[Taxacom] Field & Te Papa Museum news

[John Grehan]

I was also intrigued by the reference to keeping pace with "museums
overseas, and increasing research and exhibition output". Here in the US I
am not aware of museums  increasing research in general. The contrary seems
to be more the case. Increasing exhibition output is also problematic  Some
museums have eliminated research and focused entirely on
educational programming, but the programming or exhibition output has not
necessarily increased. Rather the institutions have decided to maintain
operational financial viability through the elimination of research. I do
not condemn institutions for making those choices as they reflect the
priorities of the societies around them and if research (of the kind done
at museums) is seen to be largely irrelevant or insufficiently critical to
the community's welfare (as reflected in funding priorities
in government and private foundations) then that is how things will be now
and in the future.

John Grehan



On Wed, Dec 19, 2012 at 11:51 PM, Johnson, Paul <Paul.Johnson at sdstate.edu>wrote:

> ". . .the process was not about staff cuts, but about keeping pace with
> museums overseas, and increasing research and exhibition output. A
> "redeployment pool. . ."
>
> An interesting euphemism, redeployment.  The unspoken reality of the
> "keeping pace" is the demand to increase grant and other receipts  Nothing
> more.  It is a money matter.
>
> The priority is to keep the bureaucrats happy and the overlords in power
> and pay.  The researchers and curators in natural history are disposable
> labor.  In the U.S. this is patently evident by simply looking at the
> trends and patterns over the last 15 years, or more.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Paul
>
>
> Paul J. Johnson, PhD
> Professor of Entomology
> Faculty Senate Exec Comm & Graduate Council
>
> Insect Biodiversity Lab
> South Dakota State University
> Brookings, SD 57007, USA
>
> On Dec 19, 2012, at 3:49 PM, "Geoff Read" <gread at actrix.gen.nz> wrote:
>
> >
> > Same old sad cutbacks stories.
> >
> >
> http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-field-museum-to-cut-staff-overhaul-operations-and-limit-research-scope-20121218,0,6939773.story
> >
> > Same has been going on here in Wellington, New Zealand at Te Papa (MONZ)
> >
> >
> http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/8083219/Museum-staff-waiting-for-news-seven-take-redundancy
> >
> > :(
> >
> > Geoff
> >
> >
> >
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