|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| State of the University
2002 - Page 1
State
of the University Speech A sizeable and enthusiastic crowd was once gathering for a speech by the President of the United States – it was Herbert Hoover, I think – and Will Rogers was reported to have observed, with mock incredulity, that it was almost as if people actually believed the President had something to do with running the Country. I am soberly aware that the important work of the University is carried out in arenas remote from the third floor of Wickes Hall, but I hope our discussion today can help to put that work in a context. A sense of confusion and vulnerability still lingers throughout our Land – and we and our University are very much a part of this Land. It has to do with terrorism; it likely has something to do with the state of our economy; it may also be that events have caused us to re-examine matters we thought were settled or question things we believed were true. We are not likely to resolve problems of international proportions here this semester; and some of our own local problems remain vexing; but a context may be helpful – a context of where we have been and where we have come, a context of who we are and what we believe. * * * First, some
facts and indicators and projections about the "State"
of our University:
We have the responsibility to both teach and demonstrate understanding between peoples of diverse backgrounds and cultures. And never has the need to teach and demonstrate understanding been more critical. Sixty students
of Middle-eastern origin are on this campus, and one can only imagine
how conspicuous they felt in recent months. But with only a very
few ugly exceptions, they report that our domestic students as well
as faculty and staff have offered friendship and, if anything, a
heightened sensitivity to their well-being.
The current Plan still calls for overall enrollment growth at a compounded rate of 3% peryear, reaching some 10,000 students by the year 2005. International
students presently account for approximately 4% of total enrollment,
though this anticipated growth may well slow as federal immigration
policies become more restrictive. Finally, it also sets targets of 75 Presidential Scholars and 35% of the entering freshman class with a 3.5 GPA or higher. We are on or ahead of schedule with respect to these goals.
There are a
number of additional indicators of institutional strength. Last
semester a "student satisfaction survey" asked 3,300 of
our students if they agreed with various statements. On some otherwise
disagreeable day in February you may wish to remember these appreciative
responses:
Well, most responses
were appreciative. It may also surprise you, as it did me, to learn that more than 65% of our resident students have computers in their rooms. As is obvious from this chart, how we teach and learn and communicate with one another has changed in consequential ways over the past few years. This may be another sign of academic and organizational health – though it is useful to bear in mind that while our reliance on technology is increasing relentlessly the critical issues in teaching and learning are and always will be primarily social, not technological. Second, endowment growth over the past decade has permitted us to create six endowed chairs, visiting artists and scholars programs, a variety of lectureships and other special events, and provide tens of thousands of dollars for student fellowships and scholarships. Endowment income does not generate a huge sum of money relative to our overall institutional expenditures, but it does support creative programs and qualitative improvements that would otherwise be unaffordable. We are deeply grateful to all of those – including faculty and staff – who made this endowment growth possible. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The
enrollment of international students continues to increase, reaching
a total of 383 students this past semester. These students come
from 50 different countries and they contribute in a variety of
ways to this increasingly cosmopolitan campus. They are wonderfully
generous in sharing their cultures – especially their food
– but we have still not yet taken full advantage of what they
bring to our campus.
"Presidential
Scholars" are those students who were either valedictorian
or salutatorian of their high school graduating class. This past
fall 60 Presidential Scholars entered this University. In addition,
this past fall more than 32% of our first-year students had earned
a grade point average of 3.5 or higher in their high school studies.
The
University also continues to grow and develop and re-develop its
principal asset – the faculty and staff. We are in the midst
of a change of fairly dramatic proportions – more than 57.5%
of our full-time faculty have served this institution for less than
ten years. Changes in our professional staffing have been equally
dramatic. Virtually all of our academic departments and administrative
offices have been refreshed with the addition of new talent; on
the other hand we risk significant loss of institutional memory
in the near future. And there are things worth remembering.
