[Vision2020] UI Waste & Arrogance

Wed Apr 29 12:30:38 PDT 2009

Bear:

Every business I've been in had a simple equation:  More business=More
money=Good thing.

More business in this case would also allow admissions to be pickier,
solving that academic deficiency issue you mention.

On Wed, Apr 29, 2009 at 12:07 PM,  <bear at moscow.com> wrote:
> Darrell,
>
> I also thank you for clearing up the ad issue. But  to what end is the
> money being spent?
> With the reductions in staff, it reduces services, so if the goal is to
> open the tap and bring in more students ( and more income), that can be
> accomplished by the admissions office. Last semester, half of the
> freshman class was on probation for academic deficiencies.
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> Darrell,
>> Thanks for the background -- while we subscribe to the Spokesman, I've not
>> seen the previous ads you mention.  LOL -- I actually didn't see this ad,
>> either, until brought it was brought to my attention.  I hope those
>> advertising dollars are working better in other households & venues!
>> Since I've completely missed this ad campaign, were the previous ads the
>> same size, full color, placement, etc. as this one?
>> Nonetheless, I still think the choice of wording was poor -- how can
>> someone
>> BE the UI who isn't even here yet and who's hiring is viewed by more than a
>> few as suspect and evidence of preferential treatment achieved by a
>> special interest group?
>>
>> While I sincerely appreciate you straightening me out <g> about the
>> advertising background, I can only pass on the thoughts that have been
>> shared with me -- members of the UI community found it distasteful, and I
>> can't say as I blame them.  It would seem that there's something different
>> about this ad than the previous ones in the series since my phone wasn't
>> ringing off the hook about them . . .
>>
>>
>> Saundra Lund
>> Moscow, ID
>>
>> The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do
>> nothing.
>> ~ Edmund Burke
>>
>> ***** Original material contained herein is Copyright 2009 through life
>> plus
>> 70 years, Saundra Lund.  Do not copy, forward, excerpt, or reproduce
>> outside
>> the Vision 2020 forum without the express written permission of the
>> author.*****
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: keim152 at gmail.com [mailto:keim152 at gmail.com] On Behalf Of Darrell
>> Keim
>> Sent: Wednesday, April 29, 2009 11:25 AM
>> To: Saundra Lund
>> Cc: vision2020 at moscow.com
>> Subject: Re: [Vision2020] UI Waste & Arrogance
>>
>> Saundra:
>>
>> THe phrasing of the add was in keeping with a recent series of adds
>> they have done, featuring individual students, faculty etc.  Each add
>> described an individual, then ended with that phrasing.
>>
>> As to your other issue-that of the cost of advertising.  There is a
>> school of thought-of which I am a subscriber-that believes advertising
>> helps sell your product.  I think we can agree that more students
>> would be a boon to the community...
>>
>> On Wed, Apr 29, 2009 at 11:19 AM, Saundra Lund <sslund_2007 at verizon.net>
>> wrote:
>>> Visionaries:
>>>
>>> I'm wondering what folks thought of the 3/4 page full color ad the UI
>>> ran
>> on
>>> page B2 in the Sunday Spokesman Review?
>>>
>>> My first thought was that it seemed incredibly thoughtless to spend the
>>> money to run such an ad given the financial condition at the UI where
>> people
>>> are scared to death about their jobs and pay cuts that will make life
>>> very
>>> difficult for more than a few loyal UI employees.  Good grief -- get
>>> news
>>> coverage (the UI hiring a new president is definitely news, although
>>> it's
>>> something we've become accustomed to hearing over the years)!
>>>
>>> Second thought was that the text of the ad was just plain offensive.  In
>>> bold all caps:  "I AM DR. DUANE NELLIS. I AM THE UNIVERSITY OF
>>> IDAHO"?!?!
>>> The only reason he even came to the UI is because he got a special deal
>> due
>>> to pressure by a special interest group . . . he certainly wasn't
>>> willing
>> to
>>> BE the UI without it.  Frankly, the whole special deal smacks of the
>>> offensive Wall Street practices that generated so much animosity.
>>>
>>> Anyway, it seems that the ad was a real morale-buster for those facing
>>> pay
>>> cuts and lost jobs, which makes me wonder about the wisdom of those
>> calling
>>> the shots at the upper levels of the UI.  Quite a few people I've
>>> chatted
>>> with were surprised to learn that a newcomer -- rather than those who
>>> have
>>> spent their careers serving the mission of the university -- IS THE
>>> UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO.
>>>
>>> It was a great picture, though, and I sure hope Dr. Nellis will be the
>> kind
>>> of magician that warrants the special hiring treatment he received.
>>>
>>>
>>> Saundra Lund
>>> Moscow, ID
>>>
>>> The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to
>>> do
>>> nothing.
>>> ~ Edmund Burke
>>>
>>> ***** Original material contained herein is Copyright 2009 through life
>> plus
>>> 70 years, Saundra Lund.  Do not copy, forward, excerpt, or reproduce
>> outside
>>> the Vision 2020 forum without the express written permission of the
>>> author.*****
>>>
>>>
>>>
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