Bardo is at it again

[RoyalShock]

WSU hopes to build engineering building, tech park

You have to hand it to the guy, he's more than just a visionary.

[Kung Wu]

Right on!

So Wheatshocker apartments will disappear? That's a surprise, as he's trying to increase enrollment and those are some of the newest apartments on campus. I'm not understanding the decision making there, but I'm not privy to it either.

[Kung Wu]

I can't wait for Bardo to announce the new LAW BUILDING. Bahahahaha That would be so AWESOME I can't even tell you.

[ShockBand]

Wheatshocker is actually not new, it was a dump up until they renovated it about 15 years ago, and from what I hear, even though it looks nice on the outside, it is dumpy again inside. Wheatshocker was a privately owned dorm (and a dump) up until the 1990s, IIRC.

[ShockBand]

Bardo is certainly swinging for the fences!

[Snapshot9]

If you are not going forward, you are losing ground! He's fresh, has ideas, and an Engineering Tech Park is a good idea for WSU.

[SHOCKvalue]

I believe the initial articles and/or press releases mentioned that Wheatshocker would be coming down after the new dorms were built. Not new news, and no big loss. My wife lived there for a time when we were students at WSU, and like others' have said it looks better on the outside than it really is. The renovation a good number of years back certainly made it look adequate both inside and outside, but it was still essentially a spit-polished turd.

I like Bardo's aggressiveness, I just hope there is a market on the backside of all his ideas after the money has been outlaid. The reported drastic increase in WSU housing prices is a bit of a foreboding sign. We are trying to gain ground on KU and KSU in that regard, and pricing our housing above their compliment is obviously not a good strategy at all.

Further, I understand engineering is probably WSU's biggest academic asset and research revenue earner, but as a b-school grad I have to say there needs to be serious consideration to a new b-school building sometime in the not too distant future. Both KU and KSU are either in the process of, or plans have been laid, for new and impressive b-school facilities. All the while Clinton Hall looks an office building that the Brady Bunch Dad might have went into every day, after driving the family station wagon in from their suburban 1960's nouveau split-level. This for a College that WSU brags about, and that outside of the Liberal Arts School has the largest enrollment.

[CBB_Fan]

Yeah, Bardo has mentioned this at least privately. I heard it from him in September I think. The idea is that fancy engineering buildings draw more students than old dorms, and the new dorms (plural, the first one is just the start) will help house them to make up for closing Wheatshocker.

And remember, the aim isn't to compete against KU and KSU for instate students. It is all about dominating the area around Wichita and bringing in out-of-state students (including foreign students). The goal is to entice students with pricing that is lower than what they have in-state and competitive programs, and KSU and KU are pricing themselves out of that game. Primarily this means new students from the upper Midwest and east coast, as well as a ton of foreigners (huge cash cow).

My personal hope is that engineering is joined by business in trying to get these out of state students, and that eventually enrollment increases enough to allow us to expand into law and medicine. Those four are the routes to "real" degrees, and while liberal art degrees are important these areas are where the money is.

[ABC]

Kansas does not need another law school. The world does not need another law school. And I saw that as a lawyer (Washburn)

I think a dental school might make a great deal of sense.

[pogo]

Kansas does not need another law school. The world does not need another law school. And I saw that as a lawyer (Washburn)

I think a dental school might make a great deal of sense.

I would agree with this 110%. A school of Dentistry and perhaps a school of ophthalmology as well. If you look at the plans for the future campus you will notice there is no Clinton Hall and the area for the the technology park is called Business and Technology park and looks to have multiple buildings instead of the two Dr. Bardo talks about. When I toured the USC campus a few years ago with an alumnus he indicated to me that his degree (business) cost 4 times more than the Liberal or Fine arts degree from USC. I could see having a differential in the price per hour depending on the degree since one has the potential for greater long term earning.

[Shocker-maniac]

I really like what Dr Bardo is doing. I get so weary of the no-risk, status quo leadership that we so often see in this community. It is refreshing to have a true leader with a vision. I 'm convinced that his plan will succeed. Even though I'm in no way a big money person, I'm going to start contributing a few of my bucks to support his initiatives. I think in 10 years Wichita State is going to be a much different and much better university, because of what he is doing now.

[AndShock]

Further, I understand engineering is probably WSU's biggest academic asset and research revenue earner, but as a b-school grad I have to say there needs to be serious consideration to a new b-school building sometime in the not too distant future. Both KU and KSU are either in the process of, or plans have been laid, for new and impressive b-school facilities. All the while Clinton Hall looks an office building that the Brady Bunch Dad might have went into every day, after driving the family station wagon in from their suburban 1960's nouveau split-level. This for a College that WSU brags about, and that outside of the Liberal Arts School has the largest enrollment.

Based on what I've heard from certain instructors, plans for a new business school should be coming in the near future. Supposedly they were prepared to move forward with a new one a couple of years ago (before KU and K-State announced any plans) but for whatever reason, those plans fell through and my instructor seemed pretty upset about it but didn't want to go into detail. I think some of the hold up is finding a space for it, it'll probably be directly or indirectly involved with the golf course being shortened to nine holes.

[rZ]

Based on what I've heard from certain instructors, plans for a new business school should be coming in the near future. Supposedly they were prepared to move forward with a new one a couple of years ago (before KU and K-State announced any plans) but for whatever reason, those plans fell through and my instructor seemed pretty upset about it but didn't want to go into detail. I think some of the hold up is finding a space for it, it'll probably be directly or indirectly involved with the golf course being shortened to nine holes.

Clinton hall is coming down. As is Grace Wilkie.

[pogo]

Clinton hall is coming down. As is Grace Wilkie.

Oh man not Grace Wilkie. Man that place has a bunch of memories for me when it was the womens dorm. Maybe when it comes down I can go get a brick for my Shocker room.

[ABC]

Oh man not Grace Wilkie. Man that place has a bunch of memories for me when it was the womens dorm.

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