This is entirely on me and my vagueness as to why I found this mildly infuriating, but I'm really intrigued by the variety of takes you all have shared. I say this as a compliment!
I've been working in higher education for too long, probably because I like the work, and the ability to exist in a forum where I can think creatively while influencing the future for good (as if goodness still exists, but I digress). So I guess you can say I care about my work. Hate the place. Hate the system Like the work.
The most infuriating part exists well ahead of this particular email from the Dean of Students (whom holds their recently defended Ed.D from where they work). Education from this private university is not worth the money or time, especially when they don't honor the education received from themselves for themselves. Because private and the _ reality of it all_ (I suppose), promotion only exists in who you blow. I have three degrees, and am actively working on my PhD, with over two decades employed by the university, having received the highest honor an employee can receive from their time and performance at the university (a revered award akin to outstanding achievement), and am just universally liked (their words, not mine). So when I was passed for promotion when the longstanding department head retired, I was advised it was because the guy who got it had an Ed.D and I only had a Master's (in org leadership, from where we work). So I'd at least fall in line as number 2, I was advised. Nope. New guy gave it to his buddy who he shares the same countertops at home with. This buddy, with the countertops, and fewer years with the university, has but a high school diploma from the local HS. Their families hangout on the holidays. It's not just the countertops.
The particular human embodiment of AI slop who penned the prose in my post is another example of wrong peg, wrong hole. Placed in the position because of their relationship to another employee, and skirted through the Ed.D program at work with unusual ease and speed, this is how we present ourselves to our money. Then when enrollment drops, we're quick to point to "nationwide trends" instead of "we provide education so void of value, we don't even care when we have people with our own pinnacle tier of education producing word art regardless of platform or messaging service to the students (read money ) while at the same time neglecting to promote proven effort and skill into leadership positions of those also with educations from the university."
That's the mildly infuriating part, for me at least. 😬
Has nothing to do with the actually training. That's annual formality stuff for just about all employed Americans.