Establish a Named Guest Professorship

Based on the Architecture Department’s commitment to enhancing and expanding educational opportunities for its students, the department proposes the establishment of a named guest professorship to be held by a number of distinguished architects and scholars during the academic year. Each guest professor would be teaching in architecture for a short period of time, probably three to five weeks, thus enabling renowned professionals to participate.

There are several attractive benefits to hiring nationally and internationally distinguished architects on a short-term basis that would be made possible by private support. These benefits are described in the following sections on students, faculty, and alumni/professionals.

Students

A new generation of students has changed the landscape of architectural education. Freshman and transfer students experience spaces and places instantly and simultaneously, and yet their approach to real and virtual space seems to happen with little coherence. This complex and new approach is further exacerbated by the immediacy of access to images, symbols and ideas which are in their own right astonishingly powerful yet lacking their own hierarchy of values. For most students, this attitude of ubiquity seems to be innate and natural.

Architectural education needs to respond to these complex issues and provide a much needed grounding for this new generation. To expose students to distinguished architects would bring meaning to a new generation of architecture students. Under the guidance of the guest professor, students would learn how to bridge theory and practice, be mentored by someone they have read about and admired through their writing and published work.

As the Architecture Department moves toward redefining graduate education, it is anticipated that graduate students could assist the distinguished visiting professors during their stay at Cal Poly. The graduate students would gain great experience working under the guidance of the guest professor and learning the difficult profession of being an educator. Discussions are under way to increase graduate enrollment and, needless to say, what a wonderful opportunity for recruiting some of the best and brightest graduate students. Both at the graduate and undergraduate level, some students will forge long-lasting friendships with the guest professor and perhaps find opportunities to intern and contribute to the office atmosphere after their graduation. Architecture is a small world and the networking opportunities this proposal would offer for our students are immeasurable.

Faculty

Faculty need to be challenged and it is well known that the presence on campus of a distinguished professional brings a renewed level of excellence and accountability for most faculty. The daily routine of exchanging ideas with their colleagues can be invigorated by a short and targeted intervention of a guest professor. In return, faculty find a breath of fresh air that is infused immediately back to the students through new and innovative design projects and seminar topics. During the guest professor’s time at the Architecture Department, faculty can interact and socialize to discuss intellectual and challenging topics that bridge academia and the professional world of architecture.

Alumni/Professionals

We are fortunate to count among our alumni a very large group interested in finding opportunities to interact with the Architecture Department. Many hold positions in prestigious offices in California and in major metropolitan cities across the nation. Others, no less talented, reside in San Luis Obispo and have expressed the desire to participate in our educational mission. The presence of a guest professor would create a wonderful opportunity to establish a lecture series for local professionals and bring refreshing ideas to the community of architects.

Facilities

Due to the generosity of an alumnus of the Architecture Department, we are in a wonderful position to offer short to long term accommodations to the guest professor. The house is centrally located in downtown San Luis Obispo and a short ride to campus. It offers all of the necessary amenities and has great architectural integrity and character. We have used it for several social functions and anticipate that the guest professor would be able to invite a group of students for discussions after the studio hours.

Funding

A named guest professorship can be established in the following ways:

  1. A gift of $1,000,000 would endow a named guest professorship and would continue to fund the visiting distinguished professionals in perpetuity. The annual payout from the endowment would provide the financial resources needed to allow the participation of visiting architects and scholars during the entire academic year.
  2. A commitment of $250,000 payable over five years would establish a named guest professorship for the five-year period of time. The $50,000 annual gift would provide the funding needed for the entire academic year.
  3. A gift of $500,000 could also endow a named guest professorship, but the level of funding from the annual payout would limit the number of visiting distinguished professionals to approximately one-half of those discussed in example 1.
  4. A commitment of $125,000 payable over five years could also establish a named guest professorship for the five-year period of time. The $25,000 annual gift would provide funding for approximately one-half of those discussed in example 3.
  5. A contribution of $50,000 would provide the funding for a guest professorship for one academic year. Your generous gift at this level would be gratefully acknowledged in all publicity about the visiting distinguished architects.

Today’s academic environment could not be more promising, as it offers the finest setting to debate the true challenges and meaningful articulations from which an enriched design professional may emerge. Your generosity will play an important role in establishing a way to enhance the discussions surrounding the future of architecture. The presence of a distinguished guest professor offers an opportunity for our students to participate in an educational exchange that promises to have an enormous impact on their lives as they become the next generation of professionals.