I had a chance to ask the chancellor or the ND higher ed system a question today. You should watch the video showing Wendell Berry's address, which is linked in the blog post below this one, and then think about this post.
The chancellor had been saying he wanted academic faculty to be represented on the search committee to find a new president for NDSU, and he also wanted research represented. A professor in the back of the room said he was confused about the distinction the chancellor was drawing between academic faculty and research because, "most of us on the faculty think of ourselves as teachers and researchers."
The Chancellor sort of acknowledged that yes, faculty do research, but, gesturing toward the research park at the north end of campus, he said that he also means the kind of research up in the research park and in ag. It finally dawned on me that he was perhaps using "research" as a euphemism to refer to corporate funding of research--you know, the "kept university" syndrom, in which private industry funds research that benefits the corporation that provides the funding.
So I raised my hand, and when he acknowledged it, I said, "Over the years, the portion of funding coming from public funding has diminished percentagewise while funding from private corporations has gone up, especially in support of research. Could you talk about that in relationship to your notion about whose interests should be represented on the search committee? I mean in terms of the public's interest and the interests of corporations." He explained that it is impossible to run a university these days on public funds alone. It takes a partnership with business. So I followed up briefly, "So the interests of corporations that have funded research here at NDSU in the past will be represented on the search committee?" "Yes, definately," he responded.
I wonder which corporations have funded most of research here. I wonder which corporations he will ask to nominate members for the search committee. I wonder how much of our research in the future will support private industry instead of the public interest. I think I know who the camel in the tent is because I remember the NPSAS requested an account of the funding for research at NDSU. Perhaps they can tell you who it is.
Wouldn't this be a refreshing change for a commencement address? Source: www.youtube.comWendell Berry's Northern Kentucky University Commencement Address Spring 2009 - Part 1
Sheryl and I just went to "Capitalism, a Love Story," a documentary by Michael Moore, this afternoon. We recommend that you see it.
There was an interview with someone who worked for Country Wide Mortgage Company, who reminded us that several members of congress were under investigation a couple years ago for receiving sweet-deal financing from Country Wide. Conrad, one of North Dakota's senators, was among them. I vaguely remember the scandal being in the news, but nothing seems to have come from it. Sounds like Conrad is not opposed to receiving financial goodies from those trying to influence our policy makers.
The second reason not to vote for Conrad? He's one of the senators in the democratic party who refuses to support a public option for the healthcare reform bill. One wonders if he is more concerned about North Dakotans, like small farmers, food service workers, teaching assistants, and WalMart workers, who can't get insurance or about the profitability of Blue Cross Blue Shield, ND, a company that has been in the spotlight for a $2 Million severance package scandal for the CEO who had a $1 Million salary and squandered money hosting retreats to the Carribean.
Conrad won't get my vote again, and I've heard that I'm not alone.
I rejoice in the gift of companionship. We mirror each other.
I want to understand the mystery of intimacy and otherness.
Although she is so close that she seems to be part of me, She is so other that I can never fully know her. I have known her more deeply and longer than I have known anyone else.
We walk together, sometimes glancing at each other, sometimes meditating on each other's face. But we often simply look at the same things together, sitting side by side.
I am not surprised when she says what I am thinking.
A couple hours ago, I posted a status report on Facebook saying we would listen to Prairie Home and enjoy cooking and eating together. Well, we did enjoy cooking and eating. Because FB will disappear, I'll record here in our journal that we had tuna steaks, roasted vegetables, roasted baby butternut squash, and boiled brussel sprouts. We supplemented the meal with a glass of 2005 Syrah. It was delicious.
But it turns out that Prairie Home was a fund raiser for public radio--does anyone else think that fund raising is taking up a lot more air time than it used to?--so we turned it off and put on a CD, "The Best of the Moody Blues." Talk about nostalgia! With Sheryl's help we figured out that the album with "Questions" on it provided a sizable percentage of the music on this album and that it was in the spring of 1970 that we began listening to that album--that's more than 39 years ago folks! I had a vision of a half-circle gauge with a 90 degree sweep for the arrow hand. When I first listened to this album, and I did so religiously in the "little red house" in Kearney, the hand was pointing at about 20 degrees, and tonight it is pointing at 58 degrees, a sweep of 38 degrees. That's a pretty large sweep of time! Even if I live to age 90 (unlikely), I have only 32 degrees left.
It is strange to feel the sweep of time and yet to experience the Moody Blues as though it was only yesterday when we began to listen to them. If I wasn't fully convinced that Jesus has prepared a place for us after this earthly life, I would be experiencing a sense of rebellion against the injustice of time in the cosmos. But, thanks be to God for His promise of everlasting love and life in Christ Jesus.
Lifetime
