… people complain about how much university presidents are paid.
Before they start moaning, they should do some homework. It’s a hard job! And its responsibilities are changing all the time.
More and more university presidents, for instance, are spending more and more time as liquor salesmen.
First at the University of Minnesota, and now at the University of New Mexico, academic leaders spend a lot of time lobbying local governments on behalf of the principle that universities should fix their budgets by encouraging rich people at their sports events to tank up.
Albuquerque’s city council said no, and UNM is really pissed. Its athletics director sent an email to the rich people calling the councilmembers hypocrites, so, you know, the war’s on, and UNM’s president is gearing up to fight this to the finish in court. It’s the principle of the thing! If an American university isn’t allowed to use rich alcoholics to pay off its stadium debts, what’s next? A government ban on Four Loko?
University presidents don’t only set intellectual agendas; they set a certain tone. Imagine a university without drunk people reeling out of stadiums late at night into their cars! The next time you think of complaining about the money university presidents make, think again.
November 17th, 2010 at 4:08PM
I fail to see what the fuss is about Four Loko.
Venti Irish Coffee with three shots of Bushmills.