Like it or not, state demands UMM deliver

The pleasant "junco"

The charming little junco birds are hopping around in the back yard of the Williams family residence. We are semi-rural. Such a joyful sight with the sun now shining bright on this Tuesday morning. A Tuesday morning when Christmas gets quite near. And so we seek more such upbeat thoughts. 

Our UMN-Morris campus must be quiet. I assume there is still a very long semester break in which the atmosphere out there is frankly dead and discouraging. 

Certainly we need a lift in connection to UMM. It has been quite the year of news and embarrassment. An emergency change in campus leadership. The change could not be delayed until the end of the school year. This means the state has noticed the shortcomings and is keeping close watch. 

Do I sound negative? This is how many people in the community would portray me. They would either disparage me or say I'm not even worth thinking about. I may be a contrarian sometimes but I'm not contrary to facts and logic. I am just contrary to the party line and the little fiefdoms or cliques that throw their weight around. 

We face the stark reality now that the state really wants UMM to deliver better for the money it receives. The powers-that-be don't care if we kick up a fuss about what is going on. Do you think we really have political pull out here? The reality is quite the opposite. 

We can be smug in thinking we're justified in being so "red" politically. It is hard to have a constructive conversation with anyone about this. Lots of sanctimonious folks who think that Donald Trump is the be-all and end-all in their lives. And this is so rigidly enforced in most of our houses of worship. 

We all know, I think, how UMM has been hurt in the most recent epoch of its history. The big push for gay rights or "LGBTQ" was so glaring. Did UMM ever make an institutional statement on gay rights? I think maybe it was just a large faction of students, staff and faculty. The staff will just follow whatever way the wind is blowing. People associated with UMM got so strident and condescending. 

Condescending? Well I recall a UMM prof making public comments where he asked "how is gay marriage going to hurt you?" The question was a perfect setup for the prof and his brethren to make those on the other side look stupid. College professors are good at this. They look at you like they're convinced they know it all. And I know that gay rights will not "hurt" me in any sort of literal sense. So I guess I'd assert that misses the point. 

How do I feel about gay marriage? Right now I'm not so sure. I am voting Democratic at this stage of my life, not that I'm all-in with the party forever. I was willing to be generous with the gay rights cause for a time. If these people have been persecuted or kept "in the closet," it's not fair. But to what extent do we go to remediate? 

Over the recent past I have come to moderate my views, so that I think maybe gay people do not deserve totally equal standing with the straights. I still do not want them to suffer. But maybe they have to accept some limitations because it's the heterosexuals who procreate, who have children in the biological sense. Gays have an argument no matter what you present to them, so they'd say in this instance that gay couples can adopt children. 

They always have an answer. But it borders on arrogance and disrespect on their own part, just like their opponents once showed. 

 

Repercussions 

The whole LGBTQ thing has delivered a whammy to our UMN-Morris. We no longer have a Homecoming parade with a vehicle displaying the king and queen. Such an innocent and routine thing to do. Do it for the alumni - that's what Homecoming is for anyway. Why take a big dump on Homecoming? And if the reputation of UMM becomes besmirched by this - if enrollment actually drops because of the "gay devil worshipers" or "QDW" (for "queer devil worshipers") - then it's a matter for UMM administration to really roll up their sleeves to address and solve. Because in the end, it's all about the State of Minnesota being able to justify what it invests here. 

UMM already has a strike against it by allowing Native Americans to attend for free. Didn't the U.S. Supreme Court make a ruling against affirmative action? You can argue that Natives have been abused in the past. But today's young people had nothing to do with that. Heck, the rest of the population had no part in that either. But the "sociologists" in academia get so caught up on "human groups" and how they have had so much conflict. 

That whole element moved on to the gays. And what a blow this has dealt to UMM. All you had to do is be a person about town to realize this. And let me add with emphasis: All of this caused a reaction from "the other side" which on its own became unpleasant. Did I do enough writing about the "Northstar" publication on the UMM campus? It was a total turd that was deposited on campus decorum. It was an emotional reaction to all the progressive stuff. "Northstar" ended up no more palatable than the things they were complaining about. 

So, I began suggesting in my blog writing: Why don't we have some really firm new UMM leadership that says to students: "You are not here to push political causes, you are here to take your studies seriously in preparation for the rest of your life." 

And students should absolutely respect their professors. My generation went to college at a time when we all knew profs leaned liberal and this would seep into their classes. My advice is: If you don't like this, just roll with the punches. You reserve the right to have your own opinions at any time. You can deny climate change even if all the science seems to affirm it. Sorry, college is a place for science to be really respected. 

 

In driver's seat yet? 

Is the new UMM chancellor in a position to start making decisions in this mid-December? I suppose those people don't work much now because of the holidays. But I think time is short for getting things turned around at UMM. 

We don't have political clout out here. The U of M has a presence in Rochester, thanks to Tim Pawlenty, and believe me, Rochester is on the cusp of a boom of economic development. It's due to the Mayo Clinic expansion among other things. 

Here in Morris we can still hear coyotes howling outside of town at night. This isn't to say that our UMM cannot be stabilized or even rejuvenated. Surely we'll need new and assertive leadership. I think we're answering directly to the legislature now.

Might we call this guy the "new sheriff in town?" He's Mike Rodriguez, new UMN-Morris chancellor as of next month. A man replaces a woman who was nudged out? This won't sit well with the town's feminists. I wonder if the new guy has come across any of my blog writing. Perhaps not. But I know I have some readers. I met new Chancellor Mike Rodriguez at TMC and got a chance to "pitch" to him how I didn't really care for the campus and "community" blending for music. I am assuming he will take a close look at all UMM programs. I could have told him further that our athletic facilities are way too nice to be the home site for a UMAC program. Has he been to a game yet? I have attended several volleyball and basketball games. I remember when UMM was in the Northern Sun Conference and how much more classy that conference was. Is there any going back? Maybe a good starting point would be to establish a nice little homecoming coronation and parade again. Queen should be a biological female.

 

Addendum:

My question to the sociologists: How has awareness of our differences ever helped us get along better?  I recommend the "melting pot" approach with society but academics find that boring.

 

Addendum #2: An email I sent to a friend this morning:

 

Del - There was a sign at DeToy's this morning saying they'll be closed on BOTH Dec. 24 and 25. This is a first. I'm always aware of the place being open on Xmas Eve because that's when I hand Karrie her special Xmas tip. I told Karrie I was disappointed. She seemed to agree and she said "everyone is so happy on that day." But the trend continues: restaurants are more stressed all the time as their costs go up and they don't dare pass too much of that on to customers. I can remember when DeToy's was open on Memorial Day. They used to be open in evening. They used to have a Sunday chicken buffet. 

I am so isolated now that it's nice to go someplace like DeToy's on the morning of Xmas Eve Day. I suppose I can go to Caribou like I did on Thanksgiving morning. If Kelvin is there, I have someone to talk to. And you never know how reliable Caribou is going to be.

 

I have company with the junco birds. 

  

- Brian Williams - morris mn Minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com