UW Budget Debates

A great research university, the UW , provides something a teaching school can not provide ... the opportunity to learn from top intellectuals, practitioners, thinkers in the students' fields of study.

We do a poor job of helping our citizens and the legislators understand why having a world class professor of health care metrics or famous sculptor benefits all Washington kids who choose to come here. If we, that is the faculty, only emphasize 'teaching' the path down the slippery slope toward the dismal world of public education becomes obvious.

As one example, some years ago, Lee Hood's wife started an outreach program for WA state teachers to spend time at the UW working in genetics labs. I have met some of the products of that program and am very impressed. These high school teachers return to their class rooms with the real world experience in discovery that no teacher training program can give them and with contacts that are wonderful when the teacher encounters a student with the interest and talent needed to pursue science as a career. I wish more Wa citizens could exoerience the excitiemtn these teachers bring back to their classrooms.

The concept of the University as creating opportunity has other ramifications. We do a lot more to celebrate a winning football season than we do to celebrate receipt of a Nobel prize. We do little or nothing to highlight the collaborations many UW schools have with the working world as a great opportunity for our kids.

I also feel that the UW and WSU could do a much better job of providing resources and leadership for WA states excellent state college system. On the other hand, I worry that the Tacoma/Bothell model encourages the idea that we teach rather than the idea that we offer opportunity.

My bottom line is that I chose an academic life and the UW, because of the opportunities this university offered and have watched with pride as my own children as well as now two generations of my WA state students have taken advantage of those opportunities.