Futurist Thomas Frey has a disturbing prediction: more than 50 percent of traditional colleges will collapse by 2030. He cites high overhead costs, quality of education, pricing, the job market for positions requiring a degree, and the inconvenience of time and location in a digital age among the factors that will lead to the demise…
Month: February 2018
It’s about respect
British author Mary Wortley Montagu wrote that “civility costs nothing, and buys everything.” I think this is true. It takes so little to engage in civil discourse, even when we disagree, and we are more likely to understand opposing views when they are presented civilly. Multiple views The word “civility” can be loaded in academe….
Athletics, finances and the Saluki experience
As you may know, our athletics program has been facing financial challenges that have grown in recent years for a number of reasons – including enrollment declines affecting the athletics fee and state budget challenges. We are not alone: very few athletics programs across the country are self-supporting. Since arriving in August, I have been…
An updated look at academic reorganization
A number of people have asked for the most current version of our proposed academic structure. While it continues to evolve thanks to ongoing input from our faculty, I’ve posted the current version on the Vision 2025 website. You’ll see a lot of changes. Most significant among them are in the schools: The former School…
In the Dawg Pound
My favorite part of a Saluki basketball game, besides winning, is the Dawg Pound. Students gather in the stands on the south side of the arena – the Dawg Pound – to demonstrate their support of the team loudly. They cheer in full Saluki gear, follow the cues of our great pep band, and add…
Space exploration: A look at our campus
Space. We looked toward it in August as the center of a total eclipse. Now, it is time to look earthward at a different kind of space – our own facilities at SIU. How can we use our classrooms and laboratories strategically to provide the best academic experience for students and faculty members alike? How…
Being Transparent
As someone who believes in being open, I am sharing the following statement with the campus community: In the interest of transparency, we are providing information about the status of moving expense reimbursement for Chancellor Carlo Montemagno, as well as proposed costs for the move of his laboratory equipment that he is donating to the…
Thank you for your feedback
Every day, on campus and off, people come up to me and volunteer feedback on our proposed reorganization. Feedback has also come in through hundreds of emails and the nearly 70 meetings with faculty and other stakeholders I have had so far. I value all of it, positive and negative. While I always hope that…
Students lead the Saluki pack
I have said before that a comprehensive university needs to offer its students more than career training. It needs a core curriculum that provides students with a broad base of knowledge and a wide range of electives to help students specialize their skills. This is true. But, to be a truly comprehensive university and produce…
From reorganization to revitalization
Over the last couple of weeks I have been meeting with faculty in potential new schools that might result from academic reorganization. The conversation is constructive, the questions are thoughtful and the commitment to SIU is clear. Many faculty are excited about the opportunities that reorganization will present. They recognize that reorganization is the vehicle,…