Innovation Grant Funding - WU Administration Squandering Funds, Again

On May 12, 2006, the Washburn University Board of Regents approved two projects to be funded at $300,000 each over a three year period with Washburn University Innovation Grant monies.

The purpose of the first project, the High Performance Computing Environment (HiPACE), is to support excellence in teaching and scholarship to help students reach their full academic potential. The second project, the Center for Community Service and Service Learning, strongly supports the community service transformational experience.

Required Progress Reports

As a condition of receiving these grant funds, the grant proposers were required to submit a progress report at the end of each academic year. Specific progress was to be reported for each project as follows:

  • HiPACE – The grant proposers will assess project success based on the number of students and faculty members using HiPACE facilities, the number of student research projects and TEs that directly result or benefit from HiPACE, and the impact of HiPACE on curricular change and student learning.
  • Center for Community Service – The grant proposer will assess program success based on the level and quality of student participation in community service activities, the level and quality of faculty involvement in mentoring, and the level of external funding obtained.

No Consequences for Noncompliance

Four months after the end of the academic year, these reports have not been submitted. In this academic environment, students would suffer consequences if turning in their paperwork this late, or not at all. So, what are the repercussions for those that are late with this reporting requirement?

HiPACE HiJACKED

The Washburn University Board of Regents approved the $148,076 purchase of the HiPACE computing equipment and a check was written to Aspen Systems on June 14, 2007 in the amount of $165,506. But the equipment is not being used for its intended purpose. In fact, it’s not being used at all. It seems that there is a territorial dispute between academic and administrative personnel regarding this academic project. Too bad that wasn’t worked out before the grant was approved and the equipment purchased.

Education or Fundraising?

Funds for the Community Service Center have been used for salaries, benefits, travel, office supplies and t-shirts. This project appears to be merely supplementing the university’s $850,000 Transformational Experience budget. One objective of this program is to seek “external funding opportunities to sustain and further develop our community service efforts.” So, the $850,000 budget is not enough? Why is WU using academic dollars for fundraising efforts?

Administration Squandering the Funds

So, in the absence of any reports, one can only speculate as to what is going on. It is certainly not outside of the realm of possibility that the administration has facilitated the squandering of an additional $600,000. Having squandered over $250,000 on the Infinet project, with no accountability, the administration is likely to get another pass on this waste of money.