Category Archives: Interview Questions

Questions for President Guarasci

By Alannah Fehrenbach, Jonathon Farrell, Maryam Razaz and Shivani Sharma.

Economics

1. If you wish to improve or increase the involvement of technology in Wagner College, what would that entail and how much of your budget would you be willing to spend on it?

2. What are some of the largest expenses in running a college?

3. What area of higher education, do you believe, can use the most cuts?

4. How can rising student debt affect the landscape of current higher education?

5. Will students still choose to go to expensive private schools, or will public colleges become of greater demand?

6. What percentage of your budget is funded by endowments? What percentage is funded by student tuition?

7. What is the general structure of faculty at Wagner College? On average, what are the salaries of such professors and do you believe the salaries are justified?

8. The president of a University is burdened with two very separate yet important responsibilities, one is to manage the faculty and represent the university where the other is to ensure financial viability. Personally, what do you believe you spend most of your time doing?

Technology

1. Has technology been a tool for bringing people together in the college community?

2. How do you see the function of having classes where a professor is physically present changing (or not changing) with regard to the ever-growing presence of online courses and MOOCs replacing the old structure of education?

3. Do you see technology as a channel for research and development while aspiring to create economic and community development with the Port Richmond Partnership?

4. Wagner College is considered to give a “traditional education”; how does the use of technology as both a study-aid and a networking tool fit into this framework?

5. Is it important that professors be tech-saavy? Do you train professors in the newest developments of technology in the classroom?

6. Has multi-media presentation become a new forum of academic expression and educational exploration within the Wagner community? How?

PURPOSE OF HIGHER EDUCATION

1. How does civic engagement affect a student’s education?

2. How does your institution attempt to foster a diverse student body?

3. Explain a little bit about The Wagner Plan for the Practical Arts. How exactly does it work and how does it change the way your students learn?

4. There are two prevailing theories of why a student should go to college: to get credentials for a career and become a functioning member of society, or to become more of a well-rounded citizen. Do you feel that Higher Education should be more of a public good or used for personal growth?

5. After college graduates go into careers, employers constantly tell colleges that students lack many of the critical thinking skills necessary for being productive members of the work force. How do you propose colleges go about preparing students to be critical thinkers?

6. Earlier in America’s history, high school graduates had employment options that didn’t require a college degree, such as factory jobs and trade professions. Yet with the advent of technology and the outsourcing of manufacturing jobs, a college degree is becoming increasingly more important to secure any form of employment, despite the fact that there are many students who are ill-prepared by the K-12 educational system for college. With jobs that place a large focus on education and a K-12 system that doesn’t adequately prepare some students, how do you propose we deal with those students who aren’t adequately prepared for college?

7. Wagner College’s mission “emphasizes scholarship, achievement, leadership, and citizenship,” but what makes the college’s mission truly different from that of any other private liberal arts college?

ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION

1. Being an educator at Wagner College for almost 20 years now, who do you believe deserves to attend this college? Do you feel that the college will implement new changes in the next 10 years as higher education seems to keep changing and evolving?

2. What are the main criteria for admission into Wagner College? What type of students are you looking for?

3. Being a private institution, does Wagner College give more scholarships based on need or on merit? In your own experience as an educator, which type of scholarship brings out the most in a student?

4. During your time here, you founded the Wagner Plan for Practical Liberal Arts. In a recent article in the Huffington post, however, you mentioned the need for solutions to fix a community’s set of problems, and better yet the country’s problems. Is your plan your direct solution for emphasizing a liberal arts education and helping the community? May you talk more about more about it?

5. According to the same Huffington post article, you are a huge proponent of the liberal arts system and affordability, but the cost of tuition for Wagner College is nearly $50,000 dollars. How does the university make its higher education more accessible to its students?

6. Being a college that was founded way before CUNY was, were there any changes that Wagner made during the 1960s when affirmative action made a groundbreaking step in New York City? If there were changes, do any of them still exist today?

7. There is more and more of a desire among students to have a job-oriented education and to solely take the classes they think are needed to gain the specific set of skills they need for their future job. Thus, students have less of a focus on receiving a broad set of skills and rather study just for this class. Your plan here completely annihilates that. Students will graduate with both the broad skills and the specific set of skills needed in the work field today. May I ask how your plan came to be? Does this stem from your belief that universities should aim to provide their students with a well-rounded education? Has there been a successful rate of your graduates getting a job straight out of college?

8. Where does academic freedom apply at a private institution? Is it only present in a classroom or does it include other campus activities?

Collective Interview Questions for Dean Kirschner of Macaulay- Group 1 (Lauren, Aniqa, Sara, Saira)

Questions for Dean Kirschner

1. What do you think the big issues will be in higher education in twenty years?

2. What is the hardest part of your job?

4. Do you think high school graduates are entering institutions of higher education adequately prepared? If not, what do you think can be done to help students become more prepared for admittance into institutions of higher education and completion of a degree? Is this an issue that should be dealt with in higher education, or in K-12 education?

5. What are your thoughts regarding scholarships to students: Do you feel more scholarships be given to students based on need or based on merit? In your opinion, which students are more successful in the long run?

6. What are the main criteria for admissions into your university (i.e. what type of students are you looking for) and how do you go about choosing who gets admitted?

7. If students cannot afford to go to a highly rated institution of higher education, what do you suggest they do? Do you think students should take out loans in order to attend a reputable, highly rated university? Or should students opt to go to a more affordable school?

8. How does your university attempt to foster a diverse student body?

9. Wouldn’t the decline in net revenue and the hunt for possible donors distract colleges from their goal which is to provide a good education to their students?

10. We’ve read some article you’ve written on MOOC’s and are intrigued by your opinion on them. Do you think MOOC’s online classes will revolutionize higher education in the near future? Do you think that not experiencing an education in an actual classroom, leaves a student without the proper resources to acquire knowledge, or do you believe MOOCs are both convenient and effective?

11. The traditional role of the university has been to foster learning and offer students a well-rounded education. However, it seems that many student’s and universities goals in terms of coming out of undergrad are to have graduates enter the work force and acquire well paying jobs. Do you agree with this mindset or should we back to the goals of the traditional university?

12. Macaulay’s mission statement includes the goal of Macaulay’s aim to offer a liberal arts education in the midst of a major urban research university. Do you think Macaulay is successfully following these goals? What do you think distinguishes Macaulay from other universities in its approach to this specific goal in your mission as a whole?

13. More and more students want to come out of their undergraduate education with the security of being prepared for the workforce and securing a steady well-paying job. With this mindset, students might focus less on receiving a well rounded educated and more on doing well on tests and overall in their classes. Do you think universities should aim to provide their students with a well rounded education even if that means that their degree won’t lead to the most well paying job? Or should universities focus on preparing their students for the workforce?

14. How has the purpose of undergraduate education shifted from when you went to undergrad at the State University of New York Buffalo? What are the parallel’s and differences between the student’s goals in terms of coming out of college then and now?

15. How does your institution relate to its faculty? Macaulay has a unique faculty in the sense that its professors aren’t necessarily part of your institution alone so how does this affect the way you interact with them?

16. Do you feel that state and federal funding will continue to decline? If yes, how will these cutbacks affect your institution? Do you foresee any changes you need to make? Do you expect the quality of education to decrease?

17. What area of higher education can use the biggest cutbacks? Where is most of the money being wasted, in your opinion?

18. Factoring in SES, has been discussed as an alternative to affirmative action. Do you think this is a good way to encourage diversity? Economic diversity? Racial diversity? Why do you think this kind of system will/will not work?

19. Where does your money come from and how is it apportioned?

20. How has Macaulay Honors College made higher education more accessible to students, and in what ways has it made students more equipped for life beyond the classroom?

21. How did you get involved in MHC? Your previous positions seem related but are not the same as running a college?

22. How has CUNY and higher education changed in your time as dean of Macaulay and how have these changes affected your institution?

23. How does Macaulay contribute to its community? How does it contribute to the immediate community and to NYC as a whole? Your mission statement says that your graduates leave “ready to make a positive impact on the world.” Is this Macaulay’s contribution to its environment?

24. What does an average day look like for you? Where do you devote most of your energy?

25. If I was applying for a position as a Dean, what would you tell me? What is the most important information you would impart?

26. I understand that Macaulay is really big on encouraging students to use technology as part of their college education. For example, the e-portfolios, laptops, the fourth seminar. How do you think incorporating technology in learning can help students? What are you looking to get out of this?

27. What makes the separate Macaulay campuses come together as one college? What makes us the Macaulay Honors College and not individual honors programs at each CUNY?

Collective Interview Questions For VP Brown of NYU – Group 1 (Lauren, Aniqa, Sara, Saira)

Questions for VP Brown

1. What do you think the big issues will be in higher education in twenty years?

2. What is the hardest part of your job?

3. How do we make higher education more accessible to students? In order to remove the barriers to successful participation in higher education, what are the ways in which universities can provide financial and academic support to aid students in their completion of degrees? What role do you think NYU should play in terms of being accessible to students? How has the Arthur O. Eve Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP NYU) at NYU helped to make high education more accessible, primarily for traditionally underserved, low-income students?

6. What are the main criteria for admissions into your university (i.e. what type of students are you looking for) and how do you go about choosing who gets admitted?

8. How does your university attempt to foster a diverse student body?

9. How important is it to you to make college affordable for undergraduates? Is there a way to balance the rise in tuition while still having enough resources to run the college?

10. Wouldn’t the decline in net revenue and the hunt for possible donors distract colleges from their goal which is to provide a good education to their students?

11. Do you think MOOC’s online classes will revolutionize higher education in the near future? Do you think that not experiencing an education in an actual classroom, leaves a student without the proper resources to acquire knowledge, or do you believe MOOCs are both convenient and effective?

12. The traditional role of the university has been to foster learning and offer students a well-rounded education. However, it seems that many student’s and universities goals in terms of coming out of undergrad are to have graduates enter the work force and acquire well paying jobs. Do you agree with this mindset or should we back to the goals of the traditional university? Is NYU’s aim to educate, get students ready for the workforce or a mix of both?

13. How is New York University’s mission statement specifically geared towards the students and faculty of NYU? What distinguishes your mission from that of other universities? How do you make sure you follow these goals?

14. Several of the projects of NYU in recent years have included modernizing the cogeneration plant and the construction of a new spiritual center. How would you say these projects fit into the goals of NYU? As the senior vice president for university relations and public affairs, how do you make sure that the student’s and faculty’s needs are being met? How do you make sure that the university needs specific changes whereas other projects might not be as important for the mission of the university?

15. How important is it to your institution to stay in touch with your local community and government?

16. How important is it to your institution to hire faculty that have a teaching background and not just a research background?

17. How are professors granted tenure at your institution?

18. Do you think that your institution’s current goals match with its mission statement? What are some of your plans in the near future to achieve these goals?

19. Do you feel that state and federal funding will continue to decline? If yes, how will these cutbacks affect your institution? Do you foresee any changes you need to make? Do you expect the quality of education to decrease?

20. What area of higher education can use the biggest cutbacks? Where is most of the money being wasted, in your opinion?

21. Factoring in SES, has been discussed as an alternative to affirmative action. Do you think this is a good way to encourage diversity? Economic diversity? Racial diversity? Why do you think this kind of system will/will not work?

22. Where does your money come from and how is it apportioned?

23. Do you think NYUs pursuits abroad are distracting it from serving its New York students to the fullest? Why does NYU feel the need to be an international center?

24. What is NYU doing to make sure that its education is accessible to minority and disadvantaged students?

25. I see that you have a background in political science. How do you think that has helped you as Senior Vice President for University Relations and Public Affairs at NYU?

26. I see that you have been a part of the NYU Sustainability Task Force. Why do you think universities need to play a role in improving the environment? Is it for PR?

27. According to my research, some of your plans include having a campus for Polytechnic Institute of New York University in downtown Brooklyn, a medical research building and home for the nursing school near NYU Langone Medical Center, a possible satellite campus on Governors Island and, up to 2 million square feet of in Greenwich Village. Do you think investing in all of these plans will steer NYU away from it’s focus on its students?

28. If I was applying to work as VP in your position, what information would you tell me? What would you want me to know?

29. How does being so spread out affect NYU’s unity? What makes NYU one unit? What is the common thread that ties all NYU campuses together?

30. Do you think expanding NYU’s campus overseas is making higher education more accessible for students? How is the global campus of NYU a pioneer for future institutions? What role does it play in promoting diversity?

Questions for Kafui

1. What are some technological improvements you’ve noticed in CUNY, if any? What sort of improvements do you, as a former student, think would most benefit students today?

2. Massive Open Online Courses have become very popular in recent years. Do you think that not experiencing an education in a brick and mortar setting, meaning an actual classroom, leaves a student without the proper resources to acquire knowledge, or that these MOOCs are both convenient and effective?

3. As a professor, would you be comfortable with disseminating lectures online without any interaction with students?

4. What do you see as the future of online courses? WIll they ever be on par with traditional schooling?

5. What single technological improvement (such as e-mail, online websites) has most benefited the student-professor interaction?

Interview Questions–Kafui

1) As a student involved on Brooklyn College’s board, do you feel that structure of “shared governance” is effectively practiced at BC? Do you think there could be greater student involvement? What impact would that have the college and the structure? Do you potentially see this establishment of shared governance changing in the future?

2) As an involved student, do you feel that the structure of the faculty and administration is suited for the college? Specifically, the break down of part-time/contingent faculty and full-time/tenured faculty? How do you think this structure affects the student population? Do you see faculty effectively translate the college’s mission into their programs and classes?

3) As both a student and Brooklyn College board member, what role do you think the institution should play in the promotion of civic engagement among students? Is it essential that students are involved in civic activities outside of the classroom and how can the college encourage this?

Interview Questions for Kafui Kouakou

1) Coming from both a business and mathematical educational background, do you believe that it is worthwhile for college students to take liberal arts courses that are said to provide a more humanities-focused education, as opposed to taking just classes in one or two individual fields?

2) What major factors go into the estimation of the Brooklyn College budget? Do you believe any of these factors are extraneous?

3) Do you believe that online courses are a fitting supplement to a student’s normal classroom/lecture education, or a detriment? What place do you believe online courses have at Brooklyn College?

4) Do you believe the sentiments of the students of Brooklyn College (such as those regarding tuition increase) reach the administration with sufficient impact to induce changes?

Interview Questions for Kafui Kouakou

You have been involved in many leadership and representative roles, may it be through soccer, university senate, or other activities. As an undergraduate student, did your classes require you to do a substantial amount of group work? If so, do you feel as if that group work has helped you become a better leader or representative?

As Treasurer of the Graduate Student Organization at Brooklyn College, do you think that the college, or certain subsections of the college is spending money efficiently? Is there any specific recent example you can give us of either misallocation of funds or exceptional fiscal responsibility?

Are decisions made or votes casted by the CUNY Board of Trustees based on that trustee’s personal beliefs or agenda, on what that trustee thinks is best for the college, or a little bit of both?

Interview Questions for Dean Kirschner

How did you get involved in the Macaulay Honors College? Your previous positions were relevant, but Macaulay seems slightly different.

How has CUNY changed in your time as dean of Macaulay and how have these changes affected your school?

Do you feel that Macaulay gives access to a wide array of students from various backgrounds? What does Macaulay do to promote itself in different high schools across the city?

Interview Questions About Economics of Higher Ed

Do you foresee state and federal funding cutbacks affecting your institution and, if yes, how? How do you plan on preparing for these cutbacks and do you think quality of education will be affected?

What area of higher ed can use the most wide-sweeping cuts? Where is the most money being wasted, in your opinion?

Factoring socioeconomic status into admissions decisions has been discussed as an alternate route to considering race. Do you think this is a feasible solution? Why? What, do you feel, are the limitations, if any, to this method and what are the benefits?

Interview Questions

1. What challenges are presented by online classes and degrees, and to what extent can these online courses be credited and offer degrees?

2. In your opinion is the role of higher education to prepare people for better jobs where they can earn more money, or is its role greater than that?

3. Is higher education for everyone? Can some people just not be fit or able to gain from the current set up of higher education?

4. Is it more important to attain a degree in college, or is the experience and connections gained in college more valuable?

5. What do you think about students who claim to “teach themselves”? Does this discredit the hard work of professors, or show the inherent problems of lecture style classes?

Economics Group Questions:

1. How can rising student debt affect the landscape of higher education as we currently know it? Will students still choose to go to expensive private schools, or will public colleges become of greater demand? Has this possibly already happened? How does tuition discounting level the playing field for private and public colleges?

2. What are the largest expenses in running a college, besides professor salaries? If MOOCs and other online course systems gain proper accreditation, do they present a problem for brick and mortar schools by being able to out-compete them?

3. Where does most of the funding for your school come from, if you could break it down to approximate percentages?

4. Based on your experiences in Higher Education, what do you think the true cost of college is for students? Are some schools overcharging students?

5. Do you believe that Higher Education has become a bubble? Why or why not? What will happen if this bubble bursts?