A fourth campuswide brainstorming session exploring the opportunities and challenges facing the university in a recessionary economy will be held on Thursday, Jan. 22.
The session will be held from 4:30-5:30 p.m. in the Plenary Room (Room 1310) of Grainger Hall, just off the building’s entrance at the corner of University Avenue and North Park Street.
1:23 p.m.
At a meeting in December, the VIce-Chair of ASM and myself voiced a bit of frustration that students were not initially invited to the forums. The Chancellor was quick to say that she wanted student participation, and seemed genuinely interested in ensuring that the student voice was heard at these events. She went so far to send me a personal message that ASM could send out to the entire student body, which acknowledged the fact that the forums were scheduled during finals week but that she would be holding another forum in the Spring so that students would be available to attend.
Here are her exact words: “In order to ensure that you can take part in these kinds of discussions, I will also organize one for the beginning of next semester as well and will inform you in advance of the date, time, and location. I hope to see many of you this next week and many more of you at the beginning of Spring semester.”
I find it disappointing that the way I was notified of the fourth forum was by searching for it on the Wisconsin website. The Chancellor did not contact myself or any student leaders in the Student Government to attempt to inform students about this fourth forum. This makes her message to students, which ASM sent out for her, seem somewhat disingenuous.
Hopefully the Chancellor’s office intended to send this out in some other capacity to students to inform them of the forum.
6:14 p.m.
I would love to attend the January 22 brainstorming session, but unfortunately have a class. Some of the ideas I’ve read from session 3 are good starts. Other institutions years ago implemented direct deposit for financial aid and required professors to email or post course materials and syllabuses it’s surprising UW lags so far behind.
I attended UW as an undergraduate 30 years ago, have a daughter currently enrolled, and myself transferred to the law school this fall. It is discouraging to note all the building on campus when funds for instruction and financial aid are so lacking. I am familiar with the argument that the funds for building are earmarked by donors and cannot be utilized for other purposes. I would like to see the university do some educating of these donors in their fund-raising campaigns. The university should do more to emphasize legacies that invest in people by financing instructional chairs, scholarships, and instructional equipment.
Public service should be encouraged within the student body, but should be modeled first by the university. Just yesterday a professor related that the School of Business would not assist with a continuing education seminar the law school was conducting for public servants unless (steeply) compensated. The School of Business related they didn’t do anything for free. My professor said he would not be trying the interdisciplinary approach again. Our public university should be on the fore of using its expertise to assist government to be its best. The university’s profit should come from the private, for profit sector of our economy not the public who funds its very existence.
3:26 p.m.
I can’t come to today’s meeting, unfortunately. Thank you for the Chancellor and UW to offer this opportunity.
UW could look at more things it can do to be effective and environmentally progressive. I am not following the news welll on the future of Charter St Heating Plant, but hope that it will be changed soon since its pollution is violating the law.
Also UW could investigate the possibility of geothermal energy to heat/cool buildings.
I know some scientists did cogen feasibility study even in 70s. We could look at steam pipes in buildings if they could be used to retro-fit for geothermal use. We could invite out-side of UW people (scientists, engineers, etc.) to look into projects that UW could pursue.
Then UW can be competitive, could attract interested/motivated students more, and could get income through WARF, or could get “rich” simply propagating useful ideas to the world.
Thanks.