The Sun is running an interesting article where they have interviewed a bunch of commentators about the University's efforts to 'Reimagine Cornell'. Ted Lowi thinks that reimagine sounds too touchy-feely: While the President of the Student Assembly complains about $11 forks. (If you ask me, forks probably shouldn't cost more than a dollar.) And Ron Ehrenberg is optimistic for the changes but Kent Hubbell thinks that it will be impossible not to sacrifice some student services: “We are hopeful that [after the projected nine months] the University could move to a more routine mode of operation, but some [negative outcomes of the cutbacks] could be fundamental,” said Kent Hubbell ‘67, Dean of Students and a member of the Student and Academic Services Task Force. “Some of the [proposed] cuts might be permanent with no repairs possible.” “I really don’t like the term ‘reimagining’,” said Prof. Theodore Lowi, government, who has taught at Cornell for exactly 50 years. “It’s a soft, superficial, public relations term that says ‘let’s take a look’ when it really should be ‘reconstitute’ or ‘rebuild’.”
Salem would also like to see more fiscal transparency, which would help the administration save money by effectively identifying expenses that are not necessary, such as dining hall forks that cost $11
each.
“I am optimistic about the efforts but it would be overly optimistic to say that we will not [see an] impact on research and education. We will have to do some things in a different manner,” Prof. Ronald Ehrenberg, who has been teaching at the School of Industrial and Labor Relations for more than three decades, stated in an email.
I'm also quoted a bit. OK, well more than a bit:
“The leadership I have seen from [President David] Skorton, [Provost Kent] Fuchs, and [Deputy Provost David] Harris to date leaves no doubt in my mind that the fundamentals of a Cornell education are being upheld,” Matt Nagowski ’05, president of the Cornell Club of Buffalo and editor of the alumni blog Meta Ezra, stated in an e-mail.Even though it has been almost one year since Cornell began experiencing fiscal difficulties, Nagowski still believes the timing of this self-examination effort is reasonable given its circumstances, and expressed understanding for the confidential nature of the planning process.
“Any attempt to streamline and rethink a large bureaucracy’s operation is welcome,” Nagowski said. “Unfortunately, sometimes budget crises are the only times these types of opportunities become available.”
“The gravity of the situation and the type of proposals being considered dictates that there needs to be a certain level of privacy, so that the administration can foster the necessary trust and goodwill among the colleges, department chairs, and trustees,” Nagowski explained.
