In an academic environment where innovation, growth, and quick success are highly sought, there are so many demands and distractions, so little time. I am wondering what best practices, strategies, and techniques are used by graduate students, tenure track faculty, and even tenured faculty, to "get it all done." How do you define and develop your research, manage your time, and combine study, teaching, writing, and research into a balanced and productive academic life? Do you know others who are examples of success? What do they do that sets them apart?

Congratulations on your new blog. I look forward to reading your posts!

Carlton C.

Dear Dr. Crow:

I note that you are a trustee of Intemet2. Please advise what it is and does.
Thanks,
Bill C

I am totally disappointed at Michael Crow and Lisa Love for giving our football coach a contract extension http://www.azcentral.com/rsslinks/119505. With a record of 32-28 and a worsening bowl appearance (Holiday, Sun and Insight), isn't there any good football coach out there that we can hire? or do we have to wait until ASU can't sell football tickets anymore before looking for a new coach?

I have two comments to make, one concerning the university's 'requirement' to update computers and the second concerning the Greek system.
1. Throwing money at updated computers is truly a tuition 'black hole' as no amount of money would ever be enough to keep every computer updated. The truth is, most users only check their email or compose a document, both well within the capabilities of computers around campus. If you NEED a faster computer, buy one. The university more than goes out of it's way to provide support for our computers at home. It would be a shame to waste our tuition money and state taxes to always have the 'very best' of computing power - unless of course you work for Intel, Microsoft, or Apple.
2. I have a retort to the complaints about the Greek system on campus... No one cares about the needs of the elitist 5% of the student population - grow up and enter the real world. The space taken up by fraternities would be far better used as class rooms, parking structures, or more dorm space. I think it would not be an exageration to say that most students work one or more jobs, attend school full time, and struggle to pay their bills, a far cry from the way of life represented by the Greek community. The university and state are self insured, which means we all bear the burden of risk of your excessive partying. Finally, although the new sorority housing is actually quite nifty looking, the fraternities remain a complete and embarassing eyesore to the campus area.

Member of the Greek Community writes:

"You seem to think the greek system is a terrible thing when in fact we do a lot for ASU and the community. You are trying to shut many houses down or at least take away the actual house and I feel this is very unfair...I think that you need to help the greek system instead of trying to shut it down."

I would suggest you read the State Press article posted below and then reconsider your comment.

http://asuwebdevil.com/issues/2005/10/27/news/694629

Dr. Crow,

I am happy to see you making an effort to improve communication between administration and students on campus. I would note, increased dialogue dose not necessarily yield to increased understanding on both sides. I would hope this blog would be used as a forum for a heightened understanding and a free forum for the exchange of truth and falsehood, because both can be enlightening to a certain extent. I would like to voice in contradiction to some of the posted comments that I believe the university from an administration perspective is a business that prepares students to enter a world controlled by the workings of business. Keep in mind, however, it is a business held in the public trust to provide increasingly relevant educational programs of the highest possible quality. I think this is being done at ASU now more then ever, and I would like to commend you on that aspect of the school's evolution.

There have been many positive changes by the ASU administration and there are many more changes that could be made to benefit students. I strongly feel that the decision to eliminate community service scholarship requirements significantly reduces students' motivation to participate in community service and shows no administrative support for the service student population. Involvement in university wide volunteer events, such as the Fall Service Plunge and Hunger and Homeless Week, has dropped 40% this year from previous years. This is an important issue that should be addressed because of the many benefits of volunteerism to students and the community.

Community service offers students opportunities to build networks and connections to peers and people in a chosen field. Students can explore educational or career options and improve their resume through experience and skills. Furthermore, serving others develops a sense of social responsibility and personal growth while understanding cultural differences within the university community and the community at large.

More administrative support should be shown for building civic responsibility through volunteerism by increasing funding of service organizations, like the Community Service Coalition, or events, such as Devils in Disguise, and offer stronger incentives for student participation, for example scholarship requirements. Thank you for your time and consideration.

I am wondering what your plans are for what is going to be left of the physics department when all of the changes in the department go into effect? Is the department of physics going to be absorbed by the Biodesign Institute?

The blog is a great idea, and I'm glad to see the President is using the most recent communication technologies, but should the President of the University be hosting an environment which facilitates personal attacks on members of the University community? This is troubling. One can take issue with a process without stooping to that level of vitriol.

Erik, while your concerns should not be ignored, please take a moment to extract fact, and ignore fallacy. The best key to anyones understanding of what Dr. Crow is planning for the university is education. The mere fact that we students pay tuition does not mean that others within the university system will heed to our every wish. The more accurate information you obtain (the emphasis on you), the better equipped you'll be to have a more informed and fruitful dialogue, rather than produce reactionary responses to rumors.

Welcome to blogging. It is good to see that you are a progressive, listening, accessible leader.

I posted last week and Adrian Sannier, I believe he/she is the Univ, technology officer responds to my post about the engineering computing centers computers.

Adrians response to my concern was, "My antidote, Erik, is to change the campus' focus from centralized computing to 1:1 computing. It would allow us to support your personal machine...."

Notice the key word, your. I believe that this refers to a suggestion that in the future, there will be no more computing cites, and that each student is required to have a laptop.

Although I am not 100% sure about this, I have heard that it has been proposed. I can't even believe that this is actually considered. Ya, like I have the money to throw around in order to buy a laptop...NOT.

This community is becoming more and more commercialized, thanks Crow. I believe that Crow is just a businessman trying to milk all he can out of this system, so that he can retire in leisure. I think Crow should take his half a million salary and who knows how much in kickbacks, and head back to the mid west and let someone take control of ASU who actually wants to increase the quality of this public educational system for all students, not just graduate or above students.

Mr. Crow,
What a great idea for this blog. I have really enjoyed reading others posts. As long as this is where we have the chance to be heard, I would like to propose a big Thanks and a raise to all the men and women picking up garbage around campus. I see the same few people every day around the MU looking tired, hot and doing our dirty work pushing around those big stinky dumpsters. Then later as I drive home, I see them waiting for a bus. I know this is part of a bureaucratic system, but I really think they deserve much more appreciation. While most of ASU will be enjoying a leisure holiday, some of our employees will be in line at foodbanks. While we like to say we embrace equality within our campus, I suggest we take better action supporting our own. Just something to think about....

President Crow,
Please allow me to first say that I am very pleased to have the opportunity to express my praises and concerns in such a manner as this. Furhter, I find the blog a wonderful idea as it allows students to gain a much better understanding of the strides that we have taken throughout the past few years and to see your vision for the university more clearly. I applaud you for this effort as I can only begin to comprehend how busy you are.
I would also like to add that I am truly a fan of your goals for moving ASU toward the model of the New American University. Our universities do need to be a catalyst for change, and I can see also the community that is being created through the developments at the university. That being said, I must agree with Buisiness Senior that with the increase in students there must be an increase in resources, namely parking spaces and computing sites. Though I understand the attempts made by the university to ease the pain of parking on campus (e.g free bus passes for students), Valley Metro Transit simply is not up to par with our needs and, quite frankly, many of the students are on campus far after the last buses have run.

I must also ask that in your efforts to create a university where students are well educated, you remember that they must also leave the university well-rounded. This is my last semester on ASU's campus, but I feel very strongly that so-called auxilliary programs must be acknowledged and, in fact, encouraged in order for the students to develop fully. I speak, for example, of the Student Recreation Complex. While I recognize that it is mainly student funded, and that in order to expand there must be a referendum with student approval, I encourage you to consider delegating someone to initiate another referendum and that you back such a referendum.

Again, thank you for giving students the opportunity to share their opinions with you in this manner. I look forward to reading your next entry.
Jolie LaBrot

After reading Tracy comment on "Has anyone else besides me noticed that the initials of "New American University" are "NAU"?", I'm curious if ASU plans to merge with NAU, and become one?

President Crow,
I am an active member of the ASU Greek System and would just like to say I am very upset about how you treat us. You seem to think the greek system is a terrible thing when in fact we do a lot for ASU and the community. You are trying to shut many houses down or at least take away the actual house and I feel this is very unfair. You worry that the greek community parties and such too much but I guarantee that even if we had no greek system the partying would be the same. There are tons of schools in the nation who have prospering greek systems as well as very prosperous schools. Having a strong greek system would actually add to ASU's appeal to college bound students but you don't seem to care. I think that you need to help the greek system instead of trying to shut it down. We can actually help make this school amazing!

Mr. President,

Excellent PR machine you have started.

Best Wishes,
Student Who Pays Your Bills

The Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs would like to take the opportunity to respond to the students who submitted questions related to International student internships. The limitations on internships are dictated by federal regulations, not ASU or International Student Office (ISO) policy. The ISO is sincerely committed to students and recognize that there is truly an educational value to internships. Each student application must be reviewed carefully to ensure that the student is not put in jeopardy of violating their student visa status. The internship must be a part of the curriculum required for graduation and cannot be added to a program of study because of a job offer or after the completion of all of the required coursework. If the ISO in consultation with the academic administration finds a student to be ineligible, this is not meant to be punitive or done to deny the student an opportunity, but may be necessary to protect the student from losing their status by pursuing illegal employment. Internship opportunities are difficult to attain, yet internships cannot be approved simply because a job exists. According to SEVIS regulations and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the primary intent of the student visa is to study and graduate. It is to be a student and not an employee. Depending on a student's individual situation if a job arises, they may need to use their Optional Practical Training (OPT) benefit or pursue sponsorship under another visa type.

The ISO at ASU meets annually and consults regularly with colleagues at the U of A and NAU to ensure consistency in the interpretation of the policies and implementation of processing times and receives regular updates from NAFSA: Association of International Educators and the various branches of the federal government to ensure regulatory compliance.

Should students have additional questions, they should refer those back to the International Student Office. Thank you.

Dr. Crow,

I certainly agree with the other student comments on the ISO, the international student's office. I received an offer last semester from a research facility and I had to fight my way at the ISO, with the ISO insisting on the , which absolutely makes no sense nor is legal. I studied at a well ranked public university in US with almost the same student population as ASU and I know for a FACT that this is for sure a clear misinterpretation than anything else. I finally got my way through with ISO but went through a very painful process. Please, please do something about this before other students have to go through harrowing experiences.

President Crow and Tyler Freed - I agree that parking is a concern on this campus. The ever-increasing population of students, as well as staff and faculty to serve their needs is making the situation even more unbearable. I hope the students realize that parking is just as difficult for faculty and staff. On my first day working for ASU my window was smashed in and car stereo stolen. I waited for over an hour and a half to have ASU DPS respond to my call and when they finally arrived they treated me as if I was the criminal who stole the stereo. Additionally, I am upset that Parking and Transit has still not even dignified the situation by replying to my polite and numerous emails inquiring about the security enhancements for the parking areas on this campus.

President Crow - I applaud your desire to reach out to the students of this campus. While the understanding of the "New American University" is still low, your efforts to make it known are outstanding. Keep up the quality communication and if you can actually have someone in PTS address the security concerns I would appreciate it.

Dr. Crow,

I have been trying to find a way to get in touch with you for sometime now. I have only been on ASU's campus for one semester, and the biggest issue for me is getting to class. The problem is all the vehicles that drive on the sidewalks, run over students, and produce a bottleneck effect wherever you go. It's on thing to have to dodge the walkers, the bikers, the roller bladers, and the skateboarders, but it is quite another to dodge a semi. Concrete was made for nonvehicular means of transportation, and as far as I can tell, Semis have been doing a lot of off- roading lately.

There is something that I've been wanting to ask for a very long time: Has anyone else besides me noticed that the initials of "New American University" are "NAU"?

Greetings Dr. Crow
First of all, I think this blogging site is an excellent idea! It makes you seem more accessible to the students. I know your goal is to make ASU the very best, a 'new' type of university.
In working towards that goal, I believe ASU needs to become much more user friendly towards the students. As a special education major (and an ADD adult) I have been taught (right here, at this university) that students learn more efficiently in an organized and friendly atmosphere. Safeway, Basha's, and Petsmart could really teach the average ASU employee quite a bit about customer service - and, after all, we students are among the most important customers of the ASU product.
That being said, I have several times experienced frustrating amounts of disorganization from the advisement center, registration department, online registration and different departments within the college of education. I can elaborate if you're interested.
I often find the parking issues here adding to student and instructor stress (I mean, really, what world class organization charges their own employees for parking?), especially for students with disabilities. Did you know that students with handicap placards get ticketed if they don't park in handicap spots, even if all of the handicap spots are all full? They have a choice of risking a ticket or driving to another lot farther away (hoping to get an appropriate parking space) which defeats the purpose of handicap parking, and exponentially increases their level of frustration and stress.
Again, I can elaborate if you are interested.
I will be very interested in seeing if you do read these blogs, and even more if you actually do something about these comments.

The complaints about the International Student Office are valid. A student has to work very hard to get into companies given how competitive the market is. After you get an offer, you have to fight the ISO.

The ISO believes that an internship has to be "necessary" for your degree for them to give you the work permit. This is baloney of the lowest form. You could speak to any INS lawyer. All the student has to do is have department approval, an offer letter and the backing of his/her advisor. The ISO is the most dysfunctional and rude enterprise ever. It took me 3 weeks to get my permit last semester and I have a friend at UCS - a much bigger school - for whom it took 2 HOURS.

If this who song-and-dance about communicating with students has even an iota of sincerity to it maybe you will address this issue.

President Crow,
I respect your views with changing the image of this great university. I recently read that ASU has one of the lowest amount of donations in terms of dollars in the country. One would think that by trying to get more support from alumni this would ease the need for constant increases in tuition. What plans does the university have to aquire more private donations. According to the state constitution the public universities are supposed to be "as free as possible" but with the recent tuition hikes and another hike planned what deos the univeristy plan to do in order to be in compliance with the state constitution? I am excited for the direction you are taking ASU but not the tuitition increases.

Michael Crow,
I suppose that if I didn't begin by kissing your brass for starting this forum, I would be a nonconformist. That would be undesirable.

Anyway, I would like to bring attention to a issue that is no longer en vogue. Because of the activity density of ASU, this wonderful institution has enormous opportunities for recycling the materials we use in our quest for knowledge and productivity. As an institution that will be a prominent leader as we charge fearlessly into the brave new world, we have a choice in the image we project as we lead the civilized world.

We could show the world that we have a true global consciousness and we will do everything in our power to make intelligent use of scarce resources while forging the path for others to follow while we solve the worlds technological problems.

Or...

We could focus on solving the most popular technological headliners while showing a wonton disregard for the natural world and petty issues like the environment (The environment has too little effect on the ASU budget). We would be trying to save the world at the expense of the world.

What is currently observed is the absolute minimum amount of recycling neccessary to be able to say, "we recycle". We are much closer to the latter image, if anyone were to look. In the Noble and Hayden libraries, trash cans are much more available than the tiny blue recyle bin. The large recycle bin in the Noble copy center has been removed and replaced by 5 small trash cans. The only place I know of to recycle plastic bottles (of which we go through thousands per day here) is in the SRC weight room. If we calculated the acres of trees, and metric tons of plastic ASU puts in landfills each year, it would surprise many people.

Most people don't care about recycling our resources. And most people didn't think cigarettes were so awful until intstitutions took the lead in shifting the public will.

We have the power (and perhaps the responsability) to show the world that our conscience is not completely dominated by dollars.

It would be easy and cheap to implement.

I propose that we try.

Dr. Crow,

I likethe work you've done, and I really appreciate how you've made ASU yours. The New American University will be an excellent catalyst for introducing the academic world to new paradigms. Thanks for helping ASU to be on the forefront. Take ASU all the way to the top!

President Crow,
I think that a major concern of the Tempe campus is the parking. Recently there have been more and more reported crimes in various parking structures around campus and should be addressed seriously. I feel the need for surveillance equippment combined with the efforts of Tempe police and added ASU Parking and Transit employees to ensure the safety and property of students and their vehicles. Anything to ensure the safety of ASU's students should be held in high regard. Thanks for your consideration.

I cannot find this blog place, so I guess I'll just leave my message here. This campus needs a serious increase in the number of computers avaliable to students in the libraries. A person shouldn't have to wait in line for 10 minutes just for access to the computer.

President Crow:
Welcome to the blogging world. I admire your courage to enter into such a forum, welcoming both positive comments and criticism. I have been here at the University since you became President, and I have seen the University slowly evolve into the modern University it will become.

While I am graduating in May, would just like to say keep up the good work and always listen to the students, for they are the reason this campus exists. Never let this "New American University" get away from the basics...sometimes I feel like professors could care less about us and would rather conduct research than teach. I have seen this all too often, and it has made me want to keep my head down and get out rather than enjoy my education.

Plus/minus needs to be more uniform too, it should be the same percentages for all departments or should not exist, and honestly, it should have been grandfathered in: I was cheated of many pluses from my early semesters, and many other students felt this too.

Finally, please make sure your New American University has plenty of New American Parking...the situation is a mess and is only going to get worse. Anyway, that is my contribution. Good luck in your future blogs!

Mr. Crow,

I believe this is an excellent oppurtunity for the administration and students to communicate and mutually present opinions. I am pleased to be part of the ASU student body and I belive this university will only gain respect with the innovations you propose. However, I do have a complaint regarding finals weeks. This is a very broad complaint, but the final exam period is too short. Myself and numerous other students have five finals in the span of six days. With tests occuring until the very last day of class it is extremly difficult to review previous material when you still have to study new topics two days before that respective course's final.

Dr. Crow,
I am very concerned about the recent direction the university has taken with respect to tuition and payments associated. I strongly feel that I no longer have the same options that I did in the past (with respect to method of payment), resulting in a negative experience. I should have the choice to use whatever means or form of payment I would like, to pay for MY education. Adding fees to credit transactions (for the third party payer that YOU selected), disallowing debits from checking accounts and auto enrollment in a tuition program if fees are not paid by the deadline, in my mind, is not the best answer. What input went in to establishing these guidelines and why now the control of payment means?
Thanks for reading...

This post is in response to the recent State Press Article discussing the over-cooled locations on campus. Although this may be true, my situation is slightly different. I work at the McClintock Residence Hall in a conjoining two room "office" for Undergraduate Initiatives Technology Services. Despite the fact that about 7 people are crammed into a small area designed for two residents, it gets incredibly hot during the day throughout winter.

In fact it seems like the temperature inside my office is inversely proportional to the outside temperature. Throughout the winter season, the colder it gets, the hotter it is inside. In summer, the hotter it is outside, the colder it is inside. The only time I have been comfortable in the office is during fall or Spring with all of the two working windows (out of 5 total) are open and fans circulating. Otherwise it is imbearable.

Since we have no contorl over the air, our comfort is mandated by whomever controls the thermastat. I'm sure this is wasting a lot of energy, but more importantly I feel like I'm going to pass out of heat exhaustion half way throughout the day.

[...] [...]

Dr. Crow,

I'm joining in with the praise of all the others on the beginning of your blog. As a student, I am appreciative to have an opportunity such as this in which students can have a more direct communication with you in order to listen to your vision as well as voice our concerns. I think it will be an invaluable venture.

But I do have some concerns. (As do many others) My primary concern is that I'm afraid that we as students have been left out of the detailing of what our "New American University" will look like. Much of what we have seen thus far has been blocked off roads, intrusive construction, increased tuition and a less accesible administration.

I have been attending ASU for over two years and just recently heard you give a brief synopsis of your dream for our University. It was the first time that I was able to sympathize with the efforts that you and others are making in order to better ASU. All this goes to say, why don't you get out and speak more to the students about why you're doing what you're doing? You wrote about information beneficial, so why not give us some more information to make us a more informed student body? I have a feeling it would do nothing but further your cause to make this place a great New American University.

Thanks for reading...

I'm glad to see the blogging move. We have discussed technology before through emails. I often hear students complain yet when I ask if they have ever tried to contact you they often respond in the typical fashion of something along the lines of "he wouldn't listen" or some such remark. I get even stranger looks when I tell them you've responded to every email I've ever sent. As for the computing commons I must agree the equipment needs to go. I would seriously look into Sun Microsystems Sun Ray products. With Google moving to the valley and their partnership with Sun it would only make sense for the University to take advantage of the situation. They may be willing to invest in the Los Arcos area project or Polytechnic campus. I am at the end of my career as a student and will miss out on what is to come in the future, however I believe you are taking some difficult steps to make the transition a reality. While many are resistant to change, progress will continue and I applaud your dedication to trying to enhance ASU and connect with the students. We may not agree on everything but we can find a middle ground through communication.

Dr. Crow,

I strongly disagree with the decision to allow students who have not paid their tuition by the deadline to remain enrolled in classes and be placed on a mandatory tuition payment plan. The decision to do this deprives students who have the means to pay for classes the ability to pick up the seats of those students who were unable to make the deadline. As a student who works full time and attends classes at ASU full time it is difficult enough to find classes that will fit into my schedule. Now that I must compete with students whose seats I was previously able to fill if they left their tuition balance unpaid I will experience even greater difficulty in enrolling in the classes I will need to graduate.

This "credit card" approach to tuition only encourages students not to take loans for financial aid, apply for scholarships, or raise the money themselves because the penalties for non-payment are removed. By retaining those students you are penalizing those of us who can provide immediate payment to the University. It seems to me that you are more concerned in retaining students in general than you are with being fair to those of us who can pay on time.

Hello Mr. Crow,

You picked a great new forum for stimulating communication with the masses. I looked over the plans for the New American University, and personally, I like most of what I read.

I am wondering, however, what your stance is on getting all of Mill Avenue covered for broadband wireless connectivity via laptops. I have not read anything about your view on this, but I have heard rumors that you are for it. It seems as if it may be a good proposition to pursue, as many business deals are carried out during lunch there and a broadband internet connection would be very much appreciated by all laptop users in the area.

I am a great admirer of your policies and in fact I joined ASU as a graduate student due to the improvements you were responsible for at the Fulton school of engineering apart from being able to find a top notch adviser in my research area.

A major concern I would like to highlight in this post, is the negative attitude of the International students office (ISO) and the academic departments in discouraging students from interning in industries. At every stage of requesting permission for internships in ASU, international students are highly discouraged. I have friends pursuing PhDs at schools like Carnegie Mellon and Univ. of California, Berkeley, who tell me that quite a few students 'define' their thesis topics while interning in the industries for a few semesters. Besides, internships for PhD students have an additional benefit of bringing in funds for the respective professors. Sure, there are BCIS (formerly INS) rules that need to be adhered to, but the role of the international students office is to help students pursue their internships while adhering to the rules in letter and spirit. While I am sad to say that the ISO at ASU in fact works in the other way, even when BCIS rules say that a student is eligible for an internship, ISO prevents the students from pursuing their internships.
And I do not understand the need for the academic department administrators to take control of the internship permissions as is currently done at ASU. If the student's adviser believes that the internship will help the students thesis and if the rules of BCIS (formerly INS) are met, what right does the departments have to object to the students internships.

President Crow, if you would really like ASU to be among the Top 10 schools in engineering in US and if you would like to attract the best and the brightest to ASU, you need to enable students to pursue their thesis in close contact with the industry research labs and allow them to intern to the extent possible. Sadly, the attitude and the current policies of the International students office and academic departments at the Fulton school of engineering in allowing international students to intern are highly retrogressive to say the least and are demoralizing...

Probably a good step to begin would be for you to review the internship policies at ASU and contrast them with say the policies at other top schools like UCal, Berkeley or Stanford...

I have great respect for your abilities Sir and would like to wish you all the best in your future endeavors...

Mr. Crow:

First of all, I am glad you decided to begin blogging, and as a student I'm extremely interested as to where this will lead. A blog is a powerful thing, especially for someone as conspicuous as you. I see that you have taken the time to compose yours carefully, a wise decision. Your interest in it as a communication tool is a good sign of your awareness of the decentralization of knowlege in the world. I see signs of this awareness begining to appear in the direction the school is taking.

What I hope to gain from your blog is insight into the decisions affecting the campus, the students, and everyone's future. Lastsly, as one blogger to another, remember to keep blogging! A good blogger is one who updates almost every day. In your case, It would be great to see three posts a week, as I know we all have lives outside of school.

Good luck!

Mr. Crow:

Thank you for the opportunity to voice my concerns. Open forum for such discussions could potentially be very beneficial to this institution. My chief concern (as someone who works full-time) is, when, if ever, will ASU offer online degree programs. Or, at least, diversify some of the courses that are available online and during nights and weekends. For someone pursuing a degree in physics, it is nearly impossible to schedule with full-time, Monday through Friday employement because many of the requirements are only offered in the middle of the day and require multiple days per week of attendance. Is this a concern at all for you? Will people who need to work full-time always be relegated to the limited offerings of schools such as University of Phoenix, DeVry, etc?

I respect your vision for Arizona State University. Finally, someone wants to make this school respectable in the eyes of many.

Two down, 51,610 to go... (Well, actually that only accounts for the Tempe Campus. Someone please feel free to correct my calculations with the entire set of "One University in Many Places" numbers). At any rate, we've got a couple of blogs now, the University Technology Officer's, and the President's. My hope is that some day every member of the ASU academic community will have a blog, and that each will be linked to the others through a collective and inter-connected dynamic conversation, an ASU blogosphere that will "harness the power of our collective intelligence." This is an excellent start.

Dr. Crow - Thank you for reaching out to the students in the form of this blog. It really means a lot to many students, and everyone I've mentioned it to seems quite impressed with it, and the fact that you're soon to hold open office hours. I look forward to taking advantage of these open avenues of communication to the top administrative level of our university.

Erik - I'd have to agree with Taylor. As a student worker who actually works in the ASU Foundation building, I have not only been in the conference rooms, but worked with the technology first-hand. In order to keep inevitable tuition hikes to a minimum, it is necessary to attract investors to the university, and that is where the ASU Foundation comes in. Even though the primary goal of ASU is to educate its students, one cannot pretend not to notice the huge business aspect of it. As is the case with any major corporation in the world, we have to impress investors in whatever form they may come, and cutting edge technology is one way to do that. For every $ 50,000,000 an Ira Fulton gives us, or some other investor, that is $50,000,000 less we have to pay in tuition. I'd also kill to play some Xbox in that conference room, for the record.

President Crow,

Although I am not exactly a fan of yours, I have to congratulate you for this excellent idea (whether or not it belongs to you), and hope that it will not be the last of your career... may the coming year provide you with even more inspiration. I also hope that more and more students will engage in conversations, and that we will be able to exchange opinions and disagreements in a civilized and constructive way. Someone once said that arguments lead to progress, and with over 60 thousand potential arguers on campus, imagine what the progress would look like if we all contributed with thoughts and ideas. Until then, everyone good luck with the exams (if you are students), and enjoy the coming holidays.

Erik: It might help to think of the Foundation Bldg. as an investment of sorts. The ASU Foundation's primary job is to find individuals and organizations to make financial donations to the university. Very few people are willing to donate millions of dollars of their own money unless they are reasonably sure that there will be a substantial return on their investment. The President and the Foundation's grandiose and plush offices help to make ASU look great - that it is a serious university that is going places. The conference room is no exception - I've heard that much of those funds were spent on video conferencing equipment. I imagine that such equipment is necessary to have meetings with potential donors. So while $1,000,000 might seem extravagant now, if it helps bring $10,000,000 or so to our school, it is clearly a wise investment.

These investments seem to be paying off. Recently, Ira Fulton donated $3,000,000 to build the Decision Theater. Last year, Juli Wrigley donated $15,000,000 to establish ASU's sustainability institute. Not to mention the $50,000,000 gifts made to establish the Fulton School and the W. P. Carey School.

Mr Crow:
I respect your plans for the "New American University" but I question some of your actions. Particularly, what I see as the waste of money as well as the use of the increased income from tuition hikes.

I would like to know why the ASU Foundation building has conference rooms that along cost $1,000,000 to construct? Also with the increased income ASU has received from the tuition increases for the last few semesters, I would think that the computers in the engineering computing center would have been upgraded by now. Logging on takes only a couple of minutes and these are some of the slowest computers I have seen at ASU. One would think that the engineering students at "A New American University" would have access to a computer center that is a little better then something that you would find at a high school.

Welcome to the blogosphere.

It would be excellent news if ASU were to add a couple guru-level Computer Scientists to its Computer Science programs. Although we are currently transitioning into the next era of high-performance computing (HPC) and 21st century Informatics, Arizona is "off" the HPC map. Arizona will be helped in this area with Google and eBay coming to the state, but Arizona's universities have access to grant monies that can help turn this situation around. Note: I am fully aware that most of our 20th century politicians have been neglecting the funding for long-term Computer Science related research projects. Again, maybe ASU and the state of Arizona can help these politicians "see" our computing futures.

President Crow. I am not one who always agrees with your vision. But I must say that, from an average student's perspective, this blog is one your better ideas. I look forward to reading your thoughts and responding along with my peers. Also, I'm glad to see that you have linked to wikipedia in this entry as a way of defining blogosphere. More democratic information sharing is definitely the way to go.