Tuesday, October 07, 2008

Screwing URI

Projo has an article regarding an upcoming report by the Commission for Innovation and Research.


"Arguing the state university lags so far behind in its research capacity that drastic action must be taken, a commission today will recommend several steps to bolster research at the University of Rhode Island designed to make the university more competitive and the state’s economy more vibrant."


One of the three major recommendations is a $100-million bond referendum in 2010 to attract 20 to 30 top researchers to URI and upgrade research infrastructure. The other two concern the hiring of a new Pres. & "Create a sustainable financial model for URI that provides university leadership and the Board of Governors with the flexibility to make necessary investments in building research capacity." Whatever that means. I think it translates to not having to answer to the state at all.


"'For the past 10 years or so, URI has not done well, and in fact has missed a real wave of research effort nationally,” said Flanders, who also chairs the state Board of Regents for Elementary and Secondary Education. “We feel we must take bold steps at this point. Studies show that for every $1 million invested in research, 36 jobs are created, and these are good jobs, high-paying, cutting-edge, technology jobs — the kind of jobs we want to grow in Rhode Island.'”


URI, says Kaplan, needs to run “less like a government agency and more like a business.”

Ah, there's a chilling statement. We're reaping the rewards of all this bunk that gov't is your enemy now, aren't we? URI needs to operate as a public university which is what it's supposed to be.

"The report stops short of calling for the privatization of URI, but President Carothers has said publicly that if the trend of diminishing state support continues at its current pace, URI will receive no state money by 2013, and will be, in effect, an institution entirely funded by tuition, fees and grants.

This year, the state is contributing just 11 percent of URI’s operating budget. A decade ago, the state contributed 26 percent."

But, but, we gave all those rich residents tax breaks? Didn't that help URI? What are they talking about?

Let's see: parking fees for URI- $260. Books- $700. Fees, fees, fees. No room at the gym to actually work out. Long lines at the cafe. Soaring tuitions. Tax breaks for the wealthiest. Give them tax breaks & they will come. Doesn't mean they'll spend anything, but they'll come. And we're a Democratic state? Good thing that they post parties on the voting ballots; otherwise, you'd never know.

Yeah, URI a private university. Thanks for nothing.

To see a copy of the report, visit: http://stac.ri.gov/news/2008/10/07/uri-commission-report/
Thanks to Projo's jjordan

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