Pada tanggal 21-25 Juni 2009, kami (Pak Wahyu Catur Wibowo, Pak Dana Indra Sensuse dan saya sendiri) diundang kembali sebagai narasumber dalam kegiatan Bimbingan Teknis Networking dan Manajemen Pengelolaan Sistem Informasi. Kegiatan ini terselenggara berkat kerjasama PUSDATINKOMTEL – DEPDAGRI dan PT. Pasifik Satelit Nusantara.

Peserta yang datang menghadiri kegiatan ini adalah staff humas, Infokom dan KPDE seluruh Indonesia.

Banyak hal yang tergali dari para peserta mengenai keterbatasan sumber daya, baik infrastruktur maupun manusia untuk menunjang percepatan pembangunan dengan dukungan Teknologi Informasi.

Mudah-mudahan, knowledge sharing yang kami lakukan dapat menambah wawasan dan memberikan inspirasi bagi mereka sebagai influencer ke masing-masing pimpinan di daerah dimana mereka mengabdi.

…

Lumire Hotel – Jakarta, Memori Juni 2009

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Siang itu, 8 April 2009 (1 hari sebelum Pemilu Caleg), saya diundang sebagai dosen tamu untuk mata kuliah Kapita Selekta.

Topik yang saya bawakan mengenai Perencanaan dan Manajemen TI.

Menurut pengakuan beberapa mahasiswa, materi yang saya bawakan menambah wawasan dan pilihan penelitian bagi mahasiswa.

Semoga apa yang saya bagikan berarti bagi mereka …

Selamat belajar.

Riswan E. Tarigan, April 2009

Do not use the word ” BOMB ” even for private conversation in airport Although the law only applies to saying it in public in particularly To security officers.

A FAMILY HOLIDAY RUINED BY ILLOGICAL SECURITY OFFICERS

Dear Mr. Foo,

My name is Sandra Tan (I/C number 7328669G). It is with great Disappointment and distress that I am filing a complaint to you with Regards to my situation.

My family (including myself, my husband, my daughter, and my son) Planned a Darwin holiday for the March school vacation period and Was supposed to depart on 09 March. Unfortunately, we were put in a Situation by the security officers at the departure terminal, that Was way beyond our control and we were not able to make our trip.

The following is an account of what had happened : -

I entered the Immigration gantry at about 7.15pm with my daughter (Belle Lee, 13 yrs old) to have our passport scanned and our hand Carry luggage checked whilst my husband (Lee Ming Chong) stayed Behind with my son (Caius Lee, 8 yrs old) at the ticketing counter To sort out my son’s visa.

After having mine and my Belle’s passport scanned, we proceed to the Security gantry to have our hand luggage and our bodies scanned.

Belle passed the security gantry first, whilst I followed right Behind her. A lady officer asked me to remove my boots for scanning, And I did as told immediately and put my boots inside the basket Provided, for it to be scanned together with my hand luggage.

I then proceed to the metal detector of which I cleared without the Gantry beeping or detecting any metal objects. I was then asked to Collect my luggage and my boots. In the mean time, Belle was throwing Away a sweet wrapper and retuning to me and saw me putting on my Boots.

Belle then asked casually “Mummy, why do you have to remove your Shoes?”

Whilst putting on my boots, I replied her and said that “they (the Security officers) are afraid that we might keep bombs in our shoes (which is why I need to take it off to have it scanned)”

Immediately, a security officer standing at the conveyor belt (Stephen S Naidira) who was standing in front of me said with a very Rude tone “repeat what you just said”. I clarified with him what he Meant – is it for me to repeat what I had told my daughter? He said Loudly again, to repeat what I had just said. So I did exactly what He told me. I said to him that “my daughter asked me why I need to Take off my shoes, and I told her that you guys (the security Officers) are afraid that we will keep bombs in our shoes.”

He immediately asked me to stand aside and said that he had to Report it to his superior that I said the word “bomb” twice. Then an Indian lady (Sivamalar) at the customs started hurling at me and my Daughter and said that I said the word “bomb” twice and it is

Against the law and I can be sent to jail and they are calling the Police.

She (Sivamalar) was so loud and rude and she shoved us to the side, And refused to listen to my explanation. In fact, she got so Aggressive that another officer Ricky Lim (I guess it’s her Supervisor) had to come forward to stop her from further Attacking me and my daughter verbally, and specifically asked Sivamalar to “shut up”. I told Ricky Lim that I would like to know The names of his staff because their attitude and rudeness were Simply beyond any acceptable level.

Immediately Sivamalar got so angry and aggressive that she started Charging at Ricky Lim and hurled “What?! What?! What?! She (she Meant me) said the word “Bomb” twice, so what is wrong with Arresting her (which is me) and we were told that if we heard the Word twice, we will arrest!!”

At that time, Stephen S Naidira came to me again to intimidate me Further by asking me to repeat what I said earlier to my daughter Again. I refused to repeat again then because I believe he was Deliberately asking me to repeat so that he can count the number of Times that I mentioned the word “bomb”.

I also believe that that the officers were deliberately provoking me By being rude and intimidating, in the hope that I will retaliate in kind, thereby making their unreasonable actions justifiable.

Despite my anger and the fact that my daughter was scared to tears by the situation, I knew I had to keep my cool. I sat aside with my daughter taking down names of the personnel involved on my mobile phone. I was told to wait for another officer of a higher rank to decide on the matter, and I was still hoping whoever the higher ranked officer that was coming will have the logical thinking to acknowledge that what I had said to my daughter was a simple, harmless private conversation taken completely out-of-context.

At about 7.30pm, the Sergeant-in- charge, Amran Buang came. After I explained the full context of the incident to him, he refused to make a decision and decided to escalate it further to the Auxilary Police and State Police. He said that the word “bomb” is very sensitive and I should not have mentioned it twice.

I explained to him that I did not know saying the word “bomb” is against the law, and I further explained that I did not say the word “bomb” in a threatening context to the officer, the word “bomb” was taken completely out of context as part of an answer to my daughter’s question.

Despite my explanation, he said he cannot make the decision and my case has to be escalated to higher authorities.

Meanwhile, at about 7.40pm, my son’s visa cleared and my husband and my son came in through the customs. After knowing what had happened, my husband tried to talk to Sergeant Amran Buang, further explaining to him that we are just a family going on holiday and what I have said to my daughter had been taken out of context. Again, no one was bothered to listen.

And again, we were told to wait for another officer with an even higher ranking. With time ticking away and at 7.55pm with no sign of the higher authorities appearing, we knew then our hope of boarding our flight had diminished.

Whilst waiting, Stephen S Naidira (the security officer) gathered with a few security officers at the side, including Sivamalar to discuss how they should present their statement to the police when they arrive later to make sure that they are adequately covered, and that they are just following the rule and doing what they were told to do. They said by insisting that they are taking actions “by-the-book”, they would be ok.

I hope by now you have a clear picture of the situation. My kids were both crying then, with more and more policemen arriving which scared the living daylights of them, and with no hope to continue our holiday plans.

I believe every action inside the terminal is recorded and I would insist that your review the CCTV recordings on that night to know that I am only stating the truth without exaggeration. You can also see that during the entire episode, I was not at any point defiant or rude or refused any further check by the officers, despite the infuriating situation that me and my family were put through.

I know it is important to stay vigilant to protect Singapore. I have young children, I know how important it is, which is why I complied without complaining when I had to remove my boots for scanning.

However, here is an obvious case of the security officers trying to get away with their rudeness and aggressiveness by taking things way beyond what was necessary, in the name of following the security protocol.

They were really angry when I asked for their names from Mr. Ricky Lim, and they knew very well then that they can abuse their power to make things very difficult for me and my family.

At around 8.05pm, we were informed by the Tiger Airways personnel that the plane will have to depart and they will off-load our luggage from the plane. At around 8.10 p.m., the State Police and other policemen arrived to take our statement.

In the entire episode, the State Police and the SWISS PORT personnel were the only ones who conducted themselves professionally and offered us consolation and meaningful advice. They have also at some stages expressed their personal views that they acknowledged this incident was gravely mis-handled on the part of the security officers.

The State Police further confirmed that there is no case against us, and they would just need to complete the paperwork.

The Budget Terminal manager came to meet me and said that whilst he empathized with our situation, it is an airport security protocol and frankly, it’s “just too bad” that this happened to us.

My statement and my daughter’s statement only completed at about 10.45p.m. The counter service staff, Ms Nur Aisah Bte Ali Hassan was very helpful and advised us on our next steps. She was kind enough to ask us to return the next day to change the traveling dates and advised the additional charges involved.

I am not given a report for this case, but my case number with the State Police is P/20070309/0015. I was already told by the State Police that the case is closed without further action.

For the ordeal that my family had been put through, I would want an official reply from CAAS and all relevant authorities addressing the following:

-Whether the security officers were trained to handle passengers with such bad attitude and rudeness and if such actions by them are condoned by authorities. I would insist you to refer to the CCTV recordings during the period of the incident.

What actions would be taken by CAAS and all relevant authorities with reference to both the security officers, Mr. Stephen S Naidira ad Ms. Sivamalar, for their unruly behavior and attitude? Surely, characters as such do not belong to a national airport that aspired

to be a world class traveling hub.

What actions would be taken by CAAS and all relevant authorities with reference to Sergeant Amran Buang, who had the authority to end this episode promptly, but instead decided to prolong our ordeal for no justifiable cause?

Is it a protocol that even after establishing the facts that we, as a family poses no security threat, there is still a need to escalate the matter to the authority and have the State Police and other policemen carry out a full investigations only to end up in vain?

Why is it that even at level of Sergeant, whom I reckon is better educated, experienced, and able to make logical sense of the whole situation, refuse to make a simple decision and end our ordeal quickly? Is this a Singapore civil service practice where decision making is pushed and shoved from one level to another no matter how obvious what the final decision should be from the very beginning?

Whether all the officers concern are properly trained and competent to handle such situation. Besides hardware (i.e. the protocol book), are they taught to apply the software (i.e . common senses)?

Is it really a protocol that as long as the word “bomb” is mentioned twice by a person (once being asked to repeat by the officer) ??then no matter what context, tone, situation and profile of the person who said it, it would not be taken into consideration?

What if my daughter instead of asking me a simple question about my shoes, decided to say: “mummy, according to news report, there are speculations that the recent Indonesian air crash may be attributed to a bomb inside the plane.” Would your security officer would come up to her and ask her to repeat one more time, and she would be put under arrest?

Your staff kept telling me that saying the word “bomb” in the airport is illegal and I can go to jail. They quoted newspaper examples of how people have gone to jail because of that.

I think your staffs need to be trained to understand and differentiate situations and circumstances. As far as I knew, the people that went to jail had VERBALLY THREATENED staff members in the aviation service or had DELIBERATELY caused public alarm using sensitive words.

My case was clearly none of the above. Even if, I am saying if, indeed its illegal to mention the word “bomb” in the airport no matter what context, the person involved need to be warned ahead of time. You cannot arrest a person for committing something illegal when the person has no idea that the word is illegal in the first place.

Your staff could have given me a verbal warning to say that such sensitive words should be refrained in the airport and I would have walk away remembering the warning. But instead, they decide to let the matter escalate further.

Who is to compensate for the expenses that are already incurred and forfeited for this trip, and our emotional stress and duress during the entire episode?

The total cost incurred, including air tickets, accommodation, and land tours amount to about $4,200. We had to put up with hours of humiliation with more than twenty policemen and officials surrounding us, questioning us, checking our luggage through and through.

We had put up with never-ending questioning from different departments, and best of all, repeated checks on my same pair of boots. My kids were terrified, puzzled, disappointed and exhausted from this entire ordeal.

My husband and I are left with one week of applied leave and no vacation and holiday to look forward to.

I would like to state that not everyone that we came across in this episode had been unpleasant. I wish to take this opportunity to express my gratitude for the empathy shown by the State Police and the SWISS PORT personnel.

I will be waiting for your reply. Please let me know when to expect it in email. In the mean time, I may seek legal advice for my rights and entitlement in this incident.

Yours sincerely

Sandra Tan Hong Lian, I/C : S7328669G, Blk 148, Tampines Ave. 5, #04-284, Singapore 521148, Mobile : 81236990

Siapa bilang wanita hanya bersikap pasrah dan cuma bias menanti pria yang duluan memulai ajakan bercinta? Wanita masa kini tak lagi hanya menunggu, namun mereka juga menciptakan kesempatan untuk membumbui kehidupan asmara bersama pasangannya.

Coba intip 5 ide kreatif wanita agar kehidupan sex mereka menjadi semakin indah setiap harinya.

1. Pura-pura baru kenal si dia

Ketika kehidupan sex kami rasanya mulai membosankan, saya mulai berpikir bagaimana rasanya jika ada wanita lain yang baru pertama kalinya mengenal suami saya. Dan pemikiran ini mendorong saya untuk membuat suami terkesan. Jadilah saya memberi lingerie baru, bangun lebih pagi dari biasanya agar dapat bergabung dengan suami di bawah siraman air dingin atau mencuri sedikit waktu yang sempit untuk bercinta sebelum suami berangkat kerja. Akhirnya kami menemukan cara yang seksi untuk membuat pagi hari menjadi ceria.

2. Curi Ciuman

Hidup kami memang ramai dikelilingi oleh anak-anak. Karena itu seringkali waktu kami tersita untuk memberi perhatian bagi buah hati tercinta. Namun kami mempunyai resep untuk mempertahankan kemesraan. Ketika anak-anak sedang lengah, seringkali saya atau suami saling mencuri ciuman. Terkadang kami dapat melakukan French kiss yang cukup lama jika suami membantu di dapur, atau cuma sekedar ciuman sekilas di bibir dan pipi jika tengah berkumpul bersama anak-anak. Kucing-kucingan seperti itu masih tetap membuat kami bergairah layaknya ketika masih remaja.

3. Manfaatkan teknologi

Saya termasuk wanita yang malu melakukan dirty talk. Walaupun suami sudah memberi dorongan, tetap saja saya tak mampu melakukannya secara verbal. Namun untuk menyenangkan suami, saya coba menuangkan fantasi saya melalui e-mail pribadi suami. Hasilnya, kini suami dengan setia menanti e-mail cinta dari saya.

4. Thanks to the bell

Acara bercinta terganggu karena dering telepon? Biasalah! Nah, suatu hari ketika kami sedang bercinta, suami mendapat telepon dari rekan kerjanya. Awalnya jengkel sih, namun saya putuskan tak mau mengalah. Saya tetap “sibuk” dengan properti suami. Akhirnya ia menyudahi teleponnya secepat kilat.

5. Habiskan waktu hanya berdua

Sambil membaca buku bersama, saya dan suami juga saling berbagi cemilan. Bagi kami, menghabiskan waktu seperti ini adalah yang terbaik karena kami merasa dekat di mata maupun di hati.

Akui saja dalam hubungan asmara pasti tak selamanya berlangsung mulus. Ada saatnya pertengkaran dan argumentasi harus terjadi. Lantas bagaimana cara berargumentasi yang baik sehingga hubungan tetap terjaga?

Bagaimana cara memenangkan argumentasi Anda tanpa mengorbankan hubungan yang telah terjadi sekian lama? Nasihat bijaksana yang selalu terngiang adalah mengalah untuk menang. Memang tak mudah untuk mengalah, namun kenyataannya lebih sulit lagi untuk menjadi pemenang secara bersama.

Inilah 5 cara mengalah untuk menang terhadap pasangan hidup Anda:

1. Jaga nada suara Anda

Tak bisa dipungkiri, seringkali ketika terlibat dalam argumentasi, selain hati bertambah panas, nada suarapun naik oktaf demi oktaf. Tak perduli apapun kalimat yang sudah Anda susun sebagai bentuk pembelaan diri, sampaikanlah dengan nada yang halus. Kadar kemarahan akan berkurang hingga setengahnya jika Anda berdua dapat menjaga nada suara dan komunikasi akan lebih mudah terjalin sehingga Anda berdua dapat menyelesaikan permasalahan yang ada jauh lebih baik dan dewasa.

2. Jadilah orang pertama yang bersedia mendengar

Jujur saja, pasti kita sulit menjadi pendengar yang baik ketika kemarahan sedang melanda bukan? Jika Anda ingin keluar sebagai pemenang, jadilah pendengar yang baik! Biarkan pasangan berteriak atau berbicara panjang lebar jika hal itu dapat membuatnya lega. Dan ketika tiba giliran Anda yang berbicara, coba ulang kembali poin-poin yang dikeluhkan oleh pasangan sehingga ia tahu bahwa Anda mendengarkan keluhannya dan beri pengertian kepada pasangan mengenai permasalahan yang terjadi antara Anda berdua.

3. Tetap fokus pada pokok permasalahan

Dalam adu debat yang panas, biasanya tanpa sadar topik akan merembet ke hal-hal lainnya dan akhirnya terbentuklah pertengkaran baru. Karena itu tetaplah focus pada permasalahan semula dan jangan ungkit-ungkit masa lalu yang sudah usai. Biarkan masa lalu menjadi bagian dari sejarah dan belajarlah dari kesalahan yang telah lalu.

4. Akui salah & Anda menang

Terkadang percekcokan terjadi karena masalah yang sepele. Dan seringkali satu sama lain enggan mengakui kesalahan masing-masing. Cobalah untuk menurunkan sedikit gengsi Anda dan mulai mengakui kesalahan Anda, jika Anda lakukan dengan itikat baik niscaya si dia juga akan menyadari kesalahan-kesalahannya.

5. Kendalikan emosi

Wanita terkadang mudah marah-marah karena perubahan hormonal yang terjadi setiap bulannya. Bagi pria yang paling pengertian sekalipun, ada masa-masanya pria tak mampu hanya mengalah saja. Akhirnya pertengkaran pun tak terelakkan. Karena itu cobalah kendalikan emosi masing-masing. Belajar untuk bersabar dan tak menuruti dorongan hati. Maka Anda akan merasakan indahnya suasana damai yang terjalin antara Anda dan si dia.

Siapa sih yang tak suka dirayu-rayu terutama oleh kekasihnya? Ayo akui saja bahwa Anda jug pasti berbunga-bunga ketika dirayu oleh orang terkasih bukan? Namun rayuan tak semata-mata artinya mengobral kata-kata gombal saja. Inilah berbagai bentuk rayuan sejati bukan sekedar omong kosong belaka.

Rayuan ternyata sangat penting. Apalagi saat memulai hubungan dengan seseorang. Merayu merupakan salah satu bentuk dari ekspresi seseorang. Tentu saja setiap orang punya gaya rayuan yang berbeda. Rayuan yang baik adalah yang dilakukan berulang-ulang dengan variasi yang berbeda. Tentunya rayuan tersebut akan makin “ampuh” jika bias dikomunikasikan dengan baik. Disinilah rayuan itu akan jadi seni.

1. Jadi pendengar dan teman yang baik

Sebenarnya ini teknik yang umum. Namun cara ini paling disukai pasangan, karena merasa diperhatikan. Pasangan merasa punya tempat untuk ngobrol. Bahkan, dengan cara ini Anda akan tahu siapa sosok sebenarnya pasangan Anda, tanpa harus susah-susah mengoreknya. Paling tidak cara ini bias dijadikan tempat menunjukkan rasa perhatian, kesetiaan dan orang yang bisa menyimpan rahasia. Dan hal ini sekaligus menegaskan kepada pasangan bahwa Anda adalah teman yang terbaik buatnya.

2. Jangan ragu melakukan hal sepele

Jangan remehkan hal yang sepele. Karena hal-hal yang sepele itu, akan jadi penilaian tersendiri bagi pasangan. Justru melakukan hal-hal yang sepele “emosi” pasangan Anda akan tersentuh. Misalnya dengan memberikan hadiah-hadiah kecil pada pasangan. Mengingat hari ulang tahun, dll.

3. Kompromikan keinginan bersama

Umumnya orang mengira bahwa kebahagiaan itu akan dating dengan sendirinya. Padahal, kebahagiaan itu justru harus diciptakan. Artinya Anda harus siap merespon jika kebahagiaan itu datang. Salah satu menciptakan peluang adalah melakukan kompromi. Dengan kata lain, Anda tidak boleh memaksa keinginan pasangan. Begitupun sebaliknya. Karena itu diperlukan kejujuran antara kedua pasangan. Menceritakan sedikit tentang masa lalu ada bolehnya. Cumin harus ada batasan, jangan sampai kejujuran Anda justru jadi mala petaka bagi hubungan Anda.

4. Ciptakan rasa humor

Humor akan menyelamatkan Anda dari situasi yang menegangkan akibat pertengkaran. Humor akan membangkitkan perasaan rileks, yang pada akhirnya akan mencairkan kebekuan yang tercipta akibat pertengkaran.

5. Kesamaan tanggung jawab

Hubungan yang sehat adalah saling melihat pada diri sendiri. Apa yang dapat Anda lakukan pada pasangan Anda, bukan apa yang dapat dilakukan pasangan. Anda harus bertanggung jawab terhadap perasaan Anda juga perbuatan Anda. Karena itu, jangan sekali-kali punya penalaran bahwa gender dijadikan acuan untuk memikul tanggung jawab.

6. Menghargai diri sendiri

Semakin Anda yakin tentang diri Anda, semakin Anda dapat membahagiakan pasangan. Semakin Anda menghargai diri Anda, maka semakin mahir Anda dalam bercinta. Karena dengan menghargai diri sendiri, berarti Anda akan bekerja keras untuk mencintai pasangan.

Ciuman yang hebat tidak selalu berpusat pada permainan lidah.

Cheek kiss atau cipika cipiki = sentuh pipinya dengan tanganm tatap matanya dan cium pipi kekasih dengan lembut.

Eyelid Kiss = Bayangkan, pasangan sedang tidur, pandangi dengan penuh cinta dan kecup mesra mata terpejamnya. Seandainya perlakuan yng sama dilakukan pada Anda, I bet you will.

Butterfly Kiss = Punya bulu mata panjang? Ah ini berguna? Cium tubuh si dia dengan mengedipkan mata anda. Biarkan bibir dan bulu mata memberi rangsangan dan bikin dia tergelak.

Earlobe Kiss = Kadang kata cinta terasa “hambar” jika diucapkan dengan “metode klasik”. Coba berbisik lalu mengecup kuping si dia. Para ahli bilang, kuping merupakan daerah sensitif yang dapat memacu daerah intim lain.

Hand Kiss = Lakukan ini sebagai bentuk cinta dan respek. Pasangan mana yang tidak tersanjung jika pasangannya mencium tangannya dengan penuh kasih. Iya kan?

Foot Kiss. Pernah dengan skandal Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson dengan pengacaranya? Ya, mereka tertangkap kamera sedang “berciuman kaki”. Usap lembut kaki si dia, tiup dan kecup sambil menatap kaki atau matanya mesra. Pasti anda akan tertawa geli.

Seks Berdasarkan Shio (Bagian I)
Menurut kepercayaan Cina, setiap shio mewakili karakter kehidupan seseorang. Selain karir, keuangan dan kesehatan, ternyata shio juga berpengaruh pada gairah seks seseorang. Boleh percaya boleh tidak, terserah Anda.

Shio Tikus (1997,1985,1973,1961,1949)

Pria :
Pria-pria shio tikus tergolong dalam pria yang cukup agresif,  terutama untuk urusan di tempat tidur. Meski gairah seks-nya menyala-nyala namun mereka paham betul kalau wanita menyukai hal-hal berbau romantis. Untuk membakar gairah, mereka suka menghujani pasangannya dengan pujian, belaian dan pelukan. Sayangnya, si tikus ini bukan tipe pria yang suka terikat dalam komitmen, mereka juga termasuk pria yang gampang bosan. Jika ingin memikat mereka,  bersikaplah kreatif untuk mencoba berbagai gaya bercinta.

Wanita :
Tikus wanita sangat sentimentil sekaligus penuh gairah. Wanita bershio tikus dikenal sebagai orang yang lincah dan supel, tapi untuk urusan asmara mereka cenderung hati-hati. Sekali ia merasa cocok, ia akan bersikap setia. Seperti kebanyakan wanita lain, tikus wanita termasuk pemalu ketika bercinta, meski mereka sebenarnya kurang puas. Karena si tikus wanita kurang berani berterus terang, mungkin pasangannya harus lebih proaktif untuk mencari tahu di mana area sensitifnya.

Shio Kelinci (1987,1975,1963,1951,1939)

Pria :
Saat bercinta merupakan saat yang dinanti oleh setiap pasangan, namun kelinci pria termasuk pria pemalu yang suka melakukan ritual bercinta yang itu-itu saja. Agar hubungan intim lebih memuaskan dan tidak terasa hambar, kelinci pria harus lebih menggali imajinasi untuk mencari posisi terbaik. Selain mencari informasi dari buku, asahlah kepekaan untuk mengetahui area sensitif pasangan.

Wanita :
Kelinci wanita sering mendapat julukan sebagai “si gunung es” karena sikapnya yang dingin kepada pria. Asal tahu saja, sikapnya itu sebenarnya karena mereka lebih memilih menjomblo ketimbang harus berada dalam hubungan yang membosankan. Si kelinci wanita juga orang yang sulit percaya kepada orang lain. Mereka menyimpan rahasianya sendiri, dan tanpa disadari itu menjadi daya tarik mereka.

Shio Kuda (1990,1978,1966,1954,1942)

Pria :
Tahu dong tenaga kuda… Begitulah pria-pria shio ini di tempat tidur. Hai wanita, persiapkan stamina Anda karena mereka kuat bercinta semalaman. Si kuda jantan memiliki daya tarik sensual yang memikat.  Kuda jantan sangat suka pada hal-hal berbau seks, mereka juga ahli merayu dan membangkitkan gairah pasangannya. Hanya saja, mereka sering bersikap egois dan menghendaki pasangannya selalu menurut.

Wanita :
Kuda wanita adalah pemuja cinta. Mereka suka mengkhayalkan hal-hal romantis dan percintaan. Sayangnya si kuda wanita sering terjebak dengan pria-pria yang bermasalah. Tapi herannya, kuda wanita justru menganggap hal itu romantis, karena mereka memang suka sesuatu yang dramatis. Kuda wanita sering moody, mudah jatuh cinta pada pandangan pertama tapi juga cepat menjadi bosan. Dalam bercinta, mereka menghendaki pemanasan yang lama dan romantis.

Shio Naga (1988,1976,1964,1952,1940)

Pria :
Seks adalah hal yang paling penting dalam hidup naga pria. Bagi mereka, ekspresi seksual merupakan ekspresi kebebasan. Meski pasangannya kurang lihai dalam bercinta, naga pria mampu membuat acara bercinta lebih memuaskan. Sebenarnya ego mereka sangat besar, tapi mereka tetap memperhatikan kepuasan pasangan.

Wanita :
Wanita dengan shio naga adalah wanita yang mandiri dan tangguh. Kemandiriannya seolah untuk membuktikan bahwa ia tak butuh orang lain. Ia jarang jatuh cinta pada orang lain, ia sangat berhati-hati dalam melindungi hatinya agar tidak disakiti. Tidak mudah memuaskan naga wanita dalam urusan seks, namun dengan kelembutan dan frekuensi yang intens lama-lama ia bisa “dijinakkan”.

Seks Berdasarkan Shio (II)

Shio Ular (2002, 1990, 1978, 1966, 1954)

Pria :
Pria bershio ular termasuk tipe pria yang disukai wanita, mereka humoris, penuh gairah dan sensual. Mereka juga pandai mengeksplorasi daya imajinasinya untuk mencapai kepuasan seksual. Mereka sangat menikmati keintiman baik secara fisik maupun emosi. Seperti halnya ular, mereka juga bisa menghipnotis pasangannya dengan segala perhatian, rayuan dan kelembutan.

Wanita :
Wanita dalam shio ini suka terlibat dalam intrik dan percintaan. Mereka akan memilih pria yang menghujaninya dengan perhatian dan cinta yang besar. Karakter si ular wanita yang dominan dan selalu berharap lebih sering menimbulkan pertengkaran dengan pasangannya.

Shio Macan (1986,1974,1962,1950,1938)

Pria :
Kekuatan fisik pria-pria bershio macan tak perlu diragukan. Mereka sangat imajinatif dan suka mencoba berbagai posisi akrobatik dalam bercinta. Jangan ajak pria macan melakukan “maraton”, karena mereka lebih unggul dalam sprinter, jika terpaksa maka si macan butuh jeda beberapa jam sebelum kembali “bertarung”. Acara bercinta yang spontan lebih disukainya.

Wanita :
Wanita dengan shio macan adalah wanita yang mempesona dan mudah bergaul, karenanya mereka tak pernah kesulitan mendapatkan pasangan. Warga shio ini menyukai tantangan, juga ketika bercinta. Ajaklah si macan bercinta di dapur, atau mencuri-curi waktu sebentar saat anak-anak sedang asyik di depan TV, itu akan membangkitkan gairah si macan.

Shio Kambing (2003, 1992, 1980, 1968, 1956)

Pria :
Kaum kambing sangat berhati-hati dalam sebuah hubungan, mereka akan melakukan pendekatan yang lama sebelum melakukan komitmen. Di tempat tidur, mereka suka melakukan permainan seks yang lama. Untuk mencapai kepuasan yang diinginkan, lakukan olahraga secara teratur.

Wanita :
Kambing wanita sangat sensitif dan ingin pasangannya melakukan banyak hal untuknya. Sebagai balasan, mereka juga akan melakukan hal yang sama. Wanita yang menjadi warga kambing termasuk wanita yang sopan dalam memperlakukan pasangannya, selain itu mereka juga tergolong pasif dalam urusan bercinta.

Shio Monyet (2004, 1993, 1981, 1969, 1957)

Pria :
Pria bershio monyet mudah bergairah, jika nafsunya sedang memuncak ia tidak akan menunggu waktu lama untuk melampiaskannya. Dalam mencari pasangan, wanita yang enak diajak ngobrol sekaligus kreatif dalam bercinta yang dipilihnya. Sayangnya si monyet pria sering menilai rumput tetangga lebih hijau dari halamannya, akibatnya ia sering merasa tidak terpuaskan.

Wanita :
Agak sulit menebak isi hati si monyet, emosinya gampang naik turun. Mereka menuntut pasangannya selalu kreatif untuk membuatnya tidak bosan. Ia menyerahkan “tugas” kepada pasangannya untuk membuat acara bercinta lebih panas.

Seks Berdasarkan Shio (III)

Shio Kerbau (1985,1973,1961,1949,1937)

Pria :
Pria bershio kerbau agak kesulitan melakukan inisiatif dalam hal seks, apalagi kalau harus mendiskusikannya. Baginya seks masih sebagai hal yang tabu, jika ada masalah pun ia lebih suka menyimpannya sendiri. Kepada pasangan, mereka sering cemburu berlebihan.

Wanita :
Kerbau wanita sering bersikap terlalu hati-hati dalam urusan asmara. Meski sering dianggap bersikap frigid, nyatanya ketika jatuh cinta, ia bisa melakukan permainan cinta yang panas dengan pasangannya. Jadi, pandai-pandailah mengambil hati si kerbau wanita.

Shio Ayam (2005, 1994, 1982, 1970, 1958)

Pria :
Mereka tergolong pria yang tegas, percaya diri dan suka pamer. Si ayam bukan pria yang setia, kurangnya perhatian dari pasangan sering dijadikan alasan untuk memutuskan hubungan. Dalam hal seks, mereka sering membanggakan dirinya sebagai pria perkasa.

Wanita :
Warga shio ayam tak bisa menerima kata “tidak”, semua keinginannya harus dituruti. Selama pasangannya bisa membuatnya senang, ia akan setia. Mereka gemar mencoba variasi bercinta, baginya seks adalah sebuah tantangan.

Shio Babi (1995,1983,1971,1959,1947)

Pria :
Dalam urusan seks, pria bershio babi bukan tipe pemalu. Mereka suka mendiskusikan seks dengan pasangannya. Apa yang dibutuhkannya, bagian mana yang ingin disentuh, dikatakannya dengan terus terang.

Wanita :
Tak sulit meluluhkan hati wanita bershio babi, sekali ada yang cocok, mereka akan jatuh cinta dengan cepat dan dalam. Meski sebenarnya sentimentil, mereka akan melakukan apapun untuk membuat pasangannya senang.

Shio Anjing (1994,1982,1970,1958,1946)

Pria :
Pria bershio anjing sangat menghargai kedekatan emosi dalam sebuah hubungan. Mereka berhati lembut dan rela melakukan apapun untuk menyenangkan hati pasangannya. Ia bisa menyesuaikan diri dengan gairah seksual pasangannya.

Wanita :
Meski suka bersikap pesimis, warga shio anjing memiliki kepribadian yang hangat, baik hati dan royal. Tak heran jika mereka menjadi kesayangan orang di sekitarnya. Meski begitu wanita bershio anjing tak mudah jatuh cinta, butuh waktu lama untuk meyakinkannya. Ketika bercinta, mereka adalah penganut aliran konservatif.

By Peter Katopes

In their honest desire to satisfy the current demand for “accountability” in higher education, many academics have begun to worship at the altar of the “business model,” believing that it provides the answers to student success that they seek. The business model is imposed, for example, when otherwise worthy academic programs are eliminated based on low enrollment alone since they couldn’t possibly be academically valuable if they don’t attract throngs; when professors are evaluated more on their popularity with students than on their teaching abilities (see Inside Higher Ed’s coverage of a particularly chilling example from Texas A&M University); or when institutions shun teaching high-risk students who might require more time and attention to graduate.

However, the business model, which prizes “customer satisfaction” or “efficiency” above all else, has led in higher education to an imbalance in the relation between student and institution, has led to a culture of entitlement and instant gratification, and has causal ties to the current fiscal crisis.

Businesses operate for a single fixed purpose: to generate profit. This does not make businesses either intrinsically evil or intrinsically good. Although the purposes it serves might have moral value, the pursuit of profit, in and of itself, is a morally neutral end. It is rather the means to the profit that determines its moral nature.

In this highly competitive education market, customer (student) satisfaction has become paramount. The more satisfied the student, the argument goes, the more he or she is willing to persist at the institution, the greater the graduation statistics, and the more enhanced the reputation of the institution.

In the first 18-22 years of life, huge numbers of American citizens spend anywhere from 6 to 10 hours a day in some sort of school environment. That school is a major formative experience is a fact so obvious that I am reluctant to repeat it. However, although having a profound faith in the efficacy of education and believing that enough of it delivered in the right way can provide a student not only with technical competence but also address and mitigate the effects of a variety of social issues, educators seem ambivalent at best and blind at worst to the effects of the behavioral models that schools at all levels seem to support.

This is perhaps nowhere more the case than in the environment of higher education. Driven by the desire to satisfy external agencies regarding “accountability,” many colleges for some 30 years have effectively altered the relationship between student and institution by defining students as “consumers” who are asked to evaluate instruction in much the same way as banks ask their depositors to rate their services. Driven by the student “revolutions” of the 1960s, colleges have effectively placed the responsibility for determining the quality of instruction and curriculum in the control of those — the students — who are least competent to judge. This is not to say that students should have no input regarding the instruction they receive, but is rather a criticism of student evaluation instruments that often are poorly constructed and which often hold faculty hostage to student opinion. This practice runs the risk of turning faculty members into supplicants for student approval and creates a dangerous imbalance in the power relationship between faculty and students, one which might have a deleterious impact on the very thing — teaching — which it is supposed to improve.

Further, when colleges follow the business model in order to bolster enrollments or to compete for the “top” students, the results over time can also have serious consequences for the society as a whole. When rigor and purpose are replaced by luxury dormitories, state of the art health spas, haute cuisine cafeterias, and inflated grades, what is created is a culture of entitlement and a demand for instant gratification.

Historically, one reason for going away to college was to dislocate the young man or woman from their otherwise familiar environs to such an extent that they would be ready to “re-invent” themselves as, ideally, independent and responsible members of society. When colleges attempt to replicate — and in many cases even exceed — the conditions of the student’s pre-adult existence, one might well ask what it is they are teaching the students. Ideally, children are the center of their parents’ world and are indulged accordingly. What, however, does it mean to be an “adult”? Surely it can not be age alone which determines adulthood in contemporary society.

While it is true that 18-year olds have been awarded certain rights and privileges — the vote, for instance — which an earlier era restricted, American society has a very ambiguous understanding of what adulthood is. The extension of childhood well into a person’s 20s has been a growing and generally accepted trend. The identification of “helicopter parents,” that is, parents of college-age children who hover neurotically over their offspring even as they “send” them off to college, is becoming the bane of many college administrations.

Given that parents generally want “the best” for their children, they have begun to demand more for their money in the form of material improvements and services. While no one would argue that we should return to the ascetic conditions that existed on many campuses in the 20th century, it might be useful to remind ourselves what the rationale for those conditions was.

Why, then, do colleges engage in these practices? It is unlikely that they believe that it enhances learning. Rather, in the same way that a for-profit consumer business recognizes that it must satisfy those who are paying for their services, colleges do not wish to “offend” the people — parents — who generally pay the tuition bills. Again, it is precisely this sense of “profit,” and a skewed idea of customer satisfaction, which is an expression of a business model which is inappropriate to higher education.

That the “business model” works for business if of course an arguable proposition. One might well ask “Which business model are we talking about?” Is it the Enron model? Adelphia? Lehman Brothers? You get the idea. As academics we owe it to ourselves to be more precise about the terms we use.

We should stop our unexamined admiration for something we do not understand and concentrate on the “education model.” The “business model” is the wrong model for education. We need to reaffirm what it is, beyond “technical” knowledge of a subject, that we wish our students to learn.

Higher education ought to involve dislocation. That is, we owe it to our students to help them to understand that they are not the center of any universe except perhaps their own; that their unsupported opinions and subjective feelings will carry little weight in the “real world”; and that gratification does not always occur on demand.

College ought not to be merely a place where someone learns “skills” and racks up credentials, but rather an environment and an experience in which students learn, in addition to history and literature and mathematics, also how to begin to navigate the adult civilized world in an adult, civilized, and responsible manner. Their naïve assumptions about life and nature should be tempered by the rigors of discourse, debate, and discussion. Higher education should be training for life as it is — not as it is imagined by the child’s mind.

When colleges adhere to the “business model” they create dangerous expectations for their students and do no service to the larger community.

Currently the nation faces an economic crisis the likes of which most of us have only had nightmares about. We as a nation have the lowest savings rate and highest personal debt of any industrialized nation. We have been taught for more than 30 years that we are entitled to get what we want when we want it. The sub-prime horror has been a result of a sense of this entitlement which pervades society at all levels: the top, the middle, the bottom.

It is time that our colleges return to their traditional mission of educating the populace for the long haul. And that means teaching them to live and serve within a context of responsibility, prudence, and care.

Peter Katopes is vice president for academic affairs at LaGuardia Community College of the City University of New York.

Comments

Choice — not customer service

The real issues are (1) choice and (2) standards.

When the central tax-collecting authority mandates the taking of taxes, then refuses to allow the public the right to use that portion for higher ed at whatever college they deem appropriate (e.g., private) — there is no choice, there is unhappiness. That will not change until there is choice.

Two, standards: the brutal truth is that they have been declining for years. All kinds of employers (e.g., for-profit, non-profit) do not enjoy applicants without certain basic skills (and manners, another topic).

If objective, third-party testing (e.g., GRE, ACT) were required of graduates, much would be revealed. But, like the USA’s real economic problem — high debt and inability to repay in a timely fashion — such testing resides in ignorance, deception, and bureaucracy.

Frank, at 6:35 am EST on February 16, 2009

Businesses and the business model operates for many reasons, only one of which is to make a profit. All institutions, public or private, have to make good use of resources. All institutions need capital. Capital is capital whether the source is a bond levy, legisature handout or private capital. It doesn’t help to provide overly simplistic analyses to what are complex phenonomena. Perhaps it would help if you started at the beginning with a detailed definition that reflected the true and complex nature of the ‘business model’ if there is agreement even on that.

GEne, at 7:25 am EST on February 16, 2009

Students as a business product

I was in an elevator in the Florida statehouse in the late 1980s when I overheard a Florida Chamber of Commerce member talking about improving education by treating it as a business, and how the chamber was going to push that idea through the Florida DOE. Later at a meeting in Gainesville, Florida, I listened to this same mantra at a convocation for the implementation of Florida’s “Blueprint 2000″ — the 1980s plan for making Florida’s school system the best possible by the dawn of the new century. The presentation was slick, with all kinds of bells and whistles from the Chamber and the DOE, trumpeting how great this idea would be, and how students as customers would become top-notch productss. To achieve this lofty goal, we had to sit through numerous planning sessions. The first was called “Getting ready to plan to plan.” The next was “A plan to plan” — I actually still have the materials that went along with that meeting, that say “A Plan to Plan” right on them. The actual plans went on and on. In the midst of these meetings I determined that for the most part the business model being proposed wasn’t much different than what they already had, including the accountability part. The only difference was going to be what financial punishment each school was going to suffer for not achieving the business model in a proper amount of time. What I found most interesting was that nowhere did they have a plan to inform students that a change was coming, and that they would be expected to learn and accomplish more. When I pointed this out during an assembly-wide discussion, likening the idea to helping the students form a sort of self-fulfilling prophecy in their own minds, so they would expect this change in themselves and work toward it, the group leaders ignored the comment and called a a session break. When we came back the meeting continued without addressing my concern, as if I’d never brought it up. The point is, we are well beyond the turn of the century, and K-12 — or now it’s pre-K through 12 — really hasn’t gone any farther than it was before they decided to treat Florida schools, as well as every other state’s, as a business. I find it interesting that the great constructionists of higher ed now think that they can be successful at pawning off the same ideas for college-level work. My personal opinion is, get business out of the business of education and allow educators to do their jobs, from the professor in the classroom to the department heads who determine the coursework, to the school administration that decides what to offer at their own institutions.

Cindy, at 8:56 am EST on February 16, 2009

yes, but…

Although I agree that the “business model” is inappropriate for higher education, I think the premise of this article misses the point. This is a process not driven by the ’60’s whatsoever; it is driven by the basic market need to commodify all things and all people. Most of the movements (plural) in the 60’s railed against the trend toward commodification..and lost the battle as even their struggle was commodified (hence the applicability of MArcuse’s warning about co-option.)

Even my official ID card at my unnamed university has the Master Card logo on it. This is a business practice providing income to the school, to Master Card, and commodifing me and the students in the process. It is not much of a leap to measure academic programs by enrollment, instructors by grants written and students by time served. Surely customer satisfaction stems from the need to maintain consumption!

Theron, at 9:20 am EST on February 16, 2009

The “Education Model”

This is an interesting article on several levels but I’m particularly struck by the notion that the traditional “education model” is somehow immutable. One only has to go back 100 years to see a very different picuture of higher education. Why is that model no longer viable? Also, virtually everyone agrees that the education model for K-12 is essentially broken but we struggle to fix it because we are not willing to admit its failures.

The real intent of the accountabilty movement is not to simply create satisfied customers but rather to demonstrate that higher education is indeed value addded. This is especially true today where the costs continue to outpace inflation (and businesses generally are producing higher quality products (we measure this) at subtantially lower cost). The successful institutions of the future will figure this out and run with it. Take a look at the for-profits and see what they are starting to focus on.

Festus, at 9:20 am EST on February 16, 2009

Heartily agree: Business model not appropriate

I respectfully disagree with GEne, who said that businesses do many things other than turn a profit. They are engaged in many other activities, but all of them including public relations such as donating funds to local arts groups, are in the end done in the service of enhancing the bottom line, whether through raising the public image of the company or accumulating tax deductions.

It must be difficult for business people to think about a world in which no single numerical measure can be used to judge success, but that is the world educators live in. Adopting the business model, in which all the little minds are molded into interchangeable parts that can be measured, somehow runs deeply contrary to the idea of American individualism and independence. The classic notion of liberal education, freeing ourselves from preconceived notions and unexamined beliefs, moves students toward individuality, not standardization, and is more in keeping with the core values of democracy.

Lee Griffin, at 9:20 am EST on February 16, 2009

Here’s to Dislocation

Bravo for the best rationale for opposing the “business model” of education that I’ve read. It presents the arguments clearly and forcefully. My one quibble is that I might acvtually argue for a little asceticism along with the dislocation. It’s the excesses that students bring with them that can take up most of their time; why not put forth a philosophy of “less is more” that could help students focus on their academic lives rather than spend it on video games and so on? Bring less with you to campus and see how a true dislocation can open your eyes. In any case, thanks for this excellent article.

Willard M. Dix, President at College Access Counseling, Ltd., at 9:20 am EST on February 16, 2009

Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn’t

Sometimes a university is, and ought to be, a business: when it contracts with vendors, when it processes payments and refunds, when it removes snow from roads and parking lots, when it rents or donates space to outside groups, and when it contracts with faculty and other employees. (On payday, I am sure, we are all relieved that the university operates like a business.)

You can even make the case that shared governance does not alter the business model. Most business institutions do not share command and control functions as a university does, but the objects are the same — avoiding waste, reaching people, ensuring that core processes continue.

In fact, the core process — the classroom — is the only place that the business model deserves to be entirely out of bounds. When students pay tuition they are purchasing only the right to attend class and receive a grade; doing the work remains up to them.

sibyl, at 9:55 am EST on February 16, 2009

business model — how Gradgrindian…

I would direct anyone who favors the “business model” in education to pick up a copy of Hard Times and see how well it worked for Bitzer and the Gradgrinds. Funny how the same ideas seem to crop back up every 150 years or so…

StringsAreFalse, at 10:20 am EST on February 16, 2009

And Yet…

It seems that Mr. Katopes is reluctant to look inside the field of “higher education” and examine the “business products” such as external publications and books, that are necessary to create and develop as part of achieving rank and tenure in an institution of higher learning. Or…to create the appropriate “philosophy” and “business” relationships necessary to create the correct political atmosphere to achieve tenure, even in a public institution.

I’d suggest a bit of internal “navel-gazing” on his part before criticizing the outer world of the business of higher education

Edward Winslow, A tired “refired” Business Professor, at 10:20 am EST on February 16, 2009

Respecting what is complex

Simplicity draws attention but educated people know matters are rarely simple, including what ‘business’ is & does (thanks, GEne). Katopes’ college no doubt has many, many students well beyond 22 years, so his moralizing about ‘navigating the adult world’, ‘naive assumptions about life and nature’, and ‘training for life as it is’ seem out of context for a community college administrator. But because education does indeed involve dislocation (if only from ignorance if not from illusions), then a key question about reaching our goals as educators is knowing if the learner has indeed been changed. Is there any more direct way than asking the learner directly? Maybe, contrary to Theron’s simplistic assertion that customer satisfaction stems from the need to maintain consumption, that surveying students also has to do with whether we have met our goals. It is nonsense to equate the asking of such questions with creating a ‘dangerous imbalance in the power relationship between faculty and stuents.’ Unlike Frank who thinks standardized tests are an answer, this is a matter of asking for opinions, not for assessing a grasp of revealed knowledge. Katopes comes right to the threshold of a solution, though—rather than colleges’ bread & circuses in celebration of extended adolescence, maybe right from the start colleges should expect 18-year-olds to live & serve responsibly & civilly (taking care to honor the many who already do). Those students who cannot need to get knocked about by Life until a measure of humility settles in. That would finally be the right time to ask students if they are satisfied with their dollars spent for health spas and haute cuisine cafeterias.

An Old Goat, at 10:51 am EST on February 16, 2009

The McUniversity

I do not believe that accountability is the driving force in the driving of the business model. Research I’ve read tends to focus instead on changes in how students, parents, and other stakeholders perceive higher education.

Interested readers might read Ritzer’s (1996) McUniversity in the Postmodern Consumer Society (Quality in Higher Education, 2(3)), or Aurthur Levine’s (2001) chapter, How the Academic Profession is Changing in Graubard’s The American Academic Profession.

T-bone, at 11:20 am EST on February 16, 2009

HAH! Before professors in higher education could ever “teach” students not to expect entitlements and instant gratification, they would have to learn it themselves. I have NEVER seen a bigger bunch of people who feel entitled to everything and anything and who are so full of themselves that they believe they are not only the center of their own universe, but should be of everyone else’s too; exclusively. No matter what you give them, it is never enough. Wait, I take that back, there is ONE other bigger bunch of liberals that think that way, they are called Democrat Politicians. No, how could one EVER expect faculty to teach students how to live in the “real world” when they have absolutely no idea in general how to live in it themselves!?! Thaks to a bunch of hoodlums in Washington DC, this effort has just gotten harder, if not made entirely impossible. The whole country is now being taught that EVERYTHING should be FREE! Don’t worry, SOMEONE ELSE will pay for it! I agree with the author’s premise, but I fear we have long lost that battle.

Another Viewpoint, at 11:55 am EST on February 16, 2009

Three words: Brilliant! Overdue! Listen!

Dadie Perlov, Founder & Principle at Consensus Management Group, at 12:45 pm EST on February 16, 2009

Current Respondents Excepted, Of Course

I am invariable struck by how few academics who are caught up in discussions of business and business models give every appearance of having very little knowledge of what a business model might be … not to mention what the objectives of such models are.

But let’s not stop there. I would love to see a comparative analysis of the “knowledge of business” of those who pass themselves off as academic leaders practicing business management on the one hand and straight business managers running companies on the other. Aside from the fact that there will be damned few in either group who would have impressed Peter Drucker with their knowledge of business – and I will studiously avoid those management giants Lee Iacocca and Jack Welch – there would probably be very significant differences between the two groups.

Business models indeed!

Frizbane Manley, at 1:15 pm EST on February 16, 2009

Having the Resources and Justifying the Expense

In its simplest and most defensible form, the business model reduces to making sure that there are adequate resources — many of which are financial — for achieving the mission of the institution, whatever that mission might be. Certainly few universities include profit in their mission statements, but more are starting to include such concerns as financial sustainability.

Universities continue to see their tuition increases outstrip inflation at the same time that they recognize the need for greater accessibility for all citizens. These changes will make it increasingly likely that the value-added referred to by previous commentators will have to include a significant financial dimension. Try to explain to even middle-class students and parents why they should incur significant debt at schools that view the students’ future employability as too philistine of a concern for them to consider.

dm, at 1:15 pm EST on February 16, 2009

The Business Model

Whether we like it or not, universities share a great deal with business, especially the non-profit businesses. The problem occurs when students are assumed to be our customers. Students are NOT customers of higher education, they are CLIENTS! A student is more like a client who goes into a law firm or doctor’s office, seeking the expertise of a profession to cure some sort of problem (i.e. insufficient education). Faculty act more like agents who treat our student’s aliments. Also, business administration can offer universities a great deal of insight to understand things such as activity based accounting, strategic planning, cost containment, etc. Indeed, if universities were more like a business, I doubt that they would be funding intercollegiate athletics, wellness centers, performing arts centers, etc. as much as they do now.I believe that the lack of universities to prioritize during an economic downturn, such as we are currently experiencing, will lead to disastrous results. If universities would simply recognize that class room instruction is the very heart and soul of any university, then perhaps we would all be better-off.

Hans Isakson, Professor at University of Northern Iowa, at 2:36 pm EST on February 16, 2009

http://www.insidehighered.com/views/2009/02/16/katopes