Type to search

Bonner to student paper: Economic development is good and stuff

Decaturish updates

Bonner to student paper: Economic development is good and stuff

Share

Rep. Jo Bonner has lots of ideas about his new job as vice chancellor of economic development and government relations for the University of Alabama System, according to The Crimson White student newspaper.

Of course, he hasn’t told us what those ideas are yet. The man who was uniquely qualified for this position must first consult with people like Chancellor Robert Witt and other members of the UA System.

But we know this for certain: Economic development is good and Bonner is a good congressman, the CW says. Therefore, Bonner will be good at economic development … or something.

To read the full article, click here.

Also appearing alongside today’s article is a CW editorial. At first the editorial looks like a lengthy critique of the nonsensical explanations of Bonner and UA System personnel regarding the congressman’s new job. Somewhere in the middle of writing the editorial the writers were replaced by pod people.

“Still, coincidental concerns should not cloud the position’s potential,” The CW editorial board writes. “There is a dire need on this campus for strengthening the ties of higher education with government and assisting students with tuition costs.”

To read the full editorial, click here.

Yeah, being the brother of the sitting university president is one hell of a coincidence, isn’t it? As far as this dire need, what dire need? The governor sits on the Board of Trustees. If he hasn’t been convinced of the dire need by now, what hope does Jo Bonner  have?

Why is everyone ready to move on and forget this happened?

I shouldn’t be too hard on the student newspaper. They’re the only Alabama publication covering this in a way that sounds remotely inquisitive. Still, the editorial is a little depressing given the CW’s track record. It concludes by saying the student newspaper intends to hold Bonner accountable.

I’ll be very interested to see how the student newspaper or any publication holds the brother of the university president accountable once he’s working in his well-paid, unelected position.

The editorial board also demands Bonner work to lower tuition. Sorry, guys. Tuition only goes one direction, especially if the University System continues giving made-up jobs to the brothers of university presidents.

Frankly, the CW has done all it can as a student paper. It’s time for the other media – particularly the editorial boards – to stop being all “gee golly, boy howdy” about this and start asking some questions. And they shouldn’t be questions like, “Why is economic development so awesome?”

Quit ignoring this. Please. Please. Please.

To find out how you can make the University System more accountable, click here.

Tags: