When Michael Crow became president of Arizona State University in July 2002, the watch began almost immediately: How quickly would he use ASU as a springboard to a bigger and better job? It hasn't happened.
Crow said he had a ten-year plan for "the new American university" and he has been as good as his word. Crow was one of the three people that progressive Arizonans vested their faith in during those hopeful years.
Janet Napolitano played defense against the Kookocracy, but abandoned the governor's office to become President Obama's Secretary of Homeland Security with little left behind as a legacy. Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon suffered a lost weekend of a second term, badly downgrading any assessment of the man in full.
I always thought it was a sign of Arizona's unhealthy lack of private-sector stewards that all three stars were on the public payroll, but such was the case. Only Crow, to many the least likely, stuck and kept faith.
Crow was dealt a bad hand, if a very good salary: The Legislature had been cutting general-fund appropriations to the universities since the 1980s and was virulently anti-education. The state constitution mandated that ASU, especially, take virtually every qualified in-state student without giving it the means to pay for this obligation.
The university had grown into a gargantuan thing. It had few friends at the capitol as opposed to, say, the University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Yet even Crow's critics must admit he played this hand masterfully. It wasn't long after his arrival that the UofA, which always considered itself "the university," was enviously muttering, "We wish we had a Michael Crow."
The vision of a New American University was buttressed around finding new revenue. I learned this early, when Crow asked me how ASU could be of more help in illuminating the economy. I sent him a list of some 30 indicators that were not tracked in the echo chamber of population growth and construction permits. This ended up in the economics department where the mandate was to produce it, and find a way to sell it.
Crow made peace with the Mormon Church, which had been feuding with the university about a plan to replace/relocate a stake building on campus. Soon LDS money was flowing to ASU, most notably from house-builder Ira Fulton who endowed the engineering school and Decision Theater, among other gifts.
New York real-estate magnate William P. Carey gave $50 million to get his name on the business school. Lately, the Rob and Melani Walton Fund of the Walton Family Foundation, a bunch hardly known for their charitable giving in proportion to their vast Wal-Mart wealth, gave ASU $27.5 million for the Global Institute of Sustainability.
Meanwhile, Crow worked the federal research grants levers, with little help from the useless congressional delegation, to build the Biodesign Institute. He even pried money from the Legislature, always looking for "the key," as he put it, to reach the Kooks (I'm not sure he ever found it; witness the attempt to put a Kook blogger with a know-nothing, anti-higher ed agenda on the Regents).
Without Crow, there probably wouldn't be a downtown Phoenix campus, which has been essential to both the revival of the central core and the success of light rail. He got the city to pay for much of it, but the city got at least as good a bargain.
Rather than jettisoning the far-away and arguably distracting "campus" at the old Williams Air Force Base, Crow gave it a mission as a Polytechnic. This was part of a broader effort to give the campuses outside Tempe more focused missions.
The old Los Arcos Mall site in south Scottsdale, which nobody loved and was left a wasteland, found a friend in Michael Crow, who turned it into SkySong, an entrepreneurial hub and, not surprisingly, another source of money. If there was a promising vacuum in this city of vacuums, Crow was likely to fill it. That he could talk the language of developers made him seem understandable and popular among the local-yokel bigs.
But the other aspect of the New American University was welcoming large numbers of students, including a special emphasis on minorities and low-income students, and offering them a good university education. Although he came from Columbia, Crow is no swell. When I knew him he drove a car worthy of an adjunct instructor. He "loathes" — his word — elitism in higher education.
In naming him one of America's top 10 university presidents, Time wrote, "the number of low-income Arizona freshmen enrolling each year has grown nearly ninefold and the population of minority students has jumped 62 percent." Crow also lured many top faculty, yet another part of his vision that has received too little attention.
None of this came without broken eggs. Crow is exceptionally demanding and won't brook failure, especially from those in high positions. He can be brusque. Although quite charming and witty in private, he can seem stiff and aloof in some public situations. He is usually the smartest man in the room; he gives the sense that he is always the smartest man in the room.
After the gentle presidency of Lattie Coor, who deserves much credit for starting ASU on its upward momentum, Crow was like an F5 tornado. Some faculty members felt pushed aside, a few even persecuted — and ASU never had strong faculty governance to push back against a president as is the case in many universities. Yet the dire predictions of death to the fine and liberal arts, because they couldn't become profit centers, never came true. Much of the anti-Crow reaction of the early years has faded. I know professors outside engineering and science who swear by Crow.
His tenure has required peace with the Real Estate Industrial Complex. While ASU's sustainability efforts are sincere, they also involve dreams of cool concrete and other techno-wonders that would allow metro Phoenix to keep doing what it's been doing for decades, rather than encouraging fundamentally different arrangements and showing how they can actually be better, more livable.
ASU folks flog the "Sun Corridor," wherein 8 million people will "live" in single-family-detached-house-single-occupancy-car-trip bliss. Crow also made a rare PR blunder in declining to give President Obama an honorary degree. Although my frustrations with Mr. Obama now make me think Crow was right, the decision brought ridicule to ASU at a moment when it should have shone in the national spotlight. This move was so contrary to Crow's usual instincts as to be noteworthy for that alone. As for ASU athletics, rooting for the Sun Devils requires suffering, no matter who is president.
A few posts back, commenters had a lively discussion about ASU. My take: A very good university — say, a University of Wisconsin — is to be found inside the enormity that is Arizona State University. It was improving under Coor and has made major leaps forward under Crow. If one believes in such rankings as US News, ASU places with a number of programs. The one disappointment: ASU is not a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities, whose 59 institutions that constitute the elite of research universities. The University of Arizona was admitted in 1985.
But overall, Crow deserves top grades. His achievement is all the more impressive in being carried out in perhaps the most hostile legislative environment to higher education in America.
Postscript: In June 2023, ASU was invited to join the Association of American Universities (AAU), the most prestigious organization in higher education. It’s a testament to Crow’s leadership.
Although no big fan of ASU (I got my doctorate at U of A and taught at NAU for many years), I agree whole-heartedly that Michael Crow is perhaps the most valuable man in Arizona today. While U of A has rested on its laurels and NAU has continued its also-ran slumber, ASU is establishing itself as a forward-looking metropolitan university. That's virtually impossible to do in a state that hates education, but Crow is managing to do it. He's worth every penny of his admittedly generous salary.
Posted by: Bob F | April 09, 2012 at 09:59 PM
Jon, and other older Arizonans on this blog, perhaps you can help me out here. While others in my family have graduated from ASU or UofA, historical knowledge of the University's beginning is still illusive: Was there a stipulation made when Arizona granted the school full university status that only ASU would have to admit all qualified Arizona high school graduates? From what I remember during the admissions process (and not as a graduate of an Arizona high school) all three state schools had the same standards for in-state graduates.
Is there something more to that? What I am trying to get at is, can ASU spinoff one of its campuses to create a school that is non-research based? In turn creating a "flagship" ASU school in Tempe/Dtn Phx which could require higher admission standards for in-state students?
Interesting point regarding the Association of American Universities, but I'm not sure ASU has yet met the criteria for invitation: ASU hasn't been a real research university long enough. I was told by an older cousin, and graduate of ASU, that in the late 80's the UofA was a much better school. I looked up some of the old statistics, which are hard to come by, and it looks like ASU wasn't much of a research institution before the 1990's. In fact, UofA was THE university for research and had the state's top programs. That began to change rapidly in the 90's and early 2000's...
From then on, ASU would nearly equal UofA's endowment and was attracting research dollars that UofA was typically known for. Programs began to gain prominence. Yet, I have noticed much hostility towards ASU from those associated with the UofA, but never fully understood why. I admit, I wasn't raised in Arizona and knew more about the Apple Cup in Washington and East Coast rivalries. The rivalry in this state seems almost as bitter as one would find between Michigan and Ohio State...without all the National Championships. Why all the hostility?
Posted by: phxSUNSfan | April 09, 2012 at 10:06 PM
I'm surprised there was no mention that in lieu of offering Obama an honorary degree, ASU created the Obama Scholars Program...the President already has degrees from Harvard and Columbia, did he really need an honorary one from ASU?
Posted by: phxSUNSfan | April 09, 2012 at 10:35 PM
PSF, the flagship spinoff is an excellent idea. A flagship university based in Tempe could better compete in many categories including large federal research grants. A second smaller campus could meet the educational needs of Arizona residents with slightly lower high school academic records.
Posted by: jmav | April 09, 2012 at 10:41 PM
U of A grads project a bit more intellectual depth than ASU grads. Maybe like the respective metropolitan areas they are located in.
Posted by: Not an AZ grad | April 09, 2012 at 10:50 PM
Graduated with honors from a top Big Ten engineering school. Know ASU all too intimately. There is no comparison. Two very different worlds.
Posted by: Smart Cookie | April 10, 2012 at 02:39 AM
Smart Cookie, What is the difference between ASU and a Big Ten school other than Michigan or Northwestern? Big, Public Universities rated essentially the same by the best known yearly rankings.
Posted by: Pac 10 Friend | April 10, 2012 at 05:15 AM
The two biggest sellers at the U of A bookstore are Blue Books and crayons.
That pretty much says it all.
Posted by: AzRebel | April 10, 2012 at 07:16 AM
It will be interesting to see how Crow's strategic view of the "Sun Corridor" evolves. Does it turn into a transformative and sustainable model for stuff like transit and high density walkable town centers? Or does the Grady G horizontal growth machine kick back into gear? Underlying all this, our air and water issues need to be addressed head-on. We've lied about them too long!
Posted by: morecleanair | April 10, 2012 at 08:04 AM
Good analysis of Michael Crow. Whether or not you agree with his leadership, it has indeed been LEADERSHIP, rather than the "happy talk" that too often serves as its substitute around here.
Posted by: Diane D'Angelo | April 10, 2012 at 08:19 AM
I was surprised by Crow's stumble with an honorary degree for Obama too, but I now think it was a savvy move that pandered to the Kooks and greased the skids for future lobbying/plans (altho the snub of the President is now long forgotten by the Kooks).
The UofA v. ASU rivalry is the same kettle as Tucson v. Phoenix -- we're just raised that way -- there's no rhyme or reason to it. Wonder if I could mix up some more metaphors on this?
Posted by: eclecticdog | April 10, 2012 at 10:19 AM
The good news!
Andrew Thomas – Disbarred
Lisa Aubuchon – Disbarred
Posted by: cal Lash | April 10, 2012 at 11:20 AM
Crow deserves a great deal of acknowledgement for deciding to set ASU on a research track. As of 2005, UA garnered 75% of all university research dollars in this state -- a statistic that makes me proud as a Wildcat, but also a tad embarrassed as a Tempe native and current Phoenix resident. Meanwhile, ASU continues to dominate in alumni contributions and enrollment in the past two decades. Where the UA has really appeared to lack in recent years is in following up Dr. Likins' successful "Focused Excellence" plan, which was somewhat similar to Crow's strategy at ASU more recently. Aside from those issues, I'm excited by the possibility that both schools can continue growing to be vitally important to Arizona, but in different ways (and if ASU becomes smart enough to let UA maintain a sense of superiority, I'm pretty sure they can do whatever the hell they want).
Posted by: ptb | April 10, 2012 at 12:07 PM
I liked the positive tone of this editorial.
But I wonder even with all of Crowe's herculean effort did he give us a smaller stone and a less steep hill?
Posted by: cal Lash | April 10, 2012 at 12:34 PM
A slow day for this 72 year old.
So some college trivia; In 58 at ASU I failed all classes except pool in the basement of the MSU. Highlight of the week, watching Gary Peter Klahr eat spaghetti. Dorm life, Living under Goodwin Stadium, Aptitude, Helping Clay Freeny with his english.
College testing.
Below the answers to my February 20, 2012 post.
Here U go Will. Today's political word game.
O
I
O
O
U
Bonanno, DeConcini, Arpaio, Napolitano, Babeu
Only one Faux Italian in the group.
Posted by: cal Lash | April 10, 2012 at 01:01 PM
Q: What is the difference between ASU and a Big Ten school other than Michigan or Northwestern?
A: My Big Ten engineering school was rated higher than Michigan's and Northwestern's. In fact, we compared favorably with MIT and Stanford. Muck Fichigan. :)
In addition, great culture frequented the campus. We regularly saw the CSO and other world-class talent. We even had a vibrant rock-and-roll scene and a world-class luthier. We also had a world-class agricultural school.
ASU leads the academic universe in strippers and genital warts.
ASU isn't even in our antumbra.
Posted by: Smart Cookie | April 10, 2012 at 03:08 PM
"Underlying all this, our air and water issues need to be addressed head-on. We've lied about them too long!"
That is the nature of a Ponzi scheme.
Posted by: Smart Cookie | April 10, 2012 at 03:16 PM
"...the President already has degrees from Harvard and Columbia, did he really need an honorary one from ASU?"
Obama did not qualify for an honorary degree from ASU: He did not have the prerequisite STD.
Posted by: Smart Cookie | April 10, 2012 at 03:18 PM
cookie, and your school would be??
Posted by: AzRebel | April 10, 2012 at 03:51 PM
AzRebel, it would be an excellent one that plays with petaflops while ASU just flops.
High-tech supercomputer soon to be history
http://www.statepress.com/2012/01/12/high-tech-supercomputer-soon-to-be-history/
Posted by: Smart Cookie | April 10, 2012 at 04:59 PM
AZrebel, lets not find out what institute of higher learning "smart cookie" hung out at in order to learn how to talk to a luthier. To know would just invite a boring "mines bigger than yours" word war. Smart Cookies need colleges where they can learn and be safe. Now Wise Guys learn most the important survival skills by the time they are 18 and how to be rolling in it and also how to con smart cookies. A 21 year old Wise Guy can employ all the luthiers he might need. Particularly if a luthier is tall, strong and knows the proper use of the wire. At 60 most Wise Guys that are still living can buy one of them that Universities. And smart cookie no need to worry about ASU or UA as the desert always wins.
Posted by: cal Lash | April 10, 2012 at 06:19 PM
AZrebel I forgot to ask you. Can you remind me what a petaflop and Wiffle ball have in common?
Posted by: cal Lash | April 10, 2012 at 06:23 PM
"the desert always wins"
I hope that you are not referring to intellectual deserts.
No doubt, the desert will take back what was stolen. Godspeed.
Posted by: Smart Cookie | April 10, 2012 at 06:50 PM
intellectual desert? did you mean Arizona legislators?
Godspeed. I left God in DC at the Atheist rally
Posted by: cal Lash | April 10, 2012 at 07:27 PM
Cookie - I'm voting for Illinois. And yes, both ASU and U of A need as many research dollars as they can wheedle out of whatever source they can!
Posted by: pat L | April 10, 2012 at 07:35 PM
Even if Michael Crow left today we'd still owe him a statue for waking/shaking up Phoenix and the University.
Posted by: Chris M | April 10, 2012 at 08:25 PM
Yes. All Phoenix strippers are diligently putting themselves thru college. A bloom in an otherwise intellectual desert!
As I went to ASU, I don't know what a petaflop is. Please help me!
http://lmgtfy.com/
Posted by: eclecticdog | April 11, 2012 at 09:25 AM
Forgot -- someone needs to Google "luthiers" for me too! Damn you ASU!
Posted by: eclecticdog | April 11, 2012 at 09:30 AM
A petaflop is a measure of a computer's processing speed...
Posted by: phxSUNSfan | April 11, 2012 at 01:07 PM
Can someone help me out with "luthiers" as well...Smart Cookie perhaps? ;-)
Posted by: phxSUNSfan | April 11, 2012 at 01:17 PM
Side note: a couple of new replies to Phx Planner and Soleri in the "Opportunity Costs I" thread on the subject of suburbia, population density, and so forth.
Posted by: Emil Pulsifer | April 11, 2012 at 02:08 PM
I knew a group of of grad students from both the east coast and left coast who attended graduate school in the middle west at a Big Ten school. It was a horrifying experience for all of them.
Most of the Big Ten students were middle westerners with their mono-cultural upbringing. Future residents of Sun City. The weather was awful. There were no beaches or mountains to be found.
Now compare that to the experience of attending grad school in the Bay Area, Los Angeles or Seattle. A much broader living experience in every respect.
That's my poll and the Big Ten isn't in the running.
Posted by: Pac 10 Friend | April 11, 2012 at 03:38 PM
"The weather was awful."
That's why some of us were studying, playing gym rat, and attending the symphony. I can't really speak for the Midwest college pub crawlers.
After ejoocatin' ourselves, we went out West to try to share our knowledge with the surfer doods under the Books for Boogie Boards program. There's as much to learn in California hot tub culture as there is in the halls of Higher Academia. Oh, wait, California IS 'Higher' Academia! :)
Posted by: Smart Cookie | April 11, 2012 at 05:32 PM
I remember the first time I heard Michael Crow speak shortly after he arrived at ASU. My reaction was, "This guy is World-Class". That view was reinforced every subsequent time I've heard him speak, and watching what he has done to transform the university. This is a clear demonstration of what a world-class individual can do, and why Arizona needs to attract more like him.
Posted by: Mitch G | April 11, 2012 at 08:28 PM
Michael Crow is the Donald Trump of higher education. His idea of improving academia is to turn it into a "business model", which means converting the university into a sausage factory by increasing enrollment (including online enrollment) as much as possible, regardless of how unrealistic this is for many of the new, debt-encumbered students, part of which is the creation of spin-off campuses to attract locals in various parts of "The Valley" insufficiently motivated to make their way to the main campus -- and meanwhile pulling the rug out from under satellite campuses at will (just ask ASU West); raising tuition and fees (e.g., parking, new dorms) to astronomical levels -- not just once but year after year; extracting professors from classrooms for profit-minded work in "public-private" partnerships (i.e., research subsidized by taxpayers and students with profits reaped by corporate marketers) while leaving students even more reliant than usual on teacher's assistants; sucking up to the conservative establishment to obtain and retain private funding; creating a police-state spy network to ferret out student critics by monitoring ASU-based email for keywords indicating criticism; and much, much more. "World-class education."
Posted by: Sun Devils' Advocate | April 11, 2012 at 08:30 PM
Whatever you think about Patterson, it's easy to admire this straight-speaking:
* * *
On his blog, Patterson recently imagined himself delivering a welcome address to the 2015 freshmen at Arizona State University's Barrett, the Honors College:
"I will assume that since you are here, you don't aspire to a job at Starbucks. That means that you will spend four years and likely borrow $80,000 in an effort to acquire skills that will allow you to be 'future leaders.' Let's be clear about a couple things. First, many of you are unlikely to acquire the skills that will enable you to pay your $80,000 in loans back. Second, by 'future leaders' we mean 'middle management.' Third, while one or two of you may become Rhodes Scholars or CEOs, some of you will also become homeless or go to prison."
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/articles/2012/04/06/20120406governor-could-do-better-regent-choice.html
Posted by: Emil Pulsifer | April 11, 2012 at 08:45 PM
Emil,
I actually have to nod in agreement to a lot of that. To a large part higher education nowadays is a scam aided by taxpayer-backed federal loans (in a recent podcast, Kunstler described the "meds and eds" urban strategy as deficient because "they are both rackets"). It'd be good to have someone in place who is critical of the current 'business model' to make changes. How about some affordability and a good 'return on investment' (Patterson doesn't strike me as someone who could do much besides talk). Higher education should offer a wide spectrum of training and degrees. Doesn't mean it has to be all under one roof and with uniformly high [overinflated] fees.
Education like many civilizational achievements is undergoing a life cycle: first it's a privilege, then it becomes a public good, then it is turned into a business, and finally degenerates into a racket. It crashes and becomes a privilege once again.
Also, Michael Crow (can't remember the reference) berated sci-fi writers for putting such a 'negative' spin on the future. 'Who is going to go out and invent fusion power if you don't write fantastical Jules Verne stories about it?' was the tenor. As an university administrator he may be very good at what he does, but does he have a clue outside the university-sustainability-high-tech-policy-politicking-funding nexus?
Posted by: AWinter | April 12, 2012 at 02:15 AM
Emil,
Let me put my cards on the table re Patterson. He was a consistent complainer about my columns at the Republic, and the bosses took him very seriously. He was one reason I lost my job. Thanks.
The problem with the Patterson mindset on this issue is several. First, it never pushes into the headwaters of why tuition is so high that it requires such loans: Repeated tax cuts and funding cuts to the state universities by "conservatives." (His peeps).
Second, it avoids identifying the venal private sector driving the student loan bubble and profiting lavishly from it, from for-profit "universities" to Wall Street.
Third, it ignores the "conservative"-created contemporary economy, where wages are stagnant, young people enter the labor force with poor pay and little chance to gain ground in the years ahead, and an anything-goes approach by corporations that degrades American workers and living standards.
Put this into the commencement speech, and you'll have some credibility.
Posted by: Rogue Columnist | April 12, 2012 at 10:22 AM
Not many people go to college to become a leader. Patterson is a smiley-faced shock trooper for the Kooks
I tend to agree with the Advocate's view of Crow too. The tuition we pay for my step-daughter rises every year (maybe someone can check here, but she and my wife say that many ASU students attend at no cost or reduced cost due to the tri-state agreement?). She's had more student assistants in a semester than I had in my entire time at ASU. We checked into on-campus housing but it was outrageous! Far cheaper to put her in an apartment off campus that caters to students. Crow has built himself an empire of bricks -- there's always money for new buildings but none for faculty or students.
Posted by: eclecticdog | April 12, 2012 at 12:50 PM
I can imagine how hard Patterson fought for the consumer against the utilities as head of RUCO. Not a lot of straight-speaking there.
Posted by: jmav | April 12, 2012 at 03:28 PM
I finally figured it out.
Petaflops: When well endowed actresses go naked for too long supporting PETA, they end up with Petaflops.
Posted by: AzRebel | April 12, 2012 at 04:10 PM
Mr. Talton made a number of excellent points but missed mine. My point was not to admire Patterson; nor was it about what he didn't say in the quote I provided; nor about the other things he has or hasn't said. I've quoted Lenin here, when I thought his remarks were insightful and relevant, and the fact that he stole your great-grandmama's dacha is a non sequitur as far as I'm concerned.
The remarkable thing about the Patterson quote, coming as it does from a candidate for the Board of Regents, is how honest it is about the value of a general undergraduate degree in today's market. Many of the students taking out huge loans do so with the false expectation -- fed to them by hucksters like Crow and by others -- that simply having a college degree is a guarantee (or very nearly so) of success and good pay.
It isn't, first because most employers fail to recognize the value of, say, an undergraduate degree in Interdisciplinary Studies; second, because the value of liberal arts degrees in the marketplace has been debased by the large number of graduates holding such degrees, many of whom attended sausage factories like Crow's and failed to acquire the qualities traditionally associated with a liberal arts degree: literacy, communications skills, the ability to think critically, a broad knowledge of history and how to infer important lessons from it that are relevant to today's world, personal and business relationships, and politics; and fine judgment.
Someone needs to tell these kids the truth: an undergraduate liberal arts degree may be just the thing for you if your goal is improving your mind and if you have an actual interest in the subject matter. It may make you a broader, better person and a superior citizen; but if you're motivated solely or primarily by earnings potential, you may be grievously disappointed, as well as weighted down with a debt that will ruin the chance for a modest quality of life by parasitizing your paychecks and/or blemishing your credit record with an early bankruptcy, at the very time when you need all your money and the best credit you can get to care for a new spouse and family.
Taking out a large loan and going through four years of academia on auto-pilot, because you've been given false expectations by money-grubbing university recruiters or starry-eyed orators, is a bad idea that is likely to end badly. Creating a conveyor-belt university system because that's the best way to increase enrollment and attendance, because more warm bodies is the best way to increase university revenues, is a cruel and cynical trick to play on naive youth.
The term "future leaders", incidentally, alludes to the traditional rhetoric of college recruitment and college fundraising. Patterson didn't invent it, or even misapply it.
Posted by: Emil Pulsifer | April 12, 2012 at 07:42 PM
The fact remains that most college grads earn more than those without a college degree, as is true for those with some college vs only a high-school degree. Not everyone should go to college but it shouldn't be priced out by tax cuts and other right wing malpractice.
Posted by: Rogue Columnist | April 12, 2012 at 08:48 PM
Nice post Emil. As a liberal arts ASU grad I appreciate that. Don't think I could have done it at today's prices tho!
Posted by: eclecticdog | April 12, 2012 at 10:22 PM
Emil,
student loans are non-dischargeable so bankruptcy doesn't help, and don't those federal loans carry 8.5% interest?
Someone (preferably from a renowned university) has to step forward, be a leader, and cut tuition by a third or so. That would probably prick the bubble and that guy would be remembered long after the top ten univ. admins are gone.
Posted by: AWinter | April 12, 2012 at 11:19 PM
Check out my plan to restructure the Arizona University System to provide greater accessibility, affordability, and accountability to a public university education for many more Arizonans while breaking-up the ASU monopoly within Greater Phoenix.
It does this by merging the ASU West & Polytechnic campuses into an independent, "medium-cost" & moderate research state university that is then housed at the Polytechnic campus location while transforming the West campus into an independent, "low-cost" & non-research state university.
Click on (or copy and paste) the link below to view my website for the details of my strategic plan:
http://PSUandAzTech.blogspot.com
Posted by: Sanjeev Ramchandra | April 15, 2012 at 09:56 PM
ASU EXPLOITS IT'S STUDENTS. Michael Crow is serving the Mormon agenda LIE of a bloodline of Jesus and using my family name and my volunteering in good faith as a student to give up certain privacies in order to help humanity without any honest disclosure about the fact that they are destroying my life. DELIBERATELY AND SYSTEMATICALLY. The school is run by CIA DRUGLORDS ESSENTIALLY. Wake up people! That is the only reason it would target more poor people. They can't defend themselves... He'll he is probably helping with human trafficking... Scumbag. Pure social filth.
Posted by: Kim | July 01, 2012 at 04:47 AM
Michael Crow served much as president of Arizona State University. Though their are some critics against him but I think he did a good job and he was serving the university with his utmost sincerity and dedication.
Posted by: Elliston Hummel | June 15, 2013 at 03:13 AM
I always knew there was a hidden Religious tone and a seemingly anti-educational bias to much of the culture in ASU in particular and Phoenix in General but, I could never see who or what was behind the scenes.
It was, in part, the Mormons!!
Many of the people at ASU and Phoenix are "provincial" to say the least. Without first hand experience of other universities and cities, for an extended period of time, I don't believe it is possible to accurately gauge ASU as a university.
ASU has very good professors but, most students lack intellectual depth and often times basic skills. Many students often "pretend" to know yet when pressed they reveal their ignorance, they have a superficial understanding of the subjects with no desire to recognize or understand the core principles. Important Ideas and topics are rarely discussed among students outside of class and when broached, the students often try to change the subject, walk away, or simply gloss over them.
ASU has a long way to go before it can consider itself to the an equivalent of a U.C. or a Columbia. The professors are there but the students, are not.
In regards to the Poster "Kim", I believe what you are describing is called "Organized Stalking" and it is Rampant throughout the United State and the World.
I have been a victim of Organized Stalking since about 2003-2005 with escalation in 2008. I was born and raised in San Francisco, I moved to Phoenix to attend graduate school at ASU. ASU and Phoenix is Rampant with Organized Stalking, Rampant.
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=gangstalking
Posted by: John G. | June 03, 2016 at 10:21 AM
I just found a potential "Perp"
"I finally figured it out.
Petaflops: When well endowed actresses go naked for too long supporting PETA, they end up with Petaflops.
Posted by: AzRebel | April 12, 2012 at 04:10 PM
"
Good Luck AzRebel, you are not a Rebel, just another gangstalker.
Posted by: John G. | June 03, 2016 at 10:23 AM
thanks
Posted by: amy k m | July 02, 2022 at 03:04 PM