Reformer " Rick O'Donnell" has made some controversial comments regarding education reform at UT. According to The Daily Texan newspaper this $200,000 per year advisor suggested that UT should focus on teaching and not research. “Given that nearly half of the money going into higher education today is directed toward research, an area dominated by tenured professors, tenure track professors and Ph.D. programs, an examination of this system is in order,” O’Donnell wrote. “Everyone knows that it is scientific, academic research that fuels the modern economy — except that it doesn’t.”
I am not sure why UT has decided to pay $200,000 to an advisor who hasn't realized that research is one of the most important reasons that UT is a well known university. UT is so dependent on research that without it, it would collapse to nothing more than a degree factory. It is solely for research purposes that such an outstanding faculty are driven to UT. It is solely for research purposes that a lot of top graduate students in the country apply to get into this university. And most importantly, research brings in experts and a whole lot of investment from businesses and industries to get involved with university related projects which will eventually result in hiring of UT students by the same businesses and industries. O'Donnell also believes that distinguished professors who have been teaching and researching for many years can be replaced by lecturers without an effect on the learning experience. This is absolutely non-sense. There is a reason why they are "distinguished professors" and not lecturers.
Although teaching is definitely a huge part of the learning experience but teaching without hands on experience and research would mean nothing and no top rated company would ever hire a person with a 4.0 GPA and no research experience. Perhaps the $200,000 that O'Donnell receives could be spent to create a class for advisors like him to learn how research plays an essential role in the success of a university like The University of Texas.
This blog got my attention, first because of the political cartoon depicting "O'Donnel's UT," and the sharp background photo of Town Lake. The entry titled, "Research or not, that is the question!," is a good read. You do a good job covering the subject matter, and you include very profound quotes by Rick O'Donnel. I agree with your position completely, and the entry is well written and concise. I know a number of people who work in Research at UT. It is inspiring to hear them speak about ongoing research, and to know they enjoy their work.
ReplyDeleteI have also attended the Hawthorne Book Awards, an annual event where Faculty and Professors, mostly involved in research, are recognized for their extensive efforts to educate the world about new discoveries in science and technology. Plainly, the University of Texas would not be the same without a viable research department. Academics aside, the revenue provided by research is the lifeblood of the student body, the faculty, and the facilities at UT. Good Work.