Happy Birthday Abe Lincoln.

"If I were to try to read, much less answer, all the attacks made on me, this shop might as well be closed for any other business. I do the very best I know how – the very best I can; and I mean to keep doing so until the end. If the end brings me out all right, what is said against me won’t amount to anything. If the end brings me out wrong, ten angels swearing I was right would make no difference.” by Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865)

Also quoted by my first boss - Wisconsin Governor Warren P. Knowles (1969) and his Executive Assistant Paul Hassett in a printed card used in the office durng tough times with the legislature, press and other stakeholders. I still have the card that was printed by the office to remind the small staff that we had to persevere when we knew we were right. The quote still gives me courage to "to do the very best I know how" regarding matters of academic and personal freedom, the celebration of democracy for our nation, the sanctity of the university and education, the intellectual growth of my students, the protection of my faculty colleagues from injustice and the health and welfare of my family. Thanks, Abe!

Fearless sifting and winnowing in universities

The concept of academic independence and entrepreneurship with respect to research, course content and service is a long established value in Research 1 and other universities. One exception may be if the faculty member is a captive of a federal grant with more specific promises (made by the professor and agreed with by the funding agency) a professor is able to conduct research in any relevant field he or she wishes. Of course if the professor publishes in fields and journals wildly and even logically unrelated to the disciplines of the school and or department, a faculty may find reasons to not renew the person in their third year of two three year contracts toward lifetime appointment in the 7th year. However, tenured faculty often later find areas of interest that are not constrained by the less mature definitions of a field of study or inquiry.

Here is a historical quote that all university professors and administrators should commit to memory. The quote is from the end of the 19th century posted by the University of Wisconsin-Madison (posted to the right of the entrance to Bascom Hall).

"How appropriate today, in rekindling the torch of freedom set ablaze by the sturdy pioneers of 1894, to say with them":

WHATEVER MAY BE THE LIMITATIONS WHICH TRAMMEL INQUIRY ELSEWHERE, WE BELIEVE THAT THE GREAT STATE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN SHOULD EVER ENCOURAGE THAT CONTINUAL AND FEARLESS SIFTING AND WINNOWING BY WHICH ALONE THE TRUTH CAN BE FOUND.

For my readers who have sponsored individual residencies for the 11 week summer program at NU's IMC graduate program for over 22 years (and donated over $2.2 million based upon the sponsorship of my IMC PR students). Also for alumni to comment on the change from individual to team projects for the summers.

1.Consider Alternative models to teach from a think tank (e.g. opposition strategy research (White House), opposition research (all political campaigns) de-positioning plans (Silicone Valley)).
2.We might give the students an intensive true creative agency or creative unit experience and assignment to broaden our work in IMC.
3.We might send the teams into the SBU level for some period of time to really understand the business.
4.Perhaps some teams ought to work on a project that really challenges them: heavy communications where communications is not their strength or heavy numbers where numbers are their weakness - to bolster their education.
5. Not-for-Profit projects often give you access to higher officials and greater impact - though we used to waive fees 6. The new University President could benefit from an IMC review.
7. Students might master industry software and then offer a "shoot out" or competition at the end of summer 8. Students might work on a project and then work with J. students to use editorial research method to understand j. risks.
9. Students might work on a national competition in marketing, business, - several are available though timing is an issue.
10. Students might work with engineering students or Transportation Center students on doctoral level or technical projects needing marketing communications or communications.
11. Rather than using a four step model or one of the other strategic models; the students should concentrate on only one very, very deep facet of a project.
12. Students should operate as a skunk works mirror team for any number of agencies or company projects. Rapid work would be demanded.
13. On a number of the projects the students can be organized to develop a. IMC literature searches, b. global IMC lit. searches, c. database libraries, d. software libraries and tests, e. theory-tool inventories of the IMC program, f. more 14. Conduct transparent research that is written to be presented at academic and industry seminars by the students for greater awareness 15. Publish the work on a PDF or printed format as an exercise and follow-up to the presentation.
16. Revamp all the ideas above for publication, presentation in China or other relevant countries