5 things Ramsey should say in his State of the University Address

By Rae Hodge–

5. Smoking ban – Smoking bans usually mean the cessation of smoking. That was not the case on Louisville’s campus after last year’s ban. The smell of smoldering tobacco still lingers in thick clouds in front of Ekstrom library and the Bingham Humanities Building. It would be nice to hear President Ramsey address the smoking ban and reiterate his support for it. It would also be good to hear what strategies the university is employing, if any, to enforce the ban.

4. Hiring of Jerry Johnson– While Ramsey responded to criticisms in the Courier Journal, his statement mostly skirted the issue. Students are eager to hear a real explanation for why Jerry Johnson is necessary when we tuition is so high and the University has laid off so many good professors. President Ramsey needs to address why Johnson is worth $220,000.

3. President Ramsey’s Salary and the U of L Foundation – In a similar vein as the hiring of Jerry Johnson, students are concerned about President Ramsey’s pay raise and the increasing influence of the U of L Foundation. We want to know what our tuition is paying for and what is being valued at our university.

2. Excell Core – We’d love to hear about the university’s tentative plans to contract Excell Core. In the August 28 issue of The Louisville Cardinal, we reported on the interaction of three entities: the Office of the Provost, the newly formed Efficiencies Subcommittee and third party efficiency corporation Excell Core. These entities are currently working together to find ways to cut costs at the university and Excell Core has submitted a draft report of suggested cuts. The Cardinal would be thrilled to hear about the cuts suggested by former Universal Studios consultant Scott Nostaja, CEO of Excell Core, and which of those suggestions the university is taking seriously. Officials have already admitted that they may include administrative restructuring; we want to know exactly where and who that restructuring involves.

1. Budget Transparency – In a budget-crunching year, with sweeping cuts to crucial services and departments, the need for justification of each cut can often be overlooked. It’s easy for administrative figures to blurt out “Austerity!” as a justification for any trimming of the fat. The school needs to hear more about the decision-making process of both the U of L Foundation and the university itself. We want to hear a logical explanation from the president about budget decisions which have resulted in the seemingly incongruent pairing of hiring freezes with high-dollar assistants, and program funding reductions with new construction projects. It’s not always about justifying every decision but clarifying the decision-making process in an effort to be transparent and accessible to those with the most at stake.

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Photo: Shelby Stafford/The Louisville Cardinal