Lawmakers' Concerns Linger After Changes at UT System
After running a gantlet of concerned, even angry legislators, Gene Powell, the chairman of the System Board of Regents since February, took steps last week to assuage concerns that he was leading the system toward what one prominent University of Texas at Austin alumnus called in an open letter “degradation.”
Powell had created a new $200,000-a-year advisory position with a job description close to that of Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa. He quickly filled it with Rick O’Donnell, a controversial advocate of changes in higher education.
O’Donnell’s public writings, which question the value of academic ...
Comments (6)
Norman Allen
If we do not take power and money out of objective teachings of science (hard and social) and technology in the education systems, we end up creating barriers which will ossify a society's to keep up with human progress elsewhere which eventually leads to a catastrophic flood....
Kenneth Collier
I don't understand why the advocates of a less costly, more efficient educational system would think it's wise to hire a $200,000-a-year advisor. This sounds like another (expensive) layer of bureaucracy.
Chloe Midia
"After running a gantlet of concerned" I believe the word is "gauntlet"
Reeve Hamilton
@Chloe: For more on gantlet v. gauntlet, see: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/readers/2010/10/gloves-come-off-over-headlines-use-of-gantlet.html
Julia Montgomery
Hey Reeve, if "O’Donnell’s intended role was never to influence policy," what WAS his role as a "special advisor" to the Regents supposed to be? I've been doing my best to follow this story, but I don't understand Chairman Powell's statement.
roman sterling
I'm new to all of this, but it seems this is a one-sided slant on right and wrong. I thought you all up there were unbiased.