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Read the full item at Strib, this being a short paragraph near the report's ending.
Earlier this year, Sviggum gave up his job with the U's Humphrey School of Public affairs after an ad hoc group of three regents recommended that he pick between his posts. Another regents panel made a similar recommendation last week.
[link in original]
Hmm, a cozy Humphrey School position. Earlier reporting, Bruininks there, as latest news.
What are they running there? Some kind of analog to an old folks' home - an old boys' home instead?
A 24 karat solid gold old boys' home, at that?
"Shut up kid, pay your tuition, your library fines, or we send out no transcripts." For the kids.
What's needed, It's called level the playing field, I think.
_____________UPDATE_____________
Minnesota Daily coverage of the Sviggum resignation, here. There is different detail in the Strib and the Daily reports, so read each.
From the Daily, this editorial cartoon:
That podium, the "Driven to Discover," slogan packs some irony. Discover what, that Orwell's "Animal Farm" with all the animals equal, early on, was prescient?
__________FURTHER UPDATE_________
MinnPost on the Sviggum resignation from the Regents, here and here.
__________FURTHER UPDATE_________
Strib has a hard line headline online here, "Embattled Sviggum resigns from U’s Board of Regents" "Embattled" being a newer choice of words.
This quote:
Sviggum continued his argument Thursday that he could manage the two roles. He believes that the board has treated him unfairly and that the opinions of the two attorneys ignored key facts. "Sometimes, members, the facts don't matter anymore," he said. "Facts be damned."
Facts do matter. One fact is he is paid over a hundred thousand dollars to be a partisan in the Republican legislative employee pool. Another was that Republicans appointed him to the Board. Another, the board sets University policy, and relies upon legislative appropriations sufficient for the responsible running of a world-class institution of learning. Another fact is within all that, particularly funding and "responsible running" of things, politics can enter into academics, and the two really do not mix. Or should not. Sometimes a sound standard is honored in the breach, however, as with top-level spending as currently reported.
Politics has its standards. The other, academics, has its higher standards. The higher standards prevailed. Sviggum resigned his board seat.