Is it time to rename CALS?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Cornell University
1

<p>I know this is petty and pathetic and that it shouldn't matter what other people think, but branding and enthusiasm for a brand is important in this era.</p>

<p>I took a lot of classes in AAP and CAS at Cornell but my undergraduate namesake is forever bound to the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Ann Coulter's little jab at the school made me wonder if it needs an image makeover. </p>

<p>We'd be lying to ourselves if peoples' visceral reaction when they hear the name of the school isn't more aligned with Coulter's rant than the righteous people who defended CALS. I heard the whispers. Even I have mixed reactions if it ever comes up. I feel the need to explain to people that it's not what they think it is.</p>

<p>The school was created in an era when agriculture dominated the economy. Now it constitutes 3% of it. They changed the name to include "Life Sciences" a few decades ago. I'm not saying drop the agricultural mission at all, but maybe create a name and image more in line with tomorrow's innovations than yesterday's legacy. </p>

<p>Their academic priorities are officially listed as social science, environmental science, new life science, and land grant responsibilities. While ag fits into those, it's not an explicit priority and I don't think Cornell's a typical aggie school anyway.</p>

<p>Just look at some of the departments:</p>

<p>Applied economics & management
Biological and environmental engineering
Biological statistics and computational biology
Communication
Development Sociology
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Education
Microbiology
Molecular Biology and Genetics
Neurobiology and Behavior</p>

<p>That's not exactly just squeezing cow teets (though that's important too). Even within more conventional programs like "Natural Resources" exist some pretty groundbreaking initiatives in biogeochemistry and biocomplexity.</p>

<p>Much like Cornell in general, they're doing incredible, cutting-edge work but public perception seems to damper enthusiasm. </p>

<p>As the anchor of the New Life Sciences Initiative pushing new frontiers in bionanotechnology and genomics, as well as its shiny new Weill Hall for life science technology research - perhaps the time is right to rebrand for the 21st century without really changing what they actually do. </p>

<p>Okay. There's my argument. Sorry it's long. Just wondering if I'm alone on this.</p>

2

<p>Re-name it to wat?</p>

3

<p>**** Ann Coulter.</p>

4

<p>I have no idea. Focus it more on the life and environmental sciences maybe? At least work on rebranding it to better reflect what it actually does.</p>

<p>This isn't about Coulter. She's worthless. I just used her as an example of someone voicing some degree of what others feel but won't say.</p>

5

<p>lol then it'd be called LES... and no body wants that...</p>

<p>how about:
College of Environmental and Life Sciences</p>

<p>Then its called CELS
^ like cells, which is awesome and kind of appropriate.</p>

<p>What are the appropriate steps to changing the name of the schools?</p>

6

<p>While I think the venerable name of CALS is okay, the revised name DRMAN suggests is perhaps not a bad idea. It seems to tie in the "old school" nomenclature while bringing in the modern with a nice ring ... plus that allusion to cells, which are a central juncture for the biological sciences. What are the odds for a name revision like this to get implemented though? Probably not too high.</p>

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<p>I actually really like that CELS idea - nice with the play on words.</p>

<p>Much like their stated priorities, it still incorporates the ag work within a larger mission. </p>

<p>I know to change that school's name they have to petition the State of New York at some point.</p>

<p>Probably unrealistic, but I think it's far more fitting for where they're going with their focus.</p>

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<p>AEM and Communication should have their own schools: "The Notrahw School of Business" and "The Coulter-Olberman School of Miscommunication." CALS works fine for the other programs.</p>

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<p>I'm just an applicant so I don't know too much about this, but I feel like AEM, Communications, Developmental Sociology and American Indian Studies don't really fit in with other CALS programs - it would be cool if all those "Social Science" programs were put in there own college, and ILR would belong there as well as a major (rather than ILR being its own school which seems kinda silly). Just a thought. Then CALS could become the College of Environmental and Life Sciences or CELS like DRMAN said. CELS sounds nice too.</p>

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<p>I've long liked the idea of renaming it either the College of Earth and Life Sciences (CELS) or College of Earth, Agriculture, and Life Sciences (CEALS, pronounced 'seals'). The problem is that there are a lot of alumni Aggies out there who will really try to stay true to their roots and would revolt in horror if Agriculture was taken out of the name.</p>

<p>I also agree that all of the social science departments need to be taken out of CALS. AEM needs to find a home in the Johnson School. Development sociology and communication need to become a part of a larger, policy-centric school, with PAM, resource and environmental economics, Bio & Society, HD, and HBHS. Meanwhile, DEA and Textiles should become a part AAP, and ILR should be split into two -- half business, half policy.</p>

<p>But that's for another day.</p>

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<p>^ whoa there...you just completely ripped half the programs out of HumanEc lol. If ILR became half-business and half-policy, then why not stick AEM and PAM in there as well, since they're the Business and Policy programs? As well as HD, HBHS, Bio/Society? then they could all be applied social sciences together.</p>

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<p>If there was an AEM and PAM combined program, that would be incredible. I like the "CELS" idea by DRMAN by the way..</p>

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<p>i know that when i first heard of the College of Ag. and Life Sciences i was like ..Agriculture? cool.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
^ whoa there...you just completely ripped half the programs out of HumanEc lol. If ILR became half-business and half-policy, then why not stick AEM and PAM in there as well, since they're the Business and Policy programs? then they could all be applied social sciences together.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>No... I only ripped textiles and DEA out of HumEc. PAM, HD, and HBHS become the basis for a larger 'policy and practitioner' school that would include development sociology, education, communication, resource economics, labor economics, comparative labor, collective bargaining, and social statistics.</p>

<p>AEM would then join forces with organizational behavior and human resources and the Johnson School. The point is to siphon off all of the pre-professional, pre-business students and let them have their own school -- that way they can't defile the nature-loving hippies or the policy-obsessed wonks with their ways.</p>

<p>The resulting school would be called the 'College of Human and Public Affairs' and feature a lot of cross-disciplinary programs with the other colleges -- labor relations with the business college, environmental economics with natural resources in CALS, etc.</p>

<p>I've thought about this a lot.</p>

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<p>i think it's time to rename AEM...if you take AEM out of CALS you have a truer CALS dept...</p>

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<p>I personally agree with the AEM change. It really needs a new home. Maybe in Johnson's or ILR.</p>

<p>But who knows, maybe the reason they are their is because of physical reasons. Maybe there arent rooms anywhere else.</p>

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<p>Every time I respond to somebody by saying I applied to CALS, they always ask if I want to be a farmer...although farming is cool.</p>

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<p>ILR was actually once MUCH more pre-professional than it is today: </p>

<p>Original Curriculum</p>

<p>ILR offered the first 4-year degree (B.S.) in the field of industrial and labor relations. Originally, students had ninety-seven of the required 120 hours prescribed for them. The first two years consisted of many social science classes such as American history and government, sociology, psychology, economics, and law. Students were required to take English and public speaking courses as well as courses in accounting and statistics. The last two years of coursework were the technical core: classes that were expected to provide the students with the technical skills and competencies which enable them to develop professional expertise within the field of industrial and labor relations. Examples of these courses include: history of labor and labor-union organization and management, business organization and management, and corporate finance. Beyond the classroom, students were expected to gain applied experience. This was achieved primarily through a required summer work-training program. To fulfill this expectation, students would spend three of their summers working in the field for each of the following types of organizations: industrial or commercial, government, and labor.[source: wikipedia] </p>

<p>have other colleges also changed their curriculums? ILR has made it so that we get many more electives now.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
Every time I respond to somebody by saying I applied to CALS, they always ask if I want to be a farmer...although farming is cool.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>this is also true of a student who attends Texas A&M university. TAMU is very similar to Cornell but anyone who doesnt go to UT is called a farmer.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
have other colleges also changed their curriculums? ILR has made it so that we get many more electives now.

[/quote]
well I know that HumEc was originally a Home Economics college for women, so it's changed a bit over the years.</p>