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Dear Students

I trust that you have enjoyed a restful and well-deserved summer vacation. If you are a freshman we are excited to see you for the first time in the Architecture Department. To all returning students - welcome back. And for all students enrolled in an off-campus program, we will miss you.

I know that you are well aware of the current budget crisis the State of California is going through. The consequences have been dramatic for the entire CSU system, and there have been challenges of a magnitude that I have not seen in my entire academic career. The Dean met several times over the summer with all of the Department Heads, and we worked creatively to meet the required challenges to cut the overall College’s budget by 6%. This cut is in addition to the furlough required in AY 2009-10 of all Cal Poly staff, faculty, and administrators which will result in a decrease of 10% to their compensation.

Finally, per the summer vote of the CSU Board of Trustees, students will pay additional fees, which will amount to an almost 32% tuition increase for their studies. I know that this vote is certainly not welcome to any of you. Also, out-of-state students will receive in-state status only after three years of permanent residency in California, which will increase the overall University income; both changes will be financially very challenging for many of you.

What does this all mean for the Architecture Department and for you students in particular? Let me summarize in bullet points the most important issues that will affect the students and faculty:

• Across the entire curriculum, a number sections of required classes were cancelled for the entire year. The classes affected by these changes are: Second Year: ARCH 251/252/253, ARCH 241/242, and ARCH 207: Third year: ARCH 351/353, ARCH 341/342, and ARCH 307; Fifth year: ARCH 443; ARCH 481 (F/W/S), and ARCH 492; and ARCH 320. Cancelling these classes equals to a savings of almost 100 WTU’s –faculty’s teaching responsibilities are dictated by WTU’s (weighted teaching units). For example design studios carry 5 units for students and 10 WTU’s for faculty. In short the savings requested would equal ten (10) design studios.
• While cancelling classes will jeopardize your ability to graduate on time, I have asked faculty to increase the class size of each of those classes in order for all of you to continue to be enrolled in class, but you will be sharing your classes with one or two more colleagues.
• Several elective classes such as ARCH 320, ARCH 460, ARCH 470, ARCH 480, and ARCH 513 have been temporary cancelled and I trust that they will not be critical for you to graduate. I am pleased that through the CBF, ARCH 337 will be offered this Fall.
• All of my staff members, and in particular Arlene Dodds, have been working feverishly with the University to update all new teaching assignments. If some classes still appear to be cancelled it is that they are being worked on as you read this email.
• In addition to the above measures, I could not rehire this year four of my colleagues who have over the years lent their professional expertise to the Department. These faculty members include Prof. Dennis Combrink, Randy Dettmer, Andy Pease, and Ralph Roesling.
• I would like to note that many faculty members continue to teach a number of classes as a voluntary overload that equals to 117,64 WTU’s.
• You will notice that first year and fourth year are not affected by any cancelled classes. This is because first year is unfolding a robust and rich first year curriculum with a new theory course ARCH 101 and needs all the support to succeed. In addition, students enrolled in the ARCH 131 sequence are both ARCH and ARCE students and it was impossible to cancel any classes as this would have influenced all of the ARCE freshmen students who start their classes with the ARCH students. Fourth year does not have enough sections to request faculty to increase class enrollment and the complexity in negotiating at this late date, on-campus and off-campus enrollment was practically impossible.
• The additional imposition of furlough days will see some of your classes cancelled for a day during each of the AY quarters. At Fall Retreat, faculty will discuss the scheduling of the required furlough days and look forward to an agreement that the Department can either close its doors for those days, or that each design year can communicate to its students which days classes will not be held. I will inform you ASAP on our recommendations adn post a schedule on the web page.
• This is for the bad news, and I hope that you understand the difficulties associated with these choices. I appreciate your understanding and I trust that you realize the faculty’s commitment in maintaining the highest academic standards during these difficult time.

Needless to say, this year will be very challenging. The good news is that there is the acceptance by the Provost that Cal Poly needs, among other initiatives, to reduce and creatively rethink its enrollment strategy. Under discussion is that the Architecture Department will accept fewer freshmen over the next years; transfer students will arrive no earlier than the end of winter quarter with possible remedial classes offered during summer through continuing education (for all students); we will seek out-of-state and international students (which will increase the cultural richness of our program and forge new alliances for students and faculty across the globe); and we will increase professional opportunities through additional professional studios, metro programs, and a required internship that might replace one fourth year design studio. All of these initiatives will be debated with my colleagues during this year. The Department is working hard to offer you increased opportunities that include:

• An excellent Hearst Lecture Series under this year’s leadership of Prof. Marc Cabrinha.
• Increased opportunities offered by the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) primarily for its members and occasionally for all students of the Department. Prof. Robert Arens and AIAS President Sarah Fleming will keep you abreast of all the new initiatives. A film series will take place this quarter in the stair court of Bldg 05, with Fatties pizza! Please consider joining the AIAS.
• The College Base Fees (CBF) will allow students to graduate on time by having access to required classes, and offer a number of opportunities for students, which include exhibitions, workshops, technological upgrades, and in particular paying for teaching assistants to assist students with all the new digital technologies. A brand new computer lab will welcome you this year –all of the two–year old computers have been recycled into most of the design studios. You will notice the difference in capability and speed in the computer lab. Steve Spencer and Tammy James worked over the summer to have everything ready for the beginning of the school year. The MRC has new scanners and a state of the art printer. The second printer is located in the computer lab. Please consider joining the CBF Committee.
• Alpha Rho Chi will offer portfolio workshops related to job interviews.
• The MRC continues to offer a wealth of information in terms of books and journal offerings and in particular a robust Materials Lab. A new sponsor and a repeat sponsor will offer the MRC to expand its offerings.
• Increased quarterly workshops will be offered targeted in particular to learning and honing your skills in Revit, BIM, and Rhino. Please let us know what other workshops you would like us to offer.
• The shop is ready for your creativity. Faculty and Doug Allen have worked out a schedule so that there is a minimum of impact on the shop in terms of scheduling.
• Almost all design studios have new furniture, chairs, and upgrade technology. These improvement are long overdue and are yours to be used. However, please be mindful that they are part of our collective asset and should be taken care as if they belonged to you. Prof. Bruno Giberti and Administrative Assistant Alissa Magorian need a round of applause. We could not have completed this task without their ingenuity, dedication, and perseverance.
• A new named studio sponsored by alum John Maple will be offered in second year and lead by Prof. Kent Macdonald. This addition complements last years names studio by alum Ken Rodriguez and lead by Prof. Thomas Fowler.
• The 2009 Summer Architecture Newsletter is on line at: Architecture Newsletter. Let us know what you think!
• The Vellum competition will celebrate its five years with a publication lead by Prof. Tom di Santo and edited by the Architecture Department’s Architectural Environmental Design Press (AeDPress). Dates to be posted soon on the web page.
• The web page is constantly updated and continues to feature important information such as News and Events, current students and in particular the faculty teaching assignments and their fall prospecti describing their philosophical approach to education, and a new publication web page including students, faculty, and alumni publications. We are working with Cal Poly to offer an ADA compliant web page, yet hope to find opportunities to create a dynamic and welcome web page. Much needs to be done in this area and we welcome your suggestions.
• Despite the economic downturn, architecture alumni consider our students as some of the best prepared interns, and continue to assist the department with their intellectual, professional, and financial assistance. Take advantage of their support.
• And finally, please congratulate Prof. Don Choi and Tom di Santo who were promoted to the rank of Associate Professor with tenure, and Prof. Robert Arens and Jim Doerfler who were promoted to the rank of Full Professor.
• I am sure that additional opportunities will come their way. Stay tuned!

Finally, this year will be extremely important as we prepare for the 2011 spring National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) visit. Every six years, architectural programs nationwide are visited to assess the program’s compliance with the NAAB Conditions of Accreditation. I encourage each of you to outperform yourselves as your creativity and accomplishments will be showcased during the accreditation visit. I will keep you abreast through email and web postings on this important event in the life of the Department.

Once again, welcome back, and have a great fall quarter. Please drop by my office 05-218, say hello, share your thoughts, and eat some chocolates!

Best,
Henri