Click here to view an audio slideshow of the Academic Senate meeting.
Tuesday’s Academic Senate open forum discussion drudged up much more than budget strategies – the tension was palpable as senators discussed the possible contract with Jubail University College (JUC) in Saudi Arabia.
More than 100 students, faculty and administrators, including President Warren Baker, were in attendance to discuss the issue of a partnership between the Cal Poly College of Engineering and JUC’s new engineering program. Despite the high attendance, only administrators and senators were allowed to speak.
Academic Senate Chair Bruno Giberti began the meeting saying that he hoped it could serve as “a temperature-taking exercise in which we can assess the mood on this issue.”
The issue has invited controversy since it was first introduced as a possibility fall quarter. When President Warren Baker mentioned it in his Nov. 27 quarterly report, it marked the first time that most of the faculty present had even heard about it. Since then, multiple copies of proposals have circulated as the university continues talks with the Saudi university.
The proposed program entails a five-year proposal that would develop four engineering degree programs in civil, mechanical, computer and electrical engineering. When Bechtel Corporation, one of the largest engineering companies in the United States, notified engineering faculty of the opportunity, Cal Poly was one of five candidates for the partnership. Because Bechtel lobbied on behalf of Cal Poly, the university was selected for the position and is now developing a potential contract with the Saudi university.
“Technically there is no contract – yet,” said Susan Opava, the dean of research and graduate programs. “There is not yet any agreement between Poly and the Saudi government.”
Regardless, a resolution has been submitted in opposition of the partnership. Since Feb. 26, the executive committee of the Academic Senate has twice voted not to take up the matter as represented. The resolution was submitted in hopes being added to the Feb. 26 agenda, but was determined to be too late.
Since then, varying opinions and rumors have circulated campus.
“I’m quite amazed at the amount of misinformation on this campus,” said Bill Durgin, provost and vice president of Academic Affairs, calling it “a whisper campaign.”
Ed Sullivan, the associate dean of the College of Engineering, explained that the program is geared toward faculty, not students. Current plans call for members of the Cal Poly faculty to serve as a coordinator for each program in which they would help develop curricula, hire faculty and form relationships with local industry. Though Cal Poly faculty would not deliver classes during development, there would eventually be a faculty exchange between the two universities.
The contract is set at $5.9 million for a five-year period. The contract will be arranged by the Cal Poly Corporation and officials at Tuesday’s meeting said Cal Poly will adhere to all federal and state laws and hiring practices.
Jim Locascio was the first to speak out in opposition of the program, noting that the mechanical engineering department voted 15 to 1 against the partnership after being informed that women, homosexuals and Jews would be unwelcome in the university’s engineering program. Though one-year-old JUC is a co-ed institution with 435 students, the engineering department is comprised of only men and has no plans to incorporate women.
“You’re going to start a new curriculum, but you’re only going to deliver it to men,” Locascio said, followed by a round of applause across the room.
Baker told the crowd that the proposal had “intelligent merit” and the provost and the Corporation are working to ensure that no rights are being violated.
“Higher education is a diplomatic asset for our country,” he said. “Programs such as the one proposed . have the potential to reduce friction between countries and cultures.”
History professor Manzar Foroohar took her place at the microphone and told her peers that Cal Poly should distance itself from any program that discriminates against any group, including the JUC program. She noted several study abroad and on-campus programs that exhibit some form of discrimination.
The meeting, which went nearly a half hour overtime, ended on a tense note with many questions remaining.
Students in the crowd were equally displeased and voiced their opinion with signs.
“It’s disgusting that they just ignore the elephant in the room that’s discrimination,” said nutrition senior Brooke Horn.
Horn and business junior Ari Dekofsky, who held a sign that asked, “How can you put a price on equality?,” were both frustrated not only with the program itself but the lack of student opinion allowed in the meeting.
“We researched it and had no chance to speak,” Dekofsky said. “It doesn’t look like they’ll have another forum in the future.”