President’s Opening Day Remarks

President’s Remarks
Opening Day Faculty Meeting
August 17, 2006

Welcome to both new and returning faculty and staff.

When I look at you this morning, I can’t help but think of that day in 1970 when I attended my first opening faculty meeting at Pittsburg State.

I was 30 years old, a brand new Ph.D., and I was so proud to be a member of the university faculty. Whether you are a long-time member of the PSU faculty or staff, or brand new to the campus, I hope you are just as proud as I was on that day in 1970 and still am today to be part of the Pittsburg State University family.

It seems like yesterday. I remember President Budd, vice presidents Alvin Proctor and Ray Baird, Dean Aaron Harper and my department chairman, Bill Dickey. These and so many others influenced my life; the lives of many, many students; and helped shape this great university.

Well, my purpose this morning isn’t to stroll down memory lane, and I’m sure that’s a great relief to most of you. I share these fond memories with you this morning only to make a few points:

First, much has changed at Pittsburg State University and it has taken place in what seems a very short time. Change is one of the few things we can count on in our world and the pace of change accelerates each year.

Change is necessary for every institution and it is mostly a good thing.

Change is bad only when it is unexpected and unplanned. Anticipating and managing change is vitally important for the university if it hopes to carry out its mission in the challenging times ahead. That’s why the university’s planning process is so important and updating the five-year plan for the university will be a priority in the coming months.

Another point I would like to make is that if the change we undertake is to be positive and meaningful, we must begin by remembering our roots and remaining true to the core values that have served this university so well since its founding more than a century ago.

Those values, which are the essence of who we are, include:

1 - A personal connection with students

“We care about our students.” That’s not just a marketing slogan. When we care about students, we insist that they do well and reach their full potential.

2 - A commitment to excellence in teaching

We demonstrate this by striving to hire the very best faculty and giving them the equipment and facilities they need to be successful.

3 - Respect for all individuals and a high regard for diversity in both culture and thought.

In a time of intolerance, the university should be an example of tolerance and reason.

4 - A belief in the inherent value of service to the community and the wider world.

We will use those values as our touchstone as we plan for the years ahead.

Planning for the future is not new to Pittsburg State. It has been part of our tradition for a long time and we can point to significant changes that have come about because of planning.

The 2nd Century Taskforce, for example, recommended a number of actions that the university is already implementing. A full-time Study-Abroad coordinator, increased attention to the university’s marketing efforts and improving internal and external communications, including the university’s Web presence, are all efforts the university has undertaken as a result of that report. I want to thank again Dr. Steve Scott, Jennifer Schmidt and the members of the task force for their valuable work.

These are both exciting and challenging times at Pittsburg State University and in higher education across the nation. Some of the challenges are economic. Some are demographic. Still others will appear without warning and we must be nimble in order to respond to the unexpected and willing to adjust our course should the need arise.

Three of the many issues that the university will confront in the weeks and months ahead are the recruitment and hiring of new faculty and staff, deferred maintenance, and responsible energy and resource management.

• This year we will be taking a long, hard look at how we recruit and hire new faculty and staff. At Pittsburg State, as across the nation, the coming wave of retirements is making competition for the best faculty and staff intense. We must take a fresh look at our hiring process to see what changes we can make to become more effective in both attracting and hiring new faculty and staff.
  
• We expect deferred maintenance at the state’s university campuses to be a topic of much discussion during the 2007 legislative session. As part of that discussion, we expect a legislative study group to visit the campus this fall.

Many of you will remember the Crumbling Classroom initiative from several years ago. That effort funded some significant improvements across campus, including the renovation of Russ Hall. Since that time, however, there has not been a coordinated effort to address the needs of the state’s higher education infrastructure. This is just one of the issues that Dr. Howard Smith, in his new role as assistant to the president, will be involved with. Although Dr. Smith will continue to manage the Kansas City Metro Center, his permanent office is now in Russ Hall, which will allow him to be more visible both in the local community and in Topeka.

• The third issue that will be in front of us this year and probably for the foreseeable future is how we can responsibly manage energy as well as other resources and be good environmental stewards. These are global as well as local concerns and the university needs to be part of the discussion. During the upcoming year, we will encourage a dialog on campus about how we, both as individuals and as an institution, can conserve energy and address a wide range of environmental topics.

These three issues and many others will test our creativity and our energy over the coming year, but I am confident we are up to the challenge. This is a great opportunity for each of you to contribute to building a better university and I hope you are eager to share your thoughts, time and energy when the opportunity arises.

This week we begin work on an exciting new chapter in the life of Pittsburg State University. As we plan and prepare for a bright future, we thank those who have laid the foundation upon which we now build. This year we add to that ever growing list, people like Vice President Bob Ratzlaff and, shortly, Vice President James AuBuchon. Their dedication and leadership has enriched this university as well as the lives of countless students. And today, we welcome those persons who will, over time, write their own names in PSU’s history. Among them are Dr. Steve Scott, the new vice president for Academic Affairs; and Dr. Brad Hodson, the new vice president for University Advancement.

Each of you, whether you are a long-time member of the faculty or one of the new kids on the block, is unique. Each of you brings talents, skills, and creative ideas to your job that no one else possesses. Each of you is a valuable and valued thread in the fabric of Pittsburg State University. I hope you take some time during this busy day to reflect upon what a special thing it is to be part of the proud Pittsburg State University tradition.

Best wishes for a great academic year.