FSU and Koch donation w/strings attached

Nothing is wrong with this picture. If the person wants to donate under their stipulations and the institution is willing to accept those stipulations then that is their business.

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It says something about FSU imo. Nothing unusual with Koch.


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I am very disappointed in FSU...and amazed that a faculty member would submit to such a thing...the fact that it's Koch Brothers makes it worse IMO, but I would feel the same way if it were Coca-Cola!

Is everything for sale for a high enough price these days?

Nothing is wrong with this picture. If the person wants to donate under their stipulations and the institution is willing to accept those stipulations then that is their business.

The institution in question operates with PUBLIC dollars and that makes it my business.

Disclaimer my grandmother graduated from FSU in 1923.

I am a graduate of FSU too; and I never felt anything but pride in that until I read this article. It is an abuse of public funds; an abuse of academic freedom; and a poor example to set for young students. I hope the alumni groups are all outraged!
Florida has become the laughing stock of the country due to our governor and legislature and the bills they pushed this Session; but some expect no less from a bunch of politicians. The president and leadership of FSU have no such excuse.

It happens all of the time at academic institutions even where I teach. Donations and being on boards = power and influence.

Examples:
Doodle Harris after giving big donations to FSU business school (even though, well,you know?). Wasn't he put on a board there?

Hubby's customer who gave a bunch of money to UF and got a school of engineering named after him.

People who give money to GT so a gate at Bobby Dodd stadium at GT is named after them.

It's everywhere.

Frankly I hope that I can acquire enough wealth to give a big donation to UF for Alzheimer's research. The real estate market isn't helping that dream. No resale home in our town over $100K has sold in 2 years. Just the mahoghany millwork in our home cost that much in 1988. :bang:

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“Traditionally, university donors have little official input into choosing the person who fills a chair they've funded.

Under the agreement with the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation, however, faculty only retain the illusion of control. The contract specifies that an advisory committee appointed by Koch decides which candidates should be considered. ... “

http://motherjones.com/mojo/2011/05/charles-koch-florida-state-academic-freedom

Free and unfettered open markets.. I'm shocked, absolutely shocked! that an economics school would teach the principals of such things.

The advisory panel consists of two Florida State eminent scholars in economics and a third who represents Koch. If the foundation objects to one of the advisory board's selections, Florida State can still hire the individual, but they would not be considered a Koch scholar or would the school receive foundation money to pay for the position.

http://staugustine.com/florida-news/2011-05-10/fsu-defends-grant-hire-agreement-koch

FSU should consider itself lucky, they get three top notch ecnonomics scholars for free. Explain to me how that's not a value to the students who attend there.

If this was George Soros, the authors of Mother Jones wouldn't care.

The institution in question operates with PUBLIC dollars and that makes it my business.

Disclaimer my grandmother graduated from FSU in 1923.

I agree that it is every citizen's business since the public owns the institution. But as with other institutions, we hire people to operate them day to day. They made a business decision to accept outside funding with the only cost being the stipulations of the donors. They have every right to make that decision. If the public does not like it, then the recourse is to fire the management.

It happens all of the time at academic institutions even where I teach. Donations and being on boards = power and influence.

Examples:
Doodle Harris after giving big donations to FSU business school (even though, well,you know?). Wasn't he put on a board there?

Hubby's customer who gave a bunch of money to UF and got a school of engineering named after him.

People who give money to GT so a gate at Bobby Dodd stadium at GT is named after them.

It's everywhere.

Frankly I hope that I can acquire enough wealth to give a big donation to UF for Alzheimer's research. The real estate market isn't helping that dream. No resale home in our town over $100K has sold in 2 years. Just the mahoghany millwork in our home cost that much in 1988. :bang:

the difference is the influence on faculty members and their influence on students. The Koch Brothers have a reason for wanting to approve of the faculty...it is called recruitment to their cause. There is a big difference in the items you mention and this, IMO.

the difference is the influence on faculty members and their influence on students. The Koch Brothers have a reason for wanting to approve of the faculty...it is called recruitment to their cause. There is a big difference in the items you mention and this, IMO.

Their cause being to make sure students learn about free market capitalism in economics. The horror of it all! :roll:

Big difference between giving money and getting your name on something and giving money with strings attached that you can use to play puppet master.

We need to be fighting influence peddling and cronyism at every turn, NOT actively bringing it into our public education system.

I am very disappointed in FSU...and amazed that a faculty member would submit to such a thing...the fact that it's Koch Brothers makes it worse IMO, but I would feel the same way if it were Coca-Cola!

Is everything for sale for a high enough price these days?

I donno. Why don't you ask my favorite contributor, George Soros.

The institution in question operates with PUBLIC dollars and that makes it my business.

Disclaimer my grandmother graduated from FSU in 1923.

It wasn't FSU then. My guess is that it was Florida Women's College which, as I remember, was the name before it became Florida State University.

FSU is a bunch of Koch whores.

I donno. Why don't you ask my favorite contributor, George Soros.

It's wrong no matter who is giving the money and making conditions.

Florida State University sells its integrity for $1.5 million

http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2011/05/florida_state_university_sells.php

...A conservative billionaire who opposes government meddling in business has bought a rare commodity: the right to interfere in faculty hiring at a publicly funded university.
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...Traditionally, university donors have little official input into choosing the person who fills a chair they've funded. The power of university faculty and officials to choose professors without outside interference is considered a hallmark of academic freedom.
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...If I were a faculty member who found my choice of colleagues dictated by Koch (or Soros, or Gates, or any similar filthy rich dilettante), I'd be a bit peevish, and I don't think the golden candidate would get much respect from his peers. On the other hand, if I were applying for a job and was rejected because I didn't fit the ideology of the Koch brothers, I'd feel darned good and also be well satisfied that I wasn't going to be affiliated with such a cheap brothel, er uhm university.
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It's wrong no matter who is giving the money and making conditions.

as I said in my post before...I would feel the same if it were Coca-Cola or George Soros...although to compare Soros to the Koch Brothers misses the point...obviously.

"and I don't think the golden candidate would get much respect from his peers."

I would think the other profs in the department would be disgusted with this. Except that it appears to have been going on for a little while so at some point all will be like-minded. (That will make for a great college education. not!)


So Koch opposes the government meddling in business, but has no qualms about interfering in hiring practices of a publicly funded university.

I’m thinking that FSU may risk losing top notch, critically-thinking students because of this. Most of us strive to impress upon our kids to become well rounded, think for themselves, question things and be able to problem solve. Why would these kind of students seek out a program set up like this?

I find it sad that FSU thinks it needs the $$ so badly that it would sacrifice it’s academics.

And what the heck does Soros have to do with anything? If it was his money buying this level of influence at a university, most of us would be apalled with that also.


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that's just those usual posters who respond with a "tit for tat" about everything...

Seriously, I am wondering if FSU doesn't have a policy against this...and if so, who made the decision to overlook it? Could get interesting now if some other big contributors (who only get streets/dorms/stadiums named for them, but no academic influence) decide they are not happy with the special treatment the Koch Bros money bought...

The story appears to have legs...http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9N4QRS00.htm

"They are less interested in creating new knowledge than in getting their message out and improving their bottom line," Dr. Ray Bellamy, a physician at Florida State's College of Medicine and Kent Miller, a professor emeritus of psychology at the university, wrote in an opinion page article May 1 in the Tallahassee Democrat. "The faculty Senate should be watching the store."

Faculty concerns erupted after the op-ed piece by Miller and Bellamy, who urged a watchful eye on attempts to influence curriculum or new hires. The dean of the university's social sciences department that houses the economics programs, David Rasmussen, said the criticism was off-point and that the university retains control of all faculty hires.

Miller and Bellamy have impeccable reputations...it will be interesting to see how the FSU community reponds to all of this.