Comments on: Classics Threatened at MSU!!!

By: John Rauk

John Rauk — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:53:24 +0000

I want to thank you for your excellent comments about our endangered program here at MSU. We are continuing to fight this decision, and we are truly heartened to see such an outpouring of support.

John Rauk

By: Dr. Kathleen McGrory

Dr. Kathleen McGrory — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 03:07:11 +0000

Makes no sense to cripple the academic program that has such interdisciplinary apps in every major university. You are doing all your colleagues a service by publicizing this latest amputation of quality programs at a formerly well rounded state university.

By: T.W.

T.W. — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 20:19:29 +0000

Wow, that spectacularly fails to address any of the points laid out by the Classics faculty. I wrote all three administrators and received only a form response from the President, stating that no final decisions had been reached & that the process would carry on in a duly deliberative way.

By: Alison Rautman

Alison Rautman — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:09:25 +0000

It seems ironic that in the age of “evidence based” decision making and “metrics” that decisions seem to be made without evidence or metrics. There is a role for symbolism in the actions of large organizations, and I’m sure that the University feels pressure to “do something, anything.” But in that case, I would expect some sort of symbolic criteria (“all programs with number of majors per faculty member lower than x”) and for the criteria to be applied across the board. It is the apparent randomness of the decision-making process here that is disruptive and dispiriting to everyone at MSU.

By: rogueclassicist

rogueclassicist — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:00:21 +0000

… but it doesn’t appear that eliminating the major will, in fact, save any money … please correct us if we’re wrong on this. If there are no savings from eliminating it, how is it justified as something connected to fiscal issues?

By: David Waymire

David Waymire — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:38:04 +0000

I work on a number of fiscal issues in Michigan, and consult with the Presidents Council, State Universities of Michigan. The bottom line here is pretty easy to see: If you want to see the university keep every program alive, you should be standing up and saying you support a fairly major tax increase in the state. I see people pushing back against the university — but not standing up and taking the time to educated themselves about the fact that today Michigan citizens are sending less of every dollar they earn to state government than they did in 2000.
If you are not willing to say you support a tax increase to pay for these programs, you are not being honest.

By: William S. Annis

William S. Annis — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 01:19:00 +0000

“Research,” of course, means “big, juicy grants.” Unless the Classics can come up with some way to train robots to walk up stairs for the Department of Defense, or otherwise finagle a Homeland Security grant, it just doesn’t bring in the cash the same way most of the sciences do. To an administrator “doesn’t make money” is probably the same as “costs too much.”

By: rogueclassicist

rogueclassicist — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:32:49 +0000

MSU is another one of those big U.S. Universities which have both provosts and deans … many of the bigwigs at MSU sport both titles. The cynic in me can’t help but wonder if they get two salaries too …

By: Sophie Mills

Sophie Mills — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:42:40 +0000

This is the reply I got from the Dean when I wrote to protest this short-sighted decision.Dear Ms (sic] Mills,

We are all saddened about the financial situation that forces us to make difficult choices such as eliminating the Classics major and a large number of other majors and programs across MSU. Because I feel there is value in much of the Classics subject matter, it is important to make it available to a larger number of students in a general education context rather than in a small under-enrolled major.

I very much appreciate your thoughtful feedback but we do need to find a way to deliver classics content in more efficient, less costly way.

As many positions across the University disappear–given the current employment situation in Michigan—possibly people’s livelihood–it would be devastating to morale to allow a set of very low enrollment major to remain untouched.
Again, thank you for sharing your opinion.

Karin A. Wurst

So it would seem that it’s mere window-dressing – no, it doesn’t actually save money but let’s pretend it does to be in solidarity with the unemployed of Michigan. Perhaps the administration will vote itself pay cuts in a similar spirit.