Malloy Presents Details of $2 Billion Plan For UConn

[jostar1]

A proposal to invest heavily in science, technology, engineering and math programs at the University of Connecticut over the next 10 years looked more ambitious Thursday, topping $2 billion.
Aimed at creating a skilled workforce that would in turn boost the state's economy, the proposal also envisions that UConn instructors would attract millions in research grant money to the state.

When the proposal was floated Wednesday, it was $1.5 billion. But Malloy presented more details Thursday at a press conference that included UConn President Susan Herbst. The project, called Next Generation Connecticut, includes $1.677 billion in state money, along with a $384 million contribution from UConn — some of which will come from the already-approved UConn 2000/21st Century program.

http://www.courant.com/news/breaking/hc-engineering-uconn-0201-20130131,0,4372437.story

 

[Adios]

Now no one can doubt whether the state is committed to putting resources towards UConn.

 

[jbdphi]

Anyone read that Mark Cuban piece on education and how universities are investing billions into infrastructure at a time when more and more students are moving online? He compared education to the newspaper business in the 80's and 90's. Tough to reconcile $2 billion with what may happen to tuition expenses over the next 20 - 30 years.

That probably belongs on the cesspool but I haven't gone there yet.

 

[Hoophound]

It's interesting. I continually wonder how it is that the Internet hasn't lowered expenses for universities.

 

[RegisteredUconn]

It's interesting. I continually wonder how it is that the Internet hasn't lowered expenses for universities.

I'm sure the Internet has lowered expenses. A lot. Spending, however, has outpaced saving.

 

[CL82]

There are a lot things that cannot be done remotely.

 

[UCFBfan]

There are a lot things that cannot be done remotely.

You'd be surprised at how much CAN be done on the internet. I'm taking a masters program that is half online and half in the classroom at CCSU. It's pretty amazing how much is done online.

Programs in the sciences and research may require work in labs and so forth but programs that aren't science related such as English, History, Communciations, etc....(can't remember what we call all of those) will no longer require the student to be in the classroom.

However, since this plan is for more research and science development, it is money well spent.

 

[Husky25]

Anyone read that Mark Cuban piece on education and how universities are investing billions into infrastructure at a time when more and more students are moving online? He compared education to the newspaper business in the 80's and 90's. Tough to reconcile $2 billion with what may happen to tuition expenses over the next 20 - 30 years.

That probably belongs on the cesspool but I haven't gone there yet.

That's got merit, but a scientists and engineers can't do laboratory work on-line.

I think the online migration is great from a $$ saving perspective, but it also takes away from the college experience.

 

[thatguyed]

You simply cannot replicate walking around campus on a beautiful day checking out the, uh, scenery.

 

[CL82]

You'd be surprised at how much CAN be done on the internet. I'm taking a masters program that is half online and half in the classroom at CCSU. It's pretty amazing how much is done online.

Programs in the sciences and research may require work in labs and so forth but programs that aren't science related such as English, History, Communciations, etc....(can't remember what we call all of those) will no longer require the student to be in the classroom.

However, since this plan is for more research and science development, it is money well spent.

Classes can be done remotely, although I think you lose a little energy, but for collaberative technical work, I think being hands on is critical. Now you can work with a peer who is at a different location but it is tougher to do that if you are just working from a remote PC/laptop without support. That said, this isn't what I do, so I defer to the scientists/techies on it.

 

[Doggie Style]

You simply cannot replicate walking around campus on a beautiful day checking out the, uh, scenery.

Every year, the greatest day on the Storrs Campus was when the temp reached "sun dress" levels!! It was like "where the HELL have they been hiding all year" for weeks!!!

 

[DarthGrumpy]

You simply cannot replicate walking around campus on a beautiful day checking out the, uh, scenery.

I remember the first warm day of the spring, hopefully right before spring break, when a buddy and I would go for a long walk around campus. My neck and eye muscles were very tired by the end of that walk.

 

[junglehusky]

I would write long paragraphs about science collaboration... long story short there's different styles of collaboration but for my money nothing beats being in the same building, especially on the same floor, with collaborators. Universities are realizing the potential of cross-discipline projects is much greater if you mix together experts from different fields and have them interact on a daily basis, not just while they're working on a project together. I'm in a cell biology lab that collaborates with people from the engineering and physics department, and we are trying to get their lab to move to our building... So sometimes there's that approach, and sometimes labs will collaborate with a lab from another university, and that's when you maybe do gotomeeting.com or buy plane tickets and visit the other lab for a few weeks. But the real potential for groundbreaking work comes from recruiting a talent pool of profs who have different expertise and want to collaborate, and putting them together in the same building.

So there's this whole branch of architecture for research buildings (academics or industry) that is considering ways to foster those personal interactions through building design. Older science buildings have small rooms with specialized equipment, and small offices with 1 professor or 2-3 grad students / postdocs per room. The newer trend is to have large, shared lab spaces, with desks sprinkled throughout, maybe some common spaces for meetings and couches with espresso machines, sort of a Silicon Valley approach. Some of this stuff works, sometimes the people don't like the openness (imagine if theres 2-3 people in your group that you hate and don't want to see their faces all day long). But I imagine they'll be considering this approach for the new research space, depending on what the mission of the new departments are.

 

[Doggie Style]

I think the best remark the Governor made yesterday which was played on the news last night was: "This investment should of been made 10 years ago!" It was the most accurate statement out of that man's mouth to date!

 

[upstater]

Anyone read that Mark Cuban piece on education and how universities are investing billions into infrastructure at a time when more and more students are moving online? He compared education to the newspaper business in the 80's and 90's. Tough to reconcile $2 billion with what may happen to tuition expenses over the next 20 - 30 years.

That probably belongs on the cesspool but I haven't gone there yet.

But... Cuban doesn't know arse from elbow. One of these supercomputers donated by a high-tech company to my school this week cost $5 million. What is the student going to do in his bedroom? The kids on campus get to do 3D modeling in this space.

The time when everyone gets their own $5 million computer is well, well, well into the future.

Not even an undergrad English Lit. class translates well online--unless it's a lecture. If it's a lecture, it can be done--even though I'd want no part in it.Cuban is out of his depth.

 

[upstater]

It's interesting. I continually wonder how it is that the Internet hasn't lowered expenses for universities.

The internet has RAISED expenses. It's one of the biggest risers. Wiring a single campus classroom (and I know because I've asked for upgrades for our department controlled classrooms) is almost 6 figures. That's our entire budget for the entire department for the entire year.

 

[upstater]

I'm sure the Internet has lowered expenses. A lot. Spending, however, has outpaced saving.

Not true. Spending is down relative to inflation. People confused the exponential rise in tuition with a rise in spending. It's just not the case.

 

[husky210]

The internet has RAISED expenses. It's one of the biggest risers. Wiring a single campus classroom (and I know because I've asked for upgrades for our department controlled classrooms) is almost 6 figures. That's our entire budget for the entire department for the entire year.

Every time you add a computer you need to add infrastructure to the university. It's not simply one plug.

 

[Dooley]

This budget has AAU written all over it.

 

[upstater]

Every time you add a computer you need to add infrastructure to the university. It's not simply one plug.

Huh?

 

[Pudge]

Many talk about our President & AD "botching" the ACC process.

This Malloy initiative, with an nudge from Herbst, is where we need to step up. This isn't merely about a Sports Conference. This is about JOINING the elite Flagship Universities of the US. Pushing beyond the Yankee Conference mindset. Pushing beyond the States that don't want to fund Higher Ed. Being a top top Public University.

A spot in the BCS/FBS/CARTEL is sure to come.

 

[upstater]

Many talk about our President & AD "botching" the ACC process.

This Malloy initiative, with an nudge from Herbst, is where we need to step up. This isn't merely about a Sports Conference. This is about JOINING the elite Flagship Universities of the US. Pushing beyond the Yankee Conference mindset. Pushing beyond the States that don't want to fund Higher Ed. Being a top top Public University.

A spot in the BCS/FBS/CARTEL is sure to come.

Just to put this in perspective. Conn. used to be in the bottom 5th in terms of funding Higher Ed. It has risen all the way to the mid 20s and is closer to about 20 now. But when the measure is funding per $1,000 of per capita income, UConn drops right to around 35-40 again. In other words, spending according to the state's wealth.

 

[husky210]

Huh?

One plug is a bunch of low voltage wires that can't be run in series like your average 120 volt duplex outlet. So each Internet jack has its own wire that wire goes to a service. Does the service have space to provide another jack? If not you need new service. New service could mean the utility bring in a whole new line etc etc

 

[Fishy]

The internet has RAISED expenses. It's one of the biggest risers. Wiring a single campus classroom (and I know because I've asked for upgrades for our department controlled classrooms) is almost 6 figures. That's our entire budget for the entire department for the entire year.

Look, suck it up, Nancy - HuskyFanDan still gets his on dial-up, so you can make do.

 

[upstater]

Look, suck it up, Nancy - HuskyFanDan still gets his on dial-up, so you can make do.

True--I don't need the internet anyway. I'm never on it. But if anyone says it makes my life easier, they don't know WTF they are talking about!