<p>I'm sure some of you are aware that Power's job maybe in jeopardy due to disagreements in tuition with Gov. Perry. Losing Powers could devalue the national academic and athletic prestige that the University of Texas holds. Here's a little more information regarding this issue from a Longhorn site I participate in:</p>
<p>Mondays</a> In The Humidor With The Big Cigar 5/14/2012 - InsideTexas Forums</p>
<p>Thanks and I'd like to hear your thoughts.</p>
<p>They’re both knuckle heads; Rick Perry, far more than Powers though…jesus how did this airhead get in charge of the state. Head for the hills if he does run for president later on. He’s not a governor. He’s an imbecile dictator wannabe!</p>
<p>I agree with the freezing of undergrad tuition for two years.
Which will help me at least…for two years. Only now I’ll be here longer than 2014 'cause I’m doing a dual-degree. Not looking forward to seeing that considerable hike in tuition for me. AH well, aren’t we all expecting a mountain of debt? At least the ones who don’t have full rides (99% hah) and support of wealthy parents. </p>
<p>Athletic programs don’t apply to me. I’d rather see a dollar spent elsewhere. Whatever with that. </p>
<p>On another note – word on the street is that Powers comes off as a jerk when it comes to the whole sweatshop cluster of issues involving the sale of UT merch.</p>
<p>Why is Powers a knucklehead?</p>
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</p>
<p>Did you read President Power’s recent e-mail?</p>
<p>
[UT</a> Longhorns top nation in football revenue - Houston Business Journal](<a href=“http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/morning_call/2011/09/ut-longhorns-top-nation-in-football.html]UT”>http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/morning_call/2011/09/ut-longhorns-top-nation-in-football.html)
[University</a> of Texas ranks 12th in men?s basketball revenue - Austin Business Journal](<a href=“http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/2011/10/17/university-of-texas-ranks-12th-in.html]University”>http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/2011/10/17/university-of-texas-ranks-12th-in.html)</p>
<p>Just so this is clear, the UT athletic department budget is self-sustaining–meaning it makes it own money and then some. Most of that revenue comes from football so that non-revenue sports such as women’s basketball, etc. can be funded. In addition, the UT athletic department also gives funds to the academic arm of the University. There is a long-held misconception that UT sports “take away funds” from academics. This is not the case at all. </p>
<p>President Powers has done much for the University during his tenure. But, the issue here is larger than just President Powers. Are we as students, Exes, and parents going to allow UT-Austin to become a political “petri dish” for Governor Good Hair Aggy to play with, all the while ruining UT in the process by reducing the quality and value of a UT education? Just think how painful paying back student loans will be if your degree(s) are viewed as less valuable because of the ludicrous intervention by a butt-hurt, power hungry aggy?</p>
<p>There is a Facebook page entitled I Stand With Bill Powers where students, etc. can show their support for President Powers and keeping the integrity of the University intact. I can give you the link if you PM me.</p>
<p>I urge those on this board who will be, or are, attending UT, along with any parents, to join this Facebook group.</p>
<p>Powers is a knucklehead by his lack of action regarding sweatshops and the protests students put up. That’s a different issue anyways. </p>
<p>I’m good with tuition prices not going up for the next two years. It already cost an arm and a leg! However, you’re right. Had to dig that email out of the trash folder. Usually it’s just general announcements that I consider spam. Tuition increases are a necessary evil I suppose. We should get more state funding. </p>
<p>I do side with him. And down with Perry!</p>
<p>What was in that “President Power’s recent e-mail”?</p>
<p>And what programs are in jeopardy because of tuition freeze?</p>
<p>Enlighten me, please.</p>
<p>YaYa–here is the link to Tower Talk, a blog that President Powers publishes, which you can subscribe to if you like.[May</a> 2012 Tower Talk](<a href=“http://blogs.utexas.edu/towertalk/2012/05/]May”>http://blogs.utexas.edu/towertalk/2012/05/)</p>
<p>The e-mail referred to by Sasha was a response by President Powers on May 3 to the denial of UT-Austin’s request for a small tuition increase, and resulted in a subsequent two year freeze on tuition. Here is a direct link:[Regents</a> act on medical school funding and UT Austin tuition Tower Talk](<a href=“http://blogs.utexas.edu/towertalk/2012/05/03/regents-act-on-medical-school-funding-and-ut-austin-tuition/]Regents”>http://blogs.utexas.edu/towertalk/2012/05/03/regents-act-on-medical-school-funding-and-ut-austin-tuition/)
This is the quote that has Governor Good Hair Aggy in a dither:
This innocuous comment irritated Good Hair Aggy so much that he has put pressure on the Board of Regents to vote President Powers out of office.</p>
<p>As you can tell from the blog post, state funding has decreased substantially over the years. If UT wants to continue to be a sought-after institution of higher learning, then funding is crucial. </p>
<p>That being said, it is critical that UT-Austin does not become a political chip for Governor Good Hair Aggy. Since you are a parent of an incoming freshman, this can and will affect her if there is not a collective fight to keep him out of UT-Austin affairs. He’s already tinkered with A&M to their detriment. Let’s not allow him to do the same to UT.</p>
<p>I got an email from the TexasExes with an email address to contact to express displeasure with his possible firing.</p>
<p>My dad works with President Powers on athletic/academic issues and has a LOT of respect for him. Dad is really upset by all this nonsense.</p>
<p>To reiterate, the UT football program MAKES money for the University. It sure is hard to get that message out. I keep trying, lol.</p>
<p>Hmm. Well… that’s good. Continue with the reindeer games.
haha</p>
<p>I’ve been keeping a close eye on this for the past couple weeks and even attended the faculty meeting. Though I have not followed University politics too closely before now, an overwhelming majority of the tuned-in students and faculty have voiced their support for Powers as a leader. It seems that Powers’ competency as President is unassailable and that his interests are pure. Apparently, the only motivation behind ousting him is the disagreement between his and Perry’s vision for the University. Given that Powers is identified with a more prestigious UT, I understand why so many alumni and faculty back him. </p>
<p>I want to protect UT and therefore support Powers. However, all of my information surrounding this issue seems to have come from die-hard Longhorns. In the interest of objectivity, could anyone point me towards some news from the other side? I’m interested in reading an unbiased piece explaining Perry’s perspective.</p>
<p>The thing that bothers me is we could send a whole lot of emails and letters but it won’t matter with a stubborn guy like Perry at the helm. He’ll get what he wants with UT. I hope I’m wrong and that we can make an impact. Of course, should it not, I’m hoping whatever he(Perry) does doesn’t lead to the downfall of the academic prestige of UT.</p>
<p>I still don’t understand what programs are in jeopardy.</p>
<p>These (pp 5-9)?
<a href=“Cost & Tuition Rates - Texas One Stop - University of Texas at Austin”>Cost & Tuition Rates - Texas One Stop - University of Texas at Austin;
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YaYa, the pages you cite, 5-9, are the ones that are important to review. As your daughter is an incoming freshman, she will be impacted by “bottleneck classes.” As you probably know, these are classes needed for several majors as a requirement and there just aren’t enough sections to accommodate all the students who need them. So, it delays a student’s ability to graduate on time (4 years). President Powers wants to improve the 4 year graduation rate from 50% to at least 70% with the Class of 2016. That cannot occur with no money to hire more professors to teach these “bottleneck courses.” </p>
<p>This is just one example of the effect the tuition freeze will have at UT, but it is relevant to your daughter (and mine as well).</p>
<p>Thought I’d bump this up, but from what I’m hearing, the Board of Regents had a meeting this past month and it looks like Powers will be asked to step down.</p>
<p>@JHB</p>
<p>Thanks for the update. Republican politics at play here, students at UT will not accept this.</p>