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TechnographPartisan fund alarms UC Senate
By Michael Logli
Posted: 10/2/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
The Urbana-Champaign Senate discussed the effects of the Academy on Capitalism and Limited Government Fund, referred to as "the fund" throughout its meeting Monday afternoon. According to the Associated Press, the fund aims to encourage and finance conservative studies on campus.
A. Belden Fields, professor of political science and senator, presented a resolution at the meeting by aiming to officially maintain powers some members of the senate feel are in jeopardy as a result of the fund. Though the resolution was ultimately tabled, the discussion occupied much of the senate session.
The Senate Executive Committee created an ad hoc advisory committee several weeks ago that would help regulate the uses of the fund. This committee will only last a year and a permanent committee can be created at any time.
The fund, which was launched on Thursday, has already raised $2 million for use.
There is extensive debate over the level of control the fund will have on University matters. Fields accused the fund of plans to involve itself in the hiring of professors and creating or eliminating curriculum that does not fit its ideology. Fields referred to changes of curriculum at Harvard University due to the fund's influence as an example.
"They think they can buy the curriculum," Fields said, adding the fund is acting as a hegemony.
Fields proposed a resolution with three main points at the meeting because he felt that the current measures to regulate the fund were not enough. His resolution called for a change in the fund's name to the Fund for the Study of the Relationship Between Government and Economy. He said this would help define its explicit purpose.
The second point was intended to ensure that ideological changes would not be forced upon the curriculum or professors of the University. Fields' last point would ensure there would be no bias when hiring new professors or distributing the fund's assets. This would clearly define the Senate's values and positions on subjects he feels the fund is trying to change.
Chancellor Richard Herman responded by telling senators that though the fund can choose how it distributes money, all requests would have to go through the newly created committee and the senate. Herman explained that all decisions about curriculum and hiring of professors are decided by the senate and that this would not change.
"These are the rules of shared governance and they shall always guide us," Herman said.
Voting on the resolution was postponed until the senate's Nov. 1 meeting.
A. Belden Fields, professor of political science and senator, presented a resolution at the meeting by aiming to officially maintain powers some members of the senate feel are in jeopardy as a result of the fund. Though the resolution was ultimately tabled, the discussion occupied much of the senate session.
The Senate Executive Committee created an ad hoc advisory committee several weeks ago that would help regulate the uses of the fund. This committee will only last a year and a permanent committee can be created at any time.
The fund, which was launched on Thursday, has already raised $2 million for use.
There is extensive debate over the level of control the fund will have on University matters. Fields accused the fund of plans to involve itself in the hiring of professors and creating or eliminating curriculum that does not fit its ideology. Fields referred to changes of curriculum at Harvard University due to the fund's influence as an example.
"They think they can buy the curriculum," Fields said, adding the fund is acting as a hegemony.
Fields proposed a resolution with three main points at the meeting because he felt that the current measures to regulate the fund were not enough. His resolution called for a change in the fund's name to the Fund for the Study of the Relationship Between Government and Economy. He said this would help define its explicit purpose.
The second point was intended to ensure that ideological changes would not be forced upon the curriculum or professors of the University. Fields' last point would ensure there would be no bias when hiring new professors or distributing the fund's assets. This would clearly define the Senate's values and positions on subjects he feels the fund is trying to change.
Chancellor Richard Herman responded by telling senators that though the fund can choose how it distributes money, all requests would have to go through the newly created committee and the senate. Herman explained that all decisions about curriculum and hiring of professors are decided by the senate and that this would not change.
"These are the rules of shared governance and they shall always guide us," Herman said.
Voting on the resolution was postponed until the senate's Nov. 1 meeting.
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Viewing Comments 1 - 6 of 7
Stuart Warren
posted 10/02/07 @ 1:45 AM CST
Yawn. Sounds like much ado about nothing. Is this fund being publicly or privately funded? If private, why should the UC Senate care about this, aside from the creation of *gasp* a right-leaning speical interest to counterbalance all the left-leaning special interests that are already active within and around the University? If publicly funded, why are we wasting money on dumb stuff like this? Let the private citizens pay for it voluntarily, if they really care. (Continued…)
John Bambenek
posted 10/02/07 @ 9:05 AM CST
Please learn the difference between partisan and ideologicial. It's an ideological fund, sure. I don't see how this has anything to do with Republicans. (Continued…)
embarrassing
posted 10/02/07 @ 9:26 AM CST
Such embarrassing behavior by the students and faculty. Aren't open dialogue and the free exchange of ideas important characteristics of quality intellectual institutes? This panicked, fear-mongering reaction is unnecessary and reflects poorly on the University. (Continued…)
upbeatdad
RegularGuy
posted 10/02/07 @ 9:57 AM CST
NOW they're getting concerned about outside ideological influence on curriculum? NOW, after decades of having politically-correct multiculturalism and feminism jammed down their throats?
In case professor A. (Continued…)
Brian
posted 10/02/07 @ 9:59 AM CST
Let's see, my taxpayer dollars can be used to fund inherent left-wing faculty hiring bias without my consent, but private, volunteer funds cannot be spent in an attempt to offset this bias?
What is wrong with this picture?
It appears this is the first time some liberal professors have had to confront the fact that sometimes employees need to be accountable to those who pay their salaries. (Continued…)
Student
posted 10/02/07 @ 10:02 AM CST
This article does not really address the fundamental concerns of the UC Senate which is not the ideological persuasion of the program but the lack of democratic oversight. (Continued…)
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