Local opinion: We're experiencing a bizarre alternate universe at U of A

The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer:

In some Bizzaro Universe, the president of a well-respected research-focused university, this institution known for exhibiting exemplary fiscal oversight on the proposals they have bid, won, and committed to execute, wakes up from a deep slumber mumbling the word “moonshot”.

The word moonshot typically infers taking an action that while it may be significantly rewarding, carries with it significant risk. But on this day, and subsequently on others, the president’s attentiveness to understand this risk factor is seemingly ignored — there are no risk assessments performed; there are no risk mitigation plans developed; and there are no risk/consequences discussion to be held with his execution team. No, there are just directives apparently being given to “spend, spend, spend” in order to keep up with the competition.

Tens of millions of dollars are loaned to the sports programs, where seemingly the athletic director doesn’t need to provide accountability in terms of execution of a repayment plan; highlighting the risks in not being able to live up to the terms of the repayment plan; and identifying alternative sources of revenue to leverage to be able to submit remittance on time. But the president is okay with these details lacking because as we all are led to believe, his moonshots will be successful.

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So reality sets in — moonshots crashed and burned more than planned. The athletic director doesn’t have cash on hand to make the repayments. Where in the Alternative Universe, there was never mention by the president that tuition scholarships, as well as four-year, fixed tuition costs ever presented a significant fiscal impediment for the university to operate, in the Bizzaro Universe these issues become the culprits for the financial hardship that has descended on campus. And for added insurance, let’s allocate some blame to the athletes themselves – they should know that it is a privilege for them to be able to participate in those sports at the collegiate level that don’t make money; so let’s cut some of these sports to balance the check book.

So unlike the Wizard of Oz, where there were three characters that respectively had singularly 1) no heart; 2) no courage; and 3) no brain, in the Bizzaro Universe apparently there is a singular individual at the top that has none of these items. Furthermore, this person has almost single-handedly ripped the soul out of the university’s most passionate individuals, while at the same time, apparently soliciting assistance from his cadre of winged monkeys on the Board of Regents (BOR) to swoop in and deflect his show of incompetence.

Let’s just hope that there is no sequel to this show, as we all know that in Hollywood, the sequel is always worse than the original.