'Tis the kind of day that brings an expression you might find in Howard Mohr's classic book "How to Speak Minnesotan." I encountered the expression quite promptly first thing this morning. The expression is a question. I don't recall ever having been able to answer it. "Did you hear how much rain we got?" or "How much rain did you get?"
In a sense I could answer the question by just saying "a heckuva lot," and my exact terminology might not be "heckuva."
The Saturday night downpour had to be the most intense we in Morris have had in years. One thing I heard in my brief trip downtown for breakfast this morning is that our neighboring community of Hancock was largely spared. We got soaked in Motown. A check of the forecast later last night showed we're in for more of same now.
It's the time of year to get one's furnace checked in preparation for you-know-what. I was astounded at the sheer length of last winter. Never again will I assume we'll get the reprieve in conditions for March and April. And that will be a downer to file away. Our high school softball season might last a mere one month. Hard to justify the expense of the "softball complex" in light of that.
People like me with a newspaper writing background tend to be skeptical. It applies moreso to me because my formative years were during some real bad stuff.
A newspaper writer knows to discard the public comments of so many officials who represent the big public institutions. My segue here is to the topic of UMM and how it is faring. I'm not sure it's even called "UMM" anymore. Such a fluid world we are in now. The fluidity is a downer all by itself.
I have bent over backwards trying to put on a facade of feeling good about UMM. It is starting to become a headache. It is September and this time of year we get curious about UMM enrollment. All we want is the facts, those of us who might be described as stakeholders. I'm a stakeholder even if I never give another cent. And I may not.
Remember the op-ed a few months ago by that older dude who represented something called the "Peach?" It was mighty therapeutic for a lot of us to read that. It articulated a lot of what so many of us have been thinking. Thinking but not saying? Why would we have inhibitions? Many Morris "lifers" are well aware that UMM has a rock-ribbed mission of pushing the "liberal arts." The emphasis to the exclusion of any modification has grated on many of us.
Of course we want to support the institution because of what it means to our economy. I think the original pushers behind UMM coming here felt the essential survival of the community was at stake. We know the original pushers wanted nothing to do with a "junior college." I cannot understand why that was anathema.
I think it was Vance Opperman - a well-known name although I can't cite his exact claim to fame - wrote that our campus would fit in better as a "state university." And I guess various big shots here including then-chancellor Sam Schuman had a conniption over that, had kittens or whatever.
Remember when the state colleges sought a name change from "colleges" to "universities?" It seemed so superficial. It didn't appear they changed their functioning at all. They basically came right out and said the name change would help them market themselves better. Basically just prestige? As if that would fool anyone?
Personally, I don't think Schuman ever got over the goalpost incident here. How could anyone? It happened in 2005. UMM got a lesson on how there are times for the reining-in of student behavior and shenanigans. My late mother said any time there was a dispute between a student and staff member at UMM, the institution bent over backward for the student. Within reason we can cut some slack for students. Within reason.
Morris sure got its University branch. Important families like the Morrisons were happy and that was understandable. So many years ago.
A friend told me just a few days ago that at present, the term "college" might actually be seen as desirable versus "university."
There is an increased emphasis on the practical real world benefits of one's "higher education." One might think this always should have been elementary. UMM saw dividends in the raw liberal arts and there may have been a limited basis for that judgment, over a finite time. And I'll have to point out again that there is nothing inherently wrong with the liberal arts. But we must look at our changing world. It's a world now where just about all the knowledge in existence is at your fingertips with whatever "device" you have.
Young people can so easily be self-starters to develop whatever knowledge they feel will be constructive for them. And yes they want to learn to produce something in our capitalistic economy.
The guy who wrote the "Peach" thing came right out and suggested an alternative mission for our campus: be a "technology hub."
 |
| Our UMM campus |
So are we serving Elizabeth Warren types? Are such folks mooching off us? I agree with much of what Ms. Warren says but she's a fraud if she got favors as a "purported" Native American.
The late Mike Miller, UMM administrator, told me a long time ago that serious discussions were being had at UMM about whether the free tuition thing should even be supported. OK I give thumbs-down on that.
What about the Supreme Court ruling nixing "affirmative action?" I laugh because I immediately realized that the clever people running colleges would find "end runs" around that. "Figures lie and liars figure." Jim McRoberts taught me that line.
It was Donnie Eich who told me that all an education at UMM proves is that "you can read some books and then answer questions about them." Donnie was a tremendous supporter of UMM sports, even the more obscure teams, when his health was better.
So, I'm a Watergate era writer who just searches for truth. You needn't be any sort of "crusader" to proclaim that aim, just embrace common sense and wisdom. In that vein I share below a portion of an email I received the other day from a friend who I have already quoted in this piece. If this friend is right, the wheels ought to be turning to seek a tweaked mission for our campus. I should say "beloved" campus. I have fallen out of that, and I won't say "sorry."
I talked to somebody recently about UMM enrollment, his wife works on campus. He said that even the stated enrollment of 1000 is inflated. That is everyone enrolled at UMM, and includes the students “attending” class online plus the PSEO students. According to him, actual on-campus students number around only 500.
Addendum: Another trait of Watergate era journalists: we enjoy the feeling of being "celebrities" as writers. It's an outdated feeling now, when anyone can find a platform for "mass communications." But it was an interesting feeling to have, back in the day. Journalists sped up the U.S. withdrawal from the Vietnam war. We sped up the exit of Nixon from the presidency. We sped up civil rights. What about Trump? Alas, we are in a new age.
Addendum #2: I quote again from the friend already quoted in this post. This is from a different email.
I remember when UMM was being promised, it was to be a regional 4-year school to accommodate area students who wanted a college experience without having to travel 100-150 miles from home. I wonder what Ed LaFave and the others that promoted UMM back in the day would think now. At the time (late '50s), Morris movers and shakers were presented with a choice: a branch of the U of M or a 3M plant? It was between us and Alexandria, Morris got the school and Alex got 3M.
My comment regarding above: My understanding is that the town's leaders were apprehensive about 3M coming here because of fear of unions. But as it turned out, government workers ended up thumping their chest with unions. The public school teachers became the most annoying.
Addendum #3: The headline for this post is a takeoff on the famous song "The Rain, the Park and Other Things" recorded by the Cowsills in the 1960s. You might say it's their signature song.
The Tiger football game: loss at DGF
You may click on link below to check out my coverage of the Tigers' football game at Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton Friday. Tigers were dealt their first loss.
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com
No comments:
Post a Comment