Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Spending Grant Money (A Triple Early Thirsty )

Q1:  Why is it so damned difficult to get approval by a Title III grant coordinator to approve spending on anything.  Those of you who have read my earlier posts know that it often takes 2 semesters to get supplies for our tutoring center.  Our new Lead Tutor is shelling out money out of his own pocket to get necessary supplies.  If Title III funds are not getting spent, then where are they going?

Q2:  Is it legal/ethical/kosher/whatever to use left over Title III funds to purchase a swimming pool for your own home?  Word is out that it's not.  However word is also out that the Title III coordinator can give him/herself a raise, in which case he could buy the pool with "his own" money. 

Q3:  Am I the only one in the world who contemplates these things?

4 comments:

  1. The Contemplative CynicFebruary 22, 2012 at 11:47 PM

    I have no experience with Title III grants, but it sounds a lot like how Congress works... or doesn't.

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  2. AnonymousFebruary 23, 2012 at 12:06 AM

    You are not the only one who contemplates these things. Sometimes my conscience bothers me for taking federal funding to support students to do research, because so few of them have the brains to make any kind of contribution. Too often, I do all the work, and give them far more credit than they deserve for it.

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  3. EnglishDocFebruary 23, 2012 at 12:48 AM

    The way these grants get written is so arcane that sometimes spending the money for stuff students, staff, and faculty could actually use in the direct process of education is nearly impossible. Either that or some admin on a power trip chooses to redefine categories within the grant to say that widgets can be funded but copier paper can't. From what I've seen, Title III is a sweet deal for the schools who get it. One area college funds a huge amount of its support services from that soft money, and they seem to get lots of it year after year. I haven't seen huge salaries come out of it, but I'm sure there are ways to write that in and make it look kosher even if it is in fact made of bacon-wrapped shrimp.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Diana DavisFebruary 23, 2012 at 9:13 PM

    EMH! You're back! I was wondering where you've been---good to "see" you at the virtual water cooler.

    Hope all is going well....hmmm, bacon-wrapped shrimp sounds really good right about now!!!!

    ReplyDelete

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