We have much to learn from Scoble at SJSU

In my opinion our university is so not ready for staff blogging, emerging technology and/or the principles of Cluetrain.

For university employees to feel free to speak and engage each other, students and the public in a conversation about the university and academia; there has to exist an atmosphere of tolerance where staff feel free to be critical of the university without fear of retribution.

In other words, the management at the university has to create an environment where staff feel that freedom of thought, expression and speech is not just tolerated, it is nourished. What has made SJSU alumnus Robert Scoble [Link] so successful at Microsoft is his willingness and ability to be critical of his employer and his employer's willingness to accept this. Only by feeling such a freedom at our campus will the staff and faculty at the university be able to speak with a voice that is candid and believable. Only if they are believable will the folks who work at our great university be able to engage in a genuine conversation.

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