I would have to agree with Prof. Woods on the five points that were made. Although we are faced with a very serious and detrimental decision having a prejudice against one another will do nothing but separate our cause even more. We are essentially three schools in one but with a common goal in the end. The decision to alter Cooper to become a tuition based school is threatening but it has not been made yet. I sympathize with the anger and frustration that the student body, alumni, faculty and staff feel but we must not take any unnecessary acts based on passion of emotion which we have not done yet so far. I believe that we are taking the right steps in order to have a calm and peaceful relationship with our peers and our administration in order to find solutions which will not lead our school to become a tuition based school.
We must see Cooper as a household of some sort which is facing a financial crisis as many are facing now in our nation including mine. We must make decisions and solutions that will prevent any further damage to Cooper’s pockets. Less spending on extravagant celebrations and events and more concentration on the assets that we have which mainly are the students now. Find more reliable and profitable tenants in our retail space in 41 Cooper Square which will allow us to maintain high rent without effecting the tenants business. Provide a wide range of services to the community while maintaining a reasonable price. Focus less on becoming like other strictly for profit schools and focus more on mainting the uniqueness of our institution which is a non-profit tuition free school.
We must think rationally because business and politics are not fueled on emotion nor are they successful when they are dictated by rash decisions. I believe the student body has been very prudent and smart thus far. And they have been brave to speak with clarity and confidence which is rare to find in our time. A tuition based school will in fact solve a fraction of our financial instability in the short term. But from a “small business” point of view it will ultimately eliminate our uniqueness which in the long term perspective will be detrimental. We will loose the appeal and standard of our institution which has been the driving force of so many hopeful prospective students out there to apply seeking the highest level of learning this nation has left to offer. Small businesses are successful in several points. Variety, uniqueness and location. All of which Cooper has to its advantage.
Although Cooper is not in anyway a small business in the literal sense as we deal with millions being spent, earned or sought after, the solutions and problems can be dealt with in the same vain. Less spending on the things we do not need for the time being and a shift of focus on that which is more profitable in the long term while still unadulterating our original mission which is to provide the community and ultimately the nation with the highest standard of education without sacrificing an arm and a leg and another arm to learn.