The Dark Side Of Progress

[MikeInClifton]

(Numerous improvements. . .) transformed the campus from a dowdy relic of the 1970s, pocked by asphalt lots and concrete plazas, to a richly landscaped setting in which garages are tucked neatly on the edges so the signature works of architects Frank Gehry, Peter Eisenman and Thom Mayne can be showcased. Hundreds of new housing units were developed, and rundown residential properties were demolished. The master plan positioned UC to attract top-flight students and researchers.

But it also brought unintended consequences.

The University of Cincinnati is now bogged down by $1.2 billion in debt and carries a $165 million hole in its balance sheet - operating losses that piled up over the last five years.

The Dark Side Of Progress (http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2007/06/18/story1.html?page=1&b=1182139200^1477622)

[shaunsimpson]

The amazing thing is how much money was donated privatly through individuals and businesses on this. I would love to do the audit on it. The original plan was to tear down the three sisters (Sawyer, etc.), but they don't have the funds to do so. I for one would like to see a nice arena there, but with this debt is it possible?

[MikeInClifton]

The Enquirer finally posts a story (http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070627/NEWS0102/706270343) about the UC budget concerns. They, of course, post a rosier picture than the CBC article from June 16th, but since Enq publisher Margaret Buchanan and Nancy Zimpher have been friends for years, that makes sense.

The CBC has their own follow-up article (http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2007/06/25/daily21.html?from_rss=1).

[ralph1950]

(Numerous improvements. . .) transformed the campus from a dowdy relic of the 1970s, pocked by asphalt lots and concrete plazas, to a richly landscaped setting in which garages are tucked neatly on the edges so the signature works of architects Frank Gehry, Peter Eisenman and Thom Mayne can be showcased. Hundreds of new housing units were developed, and rundown residential properties were demolished. The master plan positioned UC to attract top-flight students and researchers.

But it also brought unintended consequences.

The University of Cincinnati is now bogged down by $1.2 billion in debt and carries a $165 million hole in its balance sheet - operating losses that piled up over the last five years.

The Dark Side Of Progress (http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2007/06/18/story1.html?page=1&b=1182139200^1477622)

The current financial situation happened because of the construction started by the Steger administration, UC took on a billion dollar debt to pay for it. It is a long term process, it will not be known for years whether or not the construction was worth it and achieves its goal of allowing UC to attract more students. In the meantime the current Zimpher administration must deal with the short term result of it, budget deficits. Nancy has done a wonderful job, so much so that the BOT rewarded her with a 5 year contract extension. UC will have its largest freshman class in decades this fall, Nancy and the new campus facilities certainly had a lot to do with that.

[Brian H.]

The current financial situation happened because of the construction started by the Steger administration, UC took on a billion dollar debt to pay for it. It is a long term process, it will not be known for years whether or not the construction was worth it and achieves its goal of allowing UC to attract more students. In the meantime the current Zimpher administration must deal with the short term result of it, budget deficits. Nancy has done a wonderful job, so much so that the BOT rewarded her with a 5 year contract extension. UC will have its largest freshman class in decades this fall, Nancy and the new campus facilities certainly had a lot to do with that.

According to the article they would like to evaluate degrees and programs based on whether they make money. Wouldn't that eliminate most of the degrees? How much money would a program like CCM actually generate compared to its costs? Also the statement about raising co-op rates to $900 a quarter seems out of line. Wouldn't this just cause less people to Co-op? I know a lot of students co-op so that they have money to get through the next quarter. If you are in a engineering program you don't really have the time for a part time job so you use the co-op money from the previous quarter to help you get by.

I am not attacking Nancy here, I think Universities in general have lost site of their goal of education. It is all about bigger, better, fancier, making an name for those in power so they can brag.

[Josh Rexhausen]

I read the Enquirer Article and I can't believe they want to charge students $900 for co-op, and that they are charging $200 now. 96-98 costs were $50 per quarter, and then I still didn't understand what they needed the money for, unless they are doing all the legwork to get you a job, and arranging for the limo to take you to the plane to fly you to your interview, I really don't get it.

To Ralph:

Please quit saying she has done a wonderul job, or repeating that you are really looking forward to seeing her. Each time you do and I read it, I throw up a little. If you want everyon to know you like her and support her, make her your avatar and everyone will know without you talking about it. If Nancy really want's to do good, tell her to cut some of her salary to help with the budget.

[mlb]

I agree, $900 for the co-op program is ridiculous. When I was in the program (granted, this was about 10 years ago) I got paid $440 a week (my first quarter, went up as I got further along). After taxes I cleared what, $350? So you are talking 2.5 weeks out of 10 just to pay the costs for the co-op fees when you aren't actually in class? That is ridiculous. I'm sure that the students make more that the $440 I started with, but I can't imagine it is that much more. Maybe $13 or $14/hr? That is a large chunk going right back to the school.

[Bruce Monnin]

The article state quite clearly that the debt of the Steger construction projects was well planned for and that paying off the debt was accounted for in the budget. What has happened is the current administration has screwed up the budget, so now we have yearly deficits and the debt is going the wrong way.

Ralph,

How do you manage to pick the fishnet out of your teeth?

[jonimp9]

I'm currently in my last section of co-op, and for me, it would take 2 weeks pay to cover that $900. Over 6 co-ops, that comes to $5400. Presumably this money is to pay for whatever services the Professional Practice office covers for you. In my experience, they only deserve $500 or less for all of my co-ops.

I basically found my own job and friends of mine have actually been scolded by our advisors for going around them to find jobs because the advisors wouldn't send out their resumes or help them in any way. One of my friends actually had to switch his co-op schedule because our advisor didn't send out his resume in time for him to get a job. The division of professional practice has been a nightmare of an experience.

And for those who don't know, the co-op fee is required to maintain full-time student status. Most scholarships and some insurances require that you maintain full-time student status or you will lose them. In addition to that, access to the brand new rec center is not included in our "full-time student" status. We have to pay a fee of around $80 to use it for the quarter.

I wish the university would stop targetting the engineers when they feel like they need to make up some budget deficits. First the reduced credit hour limits and now a huge increase in co-op fees. Whats next, a $1000 diploma fee?

[qsilvr2531]

To be fair, when I was in school UC's coop fee was alot less than it was at other schools. I cooped with people from Penn State, Virginia Tech and Maryland and all were paying at least three times what I was paying at the time (I was paying around $50 per quarter at the time). $900 is excessive, but I'd expect a fee of $200 or so per quarter at this point to stay in line with what other schools charge. Of course, coop is optional at most other schools.

The professional practice office did an excellent job for me while I was in school, but alot does depend on your major. Mechanical engineers were generally less appreciative of the professional practice office than EE's were back then.

They could include access to the rec center in the coop fee, but it would probably require increasing the fee more. I imagine it isn't included because alot of people coop outside of cincinnati and they don't want to make people in Texas pay for rec center access.