June 10, 2003

As the academic year draws to a close, I would like to congratulate and thank each of you for your hard work this year and for your many contributions that continue to improve the quality of academic life at Cal Poly. As I complete my 24th year as President, I remain tremendously impressed by the high morale, inspired creativity and indefatigable spirit of the University community, even in the face of budget difficulties, domestic and global crises and other significant challenges. You can take great pride in another year of significant achievements.

With this second President’s Update, I would like to share with you news about the University budget, the Student Housing North initiative and some other recent University events.

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First, though, I would like to comment on the critical importance to the University community of our shared commitment to key obligations of University citizenship, and especially the obligations of civility, mutual respect and understanding.

Perhaps unique among American institutions, our public universities have been accorded a special status, as the courts have consistently emphasized:

. . . The classroom is peculiarly the ‘marketplace of ideas.’ The nation’s future depends upon leaders trained through wide exposure to that robust exchange of ideas which discovers truth ‘out of a multitude of tongues, [rather] than through any kind of authoritative selection.’

Keyishian v. Board of Regents of the State Univ. of New York, 385 U.S. 589, 603 (1967) (Cited in: Free Speech on Campus: A Legal Review, by Virginia Tee, Esq., LRP Publications, 2003.)

The University’s privileged status, as a free marketplace of ideas, brings with it a corresponding obligation on the part of its members to recognize, protect and preserve high standards of conduct and civility, standards without which the University cannot function effectively as a forum for free and unfettered debate.  It is in the first instance up to the University community, led by the faculty, to both develop and serve as guardians of these standards of behavior, through example and through clear expressions of not just what is legal and permissible but what is right and wrong. Every member of the University community – faculty, staff and students – shares the responsibility of respecting and protecting these values.

At our best, I believe we live up to high standards of thoughtful, civil and reasoned discourse.  In classrooms and other instructional settings, in University forums like the Academic Senate and in the wider society, members of the Cal Poly community often bring to bear, in exemplary fashion, specialized knowledge, reasoned argumentation and respect for (and genuine interest in) the views of others.

In recent years, however, we have witnessed incidents that reflect lack of understanding or lack of commitment to the higher standards that should guide our conduct and our behavior toward one another.

This year, we witnessed two troubling acts of harassment and intimidation directed toward members of the campus gay, lesbian and bisexual community. The intolerance for differences reflected in these acts of vandalism is a threat to campus civility that we must and will resist resolutely as a University community.

Thanks to the efforts of Dr. Linda Vanasupa and others, we have also given more attention to the role that downloading, viewing and displaying pornography can play in creating a hostile educational and work environment, especially because of its inherently degrading portrayal of women. Behavior that leads to such an environment is inconsistent with accepted University community standards. While the University, as a matter of policy, is opposed to content-based prior restraints on use of computer resources, there should be no doubt that this behavior is unacceptable. The University is committed to act resolutely against any actions on campus that create a hostile environment or harass others.

These and other regrettable examples of conduct inconsistent with generally accepted academic community standards subject the perpetrators to potential disciplinary actions. Perhaps even more fundamentally, those who choose to breach campus norms of civility and good citizenship run the real and certain risk of losing their standing and reputation as respected members of the University community.

To return to my starting point, as members of the University community, we share a common responsibility to foster development, understanding and respect for high standards of personal and professional conduct. Each of us must strive to model such standards through our own behavior, to recognize and reward it in others and to reject resolutely behaviors that undermine the University’s ability to function as an effective forum for sharing of information and ideas and for pursuit of understanding and enlightenment.

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As I turn now to the principal topics of this update, I’d like to share what we know at present about the state budget and its implications for Cal Poly.

The State Budget

We have provided a regular flow of budget updates this year as we have monitored the proposed budget for 2003-04. Our communications have come from my office and from the Vice President for Administration and Finance, as we have learned new information and reviewed the budget process. We have communicated through the established groups and committees of UPBAC (University Planning and Budget Advisory Committee), BLRP (Budget and Long-Range Planning Committee of the Academic Senate), the Strategic Management Group, Dean’s Council, the President’s Management Staff, the vice presidents (and, through them, their staffs), the Labor Council and messages such as this Update. In addition, the provost and I have attended Academic Senate meetings to discuss budget issues and the staff in Administration and Finance has posted budget information, as well as answers to frequently asked questions, on the web.

The message, unfortunately, is not a positive one. The budget for 2003-04, as presented by the Governor in January, would result in a $260.7 million shortfall to the CSU. Cal Poly’s portion of that, adjusted for efforts on campus to mitigate the impact, results in a projected shortfall of $12.3 million. The vice presidents have been given budget reduction targets based on that shortfall. Their plans include being able to meet campus enrollment targets and not laying off any continuing faculty or staff. The May Revise did not change the budget for the CSU as presented by the Governor in January, so our targeted reduction continues to be $12.3 million.

There are current actions in the legislature that may result in additional reductions to the CSU. One, in particular, would cut an additional $69.5 million. Such a cut would likely result in some combination of increasing the state university fee even further (above the 25% proposed in the Governor’s budget) or limiting access to students and possibly reducing faculty and staff.

This is a good example of the need to speak with a common voice, promoting and explaining the value that higher education, in general, and Cal Poly, in particular, provides to the people of California and beyond. There are times when legislative analysts and others benefit from hearing the positive message that we serve students and strengthen the economy, and that doing so costs money.

This season of uncertainty is challenging for all of us. We are continuing to monitor the budget development process, continuing to speak with members of the legislature and will keep the information flowing as we receive it.

Student Housing

As many of you know, the Cal Poly Master Plan calls for the creation of residential communities to more than double the number of students living on campus.
 

The Master Plan identified the need to build more housing on campus for a number of reasons. They include providing our students with the experience unique to living on campus, and being sensitive to the local housing market.  Toward this end, the University has been presented with an enormously important opportunity to create a residential  learning environment in Student Housing North - a new 2,700-bed apartment complex proposed for our campus.
 

The 30-acre site as identified in the Master Plan for student housing is north of Brizzolara Creek and east of Via Carta Way. It is occupied by some of the College of Agriculture’s animal science operations.
 

Executive Vice Provost Linda Dalton and Facilities Planning Director Robert Kitamura have been working extensively on the Student Housing North proposal this quarter. They coordinated and staffed six open campus workshops on the proposal held in March, April, May and June. These workshops solicited input from students, faculty and staff members on many aspects of the Student Housing North project. I am pleased to report the workshops were well attended, and the University has received many excellent suggestions from those attending. Comments shared at each of the workshops will be studied and considered carefully in further Student Housing North planning. In addition, we are particularly fortunate to have a number of faculty and staff serving on our advisory committees with special professional expertise who assist the University in making the best decisions for our students.
 

Information about this project is available on the Facilities Planning Web site. The Facilities Web site is located at: http://www.facilities.calpoly.edu/Facilities_Planning/. Scroll down to the ‘Student Housing North’ icon to find out more about the project. More details are also available in the latest edition of Outlook at: http://www.calpolynews.calpoly.edu/outlook/shn-outlook.html.
 

Currently, working plans for Student Housing North call for a residential community comprised of a village center, two parking facilities, and several distinct “neighborhood” areas to house students in studio, two- and four-bedroom apartments.  The project is being designed to encourage pedestrian and bicycle travel to the core campus areas, provide community social and recreational space and offer retail services to meet residents’ needs. Retail ideas discussed so far include a deli, and juice and coffee bars.
 

This new campus student residential community would not be possible without the private-public partnership between the University and Capstone Development Corp. Under the proposal, Capstone has agreed to finance and develop Student Housing North through completion.  The partnership involves the addition to the university of the 1,200-acre Edna Ranch East outside San Luis Obispo which more than offsets the 30 acres of land being converted from agricultural use. Upon successful completion of the project, the CSU has agreed to issue revenue bonds to allow Cal Poly to assume ownership of Student Housing North; those bonds will be repaid with rent revenue generated by the project. There are still, of course, a number of approval steps to be taken before the project is a reality.
 

This unique and beneficial partnership for Student Housing North would allow the University to fulfill a significant portion of our Master Plan housing goals within the next three years, as compared to the several decades anticipated in the plan.

I encourage you to share your views about the Student Housing North project, and watch for news of the project’s process throughout the summer and next year.
 

I would like to offer a special word of gratitude to the many people who have stepped up to the challenge of making this project a reality. In particular, staff in Budget and Analytical Services, Contract and Procurement Services, Facilities Planning and Capital Projects, Housing and Residential Life and the Provost’s office have worked with students, faculty and staff and spent countless hours in the development of this project. Thank you all.

Noteworthy

In closing, I would also like to call your attention to some outstanding recent achievements of faculty and students.
 

·         College of Agriculture Food Science Professor Brian Hampson’s team of New Product Development students earned a spot in a national competition this summer;

·         CAGR Horticulture and Crop Science Professor Virginia Walter’s student flower judging team took first place for the second year in a row at a major collegiate agricultural competition in New Mexico;

·         Agribusiness Professor Wayne Howard’s Dairy Challenge Team took the top award at a national competition in Michigan;

·         The College of Liberal Arts’ unique Arts Education Partnership, the California Arts Council Demonstration Project, headed by Susan Duffy and Kathleen Friend of the Liberal Studies Department, received national recognition;

·         Orfalea College of Business Finance Professor Cyrus Ramezani’s research on long-term stock growth was featured in the April edition of “Forbes” magazine;

·         College of Science and Mathematics Biology Professor Dennis Frey continued his research on monarch butterflies, much publicized in California, as well as in Canadian media;

·         College of Engineering Aerospace Engineering Professor Russ Cummings was awarded the U.S. Air Force Science and Engineering Award in recognition of his outstanding contributions in the areas of research, development and engineering; and

·         In April Cal Poly’s student Wind Orchestra, under the baton of Music Professor Bill Johnson, did what many musicians dream of: performed in New York City’s Carnegie Hall.
 

I would like to extend a special congratulations to three well-respected Cal Poly employees, all cited for their exemplary service to the university. Chosen to receive the 2002-2003 Outstanding Staff Award are Sue Bethel, academic personnel specialist in Academic Personnel; Jim Gerhardt, equipment technician in the Mechanical Engineering Department; and Bonnie Long, executive assistant to the provost.
 

I also want to commend three outstanding faculty members chosen to receive the 2002-2003 Distinguished Teaching Award, the university’s highest teaching honor. They are Biological Sciences Professor Alvin De Jong, Speech Communication Professor Bernard Duffy, and Materials Engineering Department Chair and Professor Linda Vanasupa.
 

And finally, a special commendation to the faculty and staff members of the Connections for Student Success program, and the Minority International Research Access (MIRA) program. Both were chosen this year to share the 2003 President’s Diversity Award. I believe the growing number and quality of nominations for this award is strong evidence of the university’s steadily increasing awareness of and commitment to diversity.

These are but a few examples of the excellent work that defines Cal Poly and that can be found in every college and unit of the University.

Warren J. Baker

President