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>> >>PEGGY: THE 7 AND A HALF HOUR EPIC CITY COUNCIL MEETING ON MONDAY ENDED WITH THE APPROVAL
OF THE PLAZA DE PANAMA PROJECT IN BALBOA PARK. A LAWSUIT TO BLOCK THE PROJECT WAS THREATENED
THE VERY NEXT DAY. TO TALK ABOUT THIS S UTC SAN DIEGO REPORTER
ROGER SHOWLY. BIJ BUT FIRST, BRIDGE POINT'S FOUR FOR PROFIT
ASHFORD UNIVERSITY MANAGES MOST OF ITS STUDENTS FROM ITS SAN DIEGO OFFICE.
THAT'S LIKELY TO CHANGE SINCE THE SCHOOL WAS DENIED ACCREDITATION TO TALK ABOUT THAT FALL
OUT IS VOICE OF SAN DIEGO REPORTER LIAM DILLON. THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE.
LIAM, LET'S START WITH YOU. ASHFORD UNIVERSITY WAS DENIED ACCREDITATION,
BY WHOM AND WHY? >> >>LIAM DILLON: I'LL GIVE YOU THE QUICK
SENTENCE AND TELL YOU WHAT IT MEANS. WESTERN REGIONAL ACCREDITORS SAID NO TO THE
APPLICATION TO BE ACCREDITED. WHAT ACCREDITED MEANS IS IT'S A KEY MARKER
FOR LEGITIMACY FOR A SCHOOL. IT SAYS A SCHOOL'S LEGITIMATE, IT ALLOWS STUDENTS
TO TRANSFER CREDITS BETWEEN DIFFERENT INSTITUTION, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY FOR BRIDGE POINT EDUCATION'S
MODEL IS THAT IT ALLOWS ACCESS TO FEDERAL FINANCIAL AID. THAT'S HOW ASHFORD WOULD MAKE
MOST OF IS MONEY. STUDENTS WOULD ATTEND, GET STUDENT AID AND THAT WOULD ALLOW THE SCHOOL
TO MAKE MONEY. >> >>PEGGY: THEY WERE DENIED AND THE MAJOR
REASON THEY WERE DENIED WAS THE STUDENT OUTCOMES. IS THAT THE ONLY REASON?
>> >>LIAM DILLON: IT'S RELATED TO THAT, BUT WHAT YOU DEFINE STUDENT OUTCOMES AS BEING,
THIS ACCREDITOR IN THIS CASE LOOKED AT GRADUATION RATES, YOU KNOW, THE THINGS OF THAT NATURE
TO SEE HOW WELL THEY WERE DOING. >> >>PEGGY: THE GRADUATION RATE WE'RE LOOKING
OUT IS OUT OF 87,000 STUDENTS THE DROP OUT RATE IS 84ハPERCENT.
ROGER, HOW DOES THAT COMPARE TO WHAT YOU KNOW OF COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND OTHER STATE DROP
OUT RATES? >> >>ROGER SHOWLEY: I THINK SAN DIEGO CITY
COLLEGE IS 26%, AND FOR UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX IS 12%.
THEN THE REGULAR FOUR YEAR INSTITUTIONS IN SAN DIEGO ARE MUCH HIGHER, AND I WOULD SAY
THIS IS ON THE LOW END OF OUTCOMES. >> >>PEGGY: SO YOU MEAN MUCH HIGHER AS IN
A MUCH HIGHER GRADUATION RATE? >> >>ROGER SHOWLEY: RIGHT.
>> >>PEGGY: SO 84% SEEMS HIGH EVEN FOR THIS KIND OF FOR PROFIT UNIVERSITY.
>> >>ROGER SHOWLEY: EIGHTY FOUR PERCENT DROP OUT RATE.
>> >>LIAM DILLON: IT'S DECENTLY ALIGNED WITH WHAT THE OTHER FOR PROFIT SCHOOLS ARE DOING,
BUT I THINK THERE'S A SORT OF MORE HARD LINE STANCE BEING TAKEN BY SOME OF THESE ACCREDITORS
SAYING ARE THESE THE KIND OF UNIVERSITIES WE WANT TO AFFILIATE OURSELVES WITH WHEN THEY'RE
PUTTING THEIR SEAL OF APPROVAL ON IT, AND WHERE THE WHETHER THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WANTS
TO PUMP MONEY INTO THESE SCHOOLS THROUGH STUDENT LOANS THAT'S WHY A HARD LOOK IS BEING TAKEN
AT THEM. >> >>PEGGY: AND THERE WAS THE DROP OUT RATE,
BUT THAT WASN'T THE ONLY REASON. ABOUT HOW MUCH MONEY THE EXECUTIVES WERE BEING
MADE TOO. >> >>ROGER SHOWLEY: AND ALSO HOW MUCH IS SPENT
ON MARKETING VERSUS TEACHING. IT'S LOT DIFFERENT THAN THE NORMAL COLLEGES
WE THINK OF. >> >>PEGGY: WE'RE TAKING A LOOK AT THAT RIGHT
NOW. 42ハPERCENT OF THEIR MONEY WAS SPENT ON MARKETING.
ONLY 38% ON INSTRUCTION, AND ANOTHER 20% ON ADMINISTRATION TO A TOTAL OF 497ハMILLION
DOLLARS LAST YEAR. THAT SOUNDS HIGH TO ME.
>> >>LIAM DILLON: WELL, SURE, I MEAN, YES, COMPARED TO OTHER NON PROFIT EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS,
OR OTHER JUST NON PROFIT EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS, THAT'S CERTAINLY HIGH.
THE ACCREDITOR DID NOTE THERE WERE STEPS TAKEN BY BRIDGE POINT AND ASHFORD TO PUMP UP THE
STUDENT SUCCESS SIDE OF THE EQUATION, RATHER THAN JUST THE MARKETING.
THE REAL KEY THING IS HOW MUCH IS THIS GOING TO AFFECT SAN DIEGO.
BRIDGE POINT IS A HUGE PRIVATE EMPLOYER THAT WENT FROM ZERO PRESENCE IN THIS CITY TO THE
NINTH LARGEST EMPLOYER, THEY'VE GOT 4,000 EMPLOYEES, A RECENT STUDY, ALTHOUGH BRIDGE
POINT DID HELP FINANCE SOME OF THAT STUDY, SHOWED THEY HAD A BILLION DOLLAR ECONOMIC
IMPACT. A REALLY IMPORTANT THING FOR A REGION LIKE
THE REST OF THE COUNTRY THAT'S HURTING. >> >>PEGGY: FOR PRIVATE EMPLOYEES, THREE TO
FOUR THOUSAND HERE. ARE THOSE EMPLOYEES LIKELY TO GO TO THE MAIN
CAMPUS, IF IT'S FOLDING HERE, WHAT IS THIS IMPACT?
>> >>ROGER SHOWLEY: THE ACCREDITATION PEOPLE IN THE MID WEST ARE INSISTING THAT A LARGE
PERCENTAGE OF THEIR EXECUTIVES AND THEIR STAFFING BE IN THE REGION THAT THEY'RE ACCREDITED IN.
IT'S POSSIBLE MANY OF THOSE SAN DIEGO BASED PEOPLE COULD MOVE.
I THINK THE OTHER IMPACT IS THE STUDENTS THEMSELVES. HOW MANY STUDENTS THERE ARE WORLD WIDE WHO
TAKE COURSES FOR THEM, AND WHETHER THEY WILL START DROPPING OUT OF BRIDGE POINT WHEN THEY
HEAR THIS NEWS. >> >>PEGGY: BECAUSE THEY CAN'T GET FEDERAL
FINANCING OR FEDERAL LOANS SO THEY MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO GO.
BRIDGE POINT SAYS THEY'LL FIGHT THE DECISION. WHAT WOULD THEY HAVE TO DO, EITHER ONE OF
YOU, TO STAY IN SAN DIEGO IS YOUR OPINION? >> >>LIAM DILLON: I THINK SORT OF IF YOU LOOK
AT THEIR STOCK PRICE, I MEAN, IT'S REALLY TAKEN A HIT AND YOU KNOW OVER THE PAST YEAR,
I JUST CHECKED THIS MORNING, THEY'RE DOWN 70% OVER THEIR YEAR HIGH AS FAR AS STOCK GOES,
YOU MIGHT EVEN TALK ABOUT BEING IN SURVIVAL MODE. IF YOU'RE IN SURVIVAL MODE, IT DOESN'T
MATTER WHETHER YOU'RE IN SAN DIEGO OR IOWA, YOU JUST WANT TO EXIST.
SO I THINK CERTAINLY, WE'RE GOING TO SEE A GOOD CHANCE OF THE PRESENCE THAT BRIDGE POINT
HAS HAD HERE, ALSO CIVIC LIFE SPONSOR THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL GAMES, SOME OF THE THE SYMPHONY,
THEY SPEND THEIR PHILANTHROPIC AND MARKETING MONEY HERE. A DECENT CHANCE THAT WILL MOVE
TO THE MID WEST. >> >>PEGGY: I WANT TO MOVE ON TO OUR SECOND
SUBJECT TODAY AND THAT IS THIS DRAMA OVER THE RENOVATION AT BALBOA PARK, GOING ON.
ROGER, LET ME START WITH YOU, WHY DO YOU THINK, FIRST OF ALL, CITY LEADERS SEEMED OVERWHELMINGLY,
EXCEPT FOR ONE, IN FAVOR OF THE PROJECT? >> >>ROGER SHOWLEY: BECAUSE SAN DIEGO'S BEEN
TALKING ABOUT GETTING THE CARS AND TRAFFIC OUT OF THE CENTER OF BALBOA PARK FOR MORE
THAN 50 YEARS. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS
FOR HOW TO DO THAT, IT'S IN THE MASTER PLAN OF BALBOA PARK TO CLEAR THE CARS OUT OF PLAZA
DE PANAMA. IT WAS ONLY UNTIL IRWIN JACOBS AND QUALCOMM
STEPPED FORWARD AND SAID I WILL RAISE 31ハMILLION DOLLARS, IF NOT FROM HIMSELF, AND OTHER DONORS
STEPPED IN TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. THE PIPER CALLS THE TUNE, AND THIS IS WHAT
HAPPENED IN THIS CASE. >> >>PEGGY: IT GOT QUITE A BIT OF BACKING.
CIVIC PROJECTS TYPICALLY DON'T ENGENDER SUCH PASSIONATE CONTROVERSY.
WHY DO YOU THINK THE DRAMA OVER THIS IS? >> >>LIAM DILLON: I THINK ON THE ONE HAND,
ACTUALLY PROJECTS DO ENGENDER LOTS OF CONTROVERSY IN SAN DIEGO, WHENEVER YOU'RE TRYING TO DO
BIG THINGS; CONVENTION CENTERS, STADIUMS, GIANT RENOVATION OF THE PARK.
I THINK SECONDARILY, IT'S PART OF THE REASON THAT BALBOA PARK BEING SORT OF THE CENTRAL
FOCAL POINT OF THE CITY, CROWN JEWEL IT'S DESCRIBED AS OVER AND OVER AGAIN, AND I THINK
PART OF THE PROBLEM HERE, IS THAT I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY PEOPLE GOT SO UPSET, EVEN THOUGH EVERYONE
AGREES THE END GOAL IS TO GET THE CARS OUT OF THE PARK.
YOU HAVE A REALLY RICH GUY, NO MATTER HOW BENEVOLENT HE MIGHT BE, GETS TO SAY WHAT GOES
ON IN THE CITY'S CROWN JEWEL. I THINK THAT PEOPLE ARE UPSET BECAUSE IT SORT
OF BELONGS TO EVERYBODY. >> >>PEGGY: EXCEPT THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN THE
HISTORY OF PEOPLE WHO ARE PHILANTHROPISTS, PEOPLE WHO DONATE A LOT OF MONEY. THEY HAVE
A BIG SAY IN IT BECAUSE THEY PUT A LOT OF MONEY INTO IT.
I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT BOB FILNER'S REACTIONS AT THE MEETING.
>> >>LIAM DILLON: BOB FILNER RUNNING FOR MAYOR OF SAN DIEGO AGAINST CARL DEMAIO, WHO WAS
SITTING CLOSE TO HIM WHILE FILL NR WAS TALKING. FILNER KIND OF GAVE AN ABSENT MINDED PROFESSORS
SPEECH WONDERING WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF IRWIN JACOBS DIED BRINGING KATE SESSIONS LOOK ALIKE
TO THE STAGE. KIND OF VERY ACTIVISTY SORT OF BEHAVIOR, AND
PRETTY STARK CONTRACT TO CARL DEMAIO WHO WAS PRETTY STATESMAN LIKE.
IT'S REALLY INTERESTING FOR THE MAYOR'S RACE. TWO GUYS WHO ARE VERY POLARIZING, AND SEE
DEMAIO TRYING TO MOVE TOWARDS THE MIDDLE FILNER BEING THE SAME GUY WE'VE SEEN BEFORE.
>> >>PEGGY: WHAT WAS IRWIN JACOBS RESPONSE? HE IS A BIG SUPPORTER OF KINDS, BUT STILL
WHAT WAS HIS RESPONSE? >> >>ROGER SHOWLEY: HE WAS SITTING IN THE
FRONT ROW ALL ENTIRE SEVEN HOURS OF THIS MEETING AND HAD DONE THE SAME THING THAT SAN DIEGO
PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING IN JUNE. SOME PEOPLE THINK HE WAS CASTING A THREATS
ON PEOPLE WHO OPPOSED HIM. I DON'T THINK THAT'S TRUE, BUT THEY GOT THE
SENSE THAT THIS IS SORT OFハ >> >>PEGGY: SITTING THERE SILENTLY DOMINATING?
>> >>ROGER SHOWLEY: HE WAS THE PRINCE SITTING THERE, IF YOU DON'T GO WITH ME, I WILL CUT
YOUR HEAD OFF. THE IMPRESSION WAS THAT.
THAT'S RIDICULOUS. IT IS ISN'T UNPRECEDENTED YOU HAVE WEALTHY
PEOPLE CALLING THE SHOTS FOR BALBOA PARK. THE TIMKEN GALLERY IN PLAZA DE PANAMA IS A
PERFECT EXAMPLE OF THAT FROM THE 1960S. THE DIFFERENCE HERE IS THAT THE PLAN FOR PLAZA
DE PANAMA AND THE REST OF BALBOA PARK WILL MAKE THE BIGGEST CHANGE VISUALLY AT THE ACCESS
TO THE PARK IN ITS HISTORY WITH THIS BYPASS BRIDGE PLANNED BY THE MUSEUM OF MAN.
>> >>PEGGY: COULDN'T IT BE THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE A PART OF THIS IS WE DON'T WANT CHANGE,
THIS IS HISTORICAL. THERE'S THIS ELEMENT OF PUSH BACK.
THE REASON I'M SAYING THAT IS BECAUSE I'M GOING TO PRESENT THIS TO BOTH OF YOU.
DO YOU THINK THIS WILL DIE DOWN ONCE PEOPLE SEE THE DESIGN, ONCE IT STARTS GETTING BUILT?
DO YOU THINK THIS IS SORT OF A FIRE UP RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE CAN STOP THE CHANGE BUT ONCE
IT GETS GOING PEOPLE KIND OF RELAX AND EXPECT IT.
>> >>LIAM DILLON: I THINK SORT OF THE PROBLEM HERE WHETHER THIS IS GOOD OR BAD, AND CONSPIRACY
THEORIES AND NAMES BEING THROWN ON BOTH SIDES. PART OF THAT IS THE PROPONENTS DIDN'T DO A
GOOD JOB OF COALITION BUILDING. GROUPS ARE USUALLY INVOLVED IN BEING IN THE
ROOM. THEY GET PART OF WHAT THEY WANT AND THEY NEGOTIATE
A DEAL AND THEY'RE HAPPY. I THINK THE FACT ORGANIZED LABOR WAS NOT INVOLVED.
THAT SHOULD BE A NATURAL ALLY. WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE THESE GROUPS THAT CAN
HELP COALESCE AND BLUNT SOME OF THE CRITICISM, YOU CAN GET THAT REACTION.
>> >>PEGGY: ROGER? >> >>ROGER SHOWLEY: I WOULD SAY 10 YEARS FROM
NOW, IF IT IS BUILT AS PLANNED, PEOPLE WILL HAVE FORGOTTEN THE BATTLE.
>> >>PEGGY: THANK YOU BOTH, ROGER AND LIAM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.