New hiring freeze at UM

[grizfromhel]

Just read a very thoughtful blog post from a guy who thinks through the long-term consequences of viruses and social distancing for the current academic model of campus instruction.

He basically says college as we know it is doomed. We have had the technological capability for some time to do online instruction and now we will have the incentive if not the mandate. Search for "Alvin Rabushka blog"--- worth checking out.

 

[kemajic]

Just read a very thoughtful blog post from a guy who thinks through the long-term consequences of viruses and social distancing for the current academic model of campus instruction.

He basically says college as we know it is doomed. We have had the technological capability for some time to do online instruction and now we will have the incentive if not the mandate. Search for "Alvin Rabushka blog"--- worth checking out.

Just imagine the resistance from the academic swamp.

 

[IdaGriz01]

Just read a very thoughtful blog post from a guy who thinks through the long-term consequences of viruses and social distancing for the current academic model of campus instruction.

He basically says college as we know it is doomed. We have had the technological capability for some time to do online instruction and now we will have the incentive if not the mandate. Search for "Alvin Rabushka blog"--- worth checking out.

Just imagine the resistance from the academic swamp.

And you will learn how to perform basic lab or studio techniques ... how? He mentions "lab and research" as an "except for" but does not attempt an answer. Yes, I am well aware that lots of stuff is now done with robots ... but someone has to actually build the robot. Not sure I would want to hire a "college" graduate who have never actually touched any of the relevant equipment. Seem little doubt that there could be big changes on the lecture and reading-assignments side, but there's more to a "college education" than that.

Also, as Kem notes, the "academic swamp" will fight major changes tooth and nail.

 

[CatGrad-UMGradStu]

Just read a very thoughtful blog post from a guy who thinks through the long-term consequences of viruses and social distancing for the current academic model of campus instruction.

He basically says college as we know it is doomed. We have had the technological capability for some time to do online instruction and now we will have the incentive if not the mandate. Search for "Alvin Rabushka blog"--- worth checking out.

Check all of these articles out:

https://www.chronicle.com/

 

[garizzalies]

I will admit the college experience may be drastically different going forward, and I agree with much of Argh’s post. But suggesting shuttering Tech is ludicrous.
At some point you have to acknowledge the company you keep. Some of you in this thread seem to be agreeing with DaveyDeuce’s idea that Tech programs get cut to “help fund liberal arts transfer programs.” WTF? You really want to mess with successful STEM programs at Tech to help failing liberal arts at UM? And people think that is a good idea? Seriously?
This is the same guy who suggested a dome over WaGriz and asked why the center points.
D2 also thinks Tech should become an “upper division 2yr school.” Again WTF? I don’t even understand what that is. Certainly if this is such a good idea there would be other such schools in the country....? How ‘bout it Davey? Can you name a single school like that in the US: A 2yr school where you can get a pHD? Guess I’ve never heard of one. But I’m sure Davey in his infinite wisdom has.
It’s almost as if UM is circling the drain and you guys are grasping outward at anything to help salvage the nostalgia of yesteryear. But the truth is so obvious: nobody wants a liberal arts degree these days. So the fix has to first come from within.
The small schools are not competing with UM in that sense. In reality, those small schools are a better fit for the average Montanan. The average MT’an does not want to go to MSLA for music or stage performance. Or history. Or journalism. Or any of that shit.
Nowadays, it’s not the location (“horse and buggy” argument) at issue. It’s more so the underlying degrees themselves, and Tech is basically the opposite of UM.

 

[CatGrad-UMGradStu]

How severe is the financial hit going to be for the MUS compared to Colorado?
https://www.denverpost.com/2020/04/12/university-colorado-college-costs-coronavirus-covid/

 

[Spanky2]

I will admit the college experience may be drastically different going forward, and I agree with much of Argh’s post. But suggesting shuttering Tech is ludicrous.
At some point you have to acknowledge the company you keep. Some of you in this thread seem to be agreeing with DaveyDeuce’s idea that Tech programs get cut to “help fund liberal arts transfer programs.” WTF? You really want to mess with successful STEM programs at Tech to help failing liberal arts at UM? And people think that is a good idea? Seriously?
This is the same guy who suggested a dome over WaGriz and asked why the center points.
D2 also thinks Tech should become an “upper division 2yr school.” Again WTF? I don’t even understand what that is. Certainly if this is such a good idea there would be other such schools in the country....? How ‘bout it Davey? Can you name a single school like that in the US: A 2yr school where you can get a pHD? Guess I’ve never heard of one. But I’m sure Davey in his infinite wisdom has.
It’s almost as if UM is circling the drain and you guys are grasping outward at anything to help salvage the nostalgia of yesteryear. But the truth is so obvious: nobody wants a liberal arts degree these days. So the fix has to first come from within.
The small schools are not competing with UM in that sense. In reality, those small schools are a better fit for the average Montanan. The average MT’an does not want to go to MSLA for music or stage performance. Or history. Or journalism. Or any of that shit.
Nowadays, it’s not the location (“horse and buggy” argument) at issue. It’s more so the underlying degrees themselves, and Tech is basically the opposite of UM.

Alies, I have a lowly BA from UM, so according to you not qualified to comment. However, my opinion is the elimination of schools is long overdue, but now is a must. A plan close to David 2’s would be the solution, in my humble uneducated opinion.

 

[argh!]

one comment i forgot to make is that i think apprenticeships should be looked into for several professional programs, replacing much of the classroom time. for instance, pharmacists will tell you they learn the most from just working. would still need classroom work, but apprenticeships are a tool we've wrongly abandoned for some professions.

 

[CatGrad-UMGradStu]

one comment i forgot to make is that i think apprenticeships should be looked into for several professional programs, replacing much of the classroom time. for instance, pharmacists will tell you they learn the most from just working. would still need classroom work, but apprenticeships are a tool we've wrongly abandoned for some professions.

one comment i forgot to make is that i think apprenticeships should be looked into for several professional programs, replacing much of the classroom time. for instance, pharmacists will tell you they learn the most from just working. would still need classroom work, but apprenticeships are a tool we've wrongly abandoned for some professions.

My oldest daughter spent a half dozen or so years as a pharmacist; in another state, she was able to "stack" several of her classes as she completed her Ph.D. in nursing. Seems silly to require graduate students to retake coursework just to add another degree. Let's hope we come out of this and use your example of apprenticeships in many fields such as the military transitioning into civilian fields like nursing.

 

[Gaeilge1]

There will be a transition period, which to a small extent has started with online degree programs offered by several institutions already! But make no mistake, the days of brick and mortar higher education are numbered. The present pandemic may hasten things along, but it was going to happen anyway. The Tech sector will not be immune from this shift as laboratory and hands on experimentation gives way to computer graphics and 3d applications.

This paradigm shift is going to affect all levels of education from K-12 through doctoral programs. And while it will take time, by 2035, if not sooner, there will be a fundamental change in both the way and philosophy of how we educate ourselves and generations to come!

 

[CatGrad-UMGradStu]

There will be a transition period, which to a small extent has started with online degree programs offered by several institutions already! But make no mistake, the days of brick and mortar higher education are numbered. The present pandemic may hasten things along, but it was going to happen anyway. The Tech sector will not be immune from this shift as laboratory and hands on experimentation gives way to computer graphics and 3d applications.

This paradigm shift is going to affect all levels of education from K-12 through doctoral programs. And while it will take time, by 2035, if not sooner, there will be a fundamental change in both the way and philosophy of how we educate ourselves and generations to come!

I think you're correct. The brick and mortar bullshit stuffed shirts are going to face a stark reality not unlike what UMs own Dr. Lisa Sparks alluded to May 4th when, and I paraphrase, she told the UM law graduates they are the intelligent ones for getting their degree in Missoula rather than wasting all that money on a Stanford degree to learn the same damn thing!

This college addresses, in part, the thought that much needs to be done to equalize opportunities:
https://www.ajc.com/blog/get-schooled/rural-students-without-doing-school-work-chick-fil-parking-lot/n4Fu1cVrDHghJnPUxxijjO/

 

[Spanky2]

There will be a transition period, which to a small extent has started with online degree programs offered by several institutions already! But make no mistake, the days of brick and mortar higher education are numbered. The present pandemic may hasten things along, but it was going to happen anyway. The Tech sector will not be immune from this shift as laboratory and hands on experimentation gives way to computer graphics and 3d applications.

This paradigm shift is going to affect all levels of education from K-12 through doctoral programs. And while it will take time, by 2035, if not sooner, there will be a fundamental change in both the way and philosophy of how we educate ourselves and generations to come!

I think you're correct. The brick and mortar bullshit stuffed shirts are going to face a stark reality not unlike what UMs own Dr. Lisa Sparks alluded to May 4th when, and I paraphrase, she told the UM law graduates they are the intelligent ones for getting their degree in Missoula rather than wasting all that money on a Stanford degree to learn the same damn thing!

This college addresses, in part, the thought that much needs to be done to equalize opportunities:
https://www.ajc.com/blog/get-schooled/rural-students-without-doing-school-work-chick-fil-parking-lot/n4Fu1cVrDHghJnPUxxijjO/

I’m not a lawyer, however, I doubt Dr. Sparks is correct if her message was the quality of the UM law school meets the same standard of the Stanford Law School.

 

[PlayerRep]

"University of Montana moves summer classes online, plans for more fall remote options"

"The University of Montana announced last week it is extending remote learning to all summer class sessions this year, moving beyond the first session previously planned.

It also is working on building remote-start options for the fall, particularly for new freshmen wary of coming to campus in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, and assembling a new planning team to help build long-term strategies and goals that evolve alongside the shifts in how the virus is affecting current and prospective students."

https://missoulian.com/news/local/university-of-montana-moves-summer-classes-online-plans-for-more-fall-remote-options/article_4a7e865c-0247-5333-a54c-3dd2d6cedeaf.html#tracking-source=home-top-story-1

 

[PlayerRep]

There will be a transition period, which to a small extent has started with online degree programs offered by several institutions already! But make no mistake, the days of brick and mortar higher education are numbered. The present pandemic may hasten things along, but it was going to happen anyway. The Tech sector will not be immune from this shift as laboratory and hands on experimentation gives way to computer graphics and 3d applications.

This paradigm shift is going to affect all levels of education from K-12 through doctoral programs. And while it will take time, by 2035, if not sooner, there will be a fundamental change in both the way and philosophy of how we educate ourselves and generations to come!

I think you're correct. The brick and mortar bullshit stuffed shirts are going to face a stark reality not unlike what UMs own Dr. Lisa Sparks alluded to May 4th when, and I paraphrase, she told the UM law graduates they are the intelligent ones for getting their degree in Missoula rather than wasting all that money on a Stanford degree to learn the same damn thing!

This college addresses, in part, the thought that much needs to be done to equalize opportunities:
https://www.ajc.com/blog/get-schooled/rural-students-without-doing-school-work-chick-fil-parking-lot/n4Fu1cVrDHghJnPUxxijjO/

I don't know Sparks or what she said, or the context, but I sure hope she doesn't think that the quality of Stanford law, and a Stanford law education, is on par with UM law.

 

[CatGrad-UMGradStu]

I think you're correct. The brick and mortar bullshit stuffed shirts are going to face a stark reality not unlike what UMs own Dr. Lisa Sparks alluded to May 4th when, and I paraphrase, she told the UM law graduates they are the intelligent ones for getting their degree in Missoula rather than wasting all that money on a Stanford degree to learn the same damn thing!

This college addresses, in part, the thought that much needs to be done to equalize opportunities:
https://www.ajc.com/blog/get-schooled/rural-students-without-doing-school-work-chick-fil-parking-lot/n4Fu1cVrDHghJnPUxxijjO/

I’m not a lawyer, however, I doubt Dr. Sparks is correct if her message was the quality of the UM law school meets the same standard of the Stanford Law School.

When addressing inevitable change, I like to think the erosion of the caste system as to how we weigh the "quality" of a school is going to be accelerated exponentially and the tiers are going to continue to blur. It's amazing having been raised in and around academia how family reunions used to erode when comparing schools and fields were similar to watching family vacations or any other type of one-upmanships. A tremendous number of egos made family reunions a chore as a kid and a bad memory as an adult. Anyway, it's interesting to observe now how much is changing before our eyes at an accelerated pace.

 

[PlayerRep]

I’m not a lawyer, however, I doubt Dr. Sparks is correct if her message was the quality of the UM law school meets the same standard of the Stanford Law School.

When addressing inevitable change, I like to think the erosion of the caste system as to how we weigh the "quality" of a school is going to be accelerated exponentially and the tiers are going to continue to blur. It's amazing having been raised in and around academia how family reunions used to erode when comparing schools and fields were similar to watching family vacations or any other type of one-upmanships. A tremendous number of egos made family reunions a chore as a kid and a bad memory as an adult. Anyway, it's interesting to observe now how much is changing before our eyes at an accelerated pace.

What "caste" system? Don' t understand what you are saying. Thx.

 

[CatGrad-UMGradStu]

Here's a decent article about one school that's been offering online degrees for several years. Many of my colleagues teach a course or two every year for Arizona State, Purdue or Grand Canyon.
https://www.seattletimes.com/education-lab/with-classes-shuttered-due-to-coronavirus-heres-what-experts-recommend-for-teaching-online-courses/

 

[PlayerRep]

Here's a decent article about one school that's been offering online degrees for several years. Many of my colleagues teach a course or two every year for Arizona State, Purdue or Grand Canyon.
https://www.seattletimes.com/education-lab/with-classes-shuttered-due-to-coronavirus-heres-what-experts-recommend-for-teaching-online-courses/

Those schools probably have a huge advantage in terms of preparation, delivery and little incremental cost.

 

[CatGrad-UMGradStu]

Here's another decent article by a relatively young instructor making the transition to online delivery:
https://www.ajc.com/blog/get-schooled/professor-most-students-failed-part-exam-new-online-format-problem-was-not-them/Hc7u0RAxGxG1fQ46KVGTfI/

 

[PlayerRep]

"The University of Montana announced Monday it is temporarily laying off 63 employees because of the coronavirus-caused exodus from campus.

With fewer than 100 students still living on campus as classes moved to remote instruction, university officials said the auxiliary units, like dining, residence halls and campus recreation, weren't bringing in enough money to support a full staff load.

In a Monday email to the campus community, President Seth Bodnar announced the furloughs, which are planned to last until August 1, saying the people being laid off were often the ones on the front lines serving students, and that the decision did not come lightly."

https://missoulian.com/news/local/university-of-montana-63-staff-furloughed/article_952b24a9-c062-5e1a-b1c9-a97e5d8d9b54.html#tracking-source=home-top-story-1