Sona K. Andrews, one of the three candidates being considered for Cal Poly’s presidential position, started off yesterday’s public forum by noting her current university, Boise State, was ranked the third up-and-coming university in the West, according to U.S. News and World Report. She then pointed out, despite her pride in the ranking, that she was disappointed it wasn’t No. 1. That distinction is held by Cal Poly.
In the forum, Andrews briefly went over her academic priorities starting with “students come first.”
The majority of the time was spent answering audience members’ questions. Most of the questions came from Cal Poly faculty, with the notable exception of Gil Stork, the president of Cuesta Community College. Stork asked Andrews about how the relationship between the two schools would move forward with enrollment at Cal Poly being lowered. Andrews said transportability between community colleges and Cal Poly was important to the transfer rate and universities need to ensure there is not a gap in students’ educations between institutions.
Vice President for Student Affairs Cornel Morton, who attended an earlier student forum, said Andrews did very well responding to the concerns of the Cal Poly community.
“I think she was very, very impressive. She answered a number of difficult questions well,” he said.
When asked how she would spend her time as president, Andrews joked she would try and spend all of her time working both on and off campus.
“I get asked the question, ‘How will you divide your time?’ And my answer is 100 percent of my time off campus and 100 percent of my time on campus,” she said, adding, “It’s not about balance, it’s about choices.”
She said it is important to know what is happening on campus to be able to represent it externally.
Sociology junior Daniel Galvan said he was impressed with how approachable Andrews seemed.
“As a student of color, I like the fact that once a month she has a lunch with minority students (at Boise State),” he said. “Cal Poly, as of now, could do more for our students of color.”
Diversity was a recurring theme in the forum. There were several members from the Diversity Coalition, a group of faculty members who want to make sure the promotion of diversity is considered when picking the next president.
Coalition member Jasna Jovanovic, an associate professor in psychology and child development, said she hopes all three of the candidates will commit to promoting diversity on campus. She noted Andrews had the track record to accomplish the task.
“We think that she would pay attention and be involved in creating more diversity on campus,” she said.
Jovanovic and coalition member Kathryn Rummell, also chair of the English department, declined to state if any of the candidates were on a list of recommended presidential prospects sent to the Chancellor’s Office.
To recruit and retain both faculty and students, a fundamental change in the culture of an institution must occur, Andrews said.
Rummell was also concerned that the next president preserves Cal Poly’s liberal arts curriculum.
“We want to make sure the president understands the concept of a interdisciplinary polytechnic university and that there is a place for liberal arts,” she said.
Industrial engineering senior Chester Matkey echoed that sentiment.
“I want the next president to move more in the direction of interdisciplinary studies,” he said.
Matkey also said he wants the next president to make sustainability a focus for the university.
It is not just what a university does on campus that can make a difference, Andrews said.
“A university can lower their impact but if you can teach your students how to be sustainable, then your impact will spread farther than the university itself,” she said.