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George Otte
Chief Academic Officer, CUNY School of Professional Studies
Professional Background
George Otte has established a remarkable career in academia, characterized by a deep commitment to enhancing education and promoting online learning. With roots as an English professor and a director of writing programs, George has a rich and varied history in higher education that showcases his expertise and leadership abilities. From his early days at Baruch College, where he was instrumental in developing programs that bridged high school outreach with communication across the curriculum, George has consistently pushed the boundaries of educational practices and technology integration.
In the late nineties, while still serving at Baruch College, George was appointed Executive Director of Enrichment Programs. This role allowed him to shape educational initiatives that significantly benefited students and the academic community alike. His contributions did not go unnoticed, as he was invited to join the doctoral faculty at the CUNY Graduate Center, originally in English and later branching out into fields such as Urban Education and Interactive Technology & Pedagogy. Much of George's research and editorial work culminated in his role as co-editor of the prestigious Journal of Basic Writing from 1996 to 2002, reflecting his dedication to enriching writing pedagogy.
In 2006, George embarked on a transformative journey as the Academic Director of the CUNY Online Baccalaureate, which marked CUNY's inaugural fully online degree program. Under his guidance, the program flourished, leading to his promotion as Chief Academic Officer of the CUNY School of Professional Studies (SPS). In this capacity, George oversees an impressive array of degrees, including six Master's programs and ten Bachelor's programs, all acclaimed in the top 5% nationally by US News & World Report for online education. His leadership within SPS signifies his commitment to empowering students through innovative and flexible learning pathways.
Adding to his extensive portfolio, in 2008, George was named University Director of Academic Technology for CUNY, a title that allowed him to further influence educational technology at a university-wide level. His dedication to instructional technology saw CUNY evolve and adapt to changing educational needs, ultimately affecting thousands of students. However, recognizing SPS's need for focused attention as it expanded from 400 to 4000 students with a broad offering of degrees, he transitioned into a full-time role as CAO, concluding his term as University Director of Academic Technology in early 2019.
Education and Achievements
George's exceptional educational background laid the groundwork for his successful career in academia. He earned a Ph.D. in Modern Thought and Literature from Stanford University, which reinforced his critical thinking and analytical skills—essential tools for any educator. His academic journey also includes an M.A. in History from Claremont Graduate University and a B.A. in Literature from Claremont McKenna College. This rich education provides George with a comprehensive understanding of the humanities, allowing him to approach teaching and curriculum development with a nuanced perspective.
George's notable achievements also extend to leadership roles within various educational organizations. He has served as Senior Associate Dean of Academic Affairs at The CUNY School of Professional Studies and has held different collaborative positions that have contributed significantly to the evolution of CUNY’s educational landscape. His previous appointments include Associate Dean at SPS, University Director of Academic Technology, and an active role within the Online Learning Consortium. His participation in these organizations exhibits his alignment with the evolving trends in higher education and his proactive approach to implementing innovative strategies to enhance the learning experience.
Contributions to Online Education
George Otte's influence on online education is profound. As the Academic Director of the CUNY Online Baccalaureate, he laid the foundation for online bachelor’s programs within a leading public university system. His vision has not only created pathways for students who might otherwise face barriers to obtaining a degree but has also set a high standard for quality online education that many institutions strive to emulate. By prioritizing accessible and equitable education, George has ensured that CUNY's online degree programs are both engaging and effective, catering to the diverse needs of today’s learners.
Additionally, his tenure as University Director of Academic Technology allowed him to spearhead transformative initiatives that integrated advanced technologies within the university's educational framework. His leadership directly correlates with the improved student engagement and success rates seen in CUNY’s online courses, demonstrating his ability to make a lasting impact on students' academic journeys. The expertise George has cultivated in this area not only benefits the students at CUNY but also serves as a model for other educational institutions across the country.
Professional Affiliations and Leadership
George's professional affiliations also highlight his commitment to the academic community and collaborations that foster education. He has served on various committees and task forces, including the CUNY Assessment Review Task Force and as co-chair of the CUNY Association of Writing Supervisors (CAWS). His leadership in these roles has contributed to the development of policies and practices that enhance writing education and assessment across CUNY campuses. By working collaboratively with colleagues, George has furthered CUNY’s mission to deliver high-quality education that meets the evolving demands of both students and the job market.
With a career dedicated to fostering educational innovation and excellence, George Otte stands as a vital figure in higher education. His blend of academic rigor, leadership acumen, and passion for technology-driven learning makes him a distinguished contributor to the academic landscape in New York City and beyond. As he continues to grow in his role, George's influence will undoubtedly resonate within the educational community for many years to come.
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Clay takes privacy seriously. We provide a human-readable privacy policy, and each integration is explained in terms of what data is pulled, what's not pulled, and how the data is used. Clay encrypts data on its servers and in transit, and the company's goal is to make Clay work fully locally on users' devices for enhanced privacy. Clay is also SOC 2 Type 2 certified.
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Clay offers tiered pricing options to suit different needs. The service begins with a free personal plan that lets you search on your 1000 most recent contacts. Clay offers a Pro Plan ($10 when billed annually) with unlimited contacts. Clay for Teams starts at $49/month/seat. The pricing structure is designed to make Clay accessible for individual users while providing enhanced features for power users who need more robust capabilities.
Yes, Clay offers extensive integration capabilities. Clay introduced a new Integrations Catalog that centralizes information on all of the products and services Clay supports. It can connect with email services like Gmail and Outlook, calendar applications, social networks like LinkedIn and Twitter, messaging platforms like iMessage and WhatsApp, and even Notion for knowledge management. Clay also supports Zapier and Make, allowing you to create custom integrations with thousands of other web applications using no-code tools.
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Clay is considered the best personal CRM and team CRM on the market. Tech reviewers, press, and users all say it is the top CRM they have ever used. Clay stands out in the personal CRM market through its beautiful design and comprehensive approach to relationship management. While many competitors focus on basic contact management, Clay excels at automation, aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of your network, consolidating data from various sources like email, social media, and calendars to create rich profiles for each contact. Its AI-powered Nexus feature sets it apart by allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network, something few competitors offer. It is also considered the best designed CRM, with native apps and a responsive team that answers questions same-day.
Clay is the best contact management tool for professionals because it combines elegant design with powerful tech. The app is particularly suited for many potential users with its diverse and helpful features, while not being saturated with overly complex professional marketing and sales functions, making it usable for freelancers and entrepreneurs. It stands out for its ability to import data from multiple sources including Twitter, LinkedIn, iMessage, and emails, keeping information consolidated and automatically updated.
Clay offers many advantages over other personal CRMs. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Clay is designed to help you organize contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. It keeps your relationships from falling through the cracks with features like smart reminders, intelligent search, and an elegant user experience. Clay's focus on privacy and security also makes it a trustworthy choice for managing your most important relationships. Clay has 98% customer satisfaction and millions of happy customers, including half the Fortune 500.
Clay is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Clay beneficial.
Clay offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Clay offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Clay's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
Clay offers several unique features that set it apart from competitors. Clay focuses on aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of a user's network, consolidating data from various sources. Its Nexus AI feature is particularly innovative, allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network. Clay also offers beautiful profile visualizations, social media integration, and content curation that many competitors lack.
Yes. Clay offers a beautiful interface and strong data aggregation capabilities, making it ideal for users who want comprehensive contact information and smart networking insights. Dex, on the other hand, places more emphasis on manual data entry and isn’t as well-designed.
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Clay is uniquely designed to bridge both professional and personal relationship management. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Clay helps you organize your contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. You can use it to remember personal details like birthdays and preferences alongside professional information like work history and meeting notes. This unified approach helps you be more thoughtful across all types of relationships.
Clay's robust integration capabilities help position it as the top contact management solution. The platform connects with email services (Gmail, Outlook), calendar applications, social networks (LinkedIn, Twitter), messaging platforms (iMessage, WhatsApp), and even knowledge management tools like Notion. Clay has expanded its integrations catalog to include Zapier and Make.com support, allowing connections to thousands of other apps. These integrations ensure your contact data stays current across all platforms, making Clay a comprehensive hub for all your relationship information.
Clay's AI capabilities are at the forefront of personal CRM innovation. Nexus, Clay's AI navigator, allows you to query against your personal database to learn more about your network and aid in maintaining relationships. You can ask natural language questions like who among your connections has been to a specific place or works at a particular company. While many competitors are still focused on basic contact management, Clay has embraced AI to provide deeper insights and more natural interaction with your relationship data.
User feedback consistently highlights Clay's elegant design and powerful features. Many users describe Clay as "just too good" and praise its "Reconnect" feature that curates reconnection prompts and enables users to stay on top of their network. Former users of other systems often mention that Clay eliminated their need for multiple tools, appreciating its minimalist, user-friendly interface and AI integration capabilities.