Hate To Be a Butthead, But...
Letters to the Editor
{ July | August 2011 }
Lookin’ Good
Count me in as one of those who admires the new look of “The Old Alcalde.” Even an old guy needs a new suit every so often. What a refreshing and much-needed change. However, I do believe the old boy had a “senior moment” on page 57! He moved Atlanta from Georgia and positioned it in Alabama. Perhaps he needs to return to campus for Geography 101: Remedial.
—Mickey M. Sparkman, BS ’56, MLS ’66, Life Member, Nashville, Tenn.
Editor’s Note: Senior moment indeed. Sorry, Atlanta—and Alabama.
Hate To Be a Butthead, But…
The cover, layout, etc. of the magazine in the July|August issue is really pretty lame. It looks like a cross between ATX Man and a bad Texas Monthly. The unexpected paper offering on the cover is cool, but that’s about it. Seriously, it looks like someone is trying too hard. I’m really not trying to be a butthead BUT…thought you’d want to hear that feedback.
—Rell Rice, BA ’83, Life Member, Austin
Lay, Lie, Plank, Plunk
I just received my July|August Alcalde. I like the new format but made it only to page 13 (“Planking”) before stumbling over a spine-jarring grammatical error: “Just lay face down….”Hmmm. Chickens lay eggs. Students lay books on their desks. Thistles have down; so do ducks. What, pray tell, is “face down,” and do ducks or people lay it? Keep up the (otherwise) good work, and please humor your loyal, grammar-maven readers by proofreading carefully.
—John E. Clark, LLB ’61, Life Member, San Antonio
[caption id="attachment_2759" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Regents Chairman Frank Erwin. Courtesy of the Briscoe Center"]
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Think Again, Ken
“Regent Meddling Is Nothing New”
I read with interest the Q&A with Ken Ashworth and hope that he was misquoted in your article. His response to your question, “What is wrong with running a university more like a business?” is all too typical of someone in academia. First, not all businesses are in it for a profit! Second, those that are for profit (and those that are well-run) understand the concept of sustainability, are not only short-term focused and decision making is not all top-down. That means that not all research has to have an immediate payback. Any organization needs to be accountable for the funds it is provided whether from revenue, contributions, or tax dollars. The sooner the University and its various departments/disciplines do a better job of “selling” the direction it is taking and demonstrating that it is making good use of the funds available, the more likely it is to be provided additional funding. And that means running the University more like a business!
—Rick Lentz, BS ’68, Life Member, Albuquerque, N.M.
Shame, shame on you for publishing the vitriolic interview with Ken Ashworth without any suggestion of what Frank Erwin’s views may have been in the dispute. Fortunately Ashworth discredits himself by essentially expressing the view: “Just give us academic administrators the money, and don’t question what we do with it.” If that is also The Alcalde’s view, then please take me off your distribution list.
—Phillip Hawley, BS ’57, La Jolla, Calif.
Eating Up the Food Coverage
I received my usual copy of The Alcalde yesterday and was intrigued by the article around the history of the dining experience at UT. As a former resident of Jester in the mid-’80s I can attest to just how bad the food at Jester (and broadly on campus) was. And I loved the side articles about Texadelphia, Dirty’s, the original Kerbey Lane. Only an “in memoriam” for the GM Steakhouse would have topped off the list of my favorite haunts when I was a student at UT escaping the awful campus food. The article brought a smile to my face over the memories of my time at UT.
—Stephen Lancaster, BBA ’91, Life Member, San Jose, Calif.
{ May | June 2011 }
U of Phoenix-Austin
"Would Separating Teaching From Research Make Universities More Productive?"
I don’t weigh in too often, but this sounds like Gov. Rick Perry would like for UT-Austin and Texas A&M-CS to be referred to as the Univ. of Phoenix-Austin and the Univ. of Phoenix-College Station. I have respect for Univ. of PHX grads, but it’s on a ladder. And I expect I’m not alone. UT-Austin & TAMU-CS grads are on a higher rung. For now. If Perry and his think tanks think they can make a better Tier 1 university privately, then why don’t they form a Univ. of Austin/College Station/Paint Creek in the form of a U of PHX?
—Mickey Meacham, BA ’96, Life Member, Aledo
[caption id="attachment_2654" align="alignright" width="240" caption="Photo by Jay B Sauceda"]
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Hooray, Bruce
Thank you very much for profiling some of the notable faculty on campus in last month’s issue. It reminded me how fortunate I was to experience Bruce Buchanan’s American Presidency class as an undergraduate, especially when government was not my major and this was a general elective class catering to underclassmen. When universities are criticized that none of their “high-quality” professors teach larger classes to underclassmen, this is one strong example of that not always being true. Thanks for another great issue of The Alcalde!
—Daniel E. Kubiak, BBA ’96, Life Member, Southlake
Elementary Savings
Thank you, Alcalde, for taking the opportunity in your May Education Issue to shine the spotlight on UT Elementary School. We are so thankful that The University of Texas finds our school an integral part of teaching, learning, and serving the people of Texas. Without UT, we would not exist, much less have the incredible intellectual resources that ensure our students receive a top-quality education with a research-based curriculum. The university invested heavily in our creation and now provides 2 percent of our operating budget, for which we are grateful. It is not any more than 2 percent because it is important that we serve as a model to others—and other schools do not have the benefit of such university support.
I am happy to share that our quest for a permanent facility in East Austin will be much less expensive than anticipated. We will soon break ground on the first phase of the facility for $6 million for the community spaces, followed by the second phase of the campaign for the classrooms.
Thank you again for supporting our work, and Hook ’em!
—Melissa Chavez, BS ’97, MEd ’04, Executive Director, UT Elementary School, Austin
First-rate
I am writing to tell you that The Alcalde May|June issue from cover to cover is first-rate. I thought your editor’s note was both cogent and balanced. The faculty profiles reminded me of the talents, diversity, and dedication of the professors who grace this campus and make me very proud to work here. Personalizing the faculty is very important.
—Margie Rine, Associate Director for Development, Harry Ransom Center, Austin
{ March | April 2011 }
That’s My Son’s Photo
“SXSW@25”
Both my husband (Roy, BS ‘68, MBA ’75) and I (Dale, BA ’72) are devoted UT alumni and Life Members of the Texas Exes. Since we moved to Dallas from Austin, we visit as often as possible and keep up with current happenings on campus and around Austin through The Alcalde.
What a surprise and a delight when I opened the March|April 2011 issue to read the South by Southwest article and found our son’s aerial night shot photograph featured (p. 42)! At the time, he was a partner with Sky High Photography, but has now expanded with his own “ground-based aerial photography” company, Extreme Air Shots.
Tye Truitt is a wonderful example of the young entrepreneurs being trained at UT.
—Dale Truitt, BA ’72, Life Member, Dallas
P.S. As active members of the Board of Visitors for the McDonald Observatory, we were very pleased to see the wonderful coverage of the HETDEX and experiments being conducted at the observatory.
