Wow

So, today I received an e-mail inviting me to a lecture by retired oilman Gwyn Morgan.  Here is the text of the invitation:

"Dear Colleagues:

The Office of Corporate & Foundation Relations would like to invite you to the next University of Alberta Innovative Leaders Lecture Series to be held at 4:00pm - 5.30pm on October 31, 2011 in Room L2 190 CCIS. “If universities were in business, they'd be out of business. “

Dr Gwyn Morgan C.M., F.C.A.E (Bsc. Mech Eng ’67), a nationally recognized business leader and ardent community champion, will share his views on the urgent need to improve teaching quality and align resource allocations with the needs and opportunities in the job market. Dr Morgan has been recognized as Canada’s Outstanding CEO of the Year and also as Canada’s Most Respected CEO. He has a strong belief that a corporation should be a positive social, community and environmental force. A regular contributor to the Globe and Mail, Dr Morgan is working to improve public policy in wellness and education.
This event is open to all students, faculty , staff and alumni.

Visit www.innovativeleaders.ualberta.ca for event and RSVP/registration information.

Light refreshments will be provided following the lecture.
Please share this invitation with your colleagues."

I'm sure I'm not alone in finding the content of this invitation to be patronizing in the extreme.  This right-wing corporatist affiliated with the Fraser Institute thinks he can tell the University (a) that it's business model is a failure (possibly true), (b) that there is an urgent need to improve teaching quality (based upon what?), and (c) that the job market should be the main determinant of resource allocations in advanced education.

I'll be there, but I may find it hard not to bring along some of the rotting tomatoes I was slow to harvest from my garden.  (Too busy with bad teaching, I guess.)

Update:  Does anyone know who funds the "Innovative Leaders Lecture Series?"  I would be rather upset to learn that we are using University funds to pay for this guy to come tell us about our deficiencies.