Prominent UT Alum Warns of "Degradation" at University
University of Texas alumnus Gordon Appleman, a prominent Fort Worth attorney who was highlighted as one of the school's "125 Extraordinary Exes" in 2010, says he doesn't feel compelled to write letters to the UT community on a regular basis. But he says concerns sparked by recent changes at the UT System Board of Regents "seemed important enough to where I ought to do something rather than sit by and watch it happen."
On March 14, he sent a letter to UT alumni, administrators, faculty and students, and even some state legislators, expressing his belief that the institutions ...
Comments (6)
Lee Dunkelberg via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Yeah, but they'll be allowed to carry guns on campus just like academia to get lost in things like quality education and meaningful research.
Sharon Arnoult via Texas Tribune on Facebook
With all due respect, shouldn't we be concerned about this even if UT-Austin isn't a target? Don't the students at UT's system schools also deserve a first-rate college education, with most of their coursework done in classrooms where they're taught by PhD-holding professors who are still actively engaged in their fields (i.e., doing some sort of research or at the least keeping up with the research that is going on)?
Jay Aiyer
Few would argue that the Governor is not an intellectual, nor someone with an inquisitive mind when it comes to academic pursuits. Is anyone really surprised he sees no value in maintaining the academic integrity of universities? This is less about the University of Texas maintaining its status as the premier academic institution in the state. It is more about the damage the Governor is doing to all of higher education--including his beloved TAMU. Elections have consequences, and Texans are now paying the price for electing this guy.
Suzanne Hardie Lander via Texas Tribune on Facebook
What's next? Kids in poorer neighborhoods only "deserve" whatever education they can afford (since their parents probably got even less) while the rich kids "deserve" better?
Gary Skaggs
What does it say about a man who refers to the Texas Educational system with terms such as: "Bel-Air" or "Olds"?
If he is so insulated as to not know that those are dead models and lines, then perhaps the Regents will know nothing except to dismantle the System.
Perish the thought that they would understand HOW students learn these days...
Rudy Gonzales
Anything remotely attached to Rick Perry must be suspicious. He's attended Texas A&M.
Here's how Texas ranks - Thanks to Rick Perry:
— Tax expenditures per capita (47th)
— Percent of population 25 and older with a high school diploma (50th)
— Percent of poor people covered by Medicaid (49th)
— Percent of population with employer-based health insurance (48th)
— Per capita spending on mental health (50th)
— Per capita spending on Medicaid (49th)
— Percent of non-elderly women with health insurance (50th)
— Percent of women receiving prenatal care in first trimester (50th)
— Average credit score (49th)
— Workers' compensation coverage (50th)
— Number of executions (1st)
— Public school enrollment (2nd)
— Percent of uninsured children (1st)
— Percent of children living in poverty (4th)
— Percent of population uninsured (1st)
— Percent of population living below poverty (4th)
— Percent of population with food insecurity (2nd)
— Overall birth rate (2nd)
— Amount of carbon dioxide emissions (1st)
— Amount of toxic chemicals released into water (1st)
— Amount of hazardous waste generated (1st)