Stephen Tocco, Chairman of the University Of Massachusetts Board of Trustees, met with graduate students and members of the faculty yesterday to discuss the rising cost of higher education, diversity and construction on campus, and the awarding of an honorary degree to former White House Chief of Staff, Andrew Card.
Tocco's appearance consisted more of an ask-and-answer session than a lecture. His speech was brief and summarized the Trustee's efforts to make UMass and all of its campuses grace the Top 15 College list since Tocco took office six months ago.
"We need to look at the universities and institutions we aspire to be and understand the characteristics that make them great and how we can achieve those characteristics here, and one of the most important parts of that launch is having a great flagship," Tocco said. "There is no question in my mind that unless we have a great flagship here in Amherst the system will fail to reach the heights that it wants in order to serve the economic needs necessary to go forward."
Members of the faculty were not as optimistic about the direction the Board has taken, criticizing the current sabbatical policy, the anomaly in raises and the Amherst 250 Plan, a program aimed at rebuilding and balancing the faculty by investing in key programs meant to advance teaching and research.
The rising cost of higher education has prompted talks between the state government and the Board of Trustees to possibly provide two free years in community college for students. Tocco said that several billion dollars of the new budget is expected to be distributed from the state government toward higher education.
"This debate is at the feet of the governor and the legislature as to how they're going to make this affordable. There are several ways they can do it, all of them cost money," Tocco said.
Graduate students raised concerns that this year's commencement will be focused on Andrew Card's honorary degree as opposed to the graduates and that the ceremony could result in violence. Tocco said he would not call for a special session of the Board of Trustees to revoke the plan. Behavior at the commencement is up to the students and should not be influenced by Andrew Card, according to Tocco.
Professor of Sociology, Dan Clawson believes Card does not meet the "high ethical standards" nor "exemplify the ideals of the University of Massachusetts," qualifications the University has set for granting honorary degrees.
"I deeply regret that the Chancellor, President, and Board of Trustees have chosen to make the Graduate Commencement a bitter and partisan event. Those of us who are opposed to the war in Iraq, and to the deception of the U.S. public, have no choice but to speak out, and to act to prevent this dishonor to UMass, its students, faculty, alumni, and friends," Clawson said.
Several students and faculty also brought up the diversity problem on campus.
"The record on diversity has several characteristics. I'm certain that the leadership here on campus is dealing with this question and I'll meet with them to see what they're planning on this issue. And if we can do better we must," Tocco said.
The chairman also spoke of the dire need for capital investment for the infrastructure of the UMass Amherst campus. Renovating buildings with condemned floors and the need for what the administration calls "New Dirt" will dig deep into already dwindling capital dollars. Tocco did express trust in the new state legislative government to provide funds for the projects.
"The good news is that I think we've made some traction on that quest. This governor is the first governor I've worked with that understands without question the link between the University and the future," Tocco said. "I'm optimistic that leaders in the Senate and the House have for the first time looked at the University as an investment account as they build their budget and this is the first House budget that has actually upped the ante in investing in the University system."
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