Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!cwruecmp!pjd
From: pjd@cwruecmp.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.edu
Subject: Donations
Message-ID: <2224@cwruecmp.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 18-Aug-87 14:31:38 EDT
Article-I.D.: cwruecmp.2224
Posted: Tue Aug 18 14:31:38 1987
Date-Received: Fri, 21-Aug-87 03:54:06 EDT
Reply-To: pjd@cwruecmp.UUCP (dr. funk)
Distribution: na
Organization: CWRU Dept. of Computer Engineering, Cleveland, Ohio
Lines: 46


1. For a while there, the Economic Recovery Tax Act (ERTA) encouraged
the donation of equipment for "research or research training." The
university had to justify its need on that basis. "Research training"
could be broadly interpreted to mean "graduate level education," but
probably not undergraduate education. Demonstrated ability (funding)
for one year's maintenance was also required.

2. ERTA did nothing for maintenance or operating costs. This proved to
be the real killer for most universities. (We've had some bad
experiences along these lines as well.) As a researcher, I find that
the maintenance of the facility can be a real weight. I constantly
have to chase dollars to cover our gear instead of "thinking good
thoughts." (I ain't no candy ass and I ain't looking for sympathy
here, so flames to /dev/null.)

3. It IS hard to get the attention of a manufacturer if you are not
one of the "blessed." The rich get richer because:
  a. It is more prestigious (i.e., better PR) to put your equipment
     into Famous University.
  b. There is a perception that Famous Universities produce the engineers
     which the manufacturer will hire.
  c. These is a perception that engineers from these schools will become
     powerful managers and recommend their equipment and become
     future customers.
As I compete against these guys for research funds (publication or
whatever else the administration thinks is important to my career),
I especially resent reading about a big donation to a competitor and
then get offered the "standard 20% university discount" off the PURCHASE
price of the same equipment.

[Sorry about all the rhetoric here.]

4. Let me propose a different perception -- that the "night school
graduates" do most of the design and implementation. These guys may not
work for the computer manufacturer who concentrate on selected schools,
but boy, they far outnumber the graduates of Famous U.

5. If this note has a point, it is that four year colleges and
{2,3,4...} tier universities need a break, too. I truly worry about
the quality of our national engineering force and its training. It's
time to support the forgotten masses.
-- 

paul drongowski				sun!cwruecmp!pjd
case western reserve university		pjd@CWRU.EDU