12/4/2009 Fuqua dreams of China

Fact Checker here.
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Can someone please tell me precisely what facilities Fuqua needs for its International MBA program in each of its 5 cities.

The program involves only 60 days of classroom work total in all the cities. Plus "distance learning" over 14 months; my father used to call this homework.

Tuition: $120,000 this year, more next, not including travel. We drew only 2/3rds the number of students expected for September's inaugural class, and we had to pad the class with student from the US when far fewer from around the world applied, thus diluting the internationalization that is the heart of this.

The city in China will see Duke people for 9 days a year. Nine. A week plus another weekend.

That's how much time MBA candidates will spend in each city, a few more in London plus some in Durham.

What is this China building all about? To be used 9 days a year.

It's about the current Shibboleth in academia, that we are "international." Every school from Bob Jones University to Harvard is scrambling.

It's about the ego of administrators who think big buildings, who want to divert us from our crumbling ability to handle our campus at home.

Readers, did you see what this week's meeting of the Academic Council learned?

Professor Steven Grill at the podium:

“The grounds (on West, East and Central campuses) will not be kept in the splendor that we are used to,” Grill said, adding that faculty offices will be cleaned less frequently, trash cans will not be emptied daily and litter will not be picked up as quickly across the University.

Groundskeeping has to be maintained at its current level in the Sarah P. Duke Gardens, at the Hospital and in athletic facilities, he noted."

Another Grill quote: “Our aspirations in the last year or two certainly have not declined... but the capability to fund all those aspirations has.”

Fact Checker endorses that thought. It's nice to have ambitions in China. It's even better to temper your dreams with fiscal reality at home.
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