I’d love to get into a discussion about the SUNY Strategic Plan if people feel it would be useful.  I have a number of observations and comments about it.. so I’ll throw a couple of them out and see if anyone takes the bait.  

Overall I like much of what this plan says and I’m looking forward to reaching a lot of these goals.   I worry that the State of New York and SUNY has waaaaay too much inertia to make any of this possible, but I continue to be hopeful.  More specifically I noticed:

In her introductory letter Dr. Zimpher brings up an age old SUNY issue when she says, “What we have not done as well is encourage our disparate parts to work together.”   I have two main thoughts about this.  One is, our funding model, it seems to me, lends itself to competition.   Additionally, my local campus responsibilities are already more than I can meet.   I look forward to concrete initiatives out of her office that can mitigate these.

The focus of this entire plan seems to be economic growth.  Why is this?   I’m not against economic growth and being more involved with innovation, business, sustainability, etc... but should that be our plan?   Aren’t we about the betterment of society,  helping individuals find meaning and happiness, etc.  Has it been proven somewhere that economic growth is the road to those places?  Are economic growth and sustainability compatible?

Who’s biting?

Mr. James B. Greenberg
Director Teaching, Learning and Technology Center
Milne Library
SUNY College at Oneonta
Oneonta, New York 13820

blog: The 32nd Square at http://32ndsquare.blogspot.com
wiki: The 32nd Square at http://32ndsquare.wikidot.com
email: [log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]
phone: 607-436-2701
fax:   607-436-3677
IM:  oneontatltc
Twitter: greenbjb


"Ignorance is curable, stupidity lasts forever"
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From: Harry Pence <[log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]>
Reply-To: Teaching Breakfast List <[log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]>
Date: Thu, 1 Apr 2010 08:07:00 -0400
To: <[log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Draft - SUNY Strategic Plan

OK, I did a search for the word technology and pretty much got zippo.  Is there now a code word for technology in SUNY, or have we decided to ignore it?

Harry

P.S. Perhaps we are using some elegant euphasism for technology, perhaps George?

 
Harry E. Pence
SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor Emeritus
SUNY Oneonta

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From: Teaching Breakfast List [[log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Greenberg, James ([log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask])
Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2010 2:03 PM
To: [log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]
Subject: Draft - SUNY Strategic Plan

Hot off the press (see attached)

Mr. James B. Greenberg
Director Teaching, Learning and Technology Center
Milne Library
SUNY College at Oneonta
Oneonta, New York 13820

blog: The 32nd Square at http://32ndsquare.blogspot.com
wiki: The 32nd Square at http://32ndsquare.wikidot.com
email: [log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask] <UrlBlockedError.aspx>  
phone: 607-436-2701
fax:   607-436-3677
IM:  oneontatltc
Twitter: greenbjb


"Ignorance is curable, stupidity lasts forever"
P Think before you print! Please consider the environment before printing this email