ETSU is ruined, and I must say that it will be hilarious to see the spin that gets put out when King gets their medical school going.

http://www.tricities.com/tri/news/local/...ary/28452/

It's at least good that somebody is challenging ETSU.

With athletics, it seems like ETSU has moved away from competition the last 10 years or so. Dropping football, moving to what almost everybody sees as an inferior conference, putting more focus on women's and country club sports... Even when they started the pharmacy school, they weren't competing with anyone, just filling an empty spot in the market. It's almost like the philosophy is that it's too hard to put effort into being good at something, so we'll just do something that nobody else does/cares about so that we look like we have some appeal.

I personally don't think it makes any sense for King to have a med school, but if it makes the ETSU administration have to think about ways to better ETSU so that they can effectively shout down King or anybody else that challenges them, that's not a bad thing. If King gets their med school, it's just (unfortunately) another symptom of administrative failure at ETSU.

This will prevent ETSU from becoming the best regional uniersity in the region.

(07-09-2009 11:26 AM)Buc Island Wrote:  It's almost like the philosophy is that it's too hard to put effort into being good at something, so we'll just do something that nobody else does/cares about so that we look like we have some appeal.

You have hit the nail on the head my friend.

Actually Buc Island did make a good point there -- it seems like Stanton & administrators want unique programs instead of trying to make our existing programs better. When funding was better from 04 to 08 or so, we created programs, but didn't make the existing programs better. It's always been a sore spot w/ me.

From what I've heard, I have serious doubts King will ever have a med school. $100 million? They seem to be having trouble funding their undergraduate programs at the current level. They have accreditation problems for existing undergraduate programs because of staffing shortages, which are due, of course, to a lack of funding. There is already a School of Osteopathic Medicine @ Lincoln Memorial in Harrogate. Also, hooking their wagon to Wellmont doesn't appear to be too good of an idea either, especially w/ the article this past weekend from Jeff Keeling in the JC Press about Wellmont lying about their financial statements. I wouldn't be surprised if Wellmont fails to exist within 5 years, and without having established a good relationship w/ MSHA (they mentioned Wellmont, and everyone knows Vonderfecht, the CEO, fires anyone who even states the word), this med school is probably doomed. But I'll eat my words if it happens.

I too, dont think Stanton will lose this one. I dont think King can (or should) get a medical school

kind of a non-starter. Sounds like they want 50 million from the state and 50 million from the counties and local. And if the Johnson City paper was right they are having trouble stsaffomg. funding and accrediting their own undergraduate program. Made me think though that if all this stimulus money is available you football fanatics might make a case for a new stadium. These projects create jobs and you might get one of those "if you build it they will come" kinds of things going.

It would be stupid for the state of Tennessee to help fund a medical school at King. Hell, they aren't funding the one at ETSU, why would they want to not fund another one. But it is politics after all, and time will tell. Wellmont needs to stay out of the medical school business, they don't know what they are getting into.

As I understand it, it wouldn't be state-funded, but privately funded. I'm sure the state has a say in if it should be established based on need, but I don't think they're giving money to it, unless I missed something. TN doesn't fund any higher education institution very well, but when times are tight, the only advantage we have is that there is not much to cut, unlike California, where faculty are taking a 10% cut to their salary.

And before people start yelling that faculty & staff here should cut their salary, please remember that we're in the 5th percentile of the southeast, the worst paying region for higher education in the country....

If it is privately funded then what business is it of the States?

(07-14-2009 01:18 PM)Goldfinger Wrote:  If it is privately funded then what business is it of the States?

That's the problem Gold. King has asked the Sullivan County Commission for $50 million, the cities of Bristol and Kingsport $50 million, and the State of Tennessee for $50 million. The City Councils of both Bristol and Kingsport have endorsed the concept (with no funding committed at this time). However, the Sullivan County Commission's Budget Committee has endorsed (read, the check is in the mail).

The total projected start up cost is $150 million and King is not committing a single dime that I am aware of, anything about that make sense? Meanwhile they are asking for funding from the Tennessee taxpayers (who are currently funding the UT College of Medicine and the ETSU College of Medicine at 60%). The have the blessings of the Sullivan County (who's teachers are among the lowest if not the lowest paid in Tennessee). They have the blessings of the Kingsport City Council (who just laid off teachers in their K-12 System).

So let's recap, a private college that is currently on Warning from SACS because of questionable academic quality wants to start a Med School on the taxpayers dime.

Well in that case the hell with their medical school

Doctor, As opposed to LMU which I would think has a totally privately funded medical school. Is that correct?

LMU just opened a law school. How they got it I have no idea, just throwing that out.

(07-14-2009 02:08 PM)BucDoctor Wrote:  

(07-14-2009 01:18 PM)Goldfinger Wrote:  If it is privately funded then what business is it of the States?

That's the problem Gold. King has asked the Sullivan County Commission for $50 million, the cities of Bristol and Kingsport $50 million, and the State of Tennessee for $50 million. The City Councils of both Bristol and Kingsport have endorsed the concept (with no funding committed at this time). However, the Sullivan County Commission's Budget Committee has endorsed (read, the check is in the mail).

The total projected start up cost is $150 million and King is not committing a single dime that I am aware of, anything about that make sense? Meanwhile they are asking for funding from the Tennessee taxpayers (who are currently funding the UT College of Medicine and the ETSU College of Medicine at 60%). The have the blessings of the Sullivan County (who's teachers are among the lowest if not the lowest paid in Tennessee). They have the blessings of the Kingsport City Council (who just laid off teachers in their K-12 System).

So let's recap, a private college that is currently on Warning from SACS because of questionable academic quality wants to start a Med School on the taxpayers dime.

Good Post :iagree:

One of the causes for so much mediocrity is the state doesn't fund anything enough. So when you have bone headed administration making bone headed decisions, the schools can't pay their way out of their mistakes. If you are Vandy, Duke you just write a check, problem solved. The TBR schools and even UT can't afford to make many mistakes because they don't have enough money to buy their way out of the problems they cause themselves.

You have no idea the type of private money coming into LMU. Yes I believe their "medical school" (its a Osteopathic medical school, which I dont understand why people waste their money with) was totally private funds, with no help from any of the area or state governments. Also, rumor is that LMU will build their own hospital to house the residents of their osteopathic medical school.

That school has recently grown to the point that in the small town of harrogate where its located, private builders are putting many condos up and new subdivisions to keep up with the housing demands.

(07-14-2009 05:32 PM)etsuBucsFan1988 Wrote:  LMU just opened a law school. How they got it I have no idea, just throwing that out.

Law school is a long way from a medical school. By the way anyone know what LMU's bar passing rate is? Just curious.

Their law school has just started, I dont believe has had a class graduate yet, and Im not sure if they are accredited yet.

(07-14-2009 08:19 PM)etsubuc Wrote:  You have no idea the type of private money coming into LMU. Yes I believe their "medical school" (its a Osteopathic medical school, which I dont understand why people waste their money with) was totally private funds, with no help from any of the area or state governments. Also, rumor is that LMU will build their own hospital to house the residents of their osteopathic medical school.

That school has recently grown to the point that in the small town of harrogate where its located, private builders are putting many condos up and new subdivisions to keep up with the housing demands.

ETSU needs their own hospital also, what do you think the odds are of that happening with MSHA and Wellmont controlling the area? ETSU's college of medicine also needs to be at LEAST 50% bigger. Where is that funding going to come from? When you are funding the current schools at 60%? Keep in mind that a large amount of medical school money flows through the hospitals to the school, which the HOSPITALS control.

So lets recap, the COM needs a hospital, and to be better funded and larger. We are talking millions here, I don't see it coming from the state, especially since UT Memphis is struggling as it is.

The Pharmacy school is a little different because of the extreem shortage. There is a shortage of pharmacists all over the country and businesses were/are getting desperate. So much so they are willing to pony up some money for a pharmacy school. A pharmacy school also can use some of the same infrastructure as a medical school, so I supported that model that ETSU uses, even though I think in the long run once the supply of pharmacists increase business will pull funds and the state will have to step in. IMHO.