Inadequate Consultation - a Hallmark of the Current Administration?
The attempt at dissolution of the Graduate School is a further disturbing example of behavior that gives lip-service to consultation and faculty governance.
From Senate Research Committee, April 13, 2009:
It will seem like something is missing from the University if it has no graduate school (e.g., everyone knows of Rackham at Michigan); if the Graduate School is missing, that could have an effect on attracting students. Moreover, the examples in the Provost's original letter were all very different from the University, Mr. Hart said; Ms. Stahre added that Minnesota has about 10,000 graduate students while Chicago and MIT each have about 1000. They also have a broad college that contain graduate programs, Professor Cohen said, and he observed that at UMass, the faculty are trying to get a graduate school established. Some universities have decentralized graduate education, Mr. Hart said, and then went back to the graduate-school model.What has not been touched on was how this was done, Mr. Hart said. The faculty need to send a message that this is not acceptable—the Graduate School dissolving, the General College elimination, and the Medical School dean being ousted are setting a bad pattern. The administration takes action, apologizes, and consults after the fact.