Comments on: if i had a billion dollars

By: Lori

Lori — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 12:41:48 +0000

My design-from-first-principles fantasies also include countries, cities (both municipalities and city-states), islands and universities. Since your billion or so of seed money comes from a venture capitalist, I can only assume that the money comes with fiduciary responsibilities, and can only imagine your university being of the University of Phoenix ilk, where you can major in anything you want so long as it’s business.

Being, as you are, a young punk scholar, you look at re-inventing the university from the perspective of someone who makes a living in the university industry–addressing primarily professional academic concerns, which is OK as it goes.

I would propose that a population underserved by the university-as-we-know-it is the ‘nontraditional’ (i.e. adult) student who wants to major in something other than business. Not necessarily the retired and semi-retired PME’s (professional and managerial elites) who want to do the liberal arts thing as a hobby, as that market is also now being tapped. Rather, say, the burned out middle aged college graduate such as myself who regrets not having tried for (other than MBA) graduate school. Maybe Redo U. would be the perfect antidotealternative to Reinvent U.™

By: Michael

Michael — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 19:39:37 +0000

By coming up with a clear vision, you have half of what you need. The remaining half is to go out there and do it!

You don’t need millions of dollars all at once. All you really need is a way of making the act of instruction self-sustaining. The web creates some interesting possibilities here. Start small, then build up when you have the means.

By: dylan

dylan — Sun, 15 Oct 2006 15:18:52 +0000

You are not alone in this dream. I’ve always wanted to design my own highschool. An environment that will foster kids wanting to go there, social skills, as well as learning.

By: Muspelheim

Muspelheim — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 16:36:31 +0000

Load the best music in mp3 as well as the last movies of Box Office.

By: zephoria

zephoria — Tue, 01 Nov 2005 16:38:23 +0000

I actually don’t think that professors should live on campus. The incentive structure there is all wrong. Most professors are not enthused by 24/7 with 18-year-olds. And, honestly, their role on campus is primarily as parent-figure. This works for some, but it’s not a good motivator for many. I think that faculty should spend time on campus, be available for engagement, but that they shouldn’t be forced to live there. They should be allowed to have their lives and peer groups and children with the support of the university but without having to be in the middle of it.

By: John

John — Tue, 01 Nov 2005 12:30:45 +0000

Adam . . . Interesting remarks that the Finnish system can be light on university-managed social services because they have a socialized backdrop.

As you can guess, when I speculate that the public library might be more responsive to student/faculty needs, I’m really suggesting that certain things might well be moved to that sphere. I.e., out of the U., and into the public realm. But, as you say, the public domain — or I should say, more narrowly, public financing of institutions — in the USA is crap (as you say).

Now I’m depressed.

By: zephoria

zephoria — Tue, 01 Nov 2005 08:53:39 +0000

::laugh:: I think it would involve a lot of fuzz and an amazing half-time show!

By: vs. Goliath

vs. Goliath — Tue, 01 Nov 2005 07:38:30 +0000

Danah,

I look forward to watching your University play Caterina’s University in football …

http://www.caterina.net/archive/000864.html

By: FG

FG — Sat, 29 Oct 2005 00:34:09 +0000

You really should pay a visit to University “Carlo Bo” in Urbino next time you are in Europe. There are very interesting university environments developed by the architecth Giancarlo De Carlo during the last three decades. This is also an invitation

By: Andreas

Andreas — Fri, 28 Oct 2005 02:57:22 +0000

Have you ever been to Cambridge in the UK?

I suppose you could make the village smaller, but it was smaller originally and the university was there back then as well.

I feel like we’re slowly moving closer to something like a monastery here. Or an ivory tower…