Thought on the Budget address.
Am I the only one thinking after listening to the budget address that we’re seeing some direct efforts to preserve and strengthen the one item that people will hold out as the Rounds’ contribution to South Dakota; The Sanford Lab Project.
Anyone?
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During these difficult times the Gov. finds money to add a Ph D program in Physics to be added at 3 SD colleges????? How many SD students will this serve and how many will stay in SD after completion of the program. How about taking care of the Tech schools first? Yes the mine and Higher Education are the priorities.
Why don’t we just sell the colleges and use the Board of Regents money to give scholarships to all eligible South Dakota High School Seniors.
We would save millions.
The private sector will do a much better job educating our kids anyway.
The reason given for the physics PhD program was lame at best and misleading at worst. Anyone knowing anything about higher education KNOWS that earning two advanced degrees at the same school or even same small state is tremendously frowned upon and puts one at a professional disadvantage due to an incipient lack of diversity in thought, mentoring, exposure, etc.
Furthermore it makes about as much sense to offer the physics PhD at three schools as it would to expand the MD program to three schools. What’s the point? The program belongs at SDSM&T as it’s highly correlated with engineering and is closest to DUSEL.
As a technophile and a resident of Lead, I’m biased on this issue. I’m happy to see our governor strengthen the Sanford Lab project. But it’s more important that our next governor and legislature put the state government back in the black, keep it there without imposing new burdens on the taxpayers, and at the same time keeping South Dakota attractive to small business people. Difficult? Yes. Impossible? Only if we think so. Who in my opinion should succeed Mike Rounds? Scott Munsterman.
“The private sector will do a much better job educating our kids anyway.”
What most call education is really free job training for special interests in the private sector…tech schools included.
Not exactly higher education in general, as SDSU now has students paying more of the cost than the state (which was not the way state-sponsored, land-grand colleges and universities were set up)… just a PHd program in Physics.
Also, Steve, what in the world are you talking about? You are arguing with Thomas Jefferson and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The reason for spreading the PhD across three schools has some sound basis. USD is technically the lead on the project since they have the top physics program in the state. Minds gets in on the action because of their engineering focus and proximity. And well SDSU is in on it because it just wouldn’t be nice to leave them out on such an exciting project, and probably thats where Rounds graduated from.
I read not to long ago (I really wish i could remember where and cite it) that SD has the lowest number of PhD programs in the nation! Likely a result however of too many regental schools however.
Can somebody please make a list of these supposed Rounds boys in top positions in state government. I can think of only a few and it doesn’t warrant the previous comment or any like it.
Neutrinos for industry! Neutrinos for defense!
THC will get the reference, maybe Fleming as well.
Epp
I thought Rounds’ contribution to South Dakota was giving the state access to all of his family members vai their positions of power and influence.