4 ms·

These arguments would have a lot less traction if more people were aware of the mind-numbing levels of paperwork involved in applying for and managing federal r

These arguments would have a lot less traction if more people were aware of the mind-numbing levels of paperwork involved in applying for and managing federal research grants. Not to mention running a hedge fund...excuse me, endowment the size of Harvard's. And a lot of those diversity and student affairs jobs these writers especially love to hate on handle things like compliance and risk management. Kind of important when you're running a highly visible and deep-pocketed organization like Harvard!

spencerflem 4y ago
This is exactly the point! Though I agree the article misses it slightly. A university shouldn't be a hedge fund with professors being essentially PR. Writing and being denied for grants is a huge waste of time and resources and is a problem. The solution proposed (add a tax???) doesn't make a ton of sense to me, but these administratiors are problematic on a societal level even if they make sense for the university.
- OkayPhysicist 4y ago
  I disagree with the comment about endowments, to an extent. Endowments are critical in allowing non-profits to pursue their purpose. Without them, there is no level of independence between the non-profit and their benefactors, turning them into a puppet which is tied to the whims of external forces. With an endowment, non-profits are able to reject "gifts" with too many strings attached, or at the very least possess sufficient leverage to not be yanked around. Now, whether a non-profit chooses to pursue their purpose (or if the purpose is even a good one to begin with) is another matter entirely, but it's largely orthogonal.
  - spencerflem 4y ago
    Endowments are fine, but the purpose of the university is not hedge fund finance. When it comes to tough decisions, imo. donors should not win but neither should financial people. The faculty should have the final say.

spencerflem 4y ago

This is exactly the point! Though I agree the article misses it slightly. A university shouldn't be a hedge fund with professors being essentially PR. Writing and being denied for grants is a huge waste of time and resources and is a problem. The solution proposed (add a tax???) doesn't make a ton of sense to me, but these administratiors are problematic on a societal level even if they make sense for the university.

OkayPhysicist 4y ago
I disagree with the comment about endowments, to an extent. Endowments are critical in allowing non-profits to pursue their purpose. Without them, there is no level of independence between the non-profit and their benefactors, turning them into a puppet which is tied to the whims of external forces. With an endowment, non-profits are able to reject "gifts" with too many strings attached, or at the very least possess sufficient leverage to not be yanked around. Now, whether a non-profit chooses to pursue their purpose (or if the purpose is even a good one to begin with) is another matter entirely, but it's largely orthogonal.
- spencerflem 4y ago
  Endowments are fine, but the purpose of the university is not hedge fund finance. When it comes to tough decisions, imo. donors should not win but neither should financial people. The faculty should have the final say.