Years ago, I had an opportunity to review one of the first “Yankelovich Monitors” in the 70’s. Daniel Yankelovich is brilliant. I think his strength has always been in identifying trends, not necessarily how these trends can best be used to help your business, political strategy or public relations effort. The best person to apply his observations is the person or company involved.
So, what does Daniel Yankelovich have to do with making Cal Poly better? Actually, he has published in a couple of areas that would help them a lot… if they thought honestly about some of their problems.
The Role of Colleges in an Era of Mistrust. With Isabella Furth.
The Chronicle of Higher Education/Chronicle Review. September 16, 2005.
Ferment and Change: Higher Education in 2015.
The Chronicle of Higher Education/ Chronicle Review. November 25, 2005.
The trends and issues faced by Cal Poly appear clearly in these two articles… here are his 10 points ( check out the first article posted above for a further explanation):
1) Avoid ethically neutral or value-free stands, which in a climate of mistrust are viewed as deceitful.
2) Recognize that more is expected from privileged institutions.
3) Recognize that silence, denial and closed doors are almost always interpreted as evidence of bad faith.
4) Do not believe you will be given the benefit of the doubt.
5) Work out your positions on emotionally laden issues in advance and communicate them within the institution.
6) Be mindful that anything but plain talk is suspicious.
7) Recognize that being ‘good people’ and ‘good motives’ are not enough.
8) Respond to the public’s genuine hunger for information.
9) Build Trust.
10) Make a genuine effort to making the institution better than you found it.
I don’t know whether or not Cal Poly can escape the problems that are ingrained in their campus culture… but if they could, this is where they need to start… and here is a starting reading list.
Roger Freberg
