Phantom of the Soap Opera

Legislators rattle sabers over UMass funding.

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By Grant Welker
Herald Hews Staff Reporter
Posted Dec 16, 2009 @ 08:40 PM
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Disputes over the viability of a University of Massachusetts law school have created a regional divide among state legislators.
First, private law schools in Boston and Springfield criticized the proposal for the Dartmouth law school, claiming it would require state funds. Local legislators responded by filing a bill calling for the state to review the money it gives to private schools for scholarships.
Then an Amherst state senator announced an intent to file a bill ensuring that no state funds are used for the law school. Now, Dartmouth state Rep. John Quinn says he plans to file legislation requiring all new UMass programs to be self-sustaining and dispersing university funds on a per-pupil basis.
UMass Dartmouth says the law school, that would be created at the Southern New England School of Law, will not require any state support or draw from the university system. Some western Massachusetts legislators and three private law schools have disputed that.
Fall River and New Bedford area representatives want to go one step further, and create a law that funding for each UMass campus is dispersed on a per-pupil basis.
“I am certain that Sen. (Stanley) Rosenberg would agree that there should be a level playing field and that a principle applied to UMass Dartmouth should be applied to UMass Amherst, as well,” Quinn said.

I don't want to be any kind of a spoil sport, but you've just seen a purely  political crock o' dog crap from your local representatives to THE GREAT AND GENERAL COURT. This "equal funding" is NOT going to happen. They just want you to know they will do whatever is necessary to get more money for UMass/Dartmouth. That's where the fight will end. Really.

They may squeeze a few bucks out of the trustees, depending on the state's next budget, but trust me folks, after the news gets out that the state is still short of tax revenues for this fiscal year, and that they are looking at a $3 BILLION shortfall next year, it will be obvious that all the Reps are doing is yelling in the forest, and their constituents, us, are the trees.

Hey, you think everyone at the State House should just roll over for the reps from SE Mass. when they already bankroll the cities of Fall River and New Bedford? Are you nuts? When this whole proposal to "take as a gift" a downtrodden Law School that is at least five years and tens of millions of dollars away from the most basic accreditation first came up, you could have predicted there would be a hoot and holler from the existing small law schools that see a state backed  law school as eventual competition for students, while not having the same resources as a state entry to build or expand.

What's hilarious about this proposal is the childish way the local legislative contingent is reacting. It's like watching divorcing people try to get even with the other ex-spouse. You don't win your point by filing legislation that will  hurt others yet only help you a bit. That type of legislation will never be approved. You need to have an outcome where everyone wins for it to receive serious consideration, especially in really tough financial times. Our reps understand this. These reactions and bills are just plain stupid. So now we know they are simply trying to urinate all over Sen. Rosenberg's shoes, like a bunch of puppies. The whole way they are reacting is not just stupid, it's silly. But this is what I have come to expect from the majority of our legislative delegation. I think we all have.

Now, for purposes of full disclosure, I attended UMass/Amherst for my MBA. Luckily for me, it's one of the best MBA programs in the country, and their faculty's ability and quality is rated #4 nationally. So yes, I am biased. However, let's be completely honest here. If you've ever been to the Amherst area, with UMass, Amherst College, Smith College, Mt. Holyoke College and Hampshire College within a very short free bus ride from campus to campus, and with the ability to attend courses, full credit courses, at any of these institutions, how can you possibly compare the situations and possibilities available between UMass/Amherst and each of it's sister campuses? Be honest now! Maybe that's why they call UMass/Amherst the Crown Jewel of the state's higher education institutions and most certainly the education system's Flagship Campus. It's also why it will ALWAYS get the lion's share of budgeted tax dollars in relation to other state universities and colleges. Folks I've seen UMass/Dartmouth and I've seen UMass/Amherst and there is NO comparison. That's just the truth of the matter. I'm sure there are some first class, great programs at UMass/ Dartmouth. There is simply no valid comparison between the two schools.

So, 10 points for useless political gestures designed to let their constituents know how they will  fight for them. Only 1 point for efficacy of the effort. Things like this only serve to raise false hopes. A new Law School at UMass/ Dartmouth is a real possibility. Equal funding among all the campuses is rather a joke. I'm just telling you the truth you already know.