Sheepleherder - if you own property in this area then you're a complete idiot to be so gung-ho after today's event. If you are unemployed then you have have my sympathy, however this type of short term gauging of the local area won't do you much good long term.
My house shook. That has never happened in the 8 years that we've lived here. Once the powers-that-be work out why my house shook, because of frack-related drilling or something else, my house is now worth a lot less than it was before these inconvenient earthquakes started happening. One step forwards, five step backwards in this backwards part of the world.
There are plenty of internet-based resources out there to get an idea of who is "good" or "bad" on any campus. Most are anonymous and subjective (for example www.ratemyprofessors.com) but they give a general idea of classroom quality.
YSU faculty salaries have historically been quite low when compared to similar institutions. One of the main achievements of the union has been to negotiate increases that have brought salaries more in line with the national market. How else do you attract good faculty (or any highly-trained individual in any job) if you can't offer them a competitive salary and benefits?
Looking through the YSU website at various departments, there are some very good people there. There are some less than stellar individuals also, however that could be said for any campus in the USA. For being a very affordable institution, the quality of faculty in general actually looks pretty good overall. Many publish, present talks, mentor students, and write grant proposals. Some do not.
As far as tenure goes, that is a general basis of the higher education system in this country. It is a form of security that allows US faculty to speak their minds when in disagreement with colleagues and administrators; it also allows them to develop riskier projects in their research and scholarship activities. There are always people that slow down (or grind to a halt) but most do not. Maybe 5 year reviews would be better, as long as they were objective and not subject to favoritism. This would require a major overhaul of the US higher education system, however, and could deter talented students from considering academic careers of their own. Why on earth would a good student want to be a professor when they could make a lot more as a lawyer, physician, pharmacist, etc. with less training than many faculty have to go through?
Maintaining an affordable university in your area seems to be pretty important to a lot of people and many of the degrees offered at YSU seem to be setting students up for competitive futures. Whether that (affordable) campus is populated by quality faculty will depend on a good work environment and competitive compensation. If those factors deteriorate, the better people will look elsewhere and the school will be left with the type of people that you list as being less than desirable. As you well know, that's how the market works.
Good to hear that there might be some flexibility here.
YSU really doesn't want to alienate their better faculty. With the fall hiring cycle upon us, there are plenty of jobs out there for the many talented profs on that campus. If they leave, your campus and area is screwed.
YSU names new education department dean
So you want to hire a Dean through a national search that is willing to move to your area for less then $94,000? No chance. No chance at all.
June 7, 2012 at 10:45 p.m. permalink suggest removal
New bus plan to send Austintown kids on WRTA
You people are so spoiled and out out of touch it's unreal.
When we were kids we had to walk 3 miles to school and back uphill both ways, even when it was snowing in July, in bare feet. But we were happy.
June 7, 2012 at 8:57 p.m. permalink suggest removal
YSU names new education department dean
What is the median income in your economically depressed area?
June 7, 2012 at 7:40 p.m. permalink suggest removal
Komen chairty facing backlash over decision against Planned Parenthood
AtownAugie - could you point me towards a link or an article that supports your statement? Thanks.
February 2, 2012 at 8:38 p.m. permalink suggest removal
UPDATE: State bans injection wells within 5 miles of Youngstown site
Sheepleherder - if you own property in this area then you're a complete idiot to be so gung-ho after today's event. If you are unemployed then you have have my sympathy, however this type of short term gauging of the local area won't do you much good long term.
December 31, 2011 at 11:24 p.m. permalink suggest removal
UPDATE: State bans injection wells within 5 miles of Youngstown site
My house shook. That has never happened in the 8 years that we've lived here. Once the powers-that-be work out why my house shook, because of frack-related drilling or something else, my house is now worth a lot less than it was before these inconvenient earthquakes started happening. One step forwards, five step backwards in this backwards part of the world.
December 31, 2011 at 8:13 p.m. permalink suggest removal
Youngstown State University: Deficit increases by $4.5M
Veleuk:
There are plenty of internet-based resources out there to get an idea of who is "good" or "bad" on any campus. Most are anonymous and subjective (for example www.ratemyprofessors.com) but they give a general idea of classroom quality.
September 14, 2011 at 8:28 p.m. permalink suggest removal
YSU enrollment down 4.3 percent
YSU faculty did not receive any enrollment-based raises. YSU staff did, however. Check your facts.
September 14, 2011 at 7:58 p.m. permalink suggest removal
Still talking at YSU, but no contract
YSU faculty salaries have historically been quite low when compared to similar institutions. One of the main achievements of the union has been to negotiate increases that have brought salaries more in line with the national market. How else do you attract good faculty (or any highly-trained individual in any job) if you can't offer them a competitive salary and benefits?
Looking through the YSU website at various departments, there are some very good people there. There are some less than stellar individuals also, however that could be said for any campus in the USA. For being a very affordable institution, the quality of faculty in general actually looks pretty good overall. Many publish, present talks, mentor students, and write grant proposals. Some do not.
As far as tenure goes, that is a general basis of the higher education system in this country. It is a form of security that allows US faculty to speak their minds when in disagreement with colleagues and administrators; it also allows them to develop riskier projects in their research and scholarship activities. There are always people that slow down (or grind to a halt) but most do not. Maybe 5 year reviews would be better, as long as they were objective and not subject to favoritism. This would require a major overhaul of the US higher education system, however, and could deter talented students from considering academic careers of their own. Why on earth would a good student want to be a professor when they could make a lot more as a lawyer, physician, pharmacist, etc. with less training than many faculty have to go through?
Maintaining an affordable university in your area seems to be pretty important to a lot of people and many of the degrees offered at YSU seem to be setting students up for competitive futures. Whether that (affordable) campus is populated by quality faculty will depend on a good work environment and competitive compensation. If those factors deteriorate, the better people will look elsewhere and the school will be left with the type of people that you list as being less than desirable. As you well know, that's how the market works.
September 3, 2011 at 4:49 p.m. permalink suggest removal
Still talking at YSU, but no contract
Good to hear that there might be some flexibility here.
YSU really doesn't want to alienate their better faculty. With the fall hiring cycle upon us, there are plenty of jobs out there for the many talented profs on that campus. If they leave, your campus and area is screwed.
September 2, 2011 at 9:59 p.m. permalink suggest removal