The Observer, February 22, 2008
Volume XL, Issue 18
Administration should continue record of good communication
The fact that our university has a rich history is wonderful. The fact that some of our more "historical" policies and buildings are still in use…isn't.
The University Plan should make sure to address some of these needed updates and renovations. Yes, we still have a budget deficit, but that doesn't mean that we can't improve. Communication is key. Barbara Snyder and the rest of the current administration have so far done a great job of including all constituents of the university in big decisions. Continuing to do so is important.
If the last administration had spoken with alumni about the planned name change from Case Western Reserve University to Case, we might not even have a budget deficit right now. If they had done a better job evaluating student responses to SAGES, we might have all ended up with the choice to opt out of the university seminars.
A lack of communication will eventually end up in revolt. As Edward Hundert sometimes seemed to forget, the university is not a dictatorship. The administration is responsible for soliciting opinions from all parties that might be affected by a decision, and the parties are responsible for speaking up if there's a problem. A failure to communicate now will only end in problems later.
The branding and subsequent rebranding is a prime example of such a problem. The fact that the School of Engineering wants to make SAGES partially optional for its undergraduate students is worrisome not only because we're once again backtracking on a huge investment, but also because it's an action that would divide us. At least the rebranding reunited us all.
Updates are badly needed in some areas. We're putting our faith in the administration to create a final University Plan that is utterly specific so that we can plan ahead for future financial investments. We also trust that the administration will continue its exceptional record of communication with all parties in order to avoid later problems.
According to interim provost Jerold Goldberg, a key value of the University Plan is "responsible risk-taking." As long as "responsible" is synonymous with "not like Hundert," we have nothing to worry about.
