UT Renovating Office Space for $300,000
They say timing is everything in life. UT's decision to renovate some office space in Andy Holt Towers is - in the words of State Representative Bill Dunn - "poor timing."
The fact that UT is cutting programs and jobs to offset the state's budget deficit, apparently doesn't mean putting off projects like six new v-p offices in Andy Holt.
UT says it's reducing the size of its Board Room to make room for the new offices at a price tag of $300,000.
And, of course, reducing the size of the Board Room, means the need for a new conference table. This one, we're told, is being built by UT carpenters, and is said to cost $15,000.
That's not confirmed by UT officials. But even if the cost is half that, aren't there tables on campus already that they could use? Maybe at Audiology/Speech? There may be a lot of unused furniture there soon?
Andy Holt Towers is more than 40 years old. Space there probably does need renovating, but why now?
Why, when programs like the Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology are being phased out, is it necessary to move 6 vice presidents under one roof?
Angie Morin - the mother of a 6 year old down syndrome child - says cutting the audiology and speech program will be devastating for her daughter.
"Without this program," she says, "our daughter's speech, I can't imagine where she'd be, because they've made such a significant difference in her speech and articulation."
Lydia Morin is just one of some 2500 patients who've benefited from the Program's clinics in the past year. But under the current budget proposal, that all ends in two years.
Putting off the office renovations probably wouldn't be enough money to save the audiology and speech program, but it would at least send a message to faculty and students, that the pain of the cuts will be felt by everyone, even the administration.
UT officials defend the Andy Holt renovations, saying they don't see it as lavish spending but a "much needed maintenance upkeep."
Maybe so, but it would seem hard to complain - on the one hand - about having to make cuts in jobs and programs and - on the other hand - creating six brand new offices for your vice presidents.
As Bill Dunn says - quoting Governor Ned McWherter - "If you talk poor, you better act poor."
UPDATE: Here's what they're saying about the Audiology/Speech Program cuts at KnoxViews.
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I think the UT sports
I think the UT sports program should be cut way before any educational program is cut, much less wiped from the books. UT is an educational institute. It should have educational as is primary goal - everything else is secondary and thus should go before educational programs are affected.
I cannot fathom spending
I cannot fathom spending 300,000 dollars at this time when the department of audiology and speech pathology is being closed. Two of their clinics are housed in South Stadium Hall. My daughter recieves valuable services there. 15,000 dollars for a new conference table for the higher ups? How about just getting rid of the huge roaches, the mice, the bats, and the asbestos in the audiology clinic and child hearing services? How about putting in central heat and air so that my daughter does not have sweat dripping down her face during therapy because the old windo air conditioners have to be turned off in order for my child to hear. How many thousands of dollars would that cost?
Unfortunately for UT,
Unfortunately for UT, athletic and academic money is completey seperate. The millions of dollars that football and basketball bring in are spent only on athletics. The priorities of most public universities are skewed. I say this as a student of audiology and also as a former collegiate student-athlete.
It is sad that the audiology and speech clinics are in such bad shape. I certainly didn't come to UT for the beautiful clinic! I came for the outstanding education and reputation. This is why they originally were proposing to move us into a new building; to make way for their stadium rennovations. When the new building fell out of the budget, so did the audiology program. Athletics has the money to rennovate the stadium so we have to suffer.
Knoxville is doing a fabulous job of staying on top of this. I am not in Tennessee so it's been difficult not being able to be there. Keep up the great work everyone. The more steam we get behind this thing, the more our voice will be heard.
UT Audiology is HEAR TO STAY!!