Off Season Articles Around the Valley

[SpanglerFan316]

Unfortunately, there is a general trend in education to scale back or eliminate departments that are purely academic rather than specifically career oriented (see cuts to the humanities). Schools are under tighter budget pressures as levels of state funding have been decreasing for decades, making tuition a larger and larger part of higher education's funding. With tuition being the driver of funding, programs that do not bring in those student tuition dollars are much more at risk that when the funding model was based on supporting educational pursuits for society's good, regardless of the number of students.

I hate seeing stuff like this, but make no mistake, this is not just an issue for Wichita State. It is happening all over the country, and will continue to matter until we decide as a society that education is worth funding for reasons beyond individual students getting a degree that gets you a job.

As I read the stories, budget cuts were not a factor in the decision. In fact, I found a Sunflower article http://www.thesunflower.com/web/isite.dll?1272244829840 from Monday and it said, in part,
"Bischoff said alternatives could include combining physics into another department or splitting the faculty into other departments. He said no faculty member would lose their jobs and every effort would be made to reassign them."

[WuDrWu]

This is even a tough decision?

We are hemorrhaging money in education, and this is a department that, according to the article, has 3 graduates in 5 years.

Allow someone else to have a Physics program and concentrate on what kids are interested in learning.

In a perfect world we'd have a department for everyone, but we don't live in a perfect world.

This is an EASY decision.

[The Mad Hatter]

Unfortunately, there is a general trend in education to scale back or eliminate departments that are purely academic rather than specifically career oriented (see cuts to the humanities). Schools are under tighter budget pressures as levels of state funding have been decreasing for decades, making tuition a larger and larger part of higher education's funding. With tuition being the driver of funding, programs that do not bring in those student tuition dollars are much more at risk that when the funding model was based on supporting educational pursuits for society's good, regardless of the number of students.

I hate seeing stuff like this, but make no mistake, this is not just an issue for Wichita State. It is happening all over the country, and will continue to matter until we decide as a society that education is worth funding for reasons beyond individual students getting a degree that gets you a job.

As I read the stories, budget cuts were not a factor in the decision. In fact, I found a Sunflower article http://www.thesunflower.com/web/isite.dll?1272244829840 from Monday and it said, in part,
"Bischoff said alternatives could include combining physics into another department or splitting the faculty into other departments. He said no faculty member would lose their jobs and every effort would be made to reassign them."

It is not merely budget per say, but mission. The change in funding model has shifted the mission of the university towards career preparation and away from broader societal good. As such, departments are not valued as intrinsically necessary, only as necessary in so far as their is a student constituency for it.

[SpanglerFan316]

This is even a tough decision?

We are hemorrhaging money in education, and this is a department that, according to the article, has 3 graduates in 5 years.

Allow someone else to have a Physics program and concentrate on what kids are interested in learning.

In a perfect world we'd have a department for everyone, but we don't live in a perfect world.

This is an EASY decision.

"All the problems Miller cites did exist two years ago, Solomey said, when he was hired by the administration to revive the department. But he did revive it, he said; there are now 38 majors, and eight students graduating; there will be larger numbers in the year to come. The problem is well on it's way to being solved; the numbers trend is up, test scores are up, he said."

[SpanglerFan316]

this is a department that, according to the article, has 3 graduates in 5 years.

5 x 3 = 15 (not 3)


"Miller said in a proposal written to Beggs in March that the physics department in its last review, completed in February, was attracting only about 16 physics majors among juniors and seniors over five years, and about 3 graduates" (per year averaged over 5 years).

[WuDrWu]

this is a department that, according to the article, has 3 graduates in 5 years.

5 x 3 = 15 (not 3)


"Miller said in a proposal written to Beggs in March that the physics department in its last review, completed in February, was attracting only about 16 physics majors among juniors and seniors over five years, and about 3 graduates" (per year averaged over 5 years).

5 x 3 =15 and not 3....REALLY? Wow, thanks for the lesson. Your addition of (per year averaged over 5 years) IS NOT in the article. MAYBE that is factual and maybe it isn't, but let's say that it is.

BIG DEAL. So they are graduating 3 PER YEAR. Should we have a entire department for it?????? If you think we should, then you DEFINE the problem in government sponsored programs.

Defending the position you are taking requires, in my humble opinion, A RENEWED FULL AND FIRM GRASP OF REALITY because it appears you have none.

[Kung Wu]

This is even a tough decision?

We are hemorrhaging money in education, and this is a department that, according to the article, has 3 graduates in 5 years.

Allow someone else to have a Physics program and concentrate on what kids are interested in learning.

In a perfect world we'd have a department for everyone, but we don't live in a perfect world.

This is an EASY decision.

Sure, let's just turn Wichita State University into Wichita State Vocational College. W.S.U. is a research university, not a trade school.

Physics is a core science which should be required at ALL serious research institutions of higher learning for nearly every degree. English, mathematics, and core sciences are simply fundamental and there is no opting out of them if you want to be taken serious as a research school.

[NCAABound]

This is even a tough decision?

We are hemorrhaging money in education, and this is a department that, according to the article, has 3 graduates in 5 years.

Allow someone else to have a Physics program and concentrate on what kids are interested in learning.

In a perfect world we'd have a department for everyone, but we don't live in a perfect world.

This is an EASY decision.

Sure, let's just turn Wichita State University into Wichita State Vocational College. W.S.U. is a research university, not a trade school.

Physics is a core science which should be required at ALL serious research institutions of higher learning for nearly every degree. English, mathematics, and core sciences are simply fundamental and there is no opting out of them if you want to be taken serious as a research school.

So let's just TEACH the necessary physics classes needed for other degree completions. Why have an entire department or degree if it's not needed and requires additional funding or resources?

[Kung Wu]

This is even a tough decision?

We are hemorrhaging money in education, and this is a department that, according to the article, has 3 graduates in 5 years.

Allow someone else to have a Physics program and concentrate on what kids are interested in learning.

In a perfect world we'd have a department for everyone, but we don't live in a perfect world.

This is an EASY decision.

Sure, let's just turn Wichita State University into Wichita State Vocational College. W.S.U. is a research university, not a trade school.

Physics is a core science which should be required at ALL serious research institutions of higher learning for nearly every degree. English, mathematics, and core sciences are simply fundamental and there is no opting out of them if you want to be taken serious as a research school.

So let's just TEACH the necessary physics classes needed for other degree completions. Why have an entire department or degree if it's not needed and requires additional funding or resources?

Research university teachers are RESEARCHERs. I suppose you could hire high-school physics teachers as adjuncts (assuming they don't want to do research). But as a student I'd prefer to have, and indeed am paying for, accomplished researchers to teach my courses.

Believe me, I am all for cutting the fat. The fat however, is not core education, it is the departments outside of core curriculum where we should focus attention.

[Maggie]

I’m with Kung Wu on this one.

So let me get this straight – they are looking to cut and/or minimize a hard science.

Physics is a subject that college students should be interested in and it should be encouraged by the University. If the Administration wants to cut or consolidate I would humbly suggest taking a hard look at useless fluff courses that are nothing more than a certain professor’s pet issue (also these courses are excuses for “experienced” professors to get out of teaching introductory courses in their academic field - courses often taught by grad students rather than by veteran professors).

[ShockBand]

If dropping the physics degree program results in the engineering programs losing enrollment due to the perception that core sciences aren't important (which is possible according to some engineers interviewed in the article), then the impact is far wider than just the major in physics. Do we want to do anything that might diminish the COE's hard and well earned reputation, and thus lose enrollment there?

Lets face it, engineering (namely aerospace) is one of the few programs at WSU that does have national stature. We need to preserve that!

[tropicalshox]

Kevin Dillard is officially released from SIU:

http://www.chicagohoops.com/articles1/dillardtransfer.html

[SubGod22]

Kevin Dillard is officially released from SIU:

http://www.chicagohoops.com/articles...dtransfer.html

Who'll be next?

[RoyalShock]

Lowery held a presser yesterday. Booker has also been granted his release.

http://siusalukis.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/042710aaa.html

[SubGod22]

They're screwed and don't have Carmichael to save them 8)