Monday, December 09, 2002
Three Blind "Findings"
While we wait for President Saigo�s response to the Star Tribune�s recent hatchet job on SCSU (noting that there is still no response in tomorrow�s edition), we might do well to reflect on three profoundly disturbing �findings� of the Nichols & Associates �survey�. Based on a non-scientifically drawn sample of 237 faculty, administration and staff, Nichols finds:
1) �Over one-half (57%) of respondents agreed that the negative media image of SCSU compromises relationships between faculty, staff and students; 20% was uncertain and 23% disagreed.� (Good grief . . . and these results were BEFORE the events of the past month! - dc)
2) �Thirty-five percent (35%) agreed that there is good flow of communication and information from the President's Office to administrators, faculty and staff; 27% was uncertain and 38% disagreed.� (Might that 38% figure represent those of us who do not work in the AS building? - dc)
3) �Thirty-seven percent of respondents agreed that faculty, staff and students should be required to take cultural competence/awareness training; 15% was uncertain and the majority (48%) [sic] disagreed.�
Who can tie these seemingly unrelated �findings� together? On second thought, please don�t bother to waste your time . . . unless you believe that there might actually be something credible in the Nichols report. But what's that saying about blind squirrels?
While we wait for President Saigo�s response to the Star Tribune�s recent hatchet job on SCSU (noting that there is still no response in tomorrow�s edition), we might do well to reflect on three profoundly disturbing �findings� of the Nichols & Associates �survey�. Based on a non-scientifically drawn sample of 237 faculty, administration and staff, Nichols finds:
1) �Over one-half (57%) of respondents agreed that the negative media image of SCSU compromises relationships between faculty, staff and students; 20% was uncertain and 23% disagreed.� (Good grief . . . and these results were BEFORE the events of the past month! - dc)
2) �Thirty-five percent (35%) agreed that there is good flow of communication and information from the President's Office to administrators, faculty and staff; 27% was uncertain and 38% disagreed.� (Might that 38% figure represent those of us who do not work in the AS building? - dc)
3) �Thirty-seven percent of respondents agreed that faculty, staff and students should be required to take cultural competence/awareness training; 15% was uncertain and the majority (48%) [sic] disagreed.�
Who can tie these seemingly unrelated �findings� together? On second thought, please don�t bother to waste your time . . . unless you believe that there might actually be something credible in the Nichols report. But what's that saying about blind squirrels?
