Most universities have a strong Institutional Research department that produces unbiased, data-based reports on basic issues like budgeting, enrollment, student/employee satisfaction, ROI and efficiency stuff. The IR Director is in the room for every important decision.
For various reasons, UO’s IR office does not do these things. This means that when a tough issue comes up there is no respected semi-independent voice giving advice. Instead the Pres, Provost, and Angela Wilhelms get numbers from offices like the VPFA and VPBP and IR, and have their staff massage them in whatever way suits their particular goals.
UO would certainly be better off with a strong, centralized IR department – but that would be a challenge to JH’s various special interests. So while this mid-level hire might make sense, if it doesn’t lead to a reorganization it’s not going to make much of a difference.
Problem is, institutional decision catalysts come from outside the uni, not necessarily from within. It’s not a coincidence that P5s all followed the same business model, that being, spend hella money for a higher profile football team, in order to poach out of state students, or to increase enrollment. Along with that, create a administrative bureaucracy, as well as massive construction debt, in order to fulfill a self imposed mandate of the uni as “life experience.” If you you tour unis, you’ll see such things as Lazy River water parks, massive hot tubs, sushi availability, dorms with granite counter tops, spin and rock climbing venues and instructors, so on. If you listen to admins, all of that is necessary to enhance student college experience. On March 6 of this year, Moody’s rendered their verdict on that type of executive decision making.
I have to believe that other unis’ IR’s said somewhere along the way this was a stupid, unsustainable business model. Yet, that didn’t stop the lava flow of debt and admin bloat to fullfil the plan. I’m guessing Wall Street bond palaces and their satrap construction firms impelled the current uni thinking. I don’t think any IR is capable of withstanding the energy the 1% have available…
Maybe this hire will be able to determine which budgets will be impacted by the impeding tuition class action lawsuit.
https://carlsonlynch.com/washington-state-u-washington-u-oregon-and-osu-class-action-lawsuit/
It’s a good idea to post a little bit about the link – otherwise people don’t click thru.