Billionaire's role in hiring decisions at Florida State University raises questions - Koch

[Shallah Kali]

http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/billionaires-role-in-hiring-decisions-at-florida-state-university-raises/1168680

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.

A foundation bankrolled by Libertarian businessman Charles G. Koch has pledged $1.5 million for positions in Florida State University's economics department. In return, his representatives get to screen and sign off on any hires for a new program promoting "political economy and free enterprise."

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.

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. The foundation can also withdraw its funding if it's not happy with the faculty's choice or if the hires don't meet "objectives" set by Koch during annual evaluations.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

1. Now just try to get the new program accredited.

:eyes:

[JoeyTrib]

2. There is going to be more of this as funding shrinks for higher ed.

Privatization of education means putting power in the hands of a handful of people for theirs, and not the public's, good.

[spooky3]

8. It's been going on a long time but it's getting worse.

Private schools are also vulnerable.

[brentspeak]

3. Similar to George Mason Univ's econ department, bought and paid for by the Kochs

[ixion]

4. An thus devalues the FSU degree

because if you're teaching spin, you're not teaching.

[Wednesdays]

5. K&R

:kick:

[spooky3]

6. Is it a "donation" if they are buying control?

And, of course, we give them a tax deduction for the "donation."

[spooky3]

7. $1.5 million only generates $60K per year. That's not even enough to

cover the administration costs, let alone one faculty salary and benefits.

Universities figure that, on average, 4% annual income is generated by gifts, and the university gets a cut of that before it goes to the department.

Even if you had no trouble with the principle of buying influence, the university official who agreed to this deal was an idiot.

[madfloridian]

9. Rec...this needs attention.

Not surprised, though.

[jmowreader]

10. This is the course that uses Atlas Shrugged as the textbook?

I would have no problem with the Kochsuckers doing this if the students were required to take corequisites detailing how everything wrong with the US economy today is the direct result of decisions the Reagan Administration made thirty years ago.

[highplainsdem]

12. No, that's being done by BB&T, not Koch.

[highplainsdem]

11. Link to the topic I posted a couple of days ago on the criticism of this policy last week:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1066868

That links to the critical opinion piece in the Tallahassee Democrat, and Rasmussen's response to it.