Talk of Alaska: Higher Education Funding

Tue, November 24, 2009
Posted in Talk of Alaska

The resignation of Professor Rick Steiner from the University of Alaska raises questions about the priorities of the higher educational system in Alaska.

Chris Hedges of the Nation Institute has written a new book that points to a major change that has hit our universities over the past few years – federal funding is dwindling, and states are not making up the difference.

Universities have increasingly turned to corporate funding. The question is: What policies do our universities have in place to keep corporate funding from controlling their research?

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HOST: Steve Heimel, APRN

GUESTS:

Chris Hodges. Author. “Empire of Illusion.”
Rick Steiner. Resigning professor, University of Alaska Fairbanks.

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LIVE Broadcast: Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. on APRN stations statewide

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Comments

Brian Brubaker

With all do respect to your guest, and without prejudice towards his specific, personal predicament, to say broadly that the University of Alaska systematically restricts free speech based solely on what is aledged in this one case is not valid! This is a very large, diverse institution. It does much more than just fisheries research. It is much more than "a consulting firm that awards degrees".

And the record is not all bad or all good. There is the 2001-2002 case of Professor McCarriston. http://www.thefire.org/case/66.html There is the university's experience with atomic projects in the 50's and 60's. There are the changes to the Foundation's structure and organization and the new fees on endowments.

But can we have some respect please for all the students, faculty, staff and alumni whose daily work to make this a better place goes unsung and unrecognized? It is not all corrupt and biased by corporations.

Jon Lockert

Thank you Steve for having Christopher Hedges on your show. His assessment of our national situation was the most succinct and eloquent I have ever heard. Why don't we talk about what he discussed? We are in denial and apparently our capacity for self-deception is enormous.