Things are not looking too good for Toyota. After having worked relentlessly on building up its image as the safest and most reliable car company, edging out General Motors for the top spot in car sales in 2007, the company's foundations seem to be crumbling at every turn.
Toyota received complaints from European customers in late 2008 about sticky accelerator pads, but was slow to correct the problem. Only last month, over a year later, did Toyota finally recall the vehicles — a whopping 2.3 million cars in the United States and over 9 million worldwide. And, this episode seems to be only the beginning. Most recently, Toyota is being investigated for problems with the brakes on its latest model of the Prius hybrid.
The stunning problems facing Toyota should be a stark warning to others. While Toyota had previously spent decades creating the image of reliability, the veil over the simmering issues beneath has finally been exposed. Most detrimentally, Toyota's slow response to this crisis and its lax handling of a defect present in its most popular models threaten to ruin the company.
What can the troubles facing Toyota teach Brown? Like Toyota, Brown has been steadily improving its image over the last several years. The Plan for Academic Enrichment, the renovations and the building of new facilities have all been a significant part of the effort to improve the quality of a Brown education.
The results of Brown's determined push for academic enrichment are all around us. Early decision applications were up 21 percent, and the number of total applicants has gone up by 46% over the past two years. At the same time, steady and observable progress continues to be made on the construction of the new Creative Arts Center and the renovations of Faunce House.
However, there have been setbacks looming just underneath the surface. The cancellation of the proposed Mind, Brain and Behavior Building and the collapse of the roof of the swimming pool were symptomatic of these issues. Most recently, a burst pipe in Alumnae Hall has indefinitely put the Gate out of commission, and left students on Pembroke campus in deep dismay over how to spend meal credits, especially late at night and on weekends.
While these small problems will not make or break Brown's reputation, they should be dealt with swiftly. Imagine what a prospective student staying in Andrews would think upon visiting Brown and realizing that the only late-night eatery is on the complete opposite side of campus. Any visitor who wonders aloud about going for an occasional swim is going to be sorely disappointed.
To make matters worse, President Ruth Simmons has recently announced budget cuts in order to close a gap in the University's budget for fiscal year 2011. While President Simmons has asserted that these budget cuts will not come at the expense of the plan for academic enrichment, there are several proposals that suggest otherwise.
The Organizational Review Committee, which was charged with finding savings and cost reductions, has released a report with many proposals, most of which will likely be endorsed by President Simmons and approved by the Corporation.
Some of the more egregious proposals include ending lunch at the Gate (which is obviously not an issue right now due to the great infrastructure already present), eliminating the current subscriptions to the New York Times and the Providence Journal (or charging Undergraduate Council of Students to keep it available) and ending inpatient care at Health Services. Additionally, President Simmons has gone as far as to state that layoffs are coming soon.
While these may not seem like a huge deal, they must not be ignored. Brown has earned its reputation as one of the premier institutions of higher education by constantly improving on its offerings. Even little things, like reading the paper in the morning or having the choice of a panini for lunch, can have a big impact on the experience of a prospective student.
Brown must insist on doing everything in its power to maintain the high caliber of its education. Toyota has already demonstrated what can happen to a company when it starts to skimp on the little things.
Once known for its dependability, Toyota now finds itself trying to put back together the shards of its reputation. The long and torturous process of assuaging the newfound doubts and fears of consumers is going to be a lot tougher and costlier than just fixing sticky brakes.
President Simmons better take a long look at Toyota and make sure that Brown does not start to lower the quality of its product. If Brown sacrifices its reputation in order to make a few budget cuts, fixing it will not be so simple.
Ethan Tobias '12 cannot wait until The Herald is the only daily publication in the dining halls and everyone will have to read his columns. He can be reached at Ethan_Tobias@brown.edu
