U of O Watch mission, in the words of Foucault...

"One knows … that the university and in a general way, all teaching systems, which appear simply to disseminate knowledge, are made to maintain a certain social class in power; and to exclude the instruments of power of another social class. … It seems to me that the real political task in a society such as ours is to criticise the workings of institutions, which appear to be both neutral and independent; to criticise and attack them in such a manner that the political violence which has always exercised itself obscurely through them will be unmasked, so that one can fight against them." -- Foucault, debating Chomsky, 1971.

U of O Watch mission, in the words of Socrates...

"An education obtained with money is worse than no education at all." -- Socrates

video of president allan rock at work

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Allan Rock shamefully using uOttawa for self-promotion while the campus crumbles

Re: New Governor General of Canada named


The latest press release (HERE) from the communications office of the University of Ottawa is another shameful example of Allan Rock's self-promotion: "I am a friend of the next Governor General and I congratulate myself".

Put it on your blog Allan.

What possible service is this to the University of Ottawa, which arguably has the lowest reputation of any university in Canada (and an even lower Macleans' rating than under the previous administration) thanks largely to Rock's actions and inaction?

How can it help the University of Ottawa (or the future Governor General or Harper's government) for the media to be reminded that "ethically challenged" Rock (HERE, HERE), freedom-of-speech-crushing Rock (HERE), is at its head?

It is difficult to interpret the press release as anything but gratuitous president stroking. Doesn't anyone have the backbone to tell him these things?

Will the new Chair of the Board of Governors (HERE) have a little sit down with Allan?

University press releases, paid for by student tuition fees and taxpayer dollars, are suppose to be a communication and outreach tool for the institution's connection to its community, not a corporate-culture governing-elite self-congratulatory messaging service or a private president-worship cheerleading chorus.

A lot of things need to change at the University of Ottawa and Allan Rock has not initiated any of them. In fact, he is building in the opposite direction. Instead of making needed changes, Rock has concentrated on branding and on on-campus propaganda. He's running the campus like a corporate-funded candidate would run a federal election campaign. Image marketing on and off campus does not make a campus experience or create a learning environment - it does the opposite.

As Rock stated to the English student newspaper at the start of his mandate, he was looking forward to his new challenge of being the CEO of a large corporation. That's the way to increase student satisfaction in the campus experience Allan.


Addendum: A little research reveals that the new Governor General appointment appears to have been a political reward appointment: HERE. Therefore looking like Allan was congratulating David Johnston for having cashed in for a nice piece of service, something Allan understands from his "service" as Canadian Ambassador to the UN following his political career wreckage related to having been found "ethically challenged" by the media (HERE). What does this have to do - in any way - with the University of Ottawa benefiting from such a press release?

2 comments:

Mireille said...

Allan! Stop spamming me to remind me that you have so0o0o many friends in positions of power!

Your past in politics doesn't automatically make you a good university president ya know.

Anonymous said...

Why would Allan Rock praise someone who helped prevent Canada from getting to the bottom of the Airbus inquiry? Clearly Rock doesn't care.