Scarborough's next move...

[Dave in Green]

Ugh. More bad press from today's (8/4/15) ABJ.

http://www.ohio.com/news/local/university-of-akron-s-hiring-of-trust-navigator-to-help-with-student-success-stirs-concern-1.613140

It's understandable why Dr. Scarborough would want to be out of the country when this one hit the fan. Reading the story I was reminded of something I'd read about financial investor Randy Best's reason for getting into the for-profit education business. As Best told Mother Jones in 2008:

For Best, the Education Department's adoption of Pentagon-style contracting created another market to tap into. "There's nothing else as large in all of society," he says, unselfconsciously exaggerating the billions of tax dollars spent on America's schoolchildren. "Not the military—nothing—is bigger."

So do we now have our very own Cleveland-based financial investor who's seen gold in them thar diploma mills? Thomas Roulston III has a little startup company called Trust Navigator with virtually no experience in higher education and virtually no employees. UA, fresh off firing many employees in the office of Student Success, has volunteered to be a guinea pig for Roulston's experimental dabbling in the business of higher education. Sure, UA is paying nearly $1 million for the honor. But look at all the money they saved by firing those previously responsible for student success at UA.

Isn't student success a core function of a university, not the kind of peripheral support function that can be casually outsourced? If a university can outsource the student success function then isn't just about any function in a university outsourceable?

The ABJ was beaten to this story by The Devil Strip, which three days ago published a lengthy piece entitled:

A Tale of Two Proposals: Sorting out TrustNavigator’s pitch for UA’s student success coaching job

How does a six-person startup with no client base and zero experience in higher education beat out a lauded firm with 325 employees that’s worked with 1 million students?

[Akronzips8]

Get your popcorn ready.

https://www.facebook.com/thedevilstrip/posts/705670029577567

[Sergeant Zip]

WCan't State’s Tim Rudell sat down with the chairman of the university’s board of trustees, Jonathan Pavloff.

[Balsy]

I'm not on board with this one but they do some nice designs. I'd like to see them do some pro-Zips stuff.

That design is pro zips.

[ZippyRulz]

WCan't State’s Tim Rudell sat down with the chairman of the university’s board of trustees, Jonathan Pavloff.

"All of the money has come from donations made to the university for the specific purpose of housing the university president," said Pavloff. "So we've had previous homes that we've occupied and sold, fortunately for gains. We've put those funds in a separate endowment. In the most recent case of the renovations--even solicited some additional funds. But every one of those dollars has come from donations made specifically for the purpose of housing the university president. There have been no dollars from the general fund that have been used for that purpose."

Too bad Bob Dyer and Karen Farkas weren't able to ferret out that information.

[skip-zip]

And it's too late now. Anyone who wanted to have a negative opinion of the U of A for spending tons on money to renovate the president's house already believe that they know what they need to know.

When the media is pouncing on a wounded animal, this is how things go.

[ZippyRulz]

The demise of professionalism in NEO journalism is sad to watch.

[Dave in Green]

Karen Farkas was just rolling the dice and threw snake eyes:

I am a reporter who covers higher education, casinos, racinos and the Ohio Lottery Commission.

Bob Dyer was just living up to one of his awards:

Dyer’s stories and columns have won 62 regional and national awards. In 2008, the National Society of Professional Journalists voted him Best Columnist in the Nation. In 2013, the National Society of Newspaper Columnists named him Best Humor Columnist in the Nation.

[Spin]

I can personally attest to the low 4 year graduation rate, as it took my five years to complete my four year degree because there was no Into to Statistics class available. At Wayne, main, Polsky, Medina, nowhere. That cost me a lot. And this is a course that lends itself to web-based learning, as most/all work is done in Excel.

Of course in my career I have used Statistics exactly 0 times. Basic Algebra would be a lot more beneficial to the 99.9999% of BSN's who never go into nursing research during their career.

But this is the kind of stupid shit that leads to longer graduation times, transfers to other schools to avoid the extra $thousands and a year (or more) of career time spent in the classroom. Indifferent advisors don't help.

[LZIp]

I think you actually helped the graduation rate, Spin. From what I recall, it is/was based off of 6 years (unless there is a recent article talking about a 4yr graduation rate that I missed).

[Spin]

I think you actually helped the graduation rate, Spin. From what I recall, it is/was based off of 6 years (unless there is a recent article talking about a 4yr graduation rate that I missed).

IIRC they listed both.

[jupitertoo]

"All of the money has come from donations made to the university for the specific purpose of housing the university president," said Pavloff. "So we've had previous homes that we've occupied and sold, fortunately for gains. We've put those funds in a separate endowment. In the most recent case of the renovations--even solicited some additional funds. But every one of those dollars has come from donations made specifically for the purpose of housing the university president. There have been no dollars from the general fund that have been used for that purpose."

Too bad Bob Dyer and Karen Farkas weren't able to ferret out that information.

The university is now backing off this assurance. His claim didn't square with earlier comments by university admin., and it seems that indeed some funds were taken from the coffers after the housing accounts were exhausted. Seriously, why do we as taxpayers have to pay for the construction of an in-law suite that costs more than $100K and includes a shower with remote controls? Why shouldn't the family pay for that change to the structure?

[Blue & Gold]

http://www.ohio.com/news/local/fired-university-of-akron-painter-spills-the-details-of-president-s-951-824-house-remodel-1.613635#

More details on the president's home renovation.

[ZippyRulz]

Why do people think all money spent by the U. comes directly from taxpayers when the state actually provides relatively little (and dwindling) support?

[zip-O-matic]

Why do people think all money spent by the U. comes directly from taxpayers when the state actually provides relatively little (and dwindling) support?

True, but it is still a public university, and the the taxpayers contribute a substantial amount to it every year and do own the buildings. They have a right to question spending like this.

[ZippyRulz]

True, but it is still a public university, and the the taxpayers contribute a substantial amount to it every year and do own the buildings. They have a right to question spending like this.

Wait, so the taxpayers receive millions in assets from private donations (Goodyear Polymer Center, Stile Field House, etc.) but they're up in arms about < $1M spent on the president's residence, again from private donations, which they also then own?

[Akronzips8]

Too bad Bob Dyer and Karen Farkas weren't able to ferret out that information.

Akron is all set for baseball with the Rubber Ducks and Canal Park. The university needs to focus those resources on the other sports.

Wait, so the taxpayers receive millions in assets from private donations (Goodyear Polymer Center, Stile Field House, etc.) but they're up in arms about < $1M spent on the president's residence, again from private donations, which they also then own?

Animal Farm's "Squealer"? Oink.

[zip-O-matic]

Wait, so the taxpayers receive millions in assets from private donations (Goodyear Polymer Center, Stile Field House, etc.) but they're up in arms about < $1M spent on the president's residence, again from private donations, which they also then own?

Yes, unless every cent came from private donations earmarked expressly for that renovation, they absolutely have a right to question $500 olive jars, $40K bathrooms and $100K "in-law" suites with remote control showers. And it's looking as though the contention that it was all private is b.s......that when the spending spree ran out of money they just tapped into the General Fund and kept on rolling. And even then privately raised funds can be very much swayed and directed by the institution. I doubt very many people approach the university and say, "hey I'd like to donate money to renovate the President's house." Those funds are solicited, often at the expense of other needs. Last year, K---ent gave out $26.3M in need based financial aid. That's institutional aid and doesn't include any state or federal grants or things like hometown scholarships. Do you want to know what Akron gave out? One hundred and one thousand dollars! Despite having the larger endowment.

This university spent almost as much on this lavish house renovation as it did on total, institutional need-based scholarships! If that is not indicative of a deeply dysfunctional management philosophy and the warped priorities of Proenza, the board and SS, I don't know what is. And "Dr P" gets the blame too. He was President for how long, and he left us with just 100K in need based aid to hand out? Like I said, warped priorities at the top for too long at UA are finally coming home to roost.

[ZippyRulz]

"All of the money has come from donations made to the university for the specific purpose of housing the university president," said Pavloff. "So we've had previous homes that we've occupied and sold, fortunately for gains. We've put those funds in a separate endowment. In the most recent case of the renovations--even solicited some additional funds. But every one of those dollars has come from donations made specifically for the purpose of housing the university president. There have been no dollars from the general fund that have been used for that purpose."

[ZippyRulz]

" Last year, K---ent gave out $26.3M in need based financial aid. That's institutional aid and doesn't include any state or federal grants or things like hometown scholarships. Do you want to know what Akron gave out? One hundred and one thousand dollars! Despite having the larger endowment."

Eureka. I now know why Can&#39;t gets so many applications. They buy them at the expense of the taxpayers.

[zip-O-matic]

" Last year, K---ent gave out $26.3M in need based financial aid. That's institutional aid and doesn't include any state or federal grants or things like hometown scholarships. Do you want to know what Akron gave out? One hundred and one thousand dollars! Despite having the larger endowment."

Eureka. I now know why Can't gets so many applications. They buy them at the expense of the taxpayers.

Take off the Zippy glasses for a moment. These are institutional (non-state) funds. They're coming from their endowment. Even though they have a smaller endowment, they apparently have prioritized raising funds for scholarships to a degree that UA hasn't. Proenza raised money for shiny new buildings. K--ent's enrollment is rising, while UA's is declining. Whose priorities seem to be paying off?

The reality is that Proenza talked a big game, built some shiny buildings on credit and never failed to take a jab at OSU in a public speech. He made everyone feel good about a bright, golden future. That's what con artists do, but he was ultimately a cheap grifter. And it's pretty clear from his extended sabbatical that he got the hell out of town with a satchel of money right before his grift was exposed.

[zip-O-matic]

"All of the money has come from donations made to the university for the specific purpose of housing the university president," said Pavloff. "So we've had previous homes that we've occupied and sold, fortunately for gains. We've put those funds in a separate endowment. In the most recent case of the renovations--even solicited some additional funds. But every one of those dollars has come from donations made specifically for the purpose of housing the university president. There have been no dollars from the general fund that have been used for that purpose."

Even if jupiteroo is wrong, and it was all private donations do the warped priorities not bother you one bit? Does the fact that your alma mater can hand out only 1/260th the amount of need based aid as K---ent not suggest in the slightest that maybe they should have been out raising money for more scholarships instead of $500 olive jars?

[bandzip]

Wait, so the taxpayers receive millions in assets from private donations (Goodyear Polymer Center, Stile Field House, etc.) but they're up in arms about < $1M spent on the president's residence, again from private donations, which they also then own?

It was stated in at least one article that more than $400,000 came from the general fund.

[jupitertoo]

"All of the money has come from donations made to the university for the specific purpose of housing the university president," said Pavloff. "So we've had previous homes that we've occupied and sold, fortunately for gains. We've put those funds in a separate endowment. In the most recent case of the renovations--even solicited some additional funds. But every one of those dollars has come from donations made specifically for the purpose of housing the university president. There have been no dollars from the general fund that have been used for that purpose."

Read today's story in which the Foundation chief acknowledges that some university (non endowment) funds were indeed used to cover some expenditures.

[Zip_ME87]

I very much dislike the pattern of seemingly omitted information and contradictory statements flowing from various UA sources these days. ScarboroughGATE?