Inbox

[January 9th, 2008]

Setting the Recipe straight

After reading Dave Mazza’s article about Western Culinary Institute titled “Kitchen Bitchin’” [Dec. 12, 2007], I met with Willamette Week Editor Mark Zusman to bring to his attention inaccuracies included in the piece. Subsequently, WW committed to printing corrections, including information about our default rate and the inclusion of class size information in our catalog. The corrections appear in this issue of WW [see below] and we appreciate their commitment to accurate reporting.

In that same spirit, I would like to provide clarification on two additional items which we believe misrepresent WCI.

• Regarding the statement that “recruiters made it easy for them to obtain Sallie Mae loans,” WCI is a not a lender and is not in any way involved in Sallie Mae’s approval process. As is the case with most post-secondary institutions, loan terms and rates are not determined by WCI, but rather are set by the lender. We encourage students to fully explore rates and terms with the lender. Students are free to select the lender of their choosing.

• Concerning OSAC complaints, the reporter did not compare like time periods, instead selecting for WCI an arbitrary period of 54 months. WCI was named only three times during the same 18-month period referenced for OCI.

Unfortunately, the reporter did not mention the School of Distinction Award WCI received in October 2007 from the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges which recognizes institutions that have demonstrated a commitment to delivering quality educational programs. I am proud of WCI’s 25-year history, our affiliation with Le Cordon Bleu International, our thousands of happy students and graduates and our dedication to the Portland community.

Jon Alberts
President, Western Culinary Institute

Correction: WW did make two errors. It stated that the default rate for WCI for the year 2005 was 9.9 percent. That figure came from the federal Department of Education, which reflects the aggregate default rate for WCI and its two branch campuses, in Minneapolis/St. Paul and Atlanta. The accurate default rate for the WCI campus in Portland for 2005 is 8.3 percent. And WW stated that the current WCI catalog and promotional materials had no mention of class sizes. The current catalog does mention class sizes. WW regrets the errors.

ERIK, We’ll Miss you

This city will miss Erik Sten [“Sten Calls It Quits,” WW , Jan. 2, 2008].

Despite some public gaffes like the Water Bureau deal and the street-naming controversy, this man’s heart and passion is in the right place: looking out for the best interests of ALL city dwellers and not simply the upper strata.

We will all lose if his replacement is someone whose main goal is to represent the business interests on the City Council such as [state Sen.] Ginny Burdick. Erik Sten provided some balance against large corporate entities that do not serve the majority of Portlanders.

“Steve W”
Via wweek.com

...But We Miss our Cash More

Thirty to forty million dollars of losses due to his Water Bureau Billing Fiasco, a million plus on his half-witted plan to condemn PGE and make it a government agency, hundreds of thousands lost on his public election financing plan that only added more corruption to our elections. Millions on the Tram, Trolley and MAX flushed down the toilet to the Willamette.

Thanks a lot, Erik, for finally quitting. You’ve made Portland a more financially stable place by leaving!

“Steve”
Via wweek.com

Clarifications

In “Casualties in the ’Couv” (Jan. 2, 2008), quotes from Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press Executive Director Lucy Dalglish needed more context. Dalgish’s advice to journalists covering police to “keep $50 in your pocket” in case of arrest applied to photographers in high-risk situations, and shouldn’t be taken to mean that bribes should be offered. When Dalglish said, “In the olden days, we all did things like that,” she was referring specifically to reporters learning to read upside down. Dalglish was not referring in her quotes to Columbian reporter Don Hamilton.