Uva finds road to science glory co$tly

Parents Forum
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<p>"A $126 million effort to attract world-class research professors to the University of Virginia has apparently failed to provide the expected boost to the university’s reputation, according to UVa President John T. Casteen III.</p>

<p>The three-year recruitment effort, known as the “star scientist initiative,” has so far lured six top-tier science researchers to UVa at a cost of $20 million."
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“I can’t imagine another way that we can catch up with other institutions,” Casteen said. “If there’s an arms race, then we’re losing it.”</p>

<p>New research facilities are needed to attract the best and brightest science professors to UVa, Casteen said. The university’s current policy of recruiting expensive faculty members and then custom building lab space for them has proved a “disaster,” he said."</p>

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<p>That has implications for similar efforts at several other state flagship universities. Thanks for sharing the link.</p>

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<p>Haven't they heard the saying "Build it and they will come"? They were expecting them to come without it being built?</p>

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<p>I can see the headlines at some future date- "Undergraduate Education Sacrificed to Research..." I hope this initiative does not detract from their other missions as a state school, including providing equally good facilities for their students.</p>

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<p>That mission depends on the state system. It's pretty clear that in Washington, the UW and WASU are research schools, and that Central, Eastern, Western, and Evergreen are about teaching. Similarly, in California the UC is explicitly meant to be a research institution, while the CSUs and the community college system are focused on teaching. Big research schools also teach, of course, but for a lot of them it's RESEARCH and teaching -- in that order and with that emphasis. If UVA is chartered as a research university, it's possible it is failing in its mission.</p>

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<p>I find it difficult to believe that Prexy Casteen would believe that a college's "reputation" would change rapidly with the expenditure of $20million in new hires.</p>

<p>While I am sure the departments have been improved by these reknowned faculty hires, the corresponding realization by the public at large will take many years and even much of the academic community.</p>

<p>And why does Pres. Casteen place so much emphasis on reputation anyhow? The fact that new faculty are on campus and in the classroom should be reward enough.</p>