Goolsby appointed to UNC Board of Governors--Repubs out to destroy UNC system

[mnhtnbb]

WILMINGTON, NC (WECT) - The North Carolina Senate voted Wednesday to appoint former senator Thom Goolsby to the UNC Board of Governors, the governing body over the UNC system.

Sen. Bill Rabon (R-Brunswick) nominated Goolsby for the position, according to the Senate Clerk's office.

Goolsby says he wants to make sure taxpayers get their money's worth from the UNC system by cutting wasteful spending. Goolsby says people deserve a huge return on investment from the UNC system.
http://m.wect.com/wect/db_330750/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=r76EFhVW

I think we have our answer regarding the intent of the Republican dominated UNC Board of Governors:
there can be little doubt they are out to destroy the prestigious and respected UNC system.

In January, the President of the BOG, Tom Ross was, without warning, forced to resign.

http://www.dailytarheel.com/article/2015/01/unc-system-president-tom-ross-forced-to-resign-friday

Then in February, the BOG decided to close a well known social justice center in Chapel Hill,
The Center on Poverty, Work & Opportunity--even though the Center was self-funding.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2015/02/21/law-faculty-accuses-unc-panel-of-attempting-to-chill-free-speech/


A former Chancellor of the University, James Moeser, penned an op ed recently in the Raleigh News & Observer
decrying the attempt by the BOG to chill free speech in the University system, saying "UNC-CH faculty members are concerned about the university, concerned that its core values of academic freedom, the freedom to follow the truth wherever it leads without fear of censorship or review from higher authorities, may be under attack."

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/op-ed/article12869321.html#storylink=cpy


So, who is Goolsby? None other than the jerk Republican who went after the leadership and participants in the Moral Monday
events, calling them--in print--"morons and clowns" in an op ed he wrote. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/yuna-shin/thom-goolsby-nc-state-sen_1_b_3424686.html



This is the type of person the NC Senate nominates for the Board of Governors? It is not good times here in NC to see
what these Republicans continue to do in their efforts to destroy what is great about this state.

[Esse Quam Videri]

1. thanks for posting

As a graduate from the UNC System (NC State) this leaves me very concerned for what will become of this great 17 school system.

[mnhtnbb]

2. My youngest son is a Carolina grad--2012--and I have to say

it concerns me very much to see what is happening.

I am a UCLA grad--Ronnie Reagan's name as Governor was on my undergrad degree--and we had a
front row seat to see what Republicans did to the UC System in California. They have been going
after the public universities all over the country. It's sickening.

[Fred Sanders]

3. An assault on intellectualism..."American Nazis".

[Triana]

4. Not surprising. I knew they'd destroy the University system in NC

Just a matter of time. They view education and intellectuals as "liberal" and they'll take any chance to destroy both the university and public school systems.

[mnhtnbb]

5. Wow. Just found remarks from Tom Ross--the guy forced out by the Repubs--

given recently and what he had to say about the state of higher education.


America is losing her way with regard to higher education. We seem to have forgotten the real value of higher education – both to our economy and to our society. We have become too focused on metrics, return on investment and job preparation. I am not suggesting these are unimportant. Rather, I would remind us that higher education offers many other – and I contend greater – benefits to our nation and its citizens and communities.

Universities have long been known and respected as places of ideas and debate, of big discoveries and bigger dreams. It is within our universities that we have tackled some of our most perplexing problems and found solutions to them. It is on our campuses that generations of students have learned how to think for themselves and how to work collaboratively with others. Our universities have been places where ideas and dreams are converted to life-changing discoveries, and where our leaders of tomorrow are developed. Since the dawn of our nation, our universities have been at the center of our civil society and our search for excellence.

We increasingly view our colleges and universities as nothing more than factories that must demonstrate an immediate return on investment for consumers. Places that only train people for the workforce. We hear constant calls to drive out costs and produce more product at less cost. There is far less talk about academic quality and excellence and more about operational efficiency. We seem to measure the value of education to our students only in immediate post-graduation earnings. Again, I am all for accountability and efficiency, but if that is our sole focus, we may fail to provide the return on investment that is perhaps most valuable for our students – the ability to think, reason and communicate more effectively.

<snip>

Other nations are making sizable investments to build new academic facilities, hire new faculty and raise the educational attainment of their citizens. Meanwhile, the rankings of our own institutions are falling, and our premier status as the place to be educated is fading. Growing numbers of American students can’t afford to attend college at all, and too many of those who do are burdened by significant debt. This is a dangerous trend. And it is reflective of the serious challenges facing the higher education community today.



http://www.progressncaction.org/news/tom-ross-we-need-to-focus-on-the-real-value-of-higher-education#skip

[NCarolinawoman]

6. First public university in the country.

Flagship to all the other many schools here that are a part of the university system.

Has always had a reputation for Liberal thought. Fairly high academic standards. (with the unfortunate exception of the recent scandals in the athletic department

Breeding ground for some of our finest liberal/moderate Democratic office holders.

This makes me want to cry. Or scream.

[barbtries]

7. it's very sad.

i feel fortunate that my son will graduate this year. i will advise him to look elsewhere for higher degrees.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

8. And the hits just keep on coming.

Phew. Will this juggernaut ever slow down, let alone stop?