Category: Cal Poly

Cal Poly and their foibles

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Universities: who is adapting to change?

What are private universities doing right?
What are private universities doing right?

California Universities area mixed bag right now, some are holding their own in this tough economy, others are  like the General Motors of academia and they are cutting classes and turning away students. Why is it that two universities in the same state or city — for that matter — could have dramatically different circumstances? What is one doing to better their position and succeeding while the other is less successful or failing?

All educational systems are being affected and the survivors will tell you that it is due to offering students their ‘unique skill sets.’  Although this may be true to some point, the key seems to be in how people and organizations adapt to changing circumstances. In California, it seems that the private colleges and universities are adapting faster and smarter. While one public university is adding administrative staff with one hand, it is laying off faculty with the other. How does this make sense?

In order to improve my education on the subject, I studied every college and every university’s web page in California for a clue. Let’s just say that there were far more web sites than I could imagine! The difference between those who were adapting and those who were falling behind was like night and day. One successful school had a link asking prospective students to meet them on Facebook, while others facing increasing troubles haven’t updated aspects of their sites in years carrying links to defunct organizations and former employees years after they have left.

Not all great ideas are just in the private universities, the Florida university system announced that for about $22,000 you can pre-buy your child’s education at birth! I love it, a ‘stock option’ on education!

In our challenging environment, those who have the best chance of success of thriving in the world ahead are those individuals that have learned to adapt and find and develop skills of value. If I were planning my college choice , I would follow those who are winning already in this tough economy.

Roger

Let me say that I have always been a supporter of Public Schools; however, faculty are not running the university anymore and it shows.

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the new Cal Poly and transparency

Cal Poly increases Administration
Cal Poly increases Administration

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is having budget issues like virtually every other university in America. Cal Poly has responded to our economic situation by dramatically reducing faculty, class offerings and increasing class size  thereby creating huge waiting lists.  Many students wonder if they will get into the classes they need to graduate in a reasonable length of time. So when  it gets rough, administrators hire a communications person… someone who if you read the description carefully — I believe — has the job of crushing internal dissension on campus. They don’t have enough money to give the English department a copier, but they have enough to spend $ 120,000 on a new administrator.

The new Cal Poly, as opposed to the one of legend in documentaries like  “Indoctrinate U”,  promises to be ‘transparent’ and accessible. We’ll see.  Part of being ‘transparent’ is admitting when you have done wrong. I won’t hold my breath on this one. If you don’t know, Cal Poly has lost a lot in court and in the court of public opinion over the years, but don’t expect them to apologize.  To this casual observer, I would say they need to first face up to their short comings before going any further.

So, although the new Cal Poly talks about ‘transparency’, it still has the same feel.

Roger Freberg

PS. “Indoctrinate U.” will appear on the Documentary Channel in March… again by popular demand!

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are newspapers and universities relevant today?

I am on: twitter.com/rogerfreberg or Facebook
I am on: twitter.com/rogerfreberg or Facebook

Newspapers and colleges are suffering. Is there a connection?

Well, what we can say is both are losing ‘subscribers’ for — I suspect — some of the very same reasons. In my humble opinion, both have lost their way, forgotten who they serve and the lesson that people ‘expect a prize for playing this game.’ When what was once promised is not delivered, folks find an alternative.

You can write off or explain away the demise of newspapers by the growth of the internet or the high cost of a newspaper. Costs are relative, after all, cable is much more expensive and it has few issues… as it delivers what it promises. If newspapers were viewed as an important contributor to someone’s daily life, love would find a way. Colleges — sadly — have also been losing their luster…. much of it self-inflicted.

Btw, where have all the men gone? You won’t find them in school. In California, one California university sports 80 % female students and this isn’t a ‘historically female institution.” The trend is everywhere, universities have limited appeal to men and this is not good for society. In addition, institutions and individuals are shifting their focus away from colleges as the hope for a better life that universities represented has proven less valid. Recently the  American Association of University Professors wrote:

“just over 10 percent of the colleges laid off employees ( Survey completed 1/09), and another 26 percent were considering layoffs. More than 40 percent said they had imposed partial freezes on faculty hiring, and nearly 60 percent had imposed freezes on their hiring. About 6 percent said they had reduced benefits, and 18 percent of the remainder considering doing so. Half of all respondents said they had postponed or canceled building projects or were planning to do so.

Public institutions reported being affected by cuts imposed by statewide mandates, while private colleges are suffering — and anticipating more suffering — as a result of more families being able to afford the full costs of college. nearly 60 percent of all colleges said they were already seeing a decline in donations.”

Rather than face the challenge honestly, many universities point to the high cost of education as the sole hindrance and barrier to entry and — secondarily –our troubling economy as the cause of their suffering. The sad truth is that folks won’t buy what you are selling if it doesn’t deliver. As Ba’al says,”no flash No photo.” ( I like the way he says it) It’s all about delivering measurable results ( like jobs) and many academicians don’t undestand that… yet.

Laura, Karen and I have had some great discussions on the value of the practical and the theoretical in academia. They have some great ideas and I hope that others are thinking about how to reinvigorate, reenergize and reshape the university experience to contribute real value to our society and the world.

Roger Freberg

Look for this article on Yahoo and Twitter… You won’t on Google

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Cal Poly to marry 10 year old girls to older men! you won’t see this on Google, but maybe Yahoo!

Hello again!

Once again the ‘clowns’ at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo are at it again!

Oh, I was just kidding with the title of this blog. I really don’t believe that Cal Poly is supporting a recent position of a Saudi Grand mufti supporting 10 year old girls as eligible for marriage because it wouldn’t be FAIR to the girls not to let them! … but then again, stranger things are happening at Cal Poly! Read Here ( btw, you won’t likely find this article in American papers or on Google… I couldn’t)

Actually, Cal Poly Mufti Warren Baker has decided — we hear — that they will be  going forward with their highly controversial deal with Saudi Arabia in spite of objections from every quarter of the community… except those who support ten year old girls marrying old codgers. Here’s part of an email that we somehow got  that explains a few things:

“we received a new version of the contract that had been reworked to fit a standard format that the Royal Commission uses for procurement contracts. Xenia and others have been working on it to ensure that the content is unchanged (or acceptable) and that contractual and financial terms and conditions are acceptable (some of these changed).”

Well…  we also heard — and it is unbelievable how much we do hear — that Cal Poly will have to ‘front’ the project until acceptable results are achieved!

So, here are a few things you are unlikely to find on Google:

Cal Poly Graduation: Be ‘coul’ dude

Who’s really embarrassing Cal Poly?

Cal Poly & Saudi Arabia: Send in the clowns!

Behind the Cal Poly & Saudi Arabian Green Door

ssshhh… Saudi Arabia is watching you!

Cal Poly degrees for Sale?

I am told this is Warren Baker... but I Cant tell... he looks so young here.
I am told this is Warren Baker... but I Can't tell... he looks so young here.

Roger Freberg

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largest gathering of fruit tree pruners in America

a huge crowd (over 300) comes to learn tree pruning!
a huge crowd (over 300) comes to learn tree pruning!

Well… it has been an interesting look into American resolve to see how many folks came to see, hear and participate in a tree pruning lecture.

Not all of these folks own an orchard, many have only a few trees — or like us — one very spectacular Apple tree! So, if you don’t know by now, this is the time to prune your apple tree.

The reason – I believe – that folks came to listen was to learn how they could more efficiently use the tree (s) they have. I believe that people also have a desire to produce more home grown crops and save a little money along the way. Potentially tough economic times have a way of getting us all think about how we live our lives, what we can live without and — most importantly — how we can make it better.

Nothing is better than home grown and home made foods!

Laura and I love our little Apple tree and we constantly fight over whether or not we turn it into apple sauce ( Laura’s idea) or apple pie ( my idea).

The head Cal Poly guru came out and said that normally they hold these meetings inside in a classroom of 30, but since over 300 showed up, he thought maybe outside would be better. With a droll smile, he said that this was the largest gathering for a meeting of fruit pruners… ever… in America…. everyone laughed!

If this encourages folks to eat better, lose weight and get outdoors… it’s a good sign for our land.

Roger Freberg

ps. my Laura is in the lower left of the picture