RPI Student Union

[ursusminor]

It's Tom Reale. His original blog post.

[Beeeej]

It's Tom Reale. His original blog post.

Wow. Just, wow.

[marty]

It's Tom Reale. His original blog post.

And with an apology to Graham Nash I offer..."Treat Your Physics Professors Well".

[billhoward]

By many accounts, Shirley Jackson was instrumental in changing RPI for the better by adding graduate programs that bring in research dollars and prominence at the cost of undergrads feeling left out. She did a lot in her first decade. That's the term many college presidents find is their limit. Viz David Skorton. Her contract was extended for a second decade and that ends sometime between June 2019 (20 years after starting) or June 2020 (10 years after trustees extended her by a decade).

She would have departed RPI at the end of 2016. She was likely to be named to the Hillary Clinton cabinet, probably in charge of the Department of Energy. That didn't happen.

She is very well paid for a college president, about $1M a year. In 2014 she collected $7.1M that also included a bonus and about $6M in deferred comp (retention bonus).

[French Rage]

To me, the worst thing she did was make the student body draw slips of paper and sacrificed one unlucky for a good hockey season.  Especially since the sacrifice clearly didn't work.

[Roy 82]

To me, the worst thing she did was make the student body draw slips of paper and sacrificed one unlucky for a good hockey season.  Especially since the sacrifice clearly didn't work.

In what month did they have this lottery? I hear it matters.

[marty]

By many accounts, Shirley Jackson was instrumental in changing RPI for the better by adding graduate programs that bring in research dollars and prominence at the cost of undergrads feeling left out. She did a lot in her first decade. That's the term many college presidents find is their limit. Viz David Skorton. Her contract was extended for a second decade and that ends sometime between June 2019 (20 years after starting) or June 2020 (10 years after trustees extended her by a decade).

She would have departed RPI at the end of 2016. She was likely to be named to the Hillary Clinton cabinet, probably in charge of the Department of Energy. That didn't happen.

She is very well paid for a college president, about $1M a year. In 2014 she collected $7.1M that also included a bonus and about $6M in deferred comp (retention bonus).

One thing left out of your analysis,  Bill,  is that if the trustees hadn't extended her contract for years 11-20, they would have had a new leader who didn't own the debt her changes created.  I was rooting for her second contract on that basis and that basis alone.

I'll also give her a pass on the creation of that debt.  Her vision included three grand building expenditures which looked great pre-2008. Giving is a different animal since that recession arrived.

The biotechnology building looks good in press releases and has curb appeal when touring the campus.  One back story I heard was that the professors were weary in making a move to the new building.  The $/sq.ft. research figure was much higher than in their old digs. Science education has become overly commoditized (at least according to many staff members). This isn't new.  I first heard this lament in 1974 at U of M in Ann Arbor. Still a new building brings this challenge in addition to the prestige.

The negative aspects to what you refer to as an undergraduate vs. graduate conflict may be real.  But as someone with Chem E.   degrees (me), I think the professors of engineering were torqued off that their school didn't appear to give a hoot about its traditionally strong programs.

Her legacy is one of an autocrat.  She P.O.'d  a majority of the RPI professors. My link to the piece on Professor Medicus, who gave over fourteen million to local hospitals and the Albany Symphony, is the most striking example of how little respect she gave to and engendered from her staff.

[djk26]

To me, the worst thing she did was make the student body draw slips of paper and sacrificed one unlucky for a good hockey season.  Especially since the sacrifice clearly didn't work.

I just got this...had to read it twice.  :-}  Well done...as far as I can tell there is only one famous person named "Martha Pollack"--put up another tally for the Big Red over RPI.

[marty]

4.5 million reasons to grab the RPI Union

I had been wondering how much money was at stake.  The 4.5 million doesn't seem like a prudent reason for this fight.  Why the hell does President Jackson keep on keepin on?  

The EMPAC Center, as an example of their fiscal woes, cost over $200 M.

[marty]

I've lost track of most of the details but to be fair to anyone who has read this thread please note that the protest lives.

[marty]

Another Times Union Article was posted this afternoon. It doesn't seem to be related to the Union but it does include alumni association bitching.

[marty]

First no ethanol. Now the Greek community and the slum lords are upset over mandatory summer term.


Will uniforms be next?

[billhoward]

First no ethanol. Now the Greek community and the slum lords are upset over mandatory summer term.

Will uniforms be next?

Your fault you didn't vote for Hillary as a measure of RPI-preservation. She was supposed to win, the polls said. And President Clinton was to make Shirley Jackson a cabinet secretary or the science advisor, which would have lifted her out of your and RPI's hair. Two decades as college president, some people may run out of fresh ideas. David Skorton's decade at Cornell was about right. Plus, if you get a chance to run the Smithsonian, how can you say no?

The thing about summer students not being able to live in housing other than campus dorms is Mickey Mouse.

[Scersk '97]

The thing about summer students not being able to live in housing other than campus dorms is Mickey Mouse.

The definition of a "captive market."

[marty]

First no ethanol. Now the Greek community and the slum lords are upset over mandatory summer term.

Will uniforms be next?

Your fault you didn't vote for Hillary as a measure of RPI-preservation. She was supposed to win, the polls said.

The blame can be placed here if you like :Q!