The Sliced Onion

There exists the possibility that the College might have to downsize in the future. If downsizing were to become necessary, then tough decisions will have to be made on what we keep and what we cut. At some point decisions have to made on what gets cut first and what we try to preserve.

We have spent much time in meetings deciding what is important.  A famous sculptor was once asked how he created such wonderful works of art.  His response was, "I cut away all the unnecessary parts."  All of the programs that have been created at the College were created to fill a need.  At some level all programs are important.  We will never decide what to cut by discussing what is important. Decisions will arise by asking, "What is the least important thing we are doing at this time?"  We need to focus not on the sculpture but the wood that will need to be cut away.

Out of this exercise we will know what is truly most important to the College and where we should expand and where we should hold the line or contract. In an ongoing attempt to generate this discussion I share the following:

Put a number next to the item where number one is the first thing you would cut, close, shut down, cancel, or terminate, number two is the second, number three is the third, and so on and so forth.

• _____ Accounting program at national campus.
• _____ Agriculture program at national campus.
• _____ Business adminstration program at national campus.
• _____ Chuuk IEP program.
• _____ Chuuk campus in-service education program.
• _____ Chuuk State Campus.
• _____ Chuuk Vocational Technical Programs
• _____ Computer Information Systems program at national campus.
• _____ Development of fourth year degree in education
• _____ Early Childhood education program at national campus.
• _____ Education Associate's degree program at national campus.
• _____ Educational Leadership Academy at the national campus.
• _____ Hotel and Restaurant management at the Pohnpei campus.
• _____ Kosrae IEP program.
• _____ Kosrae campus in-service education program.
• _____ Kosrae State Campus.
• _____ Kosrae Vocational Technical Programs
• _____ Liberal Arts program at national campus.
• _____ Marine Science program at national campus.
• _____ Media Studies program at national campus.
• _____ Micronesian studies program at the national campus.
• _____ Pre-nursing program at the national campus.
• _____ Pre-Professional program at the national campus.
• _____ Pohnpei campus in-service education program.
• _____ Pohnpei IEP program.
• _____ Pohnpei State Campus.
• _____ Pohnpei Vocational Technical Programs
• _____ Third year teacher education program at national campus.
• _____ Third year related services assistanct program at the national campus.
• _____ Teacher Education - Special Education at the national campus.
• _____ Yap FMI campus.
• _____ Yap campus early childhood education program.
• _____ Yap IEP program.
• _____ Yap campus in-service education program.
• _____ Yap State Campus.
• _____ Yap Vocational Technical Programs

I have left out a number of certificate programs and I have probably overlooked many other programs.  This document is merely intended to stimulate thought, discussion, and debate. 

Dana Lee Ling
20 February 2001