Views of a student on the merger
Jose Garcia
As you may be aware, the student population is divided for and against
the merger with about those favoring and those against it being equal
i number with the majority uncertain because of the lack of
information about this merger, partly because of an inadequate student
council.
Here are my reasons against the Poly-NYU Merger.
It won't solve the bigger problem-Lack of Motivation: Merging with NYU
simply because it has more money than it knows what to do with to
doesn't mean we'll solve the heart of Poly's problems...a demotivated
student population. Students have no motivation to do their work or
study. Why? Because the faculty don't demonstrate motivation when they
teach. Teaching is a skill that must be learned because it has three
core parts: Communication, Motivation and Organization. Many of Poly's
faculty lack the motivation component in their teachings. A training
program for faculty is necessary in order to teach them how to teach
how to motivate students to be passionate as well. Passion in anything
can only be instilled in a person from another individual who already
has the passion for that something. Self-motivation is a skill that
develops only after a person matures professionally. If Poly is to be
the place where great ideas flow from as provost Erich Kunhardt has
described to me numerous times, we need passionate students and the
most effective way to do that is to have passionate faculty that
convey their passion clearly to students.
Having been a student for three years already with a plan of staying
here 5 years (this was decided upon even before the merger was
announced), the problems administration speaks of are not due to th
fact that Poly recruits bad students. I have also served as an
Orientation Leader as part of the new student orientation program for
the past 3 years and I've seen dedicated students transform into
students who have become tired of engineering, not because of its
difficulty but because they couldn't find adequate support or
motivation to continue. By support, I mean the lack of social support
provided through services such as the TRIO Program by Special
Services, Higher Education Opportunity Program and the sense of
indifference many of the faculty give off is discouraging to students
studying this field to continue. It isn't that the academics are too
difficult. If students had the motivation to study their engineering
classes as they do with other things such as movies, Facebook and
other places they hang out, we would actually have students who could
be as brilliant as leading engineers.
We develop a losing breed of students to compete for Corporate
America: Today's Organizations want professionals whose desire is to
learn and grow within their organization. They will take these
individuals with the passion and train them so that they develop the
skills necessary to not only perform the job. One thing many
recruiters from various companies and organizations have reported to
me when I worked with Career Services is that they love Poly students
because our students are humble realize they have to work hard and
must continue to learn beyond graduation. Unlike students from
Columbia, NYU and other Tier I schools that basically come to them
with a cocky attitude summarized with a common phrase: "What have you
got for me", Poly students are a nice breed because they often are
polite and mild-mannered. Organizations hire those students solely
because the name is established but with the trend turning to
preferring individuals having the professional mindset of being
dedicated and hardworking, it is advantageous for Poly to not merge
because those are the types of students we are recruiting already.
They just need some professional development. Furthermore, Tier I
schools will not remain Tier I for too much longer. With the surge of
excellent applicants applying for schools which 10-20 years ago were
never even looked at, in the near future, perhaps 5-15 years from now,
schools no one knows of today will be just as good as IVY league if
not better because that school doesn't have a name, only the smart
talented students and most likely not the one who come from stupid
rich families.
A problem is simply a misunderstood opportunity: Polytechnic
University with all its problems is actually in the perfect
circumstances to invent one of the greatest inventions of all time,
something that will be used forever and make Polytechnic University a
pioneer in a new engineering which many know exist but no one knows
how to explain it. However, this invention cannot be crafted and the
opportunity will forever be lost once the merger is a done deal. With
engineering enrollment on a national level down, the focus of this
university must be to get more students nationally interested in
engineering by serving as a center for engineering education, that is
showing the world how engineering is in everyday life and for the most
impact should be programs developed by students because it is the
students who ultimately show what kind of university Polytechnic is,
not the facilities, not the faculty and not the course offerings.
After all, college is much more than just formal education. 50% if not
more of what students learn is beyond the class room so it is time
Poly moves in that direction if it is to achieve its strategic goals
of excellence, distinction and getting the resources to pay for it
all.
As a member of the Society of Women Engineers, the first objective is
to tear down barriers students impose on themselves. That was why I
joined the society. What bigger eye-opener than a gentleman in the
Society for Women Engineers?
While the solution is proposed for what Poly is to do to get out of
its "financial crisis" (that is no forseeable income to improve or
expand its programs), it requires commitment from students (such as
myself), the faculty and staff, you as alumni and most important
senior management (administration). If all of us work together, we can
and will create a new and brighter future for not just Polytechnic
University, but possibly for America. America and the world needs many
responsible engineers to solve the slew of problems it faces and who
better to take responsibility than the students who have come from
situations involving those problems?
Please contact me if you have any questions. I will be more than happy
to help the majority of alumni against this merger but one party isn't
enough. We need commitment at all levels.
Jose Garcia
Events Chair
Society of Women Engineers
Polytechnic University
718-260-3738