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Posts published in “Uncategorized”

Public records reveal scandal over EUG’s Flying People payments

10/22/2015: The one time I try blogging about something that couldn’t possibly involve a public records scandal, it turns out it involves a public records scandal. Mark Baker has the report in the RG here. 10/19/2015: EUG Flying People to depart for LCC? Bob Keefer has the rumor in Eugene Art Talk, here.…

IT data security, classification, and incident response policies

Over the summer former Interim President Coltrane enacted three emergency IT policies. The administration is now looking to make them permanent, and is asking for feedback. My own initial reaction, as someone that Coltrane’s administration tried to fire over the UO Presidential Archives release (and he did fire two others) is…

UO Senate meeting, Wed in 128 CHILES

That’s Chiles. Part of the B-School. Across Kincaid from the “Duckstore”, behind the hotdog stand. AVP for Collaboration Chuck Triplett will be taking attendance, so don’t ditch this one. I did a little live-blogging below. Senate Meeting Agenda – October 21, 2015. Agenda  |  Watch Live [Not working] Rm 128, Chiles; 3:00-5:00 pm 3:00 pm    Introductory…

UO Institutional Research updates faculty, administrative, athletic pay

Normally they post this by the quarter, but, in my opinion, UO didn’t want to reveal the administrative and athletics spending during SEIU and faculty union bargaining (UAUO’s Unfair Labor Practices complaint is here) so this time it’s all in one pdf for the 2014-15 AY. Handy reverse-engineered excel spreadsheets, courtesy of a…

Chair of board of trustees forced to resign after criticizing blogger

10/16/2015: No, of course I’m not talking about Chuck Lillis and his statement to Oregonian reporter Rich Read that he hoped the UO Senate could survive my election as president. Lillis will come around.

I’m talking about UBC board chair John Montalbano, who resigned today, 7 weeks after he called up UBC professor Jennifer Berdahl to complain about her blog post, which called his board’s decision to fire the UBC president racist and sexist. Berdahl’s chair was funded by a $2M donation from Montalbano.

The CBC has a report about the subsequent investigation and Montalbano’s resignation here, and Professor Berdahl is gleefully blogging about it here:

Two months ago I wrote about my experiences of reprimand at UBC after publishing a blog post that raised uncomfortable questions about organizational culture, diversity, and leadership. A fact-finding process was agreed to by the University of British Columbia’sFaculty Association and the UBC Administration into allegations of interference with my academic freedom. The findings of the third party investigator, the Honourable Lynn Smith, Q.C., led her to conclude that UBC failed in its obligation to support and protect my academic freedom.

The Smith Report notes that “The protections of academic freedom extend to the dissemination of scholarly research and opinion through these new electronic media” (p. 5) as well as to “commentary (whether positive or negative) by members of UBC on the extent to which the central functions of the University are being advanced or hindered by decisions or initiatives affecting the University” (p. 6). Some people did not understand that an academic blog, and comments about one’s university and its leadership, are protected by academic freedom. So is scholarly opinion and speculation; asking questions and proposing theories are crucial to the advancement of inquiry and knowledge.

Academic freedom is to a university what love is to a family….

8/26/2015: UBC Board’s John Montalbano defends self against blogger Berdahl

He comes off very well. I particularly liked the part where he explains that the UBC faculty *elects* several board members. Don’t tell that to UO Law Professor Susan Gary, who was first appointed on recommendation of UO Law Professor Margie Paris without faculty consultation, and then kept her position on the board last year without an election, despite UO Senate legislation to hold one for nominees.

Will UO charge student journalist for HLGR’s Bowl of Dicks docs?

Under Dave Hubin UO’s Public Records Office refused to give fee waivers to journalists – even UO student journalists. Oregon public records law requires an explanation for fee waiver denials. Hubin and PR Officer Lisa Thornton ignored that law. Now Daily Emerald reporter Noah McGraw has written a very good report…

Bob Berdahl tried to bust the union. Mike Schill invited the union over to his place to celebrate the new CBA.

Here’s the April 2012 letter to Governor Kitzhaber from one of his policy advisors, telling him that Interim UO President Bob Berdahl had hired an out of state firm to try and bust the union, and that UO was not being completely honest about that: All in all UO paid about $1M to Curiale, Hirschfeld,…

PLC capsizes as economists get UO Alert, rush to western side to see tsunami

Undergrads respond to Provost Coltrane’s pleas for a rescue effort: “Nope. Voluntary collective action would be a violation of the standard model.” “Wait, let me check my 201 grade on Canvas. No. Definitely not.” UOAlert! This is a test of the UOAlert! system and a reminder to practice earthquake response: Duck, Cover, and Hold.…

UO rejected $600K offer, will now pay ~$1.5M for Bowl of Dicks

The BBC reports that the Ashmolean only paid £250,00 for their bowl: So far UO’s tab is: $452,200 Attorney Fees to plaintiff’s lawyers $ 45,773 Costs to plaintiff $650,000 Economic damages $105,000 Punitive damages $1,252,973 Total Then of course you have to add in the many billable hours UO’s outside lawyer Andrea…