How do folks here receive the Persis Drell defense (excerpt quoted below, full quote above) of the growing administration headcount under her watch?
"When properly accounted for, staff growth has in fact been measured and fully in keeping with the growth in operations that supports the university’s key activities, Drell said."
I'm skeptical. Organizations, like empires, yearn to grow and always have "reasons" to add head-count. Left alone they ALWAYS grow and hiring another administrator never gets the scrutiny given to hiring another academic. Stanford's lean toward risk avoidance must be music to each department in search of a greater budget and larger staff. In their view problems on campus are calling out for more control, more oversight, and more reporting. They are a tool box of hammers competing to claim a loose nail and it's (partly) the provost's role to rein these tendencies in. So, count me as skeptical.
Related - This week there is a an on-campus event where the campus is listening to alumni reps over concerns they are hearing within their alumni class cohort. This is coming after a particularly bad PR period for the university. I wonder what those meetings sound like?
"When trouble arises and things look bad, there is always one individual who perceives a solution and is willing to take command. Very often, that person is crazy." --Dave Barry
"There go my people. I must find out where they are going so I can lead them." --Alexandre Ledru-Rollin
"When properly accounted for, staff growth has in fact been measured and fully in keeping with the growth in operations that supports the university’s key activities, Drell said."
I'm skeptical. Organizations, like empires, yearn to grow and always have "reasons" to add head-count. Left alone they ALWAYS grow and hiring another administrator never gets the scrutiny given to hiring another academic. Stanford's lean toward risk avoidance must be music to each department in search of a greater budget and larger staff. In their view problems on campus are calling out for more control, more oversight, and more reporting. They are a tool box of hammers competing to claim a loose nail and it's (partly) the provost's role to rein these tendencies in. So, count me as skeptical.
Related - This week there is a an on-campus event where the campus is listening to alumni reps over concerns they are hearing within their alumni class cohort. This is coming after a particularly bad PR period for the university. I wonder what those meetings sound like?
"When trouble arises and things look bad, there is always one individual who perceives a solution and is willing to take command. Very often, that person is crazy." --Dave Barry
"There go my people. I must find out where they are going so I can lead them." --Alexandre Ledru-Rollin
In 1938 Neville Chamberlain declared "Peace in our time", Superman first appeared in Action Comics, Seabiscuit beat War Admiral ....... and C.a.l last won the Rose Bowl.