Issue date: 9/5/07 Section: Opinion

State Hornet Editorial

Last school year, President Alexander Gonzalez grappled with many different challenges ranging from compromising with disgruntled faculty members to addressing necessary changes to an evolving campus.

It's no secret that he didn't make many friends among Sacramento State students and faculty in the process.

With a new year comes new challenges. For Gonzalez, the new school year comes with a new outlook and new ideas for what to expect here at Sac State.

In his annual fall address, Gonzalez mentioned the "difficult events" that transpired last semester. Instead of dwelling on them, he acknowledged that there had been plenty of time for emotions to cool and called for an objective examination of the results of those "events."

What led to those events?

Gonzalez came to this university with a business plan and a reputation for development.

The faculty's reaction to this approach was apprehensive and tentative. As such, the faculty felt its interests in educational values were being compromised. It took four years, a threat of faculty strike and a budget deficit for him to realize the error in his ways.

Does this mean a warmer, fuzzier Gonzalez? Is this a Gonzalez that wants to balance the agenda for development with a healthy helping of intellectual and educational value? Time will tell the tale. Can a tiger truly change its stripes?

With every season comes change.

He realizes now it's time to move forward - a good idea. There's no reason to believe that things can't get better here. Let's put our eyes toward the future. That's what this campus has been talking about for so long, right?

Does anyone remember that little thing called Destination 2010? Gonzalez hasn't forgotten.

Gonzalez is promoting the idea that our destination campus will be the "premier metropolitan university" in California. It's something he's called for since his inauguration back in 2004.

What defines a "metropolitan university?"

With so many California State Universities in at least three different metropolitan cities (San Francisco, San Jose, San Diego), what will make Sac State, let alone Sacramento, any different?

The campus looks better than ever. The new buildings, despite all the controversy and contention, have worked out splendidly. Sac State is better for it. With the construction of a Recreation and Wellness Center just around the bend, Sac State will achieve a standard of which any metropolitan city could be proud.

We will never be a San Francisco or a Los Angeles. Sac State will represent Sacramento for what Sacramento is. The sooner we acknowledge what we are, the sooner we can progress.

It's been an interesting approach from the onset. Approaching Gonzalez hasn't always been the easiest thing. It would be different if Gonzalez took the time to talk with the students, not just talk at them.

He does speak with Associated Students, Inc., but let's face it: He's not exactly a people person.

Traditionally, Gonzalez has made his semester addresses the Thursday before the semester actually begins. Students can find out about them if they choose to search, but how many students know about the addresses to begin with?

How many care, and why should they? These addresses map out the direction he will take with the university every semester. Wouldn't it make more sense to have these addresses when there is a guarantee students will be on campus?

Scheduling more public appearances with student organizations would encourage students to be more interested.

In his fall address, he said he didn't need a committee to tell him about the overall communication on campus needing improvement. He says he now knows what is needed and that he wants to improve it.

But talk is cheap. If he promises change, let's see it.

The State Hornet staff can be reached at opinion@statehornet.com.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools