So in addition to the embarrassment with Dr. Arias, late of MIGS, there is this. Wonder if the Chicano/Latino Faculty and Staff Association considered coming to Arias' defense? ----------------- From today's Chronicle of Higher Education (in the subscribers-only section): Cal State-Monterey Bay Settles Racial-Discrimination Suit Two former university administrators at California State University-Monterey Bay and another still employed there have settled a racial-discrimination lawsuit against the institution, accepting what is believed to be one of the largest payouts by the California system in such a case. The agreement, reached Tuesday in Monterey County Superior Court, includes $1-million in cash to be split among the three plaintiffs...all Latinos. Raymond Gonzales, co-chairman of the Chicano/Latino Faculty and Staff Association...called the settlement a "vindication" that "caps a couple of years of contentious atmosphere on this campus." ---------------
A pretty ominous series of events for a school that, as far as I know, hasn't been around long enough to be accredited yet. Bruce
The following is from the CSUMB web page: "Status The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) provides educational institutions an opportunity to participate in a voluntary, multiyear process that is designed to lead to Accreditation or reaffirmation of Accreditation. This process allows for peer review through WASC ensuring the continual improvement of education and cooperation among educational institutions and agencies. While no institution in the United States is required to seek Accreditation, most do. CSUMB has chosen to participate in this voluntary review process and has successfully completed the first two phases on schedule. CSUMB began the accreditation process in 1994 when it was granted Eligibility status. In 1998, CSUMB was recognized as a Candidate for Accreditation by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of WASC. This status is a preliminary affiliation with the Commission awarded for a maximum period of four years. Candidacy is an indication that the institution is progressing toward Accreditation. Candidacy is not Accreditation and does not ensure eventual Accreditation. The final review visits for initial Accreditation will take place in Fall 2002 and Spring 2003, and the WASC commission review and decision will be made in June 2003." I find it quite amazing that this campus is not fully accredited. If they fail I can see more law suites on the horrizon.
Thanks for finding that information, Ian. So a campus of the California State University system can remain a candidate for accreditation for at least five years. The Western Association is said to be tougher than the other five regionals, but one cannot help but wonder if things like the racial issues and the MIGS-involved dean have contributed to the delay.
The new California State University Channel Islands is scheduled to start admitting students this fall. When I tried to check their web site under accreditation all I got was a "Page under construction" message.
Now I am curious so I checked the web page for the new UC Merced. Nothing about accreditation but it did say that the relatively few classes offered now are in combination with UC Davis. So maybe a similar arrangement exists with CSUMB and CSUCI.
As CSUCI is way down south it probalby would be with San Jose State (40 miles away) or UC Santa Cruz (20 miles away).
And I thought it was a joke -- like CSU-Alcatraz, submarine races, snipe hunts, etc. But no. Real, opening in Ventura in August, and its 'helping' campus is Cal State Northridge. But why, pray tell, didn't they call it CSU Ventura?
The only thing "ominous" about it is that it is an example of the race-class-gender politics that infest so much of higher education. And need I remind you that a certain university in Cambridge Mass. has recently been all over the news because a prominent black academic star complained the the university president dissed him and then moved to Princeton? That's pretty "ominous" too.
Why do you find it "amazing"? That state universities have to go through candadacy too, like all other schools? Isn't that how accreditation works? The idea that there has been a "delay" seems to have been inserted into this argument without any justification. Don't schools normally go through four years of candidacy because the accreditors want to see a full cycle, from freshman admissions to senior graduation? And might you expect some flexibility in scheduling site visits and meetings, so that a final decision might slip into the next year? Frankly, I'm put off by the attempts that I'm reading here to cast a cloud over CSU Monterey Bay.
This thing has been in the planning and construction stages for the better part of ten years. It occupies the former Camarillo State Hospital grounds, and some of the older buildings have been getting a makeover. CSUN has operated a satellite campus in Ventura county for many years. Because I like the name CSU Channel Islands. The Channel Islands are cool. You see them out there on the horizon and they are a new national park. It's like England's habit of associating universities with historic "cathedral cities". Maybe CSUCI will adopt the Channel Islands and put a biological station out there or something. The University of the Pacific is in Stockton, not under the sea...
Not really. The Cornel West saga was nothing more than someone who was miffed they didn't get their way. Harvard President Lawrence Summers refused to endorse reverse discrimination (a.k.a. affirmative action) at his first meeting with the department heads, and West whined incessantly ever after. When Summers criticized West for recording a rap CD for Al Sharpton and handing out nothing but "A's" in his courses, West decided to move on to a school that would kow tow to his every whim. Good riddance, IMO. Bruce
I agree totally. My point, of course, was that the crap at CSUMB is no more "ominous" than the crap at Harvard.
Absolutely. I just think that CSUMB has to worry a little bit more about accreditation than Harvard does. Bruce
Maybe I should have used the word "interesting". It is interesting to see how the accreditation process works for these 3 state schools. I would not hesitate to take classes at any of these schools, and I know CSUMB is a choice of some of the younger people I know. My only advice is to verify that any credit earned prior to accreditation will be accepted by other schools (such as Excelsior) (and if early credits are through other CA universities then that concern disapears). I certainly am not trying to "cast a cloud over CSUMB" or the other two new schools.
