[974] in UA Senate
Re: Chancellor Search
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Daniel Hawkins)
Tue Dec 7 00:53:16 2010
Reply-To: hwkns@MIT.EDU
In-Reply-To: <7F702584-8670-4745-BCCF-7E76F49BDEE9@mit.edu>
Date: Tue, 7 Dec 2010 00:53:13 -0500
From: Daniel Hawkins <hwkns@MIT.EDU>
To: "David M. Templeton" <dtemp@mit.edu>
Cc: Janet Li <jli12@mit.edu>, Jessica Chen <jessicachen.dbhs@gmail.com>,
Adam Bockelie <bockelie@mit.edu>, UA Senate <ua-senate@mit.edu>
--90e6ba3fd853cb5bc30496cb9e1b
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Dave, I believe one big reason student voice doesn't mean as much as it did
years ago is that there are so many outsiders running things today. Student
voice doesn't mean shit at most other schools; that's the status quo. I
honestly think search committees like this are one of our greatest chances
to make a positive impact on MIT's future.
-hwkns
On Tue, Dec 7, 2010 at 12:46 AM, David M. Templeton <dtemp@mit.edu> wrote:
> Hockfield came from outside, and indications are that the rest of the
> Admins approve of her because she is focusing on the things they care about:
> making sure the money is there, making sure the MIT Brand is worth
> something, interacting with Gov and Business, etc. I have a feeling the
> admins think she has done fine as an outsider and don't have any qualms
> about getting a Chancellor from outside as well.
>
> Also, think about how Admins are looking at Colombo: he is able to make
> tough decisions to solve longstanding problems and save MIT money. He's
> pushing through dining and isn't being a wimp, and is making smart political
> decisions like semi-appeasing the current students while making the earlier
> proposal take effect in its entirety after current students are graduated.
>
> Of course WE might not like Hockfield (for doing about nothing for
> students) and Colombo (for doing mostly negative things for students), but
> remember the admins are going to choose successors and not a democratic
> vote. So you're going to need to come up with REALLY GOOD REASONS to
> convince the admins to look only within MIT. I don't have any strong
> suggestions at the moment. Perhaps the UA needs to take care of something
> more basic: that student voice means less now than it did years ago, and the
> Admins need to care more about what we think about all issues, beyond Dining
> and the Chancellor Search (not that you all aren't staying awake at night
> thinking of reasons to fix this).
>
> Dave
>
>
> On Dec 7, 2010, at 12:21 AM, Janet Li wrote:
>
> > Yeah. Case in point: Dean Colombo. We don't really want to bring in
> someone from outside of MIT who will try to change our unique culture, in
> order to make us fit the mold of other schools.
> >
> >
> > On Tue, Dec 7, 2010 at 12:17 AM, Jessica Chen <
> jessicachen.dbhs@gmail.com> wrote:
> > I believe so too just so they have an idea of what MIT is like. I mean I
> understand the benefits of having someone new with fresh ideas, but I don't
> believe MIT should be drastically changed just because it would take them
> time to adjust to how MIT functions.
> >
> > Sooooo. I second that? ;)
> >
> > Sincerely,
> > ~Jessica Chen
> > MIT 2014
> >
> >
> >
> > On Tue, Dec 7, 2010 at 12:07 AM, Adam Bockelie <bockelie@mit.edu> wrote:
> > To continue the discussion:
> >
> > Sammi asked if the new Chancellor should be from MIT. I say yes. As one
> of MIT's most senior administrators, I think the Chancellor needs to have an
> intimate understanding of MIT. The Chancellor needs to understand how the
> MIT community (undergrads, grads, faculty, staff) functions: how we confront
> complex issues, how we find solutions, what we value, and what we believe.
> >
> > I don't think someone from outside MIT will have the appropriate level of
> understanding of these issues.
> >
> > What do the rest of you think?
> >
> >
> > --
> > Adam Bockelie
> > 801.209.7233
> > <bockelie@mit.edu>
> >
> > Massachusetts Institute of Technology
> > Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
> > Class of 2011
> >
> >
> >
>
>
--90e6ba3fd853cb5bc30496cb9e1b
Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Dave, I believe one big reason student voice doesn't mean as much as it=
did years ago is that there are so many outsiders running things today.=A0=
Student voice doesn't mean shit at most other schools; that's the =
status quo.=A0 I honestly think search committees like this are one of our =
greatest chances to make a positive impact on MIT's future.<br>
<br>-hwkns<br><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote">On Tue, Dec 7, 2010 at 12:46 A=
M, David M. Templeton <span dir=3D"ltr"><<a href=3D"mailto:dtemp@mit.edu=
">dtemp@mit.edu</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" =
style=3D"margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 20=
4); padding-left: 1ex;">
Hockfield came from outside, and indications are that the rest of the Admin=
s approve of her because she is focusing on the things they care about: mak=
ing sure the money is there, making sure the MIT Brand is worth something, =
interacting with Gov and Business, etc. =A0I have a feeling the admins thin=
k she has done fine as an outsider and don't have any qualms about gett=
ing a Chancellor from outside as well.<br>
<br>
Also, think about how Admins are looking at Colombo: he is able to make tou=
gh decisions to solve longstanding problems and save MIT money. =A0He's=
pushing through dining and isn't being a wimp, and is making smart pol=
itical decisions like semi-appeasing the current students while making the =
earlier proposal take effect in its entirety after current students are gra=
duated.<br>
<br>
Of course WE might not like Hockfield (for doing about nothing for students=
) and Colombo (for doing mostly negative things for students), but remember=
the admins are going to choose successors and not a democratic vote. =A0So=
you're going to need to come up with REALLY GOOD REASONS to convince t=
he admins to look only within MIT. =A0I don't have any strong suggestio=
ns at the moment. =A0Perhaps the UA needs to take care of something more ba=
sic: that student voice means less now than it did years ago, and the Admin=
s need to care more about what we think about all issues, beyond Dining and=
the Chancellor Search (not that you all aren't staying awake at night =
thinking of reasons to fix this).<br>
<br>
Dave<br>
<div><div></div><div class=3D"h5"><br>
<br>
On Dec 7, 2010, at 12:21 AM, Janet Li wrote:<br>
<br>
> Yeah. Case in point: Dean Colombo. We don't really want to bring i=
n someone from outside of MIT who will try to change our unique culture, in=
order to make us fit the mold of other schools.<br>
><br>
><br>
> On Tue, Dec 7, 2010 at 12:17 AM, Jessica Chen <<a href=3D"mailto:je=
ssicachen.dbhs@gmail.com">jessicachen.dbhs@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br>
> I believe so too just so they have an idea of what MIT is like. I mean=
I understand the benefits of having someone new with fresh ideas, but I do=
n't believe MIT should be drastically changed just because it would tak=
e them time to adjust to how MIT functions.<br>
><br>
> Sooooo. I second that? ;)<br>
><br>
> Sincerely,<br>
> ~Jessica Chen<br>
> MIT 2014<br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
> On Tue, Dec 7, 2010 at 12:07 AM, Adam Bockelie <<a href=3D"mailto:b=
ockelie@mit.edu">bockelie@mit.edu</a>> wrote:<br>
> To continue the discussion:<br>
><br>
> Sammi asked if the new Chancellor should be from MIT. =A0I say yes. =
=A0As one of MIT's most senior administrators, I think the Chancellor n=
eeds to have an intimate understanding of MIT. =A0The Chancellor needs to u=
nderstand how the MIT community (undergrads, grads, faculty, staff) functio=
ns: how we confront complex issues, how we find solutions, what we value, a=
nd what we believe.<br>
><br>
> I don't think someone from outside MIT will have the appropriate l=
evel of understanding of these issues.<br>
><br>
> What do the rest of you think?<br>
><br>
><br>
> --<br>
> Adam Bockelie<br>
> 801.209.7233<br>
> <<a href=3D"mailto:bockelie@mit.edu">bockelie@mit.edu</a>><br>
><br>
> Massachusetts Institute of Technology<br>
> Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering<br>
> Class of 2011<br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
<br>
</div></div></blockquote></div><br>
--90e6ba3fd853cb5bc30496cb9e1b--
