Thread by @HollyBell8

Some insight into my decision to retire (a thread). This is an interesting use of statistics. Here is another fact: These numbers are for student credit hours only. At Mat-Su our headcount is up 9.1% while everyone else’s is down considerably meaning we have more students taking

fewer classes each. Not surprising in the current environment for a commuter campus. This rather slanted news story comes out the same week the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) went to the Board of Regents to make the case that the Mat-Su campus receives 2/

too much money from the general fund and that the money should be moved from Mat-Su to the CAS. He compared the amount Mat-Su is allocated to what CAS is allocated & said we shouldn’t get as much. What was completely false about his argument is that the money 3/

that goes to CAS only pays for education expenses primarily faculty and the Dean’s office. The Mat-Su allocation pays for the ENTIRE campus including all faculty & staff, our buildings & maintenance, the library, theater, etc. That is not a direct comparison 4/

In fact, Mat-Su has THE LOWEST COST PER STUDENT IN THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM. But we have no power. We are controlled by Anchorage. The main campuses will ensure they survive these budget cuts at the expense of the more efficient campuses. 5/

That increase in headcount I was talking about, they consider that to be us “stealing” UAA students. Honestly, this is the word they use. I will compete on quality of education every day of the week with any other campus in the system & when students have a choice, 6/

they choose us. This internecine battle for resources at the expense of any actual logic is part of what is driving me out. And these are just the things taking place in public forums that I can talk about. Behind the scenes is even worse 7/

Meanwhile, the budget cuts have meant that we have had to cut staff to the point where there are not enough people to do the work anymore. I’ve literally been doing the work of 3 1/5 people for months and it has become impossible. I can’t work from 7am - 10:30pm anymore. 8/

I’m physically and emotionally exhausted. It’s time to save myself because at the end of the day the U could give a sh!t about me personally. As an institution, it’s in disarray & is eating itself from the inside. It’s regrettably time for me to say goodbye. 9/

Of course come the end of the month, once I’m retired, I can say whatever I want. Fin.

P.S. Ultimately the fact that I’ve been expected to take on so much and the battles are on so many fronts I feel like I can no longer do anything well, there’s not enough time. If I can’t do my job well, I’d rather not do it at all. Integrity sucks.