Faculty Opinions

An Email from Mel Horwitch, A Professor of Management at Polytechnic University, Writing Against a Merger

After reading that article, Professor of Management Mel Horwitch sent an email on November 29th to the board of trustees on her views of the situation, shining light on where the faculty side of the merger equation may lie. She clearly states she opposes the merger between Polytechnic and NYU and lists several reasons. For one, she believes the uncomfortable situation is primarily due to internal decisions, and that the University can be turned around with the appropriate leadership and support. She also believes that, in relation to her first reason, the University needs to find a vigorous and qualified president. She goes on to say that Poly possesses a distinguished history and set of achievements, that it is a unique institution because it is technology-based and relatively small, and that there are several other examples of universities, such as NYU itself, that have turned themselves back around and succeeded (Horwitch, 2004). 

Suffice to say, Horwitch embodies a good deal of what the faculty felt at the time. After NYU already got rid of its engineering school, there was not a lot of faith that the school wouldn't do it again. Additionally, much of the faculty felt that with better leadership, Polytechnic could make it out of this alive. There was a feeling that this was more of a small internal problem rather than a school on the brink of catastrophe.