Saturday, November 19, 2005

Curve Balls

What will the estimated market value of the land/property that the college owns be in 5 years from now at the current rate of growth?

If we factor in current real-estate trends and Lake County regentrification efforts what are the options?

What is the probable return on that land if developed and used to give Waukeganites a Community Center devoted to personal academic growth and supplemental tutoring program for college bound teens some of whom could be routed to Shimer?

What if we taught Shimer students to teach workshops on co-inquiry learning, study habits and research skills and gave them credit for student teaching?

What about a rental property for wayfaring intellectuals, entertainers and speakers visiting the Chicago Area or a hospice for developing artists?

What about reaching in instead of out?

I understand that Sarah Kimmel is part of a group that handles problems very similar to Shimer’s for groups very much like Shimer.

By the way, I did notice that Young Kim did not give the specifics of the proposed contract with IIT or explain its stealthy presentation and that he looked at the Assembly as an advisory committee.

Perhaps it was not the way he intended it but it did read as though he was belittling concerns and vilifying people who asked pointed questions.

I have had quite enough of people dismissing legitimate inquiries and facts provided that do not support the move as the bantering of nay sayers and the whining of laypeople. Also, attempts to calm the people who are concerned by assuring them that nothing is wrong, especially in this political climate, are probably ill pursued. Let's talk about the problems and how to solve them without putting all of the schools eggs in a basket and crawling to IIT. Right now Shimer is in control of its own fate. If you have been alive long enough you know that that counts for more than you think it does.

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