't use... even though we did) or any drug for that matter, even though it should be up to the individual to make that decision. But they'll sure enjoy marijuana when it becomes legal in a couple of years to bring this country out of debt. Easy Rider used to be one of my favorite movies... but I can't stand to watch it anymore because everthing it stands for is bullsh!t, just like the hippie generation.
A quote from Easy Rider:
George: You know, this used to be a helluva good country. I can't understand what's gone wrong with it.
Billy: Huh. Man, everybody got chicken, that's what happened, man. Hey, we can't even get into like, uh, second-rate hotel, I mean, a second-rate motel. You dig? They think we're gonna cut their throat or something, man. They're scared, man.
George: Oh, they're not scared of you. They're scared of what you represent to 'em.
Billy: Hey man. All we represent to them, man, is somebody needs a haircut.
George: Oh no. What you represent to them is freedom.
Billy: What the hell's wrong with freedom, man? That's what it's all about.
George: Oh yeah, that's right, that's what it's all about, all right. But talkin' about it and bein' it - that's two different things. I mean, it's real hard to be free when you are bought and sold in the marketplace. 'Course, don't ever tell anybody that they're not free 'cause then they're gonna get real busy killin' and maimin' to prove to you that they are. Oh yeah, they're gonna talk to you, and talk to you, and talk to you about individual freedom, but they see a free individual, it's gonna scare 'em.
Billy: Mmmm, well, that don't make 'em runnin' scared.
George: No, it makes 'em dangerous. Nik, nik, nik, nik, nik, nik, nik, nik - Swamp.
p.s.- sorry about the rant
merrill (anonymous) says…
Too much focus on athletics. How disheartening it must be to professors at $75,000 per year to stand back and watch basketball and football coaches walk in at a few million a year to watch over a group that are not scholars,with few exceptions,AND these NOT scholars receive preferential treatment on GPA's.
Maybe all students should receive preferential treatment for their resumes to look wonderful?
What about a school who closes an Anthropology museum but expands football stadiums and mounts a huge drive for a grid iron club???
That anthro museum was awesome and was a favorite field trip for our home school group.
A huge loss to the community.
FreshAirFanatic (anonymous) replies…
First of all...do you have proof that widespread preferences are given? You make it sound like the treatment is institutional. Is it? I would guess 99% of college athletes spend hours a day practicing, traveling to games, representing the university, attending media events, being scrutinized, etc. Then they go to class, tutoring, etc.
College coaches have evolved with their industry. Professors have not. College coaches see what is required to be successful and they work towards it. Most of them pour themselves into their athletes and society ends up with a better senior than we had as a freshman. Next time you see a student athlete, ask them who has had the biggest impact on their life...their coach or their anthropology professor.
Most colleges continue to churn out mediocre results, yet the professors who under-perform and don't meet the "real world's" requirements aren't fired. Instead, they get tenure and more research money.
By the way, did you read the post directly above yours before commenting? Debobrun should thank you for providing such a perfect example.
ConcernedCynic (anonymous) replies…
Fresh - other than BB, what other sports does KU excel at? How have KU coaches evolved their sports?
ConcernedCynic (anonymous) replies…
There are obvious exceptions to the limited success of the "other" sports at KU - orange bowl, a few (key word) T&F athletes, etc. I just think you are giving coaches too much credit for "evolution". Div. I sports is a business and that explains the coaches high salary, not their ability to evolve their sport. If it was about the evolution of their discipline, the researches on campus would be paid billions of dollars to make their salary comparable to that of coaches. Isn't research the evolution of their discipline?
iesolutions (anonymous) replies…
I'm not saying we have top notch sports programs in the majority of categories, I'm saying coaches have to continually change. Games change and speed up, athletic ability of their recruits continues to improve, more games are added, press coverage increases.
I absolutely agree sports is a biz...and just like biz...if you don't perform you're out.
Merril was targeting professors and their lack of compensation. Nothing was said about researchers. However, in my experience about 15 yrs ago, while getting a very scientific degree at KU, my professors were more concerned about research than they were about teaching. Students were an afterthought and distraction.
The pinnacle of academic achievement in most universities is to graduate and go right back into school. Professors can only teach what they know...and very little of that is real world.
opobserver (anonymous) replies…
Or perhaps assistant athletic directors making 135,000 last year and $8,000 in bonus and it still wasn't enough. They had to set up a ticket scam!
The_Big_B (anonymous) says…
KU = bloated, overpriced, under-staffed, dinosaur.
equalaccessprivacy (anonymous) says…
Lawrence is still a very time-warped place, incredibly hostile to diverse groups:
http://seekpeace.com/kusrvc/
The same from the early 2000s General Counsel as noted on this site is still operating at KU, and they actively undermine decent ethics and due-process (in cahoots with an incompetent and corrupt HR Department that doesn't know or care about following the law).
andyk (anonymous) replies…
Link broken. Please update.
andyk (anonymous) replies…
Ah, need that in caps.
andyk (anonymous) says…
Oh and $devobrun, there are many other uses for data mining; Bioinformatics, artificial intelligence, both of which KU deals with. I can't see the professor I know who deals with data mining, being too interested in developing better popup methods.
devobrun (anonymous) replies…
andyk, Bioinformatics and AI are two of the more useless areas of endeavor that presently go as "application". Gathering data is gathering information.
We are lost in a sea of information.
So computers are used to statistically analyze the information to produce knowledge.
Then computers are used to conflate the many knowledge nodes into "intelligence".
Like those programs that predict cost and risk for packaged mortgage loans.
Like the programs that predict ash clouds in Europe.
Like the programs that predict mean time between failures (MTBF) on blow out protectors (BOPs) in the Gulf or Mexico.
Or like the other untested, untestable computer models which should be tossed out of the world on the basis of bad advice writ large.
Writ large by useless university professors who gave up rigor and replaced it with easy to use, multicolored, graphical user interfaced......carp.
snap_pop_no_crackle (anonymous) says…
I thought it was still up there on the hill where it's been for years.....
oneeye_wilbur (anonymous) says…
the place has competition Dolph!
KU has run off small moneyed donors. They are not made to feel welcome. Even the Alumni Association has it's head up you know where. They cannot even muster enough money to run the place. Now that's a problem Dolph!
To top it off, again, read my lips Dolph! Compettition is what is the problem.
All this fuss about KU and where is the glamour, where is the pizzaz.
Just recently I read that Joyce Castle for example , a KU prof is performing with the Lyric Opera in Kansas City. Are you going to hear her Dolph, how many more from Lawrence. I bet your newpaper doesn't even carry a front page article about this woman , her background, her professional career before she came to KU. Where are the busloads of students from the Lawrence schools going to Kansas City to see a performance? Lawrence cannot even support it's own , why would anyone else be expected to dash off to KU for an education.
Until KU quits promoting football and basketball , then it will continue to be the Flaw on the Kaw as those in Manhattan refer to it.
Here's something to ponder Dolph!
KU wants to have a top notch art department. Where is the top notch artist in residence program?
KU wants a top notch music/theater department(kinda like the heydays of new Murphy Hall era 1956, etc into the late 60s). Where is the performer in residence program. Bring in Betty White to perform with the theatre department. Bring in the director of the Boston Symphony to work with students and the KU orchestra.
Instead all alums hear about is Lew Perkins!.
Now, with that said above, there has to be someplace for these in residence artists/ professionals to live. The first director of the Dole Center couldn't wait to leave Lawrence. He told me so. He was crammed into the Pinet House , miles away from the Dole Center and there was not much intellectual stimulation for him in the evening in Lawrence. After all, who wants to eat at Pita Pit , or Long John Silvers. Even the Kansas Union doesn't serve food on weekends. What kind of university is it that doesn't serve food in the STudent Union on weeknds but is only interested in selling T Shirts.
It is extremely visitor unfriendly. A visitor comes to Lawrence and has to pay a DOLLAR an hour to park in the ku parking garage and then walk around in the rain. Not one information booth on campus , nada friendly place at all.
Pizzaz gone!
SFBayhawk (anonymous) says…
"A visitor comes to Lawrence and has to pay a DOLLAR an hour to park in the ku parking garage and then walk around in the rain."
Pay another 50 cents and God will stop the rain.
If it's gong to rain, why would anyone plan a long walk?
OldEnuf2BYurDad (anonymous) says…
First of all: Dolph is wrong about KUAC.
" KU has not made a sound, positive case for the state to increase its funding for higher education."
And, that statement is not relevant to the funding issues we are faced with. The state is broke and getting more broke every year. KU is doing ONE thing badly: not facing up to the fact that either KU will take responsibility to generate more private funds, OR accept that it will become a second-rate state school due to a constant lack of funding from the state.
Kansas sucks (economically), so KU will suck if it fails to separate itself from the economic woes of Kansas.
independant1 (anonymous) says…
Some things never change, rock chalk jayhawk kay ewe hoooooo.
oneeye_wilbur (anonymous) says…
Dolph is out of touch. Dolph needs to put on some old clothes, wander around town, sit on the front porch at 10th and Kentucky, see what life is about.
KU cannot attract private funds, the pool of money is disappearing as the generation of deprssion era folks is dying. The new entitlement generation, those 48 years and younger(next year the same only they will be 49) are self serving and will never have any money as they prefer to spend it on themselves and / or create postions for non profit's but only be paid to direct them.
Dolph, kU has no pizzaz. Yes, one dollar is too much for a visitor. A visitor is just that. How much does Dolph charge for his visitors to park in the city owned park next to his house? Free, I believe.
Even with private giving for the university, there is not much chance for that to help since there always seems to be another paid director for fund raising.
What bothers me most now about Dolph's editorial is how long before he attacks the new Chancellor for not creaing the KU that Dolph wants.. I hope this is not the case.
Moderate (anonymous) says…
Do we have any vision as to what we want KU to do? I would suggest that it is hard to steer a boat with a couple of hundred hands on the tiller. Just from the notes above it is clear we have no consensus as to the "goals" of a university like KU. Does it
Educate
Enlighten
Train
Socialize
Research
Entertain
Compensate
Equalize
Self-actualize
Other - you specify.
Kind of like our public school system - we want it to do everything at the same time - even when the everything is internally in conflict.
Moderate (anonymous) says…
Do we have any vision as to what we want KU to do? I would suggest that it is hard to steer a boat with a couple of hundred hands on the tiller. Just from the notes above it is clear we have no consensus as to the "goals" of a university like KU. Does it
Educate
Enlighten
Train
Socialize
Research
Entertain
Compensate
Equalize
Self-actualize
Other - you specify.
Kind of like our public school system - we want it to do everything at the same time - even when the everything is internally in conflict.
oneeye_wilbur (anonymous) says…
Entertain it surely is doing! It truly compensates those professors who are more concerned about their retirement plans than having a job. (the difference between what a good university was some 40 years ago with profs growing up during the depression!) not so now!
Socialize, it does that. Enlighten through brainwashing the students to belive that they are owed a living.
Actually, who really cares, really now. Not many in Lawrence do, they really don't. I don't give diddly squat except that reading these commentarys does "enlighen" "entertains" "causes one to "research" the past of KU, :and also allows many to "socialize" and laugh about the plight of KU. How many more KUs are there in the US.
College is no more than a glorified high school. only without study hall.
RiverCityConservative (anonymous) says…
I received a great undergraduate education at K.U. from 76 to 80, and a two-year graduate degree from 82 to 84. I went back for one more year, 87 to 88, but left in search of travel and adventure and have not returned, except for the occasional, deeply nostalgic visit to campus and a moment of meditation on the grassy slope above Potter's Lake. My older three children went to University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Georgetown, and Stonybrook SUNY for their four-year degrees, and my last chance at a third-generation Jayhawk is my little 7 year old. I say third generation because I was born in the University of Kansas Medical Center on Rainbow Boulevard in Kansas City, Kansas, in my father's final year of medical school. Some of my former professors have passed away; others have retired after giving many years of selfless service to the university; and a few are still teaching there. I confess that I am now completing a late-in-life doctorate at the rival school, Kansas State University, in Manhattan. I have noticed that I really like the limestone motif of the buildings on the KSU campus, and also the way their grounds crews keep up the campus, where you can find--I'm told--at least one of every species of tree native to Kansas, as well as beautiful flower beds. But the thing that has impressed me most about K-State is the work ethic there, which reminds me a lot of what I saw and experienced during three years earlier this decade at Fort Hays State University. Nothing, however, can substitute for the memory of being an undergraduate at K.U., back in the days when introductory chemistry and physics classes (as well as Heart and Judy Collins concerts) were held in the pre-fire Hoch Auditorium, and we walked through enrollment and pulled actual computer cards in Allen Fieldhouse. The University of Kansas is the only world-class university in Kansas, and that is the level on which the competition that most matters is occurring today. Yet, the new chancellor is right on target when she sets a goal of recruiting better from in-state; the distance between Topeka and Lawrence has grown in direct proportion to the growth of the Jayhawk nation's ego. At a start-up meeting of Flint Hills K.U. alumni several years ago, I commented that it should be enough to be happy we are the best, without it being necessary to become arrogant about it, as many in the rest of the state see us. One elder Jayhawk stood up defiantly and said he had every right to be arrogant, which kind of made my point for me. Let's hope the KU leadership gets a dose of humility and grace to accompany a redoubled effort to improve every aspect of the university's mission. Let's hope we never forget that Kansas is where the university must exist and Kansans must feel well served by K.U.
none2 (anonymous) replies…
I graduated from KU a little bit later than you. ( I remember the lines and punch cards, and when they were finally replaced.) I am proud of being a KU grad. In fact the reason for me choosing KU was because of how it stood above even the other proud institutions that Kansas has as well as some in nearby states.
I will add that I do understand what you mean by arrogance. It is something quite common at KU as well as Lawrence -- then as well as now. That attitude is rather immature, and is more likely to cause KU to fall in ranking more than any other cause. It is kind of that "resting on your laurels" mistake that KU should avoid at all costs.
I too have had recent experiences with KSU and have been very impressed. Personally, I do think that Kansas is better with ALL post-secondary institutions that it has -- including the private ones. The fact that we have so many post-secondary institutions tells us something about the founding people of this state: they valued education. We should too.
I do think that some people mistake a college degree for vo-tech training. While one should be realistic about what they will do with their education in the working world, to solely reduce the choice of going to college and what major to pick based on how much money can be made is a grave mistake.
I personally think that college should be a life time activity -- not just four or so years and then good bye. I don't find the goal to be a top ranking research university to necessarily be mutually exclusive from also emphasizing continuing education. That isn't an excuse to lower KU's standards, but rather an ideal to reach out to all who meet those standards.
I hope that for generations to come we have our same institutions. Perhaps they have to re-prioritize their goals, but I trust they will know what to do continue to offer a quality education in this state.
RiverCityConservative (anonymous) replies…
Your point about "resting on your laurels" is right on the money. I appreciated your reply.
7texdude (anonymous) says…
It sounds like Simons is letting his hatred of Lew Perkins distort his overall view of the university. His continued complaints about the athletic department are tired and old. Disappointing athletic teams, overpaid coaches, ticket scandals and new athletic facilities have nothing to do with KU academics.
If a professor is discouraged because the basketball coach gets millions more than him, then he is a professor with zero common sense. This is a fact of university life. It's been that way for decades whether you like it or not. Has Simons taken a good, hard look at KU academics or is he unhappy with the Jayhawks' performance on the field? Did they not open new ground for a new engineering building last week? I bet that was done with fund-raising from some alums, yes? And their support will be even more critical in the future as our state government struggles with school spending from K-12 to the universities.
There are a lot of unhappy KU sports fans, but there are a lot of people who still believe in this university. If Simons thinks KU is going down the drain, then he needs to offer solutions to the Chancellor and the Provost and the students, not just blind criticism.
independant1 (anonymous) says…
Post secondary education
does keep unemployment numbers down
keeps utes off the street (well, the streets from whence they came)
provides organized athletics for many (can you imagine what would happen if 18-22yo atheletes had nowhere to go, nothing to do?)
is a noble endeaver if one wants to learn
oh - and if Kansas didn't have so many 4 year schools, where would everybody on the east coast find affordble post secondary institutions to send their kids?
oneeye_wilbur (anonymous) says…
KU is more interested in hiring provosts and more administrators. Who was the Provost when Emily Taylor was Dean of Women,. or Don Alderson was Dean of Men. I bet you those two would have had the drunk greeks in their office after some escapade the night before.
opobserver (anonymous) says…
I would say a major problem is in Athletics when asst directors are being investigaed by the feds for skimming. The LJW stated in a previous article that this person made 135,000 a year plus 8,000 in bonus. It STILL wasn;t enough? Then look at what the professors with doctorates make! Out of control, I say!
distant_voice (anonymous) says…
There's no concern. KU has not wavered from it's chosen path. Football and Basketball still dominate the university; and thanks to its genius alum, dominate all the contributions as well. The rest of the university is only there to provide a fan base, so why waste money on it.
oneeye_wilbur (anonymous) says…
And now there will be a tuition hike as well. RAise the price of those kU tshirts in the bookstore and resturant prices in town, housing costs and gas at the pump. Money to be made . Pretty slick if you think about it. KU raises tuiton so everyone else in town raises prices and sales tax increases. Thanks KU.