tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30130444.post7830272860496289475..comments2024-02-16T09:00:32.845-06:00Comments on FromDC2Iowa: V Tech and TrainsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30130444.post-62714798308240247582007-09-01T11:49:00.000-05:002007-09-01T11:49:00.000-05:00This has nothing to do with trains, unless the seg...This has nothing to do with trains, unless the segway is 'who is driving the locomotive', but this blog might check out the new governance at the UIHC.<BR/><BR/>In an in-house update, the new governance was diagrammed out. This new reorganization makes it official: the UIHC has more governing models than small Central American republics.<BR/><BR/>At the top of the org chart was Michael Gartner. Does this mean Gartner is czar of all academic state institutions? Do all presidents report to Gartner? ( a very frightening thought)<BR/><BR/>Next is President Mason. Then comes John Robbiard. He now is VP for medical affairs and Dean CCOM. <BR/><BR/>Former Hospital CEO Diane Bahensky is well down the structural chain. Formerly (in the days of Kelch and Howell) the Dean and the CEO were equal partners. Now, the CEO is well below the VP and 5 of his office minions. The CEO shares a role with a CFO and 2 others.<BR/><BR/>The written announcement names any number of VPs, but the org chart reads differently.<BR/><BR/>This is a significant change, done without a real sitting President (unless one considers the Interim Pres).<BR/><BR/>It is surprising such a bloodless coup took place in the absence of a U of Iowa president.<BR/><BR/>Secondly, the UIHC says it will become more nimble, which is a laughable idea that to become flexible and nimble they increase the complexity of the bureaucracy.<BR/><BR/>There must have been a reason for all this? What does the leadership have up it's sleeve? Who is the driving force for all this? And with a significant demotion for the UIHC CEO, why was nothing much mentioned in the media?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30130444.post-80399794982432697452007-08-31T16:38:00.000-05:002007-08-31T16:38:00.000-05:00I second any reservations about campus security ca...I second any reservations about campus security carrying weapons. If the most common use of a weapon is to kill an injured animal, then campus security does not need to discharge that duty. Call Iowa City.<BR/><BR/>A generally safe college campus is no place to introduce deadly force. That simply escalates the amount of potential violence.<BR/><BR/>If one looks at saving lives, the largest loss of life at a college campus in the academic fiscal year of 2007 was at Va Tech. No amount of arms in Va Tech campus police would have saved more lives. The recent report however, suggests that prudent policies and prudent communications would have saved lives.<BR/><BR/>Obviously at a certain level, law enforcement needs weapons; however that level is not at the university level. Where is the threat?<BR/><BR/>If officers are worried about their safety, better communication and increased patrol numbers would be a better solution than increasing the arms race.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30130444.post-20381490688801024402007-08-30T15:44:00.000-05:002007-08-30T15:44:00.000-05:00Good to hear your support for bicycling. If they ...Good to hear your support for bicycling. If they are smart, they will integrate public transportation and bicycling to allow for a system with mobility. Bring your bike on the train, get off and ride it to your destination. Bicycling, can be much more efficient than walking. <BR/><BR/>I hope they do not fall into the farebox problem the greets buses. It seems the only way to raise revenue for buses is through the user, but raising fares lowers ridership and creates a net loss. Experiments in South Carolina are being considered, where removing the farebox increases the speed of passengers boarding and thus the efficiency of the buses. We really need to have a comprehensive discussion about transportation and -gasp- a metro or regional system to make it work efficiently.Mark Wyatthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17207938907412061813noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30130444.post-53634434805425116922007-08-30T15:24:00.000-05:002007-08-30T15:24:00.000-05:00It is very unusual for Johnson County Police and S...It is very unusual for Johnson County Police and Sheriff's deputies to fire their weapon at a person. Their most common use of a firearm is to kill an injured animal. Review the ICPD use of force reports they post on the web to get an idea about the frequency and types of use of force.<BR/><BR/>If you listen to the officers and their families their concerns are about the officers ability to protect themselves against an armed offender. I think they have a point, that risk is significantly larger than it was in the past and the consequences are large.<BR/><BR/>UI officers have to take the same training and pass the same rectification tests as other police officers. The risk to the public from an armed UIDPS officer is the same as the risk to the public from any armed police officer.<BR/><BR/>We all have to face the fact that Johnson County has changed and there are more crimes against persons than there were in the past. It is an interesting experience to live in a neighborhood where you are woken by gunshots. It is a good day indeed when you move out of such a neighborhood.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com