Four VP's of ASU-pocalyse

On April 8 Angelo State University delivered its "definitive budget plan" to Texas Tech for FY 2012.  It was derived from ASU's four Vice Presidents sequestering themselves for the past week, then delivering a plan to Dr. Joe Rallo for his review and approval. The Four Horsemen include:

Dr. Tony Blose, Provost-Vice President for Academic Affairs (4-12-10)
Dr. Vance Valerio, Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management (7-13-10)
Mr. Michael Reid, Vice President for Finance and Administration (12-16-10)
Dr. Jim Limbaugh, Vice President for Strategy, Planning, and Policy (3-14-08)

This group phased out ASU's Honors Program, formerly described as:

The Honors Program goes beyond the traditional education to engage academically gifted students with challenging courses and campus involvement.

Sorry kids, there's no money for challenging courses and campus involvement, thanks to the Texas Legislature.

ASU plans to focus on less academically gifted students, offering more of a traditional education to average students.

. . . First-time, Degree-Seeking High School Rank Fall '06 Fall '07 Fall '08 Fall '09 Fall '10 . Valedictorians (#) 35 26 24 29 25 . Top 10% 11.5 12.7 13.6 16 12 . Top 25% 34.7 35.9 38.3 32.5 35.6 . Top 50% 69.9 72.4 73.3 74.7 72.2 . Lower 50% 30.1 27.6 26.7 25.3 27.8 . Bottom 25% 7.3 5.2 5.5 5.7 7

ASU plans to target support for students with a 21 ACT score, the mean for students entering Fall 2010.  It seems an odd way to teach honor students "reversion to the mean."  I expect it's a directly visceral experience. 

Freshmen honor students and most Honors program staff are effectively cut loose.  Rising juniors and seniors will keep their honors scholarships but lose the support they've come to know.

"The only way we can control our own destiny is with enrollment growth, with quality students."-Dr. Rallo

Are those quality students now of the "average" or "mean" kind?

Dr. Rallo stopped communicating with excellent students.  The Standard Times reported Rallo "is no longer accepting phone calls from honors students."  So which Vice President do they call?

While Dr. Rallo may not take calls, will he take checks from honors students?  Much remains to be seen.  The widespread staff bloodbath looms.  April 15th is tax and pink slip day.

Update 4-12-11:  President Rallo will break the news to the Faculty Senate on Wednesday.  The pattern up to now is for Dr. Rallo to make introductory remarks and the Vice President's to offer detailed plans.  Will that hold?

Update 6-24-11:  Vice President Blose is stepping down after a year of service, according to an ASU announcement'

Update 8-22-11:  President Rallo said the following in fall 2008.   "We also took a hard look at a segment of our admitted students who lacked the academic preparation to succeed at a university....   We are also tightening our admissions standards for 2009 to no longer accept students who have a very low likelihood of success." It's hard to see in ASU's numbers.