HigherEdMorning.com » San Diego State

Costly trial AND settlement: What happened?

Claire Knight — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 19:41:42 +0000

After a six year legal battle costing more than $4 million, many people are questioning how this case was handled.

The California State University System is facing criticism about the $4.57 million spent to defend a legal saga that ended with a settlement.

And taxpayers — who will foot about $135 million of the bill — have questioned how the university system handled the case while budgets were cut and educational resources dwindled.

Here’s what happened:

In 2004, San Diego State University strength conditioning coach David Ohton was allegedly demoted after reporting mismanagement in the school’s athletic department.

Ohton sued under the California Whistle Blower Protection Act, claiming he was retaliated against and ostracized by Head Coach Tom Craft.

Offering to settle the suit without financial relief, Ohton asked for an apology and for his position to be reinstated, according to his attorneys.

Refusing the offer, the university system defended the suit, which was initially dismissed in district court. However, the Court of Appeal overturned the decision.

After six years and $1.87 million in legal fees, the university system has agreed to settle the suit, paying Ohton $2.7 million in damages.

In-house attorneys for the university system blame the long and expensive legal battle on the “lack of legal precedent under the ambiguously drafted law,” which caused the courts to disagree.

Considering the thinly stretched education budgets, was this case handled in a fiscally responsible manner? Share your take in the comments box below.

College cafeterias: ‘Got trays?’

Geneva Reid — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 06:00:00 +0000

A growing trend among college cafeterias may be an inconvenience to students — but it’s helping schools save big bucks. Trayless dining now can be found in colleges coast to coast. According to Aramark Higher Education, 60% of the 600 schools it serves have eliminated trays. Sodexo says 40% of its approximately 600 schools also have made the change.

Here are the savings colleges are reporting:

University of California-Santa Cruz has saved $100,000 since going trayless last year.
San Diego State — which switched two years ago — has reduced its food costs by $65,000.
In general, schools with all-you-can-eat plans are reporting up to 30% in decreased food waste.

Since students at these schools are unable to pile food onto their trays, they need to make a few trips to get as much as they want — which has caused some grumbling.

In fact, Northern Michigan University scrapped its plan to go trayless when students complained it was too inconvenient.

There are also some students who consider this a politically correct trend — but not one that actually is having an environmental impact. Is water really being saved when there are more plates — and tables — to be cleaned?

What do you think? Let us know in the comments section below.

Job description: Must be able to ride tricycle

Geneva Reid — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 05:00:16 +0000

There aren’t many jobs that require you to ride a tricycle. But Google mappers do just that – and now they’re doing it on college campuses.

Ever used Google maps street view? Soon you’ll be able to view college campuses with the same technology.

Google mappers have been riding tricycles around several college campuses, including University of Pennsylvania, Penn State and San Diego State.

Using an eight-foot high camera mounted on the trike, they’re taking panoramic images of the campuses. The mappers pedal around college walkways, paths and malls – where cars aren’t allowed.

This way, students and their parents can get a real feel for the different schools – and new students easily can figure out the best way to get to classes, dining halls, etc.

As for the mappers, it’s not the easiest job in the world. The trike and its equipment (there’s also a computer to record the digital images) weighs in at 250 pounds.

While some complain Google’s street views invade the privacy of individuals and institutions, others say these 360-degree images of streets and paths is an excellent resource.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Lighter side: Talk about a ‘super senior’!

Geneva Reid — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 13:53:10 +0000

You’ve seen the recent headlines about colleges failing to graduate the majority of their students in six years.

Six years? That’s nothing to one man who took 40 years to get his diploma.

When Jerry Zullo of California attended San Diego State back in the ’60s, he passed all his courses in four years. But one class was listed as incomplete – so he never got his degree.

The incomplete grade came about because Zullo handed in a paper one week late. Not too surprising, since he was also working three part-time jobs.

When his instructor received the paper, he changed Zullo’s grade to a C – but that change wasn’t recorded on the official transcript.

For the next 40 years, Zullo never told anyone he was a college graduate – because he didn’t have a diploma.

Happy ending: The error finally has been corrected, and Zullo received his diploma a couple of weeks ago at the age of 63.

Of course, he was the only radio/TV broadcast major attending the ceremony. That department isn’t around anymore – it’s now the TV, Film and New Media department.

What’s the longest it’s taken someone you know to receive a diploma? Tell us in the comments section below.