State Board Deserves Say In Presidents' Evaluations

From the Tampa Tribune:

Today the Florida Board of Governors will consider a proposal to involve itself in the annual evaluations of university presidents. It's not a popular suggestion among some presidents or local university boards of trustees, but it's needed if Florida intends to build a cohesive, well-coordinated state university system that makes the most of available resources. University presidents are among the most important cogs in the wheel of higher education, but the current system allows them only to be evaluated by their local boards, a process that often doesn't consider how a president's leadership fits into the overall Florida higher education system. At its worst, the current system creates parochialism, turf-protection and political tug-of-wars in Tallahassee as universities seek to go their own way rather than working for the good of the state. Somebody - and it ought to be the voter-created statewide Board of Governors - must keep an eye on the big picture.

Read the rest...

UF Whines, FSU Acts

From TCPalm.com:

Ho-hum. University of Florida President Bernie Machen continued his kvetching about "devastating" budget cuts last week. But as he slashes positions, freezes salaries and begs the state to tap emergency reserves for higher education, what sacrifice is Machen willing to make?

The nation's fourth highest-paid college chief — earning $750,000 plus perks — has yet to turn down a raise, let alone give back.

Contrast the top Gator's towering sense of entitlement to what's happening at Florida State University, which, under the same state funding formula, recently issued 3 percent pay raises to faculty and staff, while approving one-time food and fuel supplements to employees making less than $50,000 a year.

When Gainesville spent, the Tallahassee campus wisely scrimped and saved. FSU officials said the money for raises came from reducing all campus budgets more than the state required, and streamlining administrative structures.

Bernie's school may have the better football team this year, but the UF president could learn something here, and start putting his money where his mouth is.

Does FSU have a better president than the University of Florida?

The answer is "quite possibly". An editorial by TCPalm.com notes the contrast between UF's financial situation and that of FSU.

Bernie Machen is the sixth highest paid university presidents in the country but has done nothing to get cost of living increases for faculty and has completely ignored the plight of UF staff. Faculty are actively seeking employment elsewhere. Contrast this with FSU president T.K. Wetherell, who has obviously not created such a top-heavy and costly administration and has managed to build up a $90 million rainy-day fund.

Hey F.S.U.! Want to swap?

Message from President Machen regarding Budget Reduction

In response to the FY 08-09 budget adopted by the Florida Legislature, the University of Florida is making $47 million in cuts that will affect all areas of the university. As a result of the budget cuts, the university will reduce funding for administrative units and research, reduce or eliminate degrees and courses and restructure several departments. "Our priority is to protect the quality of education at the University of Florida," President Bernie Machen said. "With the help of our deans and vice presidents, we have worked very hard to minimize the impacts. But clearly, we cannot take reductions this large without making difficult choices." The budget cuts were achieved by requiring each college and administrative unit to reduce spending by 6 percent. Each dean and vice president determined how the college and unit would meet its goal. The criteria for deciding budget reductions included protecting the university's core missions of education, research and service (including economic development), the strategic goals of the university and the needs of students and the state. Administrators sought to more efficiently allocate resources but in some cases were forced to eliminate services and programs. University libraries and security programs were exempted from the cuts. Promotional raises for faculty will be retained. President Machen will meet with the Faculty Senate Steering Committee on May 8 for faculty review of the budget. The budget will be finalized and presented to the Board of Trustees as a recommendation for their endorsement during a conference call the week of May 12.

Machen Asks For Raise?

According to an anonymous reader:

I've just been told that when Bernie was negotiating his new contract he asked for, but was denied, two things that reflect his greed and insensitivity. He wanted to have:
a) a salary for his wife, as "first lady"
b) a housing allowance.
Given how little Chris Machen appears to do for the University, asking for payment seems ballsy. But the housing allowance is amazing. Here's a man who was given a house, threatened to move out, agreed to say, then moved out. He HAS a housing allowance. Why does he think he deserves another one?

According to a search on the University of Florida website, Chris Machen is involved in several committees on campus. Does this deserve a salary? I'm not certain.

Anonymous, how can we find out if this request for a raise is true? Please help!

UF President's Comments Against Florida Ag Send Industry to War

From the Lakeland Ledger:

Comments attributed to University of Florida President Bernie Machen that "agriculture is a dying industry in the State of Florida" and "not worthy of the investments being made by the Legislature" in the university’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) have united the state's agriculture industry in opposing Machen's effort to cut $50 million from this year's budget and a similar cut in the next fiscal year. "He's getting a full-frontal attack from agriculture saying we are important," said Doug Bournique, executive director of the Indian River Citrus League in Vero Beach. "The word's getting very strongly back to the University of Florida that agriculture is very important to this state -- it's the backbone." (more)

Lawsuits? What's This All About?

The site has been inundated with copies of this comment. Does anyone know what this is all about? Hey poster... instead of posting all over the site, provide some details and links to substantiate your claim... I'll be happy to update this site accordingly. I'm just not interested in having all of my comment sections hit with information that doesn't relate to the individual posts.

Two law suits are being fought in the Circuit Court in Alachua County, FL (# 01-05-CA-4694, # 01-07-CA-912) involving Theft of Intellectual Property of a Unique, New Cancer Cure, Breach of Contract, and use of misappropriated Intellectual Property to obtain Federal Tax Payer Funds for Scientific Research, constituting a Federal felony.

The University of Florida is the most powerful organization in Florida, and is using its considerable muscle to destroy the inventor of the Cancer Cure, who is representing himself in court as Pro Se counsel. The University has hired a team of “Super-Lawyers” in an attempt to sway judicial opinion in its favor. Proof of the veracity of the inventor’s claims is the recent abrupt termination of the Director of the University of Florida Shands Cancer Center, Dr. W. Stratford May, MD, who is a named party in the above law suits, as well as the research grants his research team obtained from using the invention.