Thursday, April 24, 2008
Where our money is going
In a time when everyones finances are tight the culinary has made some strange choices. It seems they have hired people who's only job is to stand in the hallways at service time and tell people when they are out of dress code. I was told by three separate people in the course of getting my lunch today that I had to tuck in the short sleeve polo shirt I was wearing. Not only should the dress code enforcement be the least of the worries at this point in time, but I have yet to understand why schools such as Harvard, Yale and even Vassar have absolutely no dress code, yet are producing students with hundreds of times the professional capabilities of the Culinary. Is it really essential to turn of the air conditioning, cut kitchen production (read: student experience), and instead direct that money toward a position designed to tell us to get into dress code?
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Why did they raise tuition?
There are brand new soap dispensers in every bathroom. Fully equipped with a massive CIA logo and motion sensing foaming dispensers. We are now TRULY the worlds premier culinary college. I wonder how much that cost? Oh yeah, and President Ryan gave himself nearly a quarter million dollar raise. I feel good about that. Don't you?
Monday, February 25, 2008
Meeting with Mr. Witryk
Mr. Witryk is the head of the registrar here at the Culinary Institute of America. We pride ourselves mainly on our image, but also on mise en place, preparation, and organization. At least I think we do.
The first thing I noticed when I walked into Mr. Witryks office was the glaring lack of a computer. After looking around I finally noticed an old laptop hooked up to a keyboard in a back corner of the office. Piles of paper covered his desk and the desk and bookshelves behind him. Mind you, this man is responsible for organizing the schedules of the entire student body.
I sat down and told him about how great my experience was in the AOS program and the opportunities I have already had as a result. (I got through before they started really changing things up in the AOS.) Then it was time to talk about what it means to get my schedule the weekend before a semester starts. He apologized and started discussing the new system that is being incorporated for the schedules. He told me this is only the third time eRegistration has been used and it only has about a 90% success rate. When I asked him about class sizes and why some of the classes were combined or beyond the limit he asked how big my gen. ed. college classes had been at University of New Hampshire. I told him around a hundred or so kids. He was trying to say that is acceptable for the CIA. I asked what he thought a comfortable level for the teachers is and he told me thirty to forty is "perfectly fine." I was astounded. Most teachers I have talked to don't like more than twenty students. Most community colleges don't have more that an 20:1 student:teacher ratio. Here at the worlds premier culinary college where we pay ten times the tuition its ok for the ratio to be 40:1 (stop by the psychology class Tuesday nights in W304 to see what 40:1 looks like.)
The meeting continued for almost an hour. About half-way through we were interrupted by his secretary who had a teacher on the phone who was supposed to be teaching a class in a room that was already filled. What did he to to find a new room? No computer remember, he pulls out a paper clipped stack of schedules with a room number at the top of each. This is how its organized? A stack of paper schedules in 2008? No wonder the organization is failing.
My last point for now. We got onto the subject of President Ryan. Mr. Wytrik informed me that his responsibilities do not rest with the students. He does not and should no consider the students in his job. Instead, according to My. Wytrik, his responsibilities include raising money and promoting the reputation of the school. I told him I felt differently. And so it is.
The first thing I noticed when I walked into Mr. Witryks office was the glaring lack of a computer. After looking around I finally noticed an old laptop hooked up to a keyboard in a back corner of the office. Piles of paper covered his desk and the desk and bookshelves behind him. Mind you, this man is responsible for organizing the schedules of the entire student body.
I sat down and told him about how great my experience was in the AOS program and the opportunities I have already had as a result. (I got through before they started really changing things up in the AOS.) Then it was time to talk about what it means to get my schedule the weekend before a semester starts. He apologized and started discussing the new system that is being incorporated for the schedules. He told me this is only the third time eRegistration has been used and it only has about a 90% success rate. When I asked him about class sizes and why some of the classes were combined or beyond the limit he asked how big my gen. ed. college classes had been at University of New Hampshire. I told him around a hundred or so kids. He was trying to say that is acceptable for the CIA. I asked what he thought a comfortable level for the teachers is and he told me thirty to forty is "perfectly fine." I was astounded. Most teachers I have talked to don't like more than twenty students. Most community colleges don't have more that an 20:1 student:teacher ratio. Here at the worlds premier culinary college where we pay ten times the tuition its ok for the ratio to be 40:1 (stop by the psychology class Tuesday nights in W304 to see what 40:1 looks like.)
The meeting continued for almost an hour. About half-way through we were interrupted by his secretary who had a teacher on the phone who was supposed to be teaching a class in a room that was already filled. What did he to to find a new room? No computer remember, he pulls out a paper clipped stack of schedules with a room number at the top of each. This is how its organized? A stack of paper schedules in 2008? No wonder the organization is failing.
My last point for now. We got onto the subject of President Ryan. Mr. Wytrik informed me that his responsibilities do not rest with the students. He does not and should no consider the students in his job. Instead, according to My. Wytrik, his responsibilities include raising money and promoting the reputation of the school. I told him I felt differently. And so it is.
Dr. What do you do?
In my many meetings with LaKeysha I got to talking about who would be the right person to talk to in order to find out why this is happening. She told me Mr. Witryk, the head of the registrar was the one in charge but that the problems arose above him. In the end, she suggested I try to meet with Dr. Rainsford who is the Vice President of Academic Affairs. I tried. This is a man I know at least three students have tried to meet with. One of them did. After being canceled on three times. Dr. Rainsford fell asleep during their meeting. The student was a graduate of the first ever CIA BPS program who had returned for the Baking degree. He dropped out shortly after the meeting.
Here's my experience so far. Updates to come.
Wednesday the 13th I went into Dr. Rainsfords office to request a meeting. The secretary told me he was in a meeting at the moment and would be in meetings with the board through the end of next week but she would see what she could do. I told her it was related to my schedule and experience in the bachelors program. She jotted it down on a piece of scrap paper and said she would call me. Two days later, Friday the 15th, I got a call at 9:38am asking if I could meet with Dr. Rainsford on the coming Wednesday at 10am. I could and said I would. The next Tuesday the 19th, I stopped into his office before class to confirm my appointment. They said they had no record of it. Then the secretary realized she had handed my request off to Dean Merget. Dean Mergets secretary had no information for me and they told me sorry, they would try to make another appointment for me.
Later that day I got a phone call from Dr. Rainsfords secretary informing me that my meeting was with Mr. Witryk, the registrar. I had already talked with the registrar plenty of times, but I thanked her and asked if she would try to schedule another appointment for me with the good Dr.. I have yet to hear back.
Here's my experience so far. Updates to come.
Wednesday the 13th I went into Dr. Rainsfords office to request a meeting. The secretary told me he was in a meeting at the moment and would be in meetings with the board through the end of next week but she would see what she could do. I told her it was related to my schedule and experience in the bachelors program. She jotted it down on a piece of scrap paper and said she would call me. Two days later, Friday the 15th, I got a call at 9:38am asking if I could meet with Dr. Rainsford on the coming Wednesday at 10am. I could and said I would. The next Tuesday the 19th, I stopped into his office before class to confirm my appointment. They said they had no record of it. Then the secretary realized she had handed my request off to Dean Merget. Dean Mergets secretary had no information for me and they told me sorry, they would try to make another appointment for me.
Later that day I got a phone call from Dr. Rainsfords secretary informing me that my meeting was with Mr. Witryk, the registrar. I had already talked with the registrar plenty of times, but I thanked her and asked if she would try to schedule another appointment for me with the good Dr.. I have yet to hear back.
Seventh Semester Schedule
All the current students know there are a lot of changes being made at the Culinary Institute of America. I've been hearing about them since I started. Of course they don't tell you when you are applying, but these transitions can have some serious effects on us students. I know I'm not alone when I feel like sometimes we are being cheated by the worlds premier culinary school. This blog is a result of my experience entering seventh semester.
eRegistration started at noon on Friday. When I logged on to the website and entered my information I was given an error page and told to call the registrar. So I did. I spoke to LaKeysha Evans who told me I was not registered as a student in the system. Wonderful. So she asked if I could do the registration over the phone, as I did. I told her all I needed was to have Wednesday afternoons off as that was the one day I had to work (other than the weekend). She said that should be okay and she would email me my schedule when she created it. Ok. So that wasn't so bad.
Now the following week was our last week of classes before finals. I waited for my schedule to arrive almost all week, but by Friday I was getting worried. I stopped into LaKeyshas office to see the status of my schedule. All she could tell me was that there had been some problems with the classes and conflicting times and it wouldn't be ready till next week. Thats finals week for sixth semester mind you.
Well, finals week arrives and we start seventh semester next week. I don't know my schedule, I can't order my books and I can't make a schedule for work... Not good. Tuesday after my economics class I stop by LaKeysha's office again. She informs me I am one of ten student who don't have their schedule because all the available classes had conflicting times and that Mr. Witryk (head Registrar) was working on the problem. Come back tomorrow she says. Wednesday I went back. Same story. Mr. Witryk is in a meeting about it now she tells me. All week I get the same response. Thursday they have narrowed it down to only five students without schedules. Lucky me. Good thing I called an hour after registration opened.
Saturday. Yes, Saturday February 9 I finally get my schedule. Classes start Tuesday. That give me one day to get all my textbooks and negative time to give work my schedule. Oh yeah. And I have class 3-6pm Wednesdays. Sorry for the ordeal she says in the email.
Don't worry, thats exactly what I expected when I was taking out $20,000 in loans for the "Worlds premier culinary college."
eRegistration started at noon on Friday. When I logged on to the website and entered my information I was given an error page and told to call the registrar. So I did. I spoke to LaKeysha Evans who told me I was not registered as a student in the system. Wonderful. So she asked if I could do the registration over the phone, as I did. I told her all I needed was to have Wednesday afternoons off as that was the one day I had to work (other than the weekend). She said that should be okay and she would email me my schedule when she created it. Ok. So that wasn't so bad.
Now the following week was our last week of classes before finals. I waited for my schedule to arrive almost all week, but by Friday I was getting worried. I stopped into LaKeyshas office to see the status of my schedule. All she could tell me was that there had been some problems with the classes and conflicting times and it wouldn't be ready till next week. Thats finals week for sixth semester mind you.
Well, finals week arrives and we start seventh semester next week. I don't know my schedule, I can't order my books and I can't make a schedule for work... Not good. Tuesday after my economics class I stop by LaKeysha's office again. She informs me I am one of ten student who don't have their schedule because all the available classes had conflicting times and that Mr. Witryk (head Registrar) was working on the problem. Come back tomorrow she says. Wednesday I went back. Same story. Mr. Witryk is in a meeting about it now she tells me. All week I get the same response. Thursday they have narrowed it down to only five students without schedules. Lucky me. Good thing I called an hour after registration opened.
Saturday. Yes, Saturday February 9 I finally get my schedule. Classes start Tuesday. That give me one day to get all my textbooks and negative time to give work my schedule. Oh yeah. And I have class 3-6pm Wednesdays. Sorry for the ordeal she says in the email.
Don't worry, thats exactly what I expected when I was taking out $20,000 in loans for the "Worlds premier culinary college."
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