Posted on 07/09/2011 3:16:23 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
The Coalition for Higher Excellence in Higher Education – a group that supports higher education reform ideas offered by the state’s university presidents and chancellors and has expressed concerns with some higher education reform ideas offered from outside academia – fired a rhetorical howitzer at Gov. Rick Perry yesterday. Political observers in Texas are left wondering why the organization chose to attack Perry by name and how this will play out.
The coalition’s main communications consultants used to work for U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and former president George W. Bush, two elected officials whose political interests have not always aligned perfectly with those of Perry. A member of the coalition’s operating committee, former ambassador and Higher Education Coordinating Board Chair Pamela Willeford, said she has supported Perry, and the organization is bipartisan and is about higher education, not partisan politics. She also said that decisions about what statements to issue are made by the organization’s operating committee, not its consultants.
Wednesday, the University of Texas at Austin College of Liberal Arts Dean Randy Diehl issued a report blasting “7 Breakthrough Solutions for Higher Education” proposed by Texas philanthropist Jeff Sandefer and supported by the Texas Public Policy Foundation. The coalition issued a statement supporting the report and calling on elected officials to distance themselves from the 7 Solutions.
Perry’s communications director Mark Miner issued a statement expressing disappointment that University of Texas administrators are so resistant to the governor’s cost control and reform ideas. "University faculty and their allies should join the reform efforts and recommend ways to innovate, improve graduation rates, and enhance accountability and efficiency at Texas colleges and universities,” Miner said. “We all have an obligation to meet the needs of Texas students, employers, taxpayers and our fast-growing economy. Resisting reform and accountability is an unsustainable recipe for mediocrity and stagnation. Texas deserves better."
Some Austin observers thought that finished that story.
But then on Thursday, the Coalition sent out a response to Miner’s statement that has grass-roots conservatives scratching their heads. The statement both attacks Perry by name and also attacks the Texas K-12 education system.
[snip]
Many grass-roots conservatives, meanwhile, are praising Perry for taking on the higher education bureaucracy. “Those of us who are attending our state's universities or who have recently graduated know that our current system of higher education is morally bankrupt,” said Tony McDonald, senior vice president of the Young Conservatives of Texas. “The system puts undergraduate education on a back-burner in favor of the mass publication of largely useless scholarly articles. The system consumes large sums of tax revenue, while saddling graduates with massive student-loan debt. It is refreshing to see Governor Perry take the bold step of calling out our universities and demanding that they implement reform and accountability measures which will serve to protect both students and taxpayers.” Here’s one thing we do know: the Coalition, and its supporters some of whom are prominent members of the Texas business community, has upped the ante by singling out Perry by name and responding to his chief spokesman in that manner.
When asked about this issue by LSR, the governor’s office replied that the purpose of the statement was merely to underscore the governor’s priorities for Texas public colleges and universities. “[The governor’s plan] for higher education is to improve accountability, affordability, transparency, and accessibility,” said Catherine Frazier with the Governor’s Press Office. “Where we are right now is not cutting it … The governor is simply calling on university leaders to adopt these goals and work towards finding the best way to accomplish them for their respective universities. And he will continue holding those universities accountable to pursuing those goals until progress is made.”
And I very well have my right to point out here when, yes, the regularly used term is ‘concern trolls’ who support other candidates go on with all kinds of sexist reasons as to why they might like Palin, but she won’t or shouldn’t run.
That’s how FR works.
Sexist?? Really? You call it “sexist” for women to be concerned about family? To be concerned about income? To be concerned about having your family (including young children) see you savaged time and time again for a national audience? For being concerned how that might emotionally affect those young children? Sexist? I’d call it prioritizing: family first.
As I said: It’s just an opinion. I can’t imagine why one person’s opinion (someone you don’t know at all) would put such a twist in your knickers.
Nobody ever voices such “concerns” for male politicians, but somehow to have a family and hold elective office is too much for a woman? Please—that’s as sexist as it gets!
Ease up.
You’re reading too much into honest discussion and responding inappropriately by using hurtful terms to describe others. It makes you look shrill and less sure of your candidate and in turn her candidacy appears less credible.
It’s what’s called “digging a hole.”
So you think Perry supporters should be advising that the li’l lady Gov. Palin shouldn’t and won’t run for office because she’s got to take care of her family and really belongs more as a cheerleader over on the sidelines while the big boys run the country instead?
Okey dokey. Whatever you say. o_O
I did not “advise”! I predicted what I thought Palin would do: not run.
How did Perry grow up so poor if his father was able to take him in 1961 to the Sam Rayburn funeral in Bonham, which is some distance from Paint Creek? There must have been discretionary funds there for big events.
I think your mood would be much improved if Sarah Palin made her decision about running known.
That’s all.
Let’s just discuss the candidates and not each other.
Important question, eh? We need to root out the real truth about this. How poor is “poor”? And do poor people ever decide to spend money on something besides food and housing? And if they do, are they not really poor? Do poor people ever sacrifice for principle? Or the for welfare and education of their young?
Perhaps it was important enough to get there. What a question.
Who’s getting personal now?
I’m sorry I came to your defense earlier today.
University of Texas at Austin College of Liberal Arts Dean Randy Diehl issued a report blasting
UT Austin is as liberal as any college can be, and if they have a problem with Gov Perry, I like him even more. If the colleges and universities think they know best, they are badly fooled. Kinda like some FReepers who follow your threads.....
I think you are right... Imagine the hell her kids would go through if she runs for President.
I appreciate very much what you did for me. It was very brave and kind.
Please don’t be upset. I watched the exchange go on and it was hurtful to see two FReepers who should be screaming at the Left at odds.
I felt you needed to reflect. Please accept my apology.
Thanks Arrowhead1952.
The Left has built quite an army.
We need to recognize our own and unite....like they’re doing.
I see in Rick Perry someone who can unite and bring forces to bear against this administration and the superstructure of groups that have put it in power.
Voter turn out is key.
I think her kids will do just fine if she ran. They've grown up with her campaigning and all that has come with it. It's even given them springboards to more. They've learned how to roll with the punches and laugh at the media like their mother.
If showing people what fools, liars and nasty people the "lamestream" media is, is all Sarah Palin ever did, it would be a great gift and one we should not squander or forget.
University presidents want anything BUT accountability.
And they get paid the big bucks to keep it under wraps!!
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