By the Numbers

This is just some food for thought, numbers that that I find it difficult to get my head around, particularly how they relate to one another. How do you make sense of them?  Especially in light of the debate over current budget priorities?

Value of a Life:

  • The EPA estimates the value of life at $9.1 million.
  • The FDA estimates the value of life at $7.9 million.
  • For the Transportation Department the cost is only $6 million
  • Homeland Security say the cost of preventing death by terrorism may be 100 times higher than death by other means.

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(source: “As U.S. Agencies Put More Value on a Life, Businesses Fret,” by Binyamin Appelbaum. The New York Times, February, 16,2011.)

Profits, Taxes, Bailouts and Layoffs at one company:

  • Last week there were protests over the $885 million tax refund received by a Boston based company, State Street Corp.
  • The company reported $1.56 billion in profits last year.
  • It received a bailout of $2 billion in October 2008, though it repaid in in June 2009.
  • On Nov. 30 State Street announced that it is cutting 1,400 jobs, or 5 percent of its workforce.
  • In 2010 Chief Executive Officer Joseph “Jay” Hooley received compensation valued at $12.9 million.

(source: “State Street’s $885 Million Tax Refund Sparks Boston Protest,” Christopher Condon. Bloomberg, April 15, 2011)

State budget deficits:

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SAR Academic Freedom Media Review, April 9-15

The Scholars at Risk media review seeks to raise awareness about academic freedom issues in the news. Subscription information and archived media reviews are available here. The views and opinions expressed in these articles are not necessarily those of Scholars at Risk.

Scholars at Risk calls for letters on behalf of Professor Nasser bin Ghaith of the UAE
Scholars at Risk, 4/15

12 Organizations Ask U. of Virginia to Safeguard Climate Researcher’s Academic Freedom
The Chronicle of Higher Education, 4/14

Hastings’ board pulls UC brand from rights meeting
Bob Egelko, The San Francisco Chronicle, 4/13

Top PEN Prize to Honor Nasrin Sotoudeh, Jailed Iranian Lawyer, Writer, Activist
PEN, 4/13

Iran: independent civil society organisations ignored over draft law on associations
Education International, 4/12

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Whose Reading Your Email?

Imagine you wrote something expressing your opinion on a political issue, it was published in the newspaper, and following  that publication, you were forced to send all your email on that issue and anything related to it to a group of political activists that were opposed to your opinions.  Would you feel intimidated?  Would you be reluctant to do so?  Well, under the Freedom of Information Act and if you were an employee at a public university, you might have to, as the case of a University of Wisconsin professor demonstrates.  The Daily Cardinal at the university reports, in part:

With Wisconsin legislators between sessions and the budget repair bill temporarily tied up in the courts, state Republicans and Democrats have—relatively speaking—taken a welcome break from the political pettiness that’s become so standard this term.

That is, until March 17, when the Republican Party of Wisconsin—spear-headed in this particular case by Stephan Thompson—decided to take a run at UW-Madison’s revered history professor William Cronon.

Cronon posted a blog entry March 15 examining the influence the American Legislative Exchange Council may have on conservative policy making in the state. Two days later, the RPW submitted a Freedom of Information Act request for all of Cronon’s e-mails since Jan. 1, 2011, containing words including “Republican,” “union” and “recall,” acronyms like “WEAC” and “AFSCME” and names including Gov. Scott Walker, both Fitzgerald brothers and all eight Republican legislators subject to recall efforts.

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Academic Freedom Media Review, March 26-April 1

Compiled by Scholars at Risk

The Scholars at Risk media review seeks to raise awareness about academic freedom issues in the news. Subscription information and archived media reviews are available here. The views and opinions expressed in these articles are not necessarily those of Scholars at Risk.

Malawi police arrest 5 university students for rioting
Afrique en Ligne, 3/31

Unusual Ruling for Academic Freedom
Scott Jaschik, Inside Higher Ed, 3/31

Yale and National U. of Singapore Set Plans for New Liberal-Arts College
Karin Fischer, The Chronicle of Higher Education, 3/31

‘Academic Freedom’ Offers Little Protection Against New Efforts to Obtain Professors’ E-Mails
Peter Schmidt and Colin Woodard, The Chronicle of Higher Education, 3/29

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Scholars at Risk Academic Freedom Media Review, March 19-25

Scholars at Risk would like to draw attention to the situation surrounding Professor William Cronon of University of Wisconsin at Madison. According to media reports, the university was approached by the Republican Party of Wisconsin with a request, under Wisconsin’s open-records law, for Prof. Cronon’s e-mail records. The request was received just days after Prof. Cronon published a blog post regarding legislation proposed by Republican lawmakers. Please review the following two pieces—one featured in The Chronicle of Higher Education, and one written by Prof. Cronon on his blog—for additional information on this case.

Wisconsin GOP Seeks E-Mails of a Madison Professor Who Criticized the Governor
A Tactic I Hope Republicans Will Rethink: Using the Open Records Law to Intimidate Critics

Academic Freedom Media Review
March 19 – 25, 2011
Compiled by Scholars at Risk

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Academic Freedom Media Review, March 12-18

Here, somewhat late, is the Scholars at Risk Media Review. The delay is my fault, due to a busy weekend and Monday. I apologize.

The Scholars at Risk media review seeks to raise awareness about academic freedom issues in the news. Subscription information and archived media reviews are available at here. The views and opinions expressed in these articles are not necessarily those of Scholars at Risk.

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Scholars at Risk calls for letters: Bahraini professor re-imprisoned
Scholars at Risk, 3/18

Tennessee Lawmaker Wants Student Protesters Punished
Quick Takes, Inside Higher Ed, 3/18

Bahrain: University students attacked as violence escalates
Education International, 3/17

Dalhousie medical school to sell Saudis 10 seats
James Bradshaw, The Globe and Mail, 3/17

Iranian university lecturer banned from teaching after publishing critical articles
Network of Education & Academic Rights, 3/16

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Academic Freedom Media Review, March 5-11, 2011

Compiled by Scholars at Risk

The Scholars at Risk media review seeks to raise awareness about academic freedom issues in the news. Subscription information and archived media reviews are available at here. The views and opinions expressed in these articles are not necessarily those of Scholars at Risk.

Presidential duress: fears for Belarusian academic freedom
Colin Graham, Times Higher Education, 3/10

CHINA: Unrest fears prompt alert at universities
Yojana Sharma, University World News, 3/10

Virginia Supreme Court Will Hear Appeal of Climate-Papers Case
The Chronicle of Higher Education, 3/10

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SAR Academic Freedom Media Review: 26 February – 4 March 2011

The Scholars at Risk media review seeks to raise awareness about academic freedom issues in the news. Subscription information and archived media reviews are available here. The views and opinions expressed in these articles are not necessarily those of Scholars at Risk.

Censorship or a Mirage?
Steve Kolowich, Inside Higher Ed, 3/4

The man from Kyrgyzstan
Corydon Ireland, Harvard Gazette, 3/3

‘Suspect’ Offa letter threatens sector’s freedom
Rebecca Attwood, Times Higher Education, 3/3

Academic Freedom and the Corporate University
Bill Gleason, The Chronicle of Higher Education, 3/3

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Athletics and Budget Cuts

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I saw an interesting report about the costs of college sports on the PBS program Need to Know tonight. According to the report, the football coach at the University of Alabama earns 6 million a year, more than twice the salary of the nation’s highest paid college president. The Men’s Basketball Coach at the University of Connecticut is the highest paid employee in the state. These are both public universities, by the way.

That, alone, is shocking. It is often argued that the sports teams bring in revenue in ticket sales and merchandise licensing, but people buy plenty of merchandise from colleges that don’t play in the big tournaments. It’s also argued the sports teams bring in exposure, but Harvard and Yale don’t field NCAA teams and they seem to have little trouble attracting students. Ultimately, if a potential student has a choice between a really prestigious school that places graduates in great jobs and and a college well known for athletics, I dare say, most would pick the college that offers the better job prospects.

Watch the full episode. See more Need To Know.

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Academic Freedom Media Review, February 19-25, 2011

The Scholars at Risk media review seeks to raise awareness about academic freedom issues in the news. Subscription information and archived media reviews are available here. The views and opinions expressed in these articles are not necessarily those of Scholars at Risk.

YEMEN: Student protests gather strength after deaths
Ahmed Mohamoud Elmi, University World News, 2/25

Anti-Union Bill Passes Wisconsin Assembly
The Chronicle of Higher Education, 2/25

Saudi Intellectuals Demand Reforms
The New York Times, 2/24

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