Content
@
https://warpcast.com/~/channel/gloom
0 reply
0 recast
0 reaction
Venkatesh Rao ☀️
@vgr
RIP US research university
2 replies
0 recast
14 reactions
ryan
@ryanrodenbaugh.eth
I’m not getting it. NIH gives out direct grants and attached to that the university can bill for overhead? That’s the innovation?
1 reply
0 recast
0 reaction
Venkatesh Rao ☀️
@vgr
When a professor applies for $1 they get $1 and ~$0.50 extra goes to univ to help defray the cost of all the infrastructure the prof uses. Office s-ace, electricity, libraries… Yes it was a remarkable innovation in the 1940s. Suddenly universities decided it was worth supporting faculty research. One of the most creative win-win incentives ever. Think of it as mining fees or gas, but for much more expensive infrastructure.
1 reply
0 recast
5 reactions
ryan
@ryanrodenbaugh.eth
Nice! Remarkable for 1940s…but still relevant today? I can imagine this making a lot of sense when tuition was low and universities didn’t have such established donor programs but it doesn’t seem controversial to say maybe it makes less sense now? Many universities seem to now have the problem of overbloat in admin
1 reply
0 recast
0 reaction
Venkatesh Rao ☀️
@vgr
Yep, still relevant Only a few prestige units have big endowments. Harvard and Yale will survive. Most other universities depend heavily on this, especially public ones. There is certainly room for efficiency and reform and I’ve myself advocated for it. Digital tech means lower infrastructure costs. But this isn’t a good-faith efficiency drive. It’s an ideological assault designed to cripple adversaries. It would be clueless to take it at face value.
0 reply
0 recast
0 reaction
