Literature Review Blog #5

NEA Higher Education Research Center.  “Higher Education and Privatization.”  NEA Update.  10.2 (March 2004). Web.

This article talks about the effects of privatization on higher education.  With less funding from the government, state universities are being forced come up with alternative sources of income.  Tuitions costs continue to rise even though more and more students are trying to get a college degree.  

Key Terms and Quotes:

Privatization

Outsourcing 

"In its narrowest meaning, privatization suggests a movement away from public financing and toward private financing.  For higher education, the term includes a range of activities taking place on campus. Generally, in the name of financial necessity, colleges and universities cut services, undertake aggressive outsourcing, reduce the number of regular tenured teaching slots, and increase tuition."

This material helps prove that Rutgers University uses a privatized system in order to make up for the money that was lost to budget cuts.  As a result, some of the techniques used to make a profit are done by "screwing" students, faculty, staff, and alumni and ultimately can be considered part of the "RU Screw."

Research Blog #10: Final Abstract and Bibliography

Abstract

The “RU Screw” is much more than just a catchy phrase used in “reference to the football team sucking,” it is something that is absolutely real.  Over the course of this university’s long history there have been so many problems and instances where students and faculty do not receive the proper care and attention that they should, which has ultimately created a negative stigma and specific term that refers to all of these redundant, yet calculated efficiencies. The inefficiencies established by the original federated college system, the failure of the Transformation of Undergraduate Education, millions of dollars in budget cuts, and a push toward privatization, has resulted in the evolution of the “RU Screw.”  Once referring to the university’s incompetence, the “RU Screw” now describes the strategic inner workings of a deceitful and cunning bureaucracy.  The vindictive attitude “The Rutgers Screw” presents, interferes with the formation of a progressive atmosphere and in turn, has limited the overall growth of the institution.  

Works Cited

Abrams, Samantha. “What is Your ‘RU Screw’ Story?” Survey. 2013.

Anonymous. "Rutgers seriously doesn’t get enough money from my tuition and taxes that they have to fuck me over with bullshit parking tickets too?  Ill bee in a great mood all day now that I have to waste 55 fucking dollars cuz of some asshole rent a cop throwing out tickets like their confetti." 14 Oct. 2013. Facebook post.

Moffatt, Michael. Coming of Age in New Jersey: College and American Culture. New Brunswick : Rutgers University Press, c1989. Print.

NEA Higher Education Research Center.  “Higher Education and Privatization.”  NEA Update.  10.2 (March 2004). Web.

“RU Screw.” Urban Dictionary.com. Urban Dictionary, 2013. Web. 5 November 2013.

Swan, Aubrie E. "The Transformation of Undergraduate Education at Rutgers University: An Evaluation." Rutgers University Community Repository. n. page. Web. 15 Oct. 2013. <http://rucore.libraries.rutgers.edu/rutgers-lib/25945/>.

Tomar, Dave. The Shadow Scholar. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc. Kindle Edition.

Research Blog #9: Argument and Counter-Argument

As part of my argument over the course of this semester I have stated that the "RU Screw's" meaning has changed over time.  More specifically that is has changed in a manner that no longer views the universities mess-ups or blunders as just accidents or small oversights, but as calculated and planned "screwings" that are meant to swindle and cheat students out of their money.  One of the responses in my survey stated this: "...an excuse students use when something doesn't go their way." I however, believe that this is not this case and that students are being intentionally screwed. For example, the issues that students have with DOTS, Webreg, housing, and finical services are all too common and all too real. "

Rutgers is also, like most colleges, a business...But colleges are a special kind of business...

It’s that many colleges are shitty businesses that don’t give a crap about customer service or quality assurance. They function like your conglomerated cable providers and your giant cell phone carriers and all those other companies that happily take your business but also let you know in no uncertain terms that you need them more than they need you...Rutgers University treated its students like it didn’t really need their loyalty or affection.” (Tomar 452-453) In 2009, Rutgers Department of Transportation services made $6,994,000 in net revenue just in parking tickets alone. Here is a real "RU Screw" story about Rutgers DOTS from a former student: 

"My senior year at Rutgers I lived in Hegeman Hall on the College Ave Campus. Due to limited parking spaces on CAC, the ones that were available were for commuters only, so everyone who lived on CAC got passes to park on Livingston for the year. Not that big of a deal, considering I only used my car mainly on weekends. That winter, a pending snow storm prompted RU DOTS to inform all students with cars on Livingston to move them to the lots at the RAC in order for the snow plows to clear all the other lots after the storm. So, I took a bus to Livingston after class one night to move my car from the lot by Beck Hall over to the RAC. A week later, when I needed my car again to go home, I found three parking tickets on my car, that accumulated over the previous three days. I called RU DOTS to ask "wtf" they were doing on my car. I was told that I got the tickets because I was parked in the wrong lot. When I told RU DOTS that I had been instructed to park there for the snow plows...I felt cheated by RU... And I get 3 tickets for parking in a lot I was supposed to be temporarily assigned to anyway."

Research Blog #7: Your Case

The context in which the phrase the “RU Screw” is used in to refer to flaws created by the university is something that has developed and changed over time.  Originally referring to the bureaucratic inefficiencies due to lack of cohesion between the four different liberal arts colleges, its meaning changed after the Transformation of Undergraduate Education was put into place. After the TUE the "RU Screw" referred to problems related to inefficiencies with university systems that were most likely caused by budget cuts. As a result of the meaning changed once more, and is can no longer be seen as bureaucratic inefficiencies and negligence, but just the opposite. The "RU Screw" is no longer just a silly play on words, it is a phrase that assigns blame to the universities bureaucratic figure heads and their attempts to systematically and efficiently "screw" students out of money in order to replace what was lost because of troubling economic times and severe budget cuts.

 The important thing is that over the course of this universities long history there have been so many problems and instances where students and faculty do not receive the proper care and attention that they should, which has ultimately created a negative stigma and specific term that refers to all of these redundant, yet calculated inefficiencies.

Research Blog #6: Visual

I have used this image multiple times throughout this semester when writing or commenting on the "RU Screw."  I feel as though this image speaks for itself and helps solidify the fact that the "RU Screw" is something that is real and truly exists when discussing Rutgers University.

Literature Review Blog #4

Abrams, Samantha. “What is Your ‘RU Screw’ Story?” Survey. 2013.

This is the survey I set up myself in order to receive feedback about other Rutgers Students experiences with the "RU Screw"

Quotes:

“Any form, financially or academically, of an institution associated with Rutgers University (RU DOTS, Housing Services, Dining Services, Registrar, etc.) "cheats" or "swindles" students.” (Mark K)

“I think it has to do with the fact that Rutgers I so big and students with problems can get swept under the rug in an effort to keep such a huge university running smoothly.  However, it happens to almost everyone at some point so it's kind of shitty for everyone.” (Bridget E Murray)

This source has helped to give me a better understanding on what other Rutgers students feelings are about the "RU Screw."

Literature Review Blog #3

Swan, Aubrie E. "The Transformation of Undergraduate Education at Rutgers University: An Evaluation." Rutgers University Community Repository. n. page. Web. 15 Oct. 2013. <http://rucore.libraries.rutgers.edu/rutgers-lib/25945/>.

Aubrie Swan discusses how and why the Transformation of Undergraduate Education was put into practice at Rutgers University, as well as the effectiveness of the changes that were made. Swan collected data from numerous sources, interviewing and surveying current and past faculty, students, staff and alumni about what they believed the changes did for the university.

Key Terms and Quotes:
The Transformation of Undergraduate Education
The RU Screw
Federated System
Faculty Fellows
Bureaucracy

“Some other documented roadblocks have been the confusion of where to go for services, the unequal distribution of resources, and the inefficiencies in many university systems. Each of these difficulties contributed to the RUNB community’s perception of perpetual student encounters with the “RU Screw.” (Swan 147).

“Rutgers University has existed since 1766. As is evident in its nearly 250 years of existence, there are qualities of Rutgers and many other higher education organizations that have promoted their survival. What has led to the strength of these institutions is that they have at times demonstrated strong, institutionalized objection to modification, but that they have also been able to transform themselves in order to adapt to the changing world.” (Swan 10)

Swans work has helped me understand where the term RU Screw had originated and how it has changed in meaning over time.