IU Saves Money & the Peasants Rejoice

Cool!

Indiana University officials confirmed today that the university has eliminated 100 jobs through a hiring slow-down in order to cut $59 million out of its budget – cuts that were ordered by Gov. Mitch Daniels earlier this year.

Also today, the IU Board of Trustees approved three new construction projects totaling about $71 million – $44 million for a new studio building for the Jacobs School of Music at the Bloomington campus; $25 million for the first phase of a new science and engineering building at IUPUI in Indianapolis; and $2 million for a new roof on Assembly Hall in Bloomington.

No one got laid off, the campuses keep up with new facilities and life goes on with no negative impact on students. It didn’t even expend tax dollars out the wazoo.

See. Not hard at all, is it?

People Re-Write IUPUI’s History

The Star has a story today about IUPUI’s history around its founding. They’re really only two trains of thought on it: either IUPUI pushed a bunch of black people out of the way for no good reason to sit up shop for the white man, or, IUPUI pushed a crappy part of the middle of town out of the way to make way for an integral piece of Indianapolis’ future. In which case, a bunch of black people got pushed out of the way:

Beginning in the mid-1950s and lasting well into the 1970s, hundreds of [African American] families were uprooted and relocated — their homes either purchased outright or condemned by the city and then purchased. This was done not just for the new university but as part of a larger redevelopment of an area that many considered a classic example of urban blight.

Local human rights activists at the time, including a Jewish rabbi and a Protestant minister, pleaded with city officials to stop the process because fearful residents were being bullied into selling. Some in the black community began to refer to the effort as a “black removal” plan.

“IUPUI, the city . . . they became the Ku Klux Klan,” said an angry John Lands, an area resident who once ran the neighborhood YMCA before it was demolished. “They took the black folks’ land. I think it’s a shame.”

The article is a little lengthy, but this part stuck out at me:

Kenneth B. Durgans, the assistant chancellor for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at IUPUI, said that although he is sensitive to history, he hopes people also take into account the good things the college has done for the city’s minority population.

Why am I paying for an Assistant Chancellor for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion? Please tell me she’s an assistant to the university chancellor and that there isn’t also a head chancellor just for diversity, equity and inclusion.

Extreme Web Makeover: 48 Hours, 3 Websites, 1 Great Cause

Extreme web makeover
Forty-eight hours. Three websites. One great cause.

INDIANAPOLIS – JANUARY 11, 2010 – The Indiana University School of Informatics at IUPUI and RefreshIndy, a local organization of web designers, developers and graphic artists, are bringing together the best professional and student talent in Indianapolis to develop three websites for three local non-profit organizations within 48 hours. This non-stop event begins at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, January 15 at the Informatics and Communication Technology Complex on the IUPUI campus. The date coincides with the University’s annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service encouraging students, faculty and staff to give back to the greater Indianapolis community.

Indianapolis web professionals will lead teams of student volunteers from the School’s informatics and media arts and science programs throughout this unique service learning opportunity. “This is a fun and challenging way for our students to learn from some of the top professionals in the city while also giving their time and energy to a greater cause,” said Mark McCreary, Assistant Dean for Student Services at the IU School of Informatics at IUPUI. Professionals donating their services to the cause include creative talent from Justify Studios, Squish Design, Web Easy Media and Cassis Design.

Non-profit organizations were identified by the IUPUI Solution Center and chosen based on a demonstrated need for a new or enhanced website, as well as their future ability to maintain that website. “It’s important that these websites be easily sustainable given non-profit’s often limited resources,” explained Justin Harter of RefreshIndy. “Our goal is to simply help strengthen these organizations’ online identities so they can better serve our community.”

Non-profits selected to receive redesigned websites include the following local organizations: Talbot House, a residential care facility for adult male recovering from alcoholism and substance abuse; Progress House, a recovery center for alcohol and/or drug dependent men; and My Sister’s Place, a service providing transitional support and resources for formerly incarcerated and at-risk women and their families.

“The impact of this is huge,” said Carol Wellman, Director of My Sister’s Place. “I developed our website myself using a book, so receiving this type of expert assistance is invaluable. It helps us increase visibility and communication with the women, families and organizations who need our services.”

To learn more about this event, please visit www.refreshindy.com/48hours.html.

About IU School of Informatics at IUPUI:

The Indiana University School of Informatics was established in 2000 as one of the first schools in the nation dedicated to education and research in informatics. Informatics is the study and application of information technology to the arts and sciences, and the resulting impact on organizations, individuals and society as a whole. The School offers an array of B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. programs. The IU School of Informatics is located on the campus of Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. For additional information, please visit www.informatics.iupui.edu.

Contact:

Stephen McKinney,

Communications Manager                                 

(317) 278–9208

smmckinn@iupui.edu

Justin Harter,

RefreshIndy

(317) 225-8169

refreshindy@gmail.com

###

About College Course Descriptions

I just spent the last hour registering for courses at IUPUI for the spring semester. It was worse than doing my taxes. It’s the most awful experience ever created. I’d rather shove rusty wooden spoons into my eyes than deal with finding course descriptions, figuring out when classes are offered, who teaches the courses and what I’ll actually be doing. It’s really, really bad. Really, god awful, bad.

The process starts when I reach for my course schedule to figure out how many credits are left (too many) and what classes I still need to take. For me, as an Informatics student, I’m given a lot of different computer-related options.

So, I decide to lookup up this 400-level class called “Multimedia Project Development”. The course description reads:

This course will focus on total project design and development of interactive multimedia applications. Topics to be covered include system design and development, selection of appropriate hardware and software platforms, use of productivity tools, project management, dynamics of team-based project development, cost analysis, prototyping, pilot testing, and other evaluation/usability techniques to ensure product quality. Students will work in teams to develop large-scale projects.

Luckily, I worked for the government for nearly four years and I can cut past the bullshit. Allow me to translate (follow along with the above passage for even more fun):

This course will focus on a website. We’ll talk about  our server, the Dell you will be using, Windows and we’ll make the website in Adobe Dreamweaver using HTML 4. We’ll also figure out what our plan is as we go, whether or not we can afford it (and since this isn’t real, you know it is, otherwise it would be a really long semester) and you’ll be forced to work with nutjob whackos who can’t shave, dress themselves or turn on a washing machine. You’ll end up doing all the work, so it’ll be sorta like a regular HTML class.

I couldn’t figure out when the class was offered, or if it ever even was, so I gave up and looked up this gem called “Research in Design Methods”. Its description reads:

This course is designed to give students an understanding of the advanced concepts of theoretical topics, simulation modeling, and analysis concepts. Students will investigate applications of simulation in systems characterized by probabilistic behavior.

Translation: Read this, then write a paper.

Since I’m not really interested in wasting time writing what will end up being an historical reference piece after 3 weeks of sitting on my hard drive, I moved on. Plus, I’m more interested in being grounded in reality than theory.Then, I found this humdinger, “Online Document Development II” (I don’t see a part I):

Advanced creation, publication, and management of interactive publications for online distribution with the inclusion of emerging technologies for a media-rich experience. Topics include interactive Web site development, animations for the Web, online interactive design, document conversion, file exchanges, and digital media development for online usage

Gee, why don’t you say what you really think. I have no idea what that is supposed to mean, what I’d be doing or why. That sounds like an orgy of everything ever published on the web all merged into a giant, unruly PDF document.

So, to every college and university in the country, I demand you simplify your course descriptions. For some of the supposedly smartest institutions in the nation, you people write course descriptions like you were mentally handicapped in some sort of nuclear reactor tragedy.

InDecision 2009 – Wish Hard

I voted this morning. Indianapolis residents got to vote on a few issues but my only issue in my district was the Wishard Hospital referendum. For the uninitiated, Wishard is seeking to build a new hospital on grounds currently owned by IUPUI. Subsequently, IUPUI would swap land with the existing Wishard facility and use the old hospital as who knows what. Probably dorms. Then, after they realized it’s a horrible facility they’ll no doubt want to renovate and remodel. The costs of which will get passed along to, yep, me.

I won’t tell you how I voted — the response could only be yes or no — but, I imagine you can guess how it went.

It’s not that I don’t want to fund a new hospital. Wishard claims they would pay for the $750 million, but I don’t believe them. If they fail to make payments, the bonds default to taxpayers and that would result in higher taxes for me. Some estimate it could be as little as $4 a year and frankly, that’s $4 too much.

These votes are the only power I have to “punish” the government. If they can’t find $750 million with the taxes we already pay, then they need professional help. Governing is not that hard. I do it from this blog all the time.

The folks in Beech Grove took it a step further and said that if they don’t get higher tax rates they’re cutting off bus funding. Really? Buses? That’s the first place you look?

Beech Grove Schools: “Shit. We’re millions in the hole. We’d better stop the buses.”
Everyone else: “Uh. Okay.”

It’s a scare tactic if I ever saw one and they’re just mad that they don’t get as much money as they want because of the property tax caps. Well, guess what, I don’t get as much money as I want so shut up and deal with it. Look at how much you spend on useless crap that doesn’t work or no one needs and you wouldn’t be in this mess.

These votes tend to end up in the “no” column, but I bet Wishard gets its way. What’s funny to me is that now that these organizations have to come to voters for approval, they still don’t “get it”. I recall that Noblesville schools asked for a $14 million referendum last year that failed miserably. So, this year they’re asking for some $28 million.

Noblesville Schools: “We’d like $14 million dollars.”
Voters: “No.”
Noblesville Schools: “Okay. How about $28 million dollars?”
Voters: “Uh. No?”
Noblesville Schools: “Okay, okay. Let’s make it $36 million dollars and that’s our final offer.”
Voters: “Dude. Stop.”

Again, governing is not  that hard. People are not stupid when it comes to tax increases.

Dear IUPUI: Stop Sucking

Dear IUPUI,

I’m a Junior at your fine establishment. I’ve been attending classes there since 2005 and have been there long enough to see the JagTag change looks, the parking lot across from Cavanaugh go to a Student Center then to a Campus Center. I’ve seen students hit by cars crossing the oft-clogged Michigan Street.

Now, as I’ve completed 75% of my college career, I’ve got enough experience to state my opinion with authority: you really suck.

I came to IUPUI for the New Media program. At the time, it was the only program of its kind in Indiana. So, what are my qualms?

For one, I’ve been paying $700 per class and not getting anything out of it beyond wasted time. It’s not anything I couldn’t lookup on Google or in an application’s Help files. $700 to read Help files is a real smack in the face and my financial sensibilities.

Now you’re thinking, “Yes, but we have lots of other classes that don’t come with Help files.” You’re right, we just read the book instead. I had an ethics course last year that was comprised of story time. The entire semester was spent reading the book. Word. For. Word. Again, hardly a good use of $700.

Next, I’ve spent time in english and math classes that were colossal wastes of gas. Frankly, those classes should be online. No group work was required and nothing I couldn’t have done from my desk at home with a Pepsi One.

Speaking of online classes, I’ve taken two. Both of which were technology-related and dated back at least three years. I don’t need to tell you the problem with watching three year old content related to technology.

And don’t even get me started on your inability to set out on a plan and stick to it. You promised to improve race relations when you pissed off the Black Student Union. Then, you turned around and told one of your own janitorial employees and student they couldn’t read a book about the defeat of the KKK because it “might be offensive.”

Oh, and do I need to mention the Student Center you shoved down our throats and switched it to a Campus Center at the last minute so you could move in four coffee shops to help cover the costs you couldn’t anticipate? Yeah, me neither.

But, thank goodness we have our Stude–er, Campus Center now. It’s really improved campus housing. I mean, everyone wants to quit their jobs and come make IUPUI the next IU Bloomington. They’re switching in droves. We’re talking the same percentage of Mac to Windows switchers here.

Alas, you’ll do nothing to serve the niche you’ve already built. Instead, you’ll try to change everything to “make things better” and instead drive up tuition costs and pass it along to students like me.

Thanks, IUPUI. You really suck.

Yours,

Justin

Jags in Town

Finally, some efficiency!

The IUPUI men’s basketball team appears headed across town to play home games at Conseco Fieldhouse. Officials for Pacers Sports & Entertainment said they would let IUPUI make any announcement.

University officials said an announcement on the Jaguars’ 2008-09 schedule could come as soon as this week, after one last deal is finalized.

…

Although the financial terms of the deal are not clear, it could be a financial boost for both sides. Games in a higher-profile venue with enhanced amenities could drive significant attendance gains for IUPUI. Playing at the glitzy Fieldhouse also would be a solid recruiting tool for Hunter to attract the area’s best talent. Filling some holes on its calendar would benefit PS&E, and if the deal works out long-term, that might mean IUPUI would indefinitely suspend the notion of building a 8,000- to 10,000-seat arena, which could potentially compete with the Fieldhouse for events.

I like it when I hear people consolidating things down and making the costs managable. I still don’t understand why Marion County’s Central Library couldn’t be consolidated into IUPUI’s University Library. How many resources are duplicated in both facilities? Do we really need 12 copies of some book that no one reads in two different places mere blocks from each other?

Again, do we really need two basketball stadiums in town? IUPUI’s graciously hosted swimming events for the City of Indianapolis and it’s worked well. I’m glad to see IUPUI’s working with other hosts around Indy to sport savings and sport sports.

IUPUI Up and Coming

Hope IUPUI isn’t coming up too quickly. I’d rather not have to spend more time looking for a parking space than I already do.

It’s nearly 40 years old, but with a wave of completed construction projects, IUPUI is an up-and-comer.

The university that combines the best of Purdue and Indiana universities in Downtown Indianapolis is receiving national recognition.

IUPUI is one of 70 “up-and-coming schools” in the U.S. that everyone should be watching, says U.S. News & World Report in its September issue, which hits newsstands Monday.

A wave of completed construction projects? Really? A wave? I count two. Two completed construction projects. Hell, I planted eight shrubs this year at my house. What does U.S. News and World Report think about that?

BlogIndiana

There’s only 363 days until the next BlogIndiana Conference. This year’s event was held at IUPUI and I do believe that Shawn Plew and Scott Coffey did an excellent job coordinating this year’s event with a fair registration price.

I now have faces to put to the many blogs I read. Doug Masson and I enjoyed lunch together Saturday, Ruth Holladay kept the Star on its toes in her session Saturday afternoon and Doug Karr got a little too programatic for my tastes Sunday, but had good intentions. Bil Browning made an appearance as a session leader Sunday and really had a great presentation on getting your blog “out there”.

Now, if we can just have potato chips at lunch next year instead of those weird noodle bowls, we’ll be off to an even better start.

Emergency financial planning

So after 9/11 everyone thought we needed to plan for better security and disaster response. Okay.

Then, after the Virginia Tech shootings, every college campus across the nation got their panties in a bind when they realized “911″ wasn’t on their speed dial.

So here comes this gem, courtesy a story from the Star:

Diane Mack was a strategic planning director for the Indiana Department of Homeland Security before becoming IUPUI’s first emergency preparedness manager. One of her priorities is to identify campus buildings that can accommodate a large number of injured people.

Adding Mack’s position will cost Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis $65,000 per year, but it’s hard to put a price tag on emergency planning, said Chris Blake of the Hartford, Conn.-based International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators.

Well. Clearly no one asked me because as a student I’m cheap and I also have common sense. How about this: In the event that someone is shooting at students, say in the dorms, everyone duck, do as the shooter says and someone will text someone to call someone and then that person will poke the police via Facebook. Remember, this is a college campus.

When the police arrive, take the wounded and hurt, I dunno, DOWN THE STREET TO THE HOSPITAL. IUPUI has five of them! Where else would you take them? The gym?

There. I just saved the university $65,000. Now where’s my scholarship?