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Students demonstrate as new Sofia president takes office

Original post made on Jan 10, 2014

As an interim president took office at Palo Alto's Sofia University this week, students demonstrating outside the school demanded replacement of the three-member board that hired him and a return to the institution's founding principles.

Read the full story here Web Link posted Thursday, January 9, 2014, 11:30 AM

Comments (4)

Posted by Valentine
a resident of another community
on Jan 10, 2014 at 10:59 pm

I think it is important to note that Neal King did not resign until after receiving a vote of No Confidence from faculty. The faculty and staff who were fired on December 19 were victims of retaliation for their participation in an All Hands Community meeting the night before, during which attendees expressed concern about the future of ITP (aka Sofia University)and their commitment to uphold the core principles of transpersonal psychology.


Posted by Intriguing
a resident of another community
on Jan 11, 2014 at 11:41 am

I find this intriguing and am left with many questions. There appears to have been a core erosion at ITP previous to the name change to Sofia. That change drew my attention and left me feeling that ITP was a sinking ship attempting to quickly bail out the water. Now it looks like pirates have boarded, but I can't tell whether it's mutiny, sinking, or piracy.
My gut tells me Sofia University will only survive if the current leadership remains because any other change will full destabilize the institution into dissolving cmpletely. Something is amiss, for sure. But it may be that time is taking it's' course and Sofia, like many other schools, are having to adapt or perish.
Best wishes for a healthy solution.


Posted by Doctor Why
a resident of another community
on Jan 19, 2014 at 6:33 pm

Sophia has failed to reach "critical mass" to maintain sustainability with the requirements imposed by the state and federal governments, along with accrediting agencies, for reporting, loans, record-keeping, self-studies, and Lord knows what else. Sophia might consider "consolidation" with another institution to save overhead and reduce duplication, i.e. the California Institute of Integral Studies or the Institute for Humanistic Studies which share some common values. I wish Sophia good luck.


Posted by calmingtor
a resident of Rengstorff Park
on Jan 26, 2014 at 12:28 am

State Attorney needs to launch an investigation, the state needs to call the firing by an outgoing president with a vote of no confidence from the day before null and void and the two remaining board members and this new president need to leave and the board members that left under duress (stressful circumstances with a hostile president) need to be back on the board and reelect the Cofounder Bob Frager as President to get not only the school back on track with its core values but to make sure the staffing is in place to meet current student needs and requirements to remain accredited as well as be an inspirational source of a much need funding campaign. People are in line to donate money if Dr. Frager re-assumes the leadership and reins of the school he cofounded.


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