PRESIDENT'S
QUARTERLY REPORT November 10, 2000 Enrollment and Quality Climb Together
I
am happy to begin my report for the fall quarter by announcing that
Radford University (RU) welcomed a freshman class of 1763 students, the
largest entering class since 1992, drawn from the largest applicant pool
in a decade.
Applications from Virginians increased 6.7 percent over the total
for 1999 and 14.9 percent over that of 1998.
In terms of academic preparedness, this most recent freshman class
is slightly stronger than those of previous years, with an average high
school cumulative GPA of 3.01 and average composite SATI results of 987. The
new transfer class was also larger than in previous years, reversing a
slight two-year decline. This
fall, 673 transfer students began their studies at RU, showing a 3.9
percent increase over the entering class of 1999. RU's
steady progress in enrollment growth is happily coupled with an increasing
awareness from others that students receive a first-class education here.
It is gratifying to see our success affirmed outside the
University.
Last year, the Washington Post Company’s Kaplan/Newsweek College
Catalogue 2000 listed RU as a top school in several categories, one of
which was
“Schools Offering the Maximum Amount of Individual Academic
Attention.” This
year, U.S. News and World Report
ranks RU among the top public universities in the South.
For U.S. News and World
Report, academic reputation is one of the most heavily weighted
factors in determining a college's ranking, with the score determined
through surveys of other college presidents, academic provosts, and
admissions counselors.
RU's 3.3 rating was among the highest for all schools, and was
higher than some of those listed as top universities overall.
RU ranked 11th among 77 public universities in the
South. In
addition to the affirmation of quality that the U.S. News and World Report ranking reflects, RU was, for the second
year, positively cited in the Kaplan/Newsweek College Catalog.
In the most recent Kaplan survey, RU is listed among 10 schools in
the mid-Atlantic region recommended for students who "like an
academically challenging environment." Students Take Active Roles in Politics and the Community
This
fall, the Student Government Association (SGA) has worked closely with the
University’s administrative staff and with local business and city
officials to constructively address student issues and concerns. SGA
coordinated a Student Forum on voter awareness.
Guest speakers at the forum included the Voter Registrar for the
City of Radford, a congressional candidate, and a local county official
who, having won in a very close election, discussed the importance of
every vote.
Both the College Republicans and Young Democrats attended the
function and made “pitches” for their candidates. In
October, the SGA organized RU’s observance of the National Week of
Dialogue.
This program was promoted by the US Department of Education.
The week included many gatherings which afforded students and other
members of the University community opportunities to learn and talk about
diverse cultures.
It
began with a diversity-table display on Heth Plaza.
A Multicultural Reception, co-sponsored by the Diversity Promotions
Council of SGA, was designed to bring together diverse populations of the
RU community for a celebration of diversity.
A cookout was held on the Muse lawn where a diverse gathering of
students enjoyed a barbecue.
The
week concluded with a University Forum on Diversity that was co-sponsored
by SGA and the President’s Office.
The guest speaker at this forum was Jeannemarie Devolites, State
Delegate from Vienna, Virginia and a candidate for the Republican
nomination for Lieutenant Governor. The forum also featured a panel
comprised of members of the RU community.
The occasion represented the first time that RU’s SGA had
participated in this national event.
The SGA hopes to establish this activity as an annual tradition.
The SGA is also exploring the possibility of securing a grant to
fund this and other diversity projects in the future. Big South Conference Championship
Planning
sessions continue in preparation for the 2001 and 2002 Big South
Conference Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championship to be held in
Roanoke, Virginia, February 28 – March 3, 2001.
Media Day was held on October 30, 2000, at the Roanoke Civic
Center. Head
basketball coaches, pre-season men’s and women’s players-of-the-year,
sports information directors, media, conference staff, tournament
committee members, and other invited guests attended to officially
kick-off the 2000-2001 basketball season and to highlight the forthcoming
championship events in Roanoke. HomecomingCelebrations
of many elements of the University community were the cornerstone during
Homecoming 2000, October 13 and
14.
Friday’s Founders Day Convocation celebrated RU’s 90th
anniversary with a keynote address delivered by U.S. District Court Judge
James C. Turk in Preston Auditorium.
The ceremony featured the annual Alumni Awards presentation by
Alumni Association President Michael Wilkerson.
The 2000 recipients were:
The
program included a presentation to the students selected as the year 2000
Presidential Scholars.
This Founders Day Observance was concluded with the singing of the
Alma Mater, which was written by Florence Baird in 1913.
Waldron Hall Opens and Is DedicatedThanks
to Herculean efforts by RU's technicians and many other university
personnel, Waldron Hall opened this fall on schedule.
The technical support staff installed and configured approximately
110 microcomputers with Windows 2000, a large number of networked
printers, five multimedia classrooms, and one distance education
classroom.
RU's technicians are continuing work to complete the setup and
configuration of technology for the building’s Harvey Resource Center.
Work also continues with a vendor to install a high-tech Closed
Circuit TV System with ceiling mounted cameras in several treatment rooms.
This TV system will allow the School of Social Work and the
Departments of Communication Science and Speech Disorders and Counselor
Education to conduct patient sessions and to record or monitor the
sessions from observation rooms or faculty offices. The
dedication of Waldron Hall followed the Founders Day Convocation.
An open house was held featuring exhibits, health screenings and
other events by all units in the College. The
Waldron College continues to win major awards to support its educational,
research and clinical services programs: ·
A grant award of
$1,073,000.00 was received from the Division of Nursing, Human Resources
Services Administration to operationalize the mobile health clinic.
A chauffeur nurse and scheduler along with additional tele‑medicine
equipment will be provided through this award. ·
A grant award of
$225,000.00 was received from
the Jessie Ball DuPont Foundation to provide children's screening and
health care services in Craig County. ·
In addition,
$250,000.00 was received from the Scottish Rite to hire a speech
pathologist to provide outreach services on the mobile health unit for the
next five years. ·
Linda Farynk,
University Librarian, and Dr. Janet McDaniel, Coordinator of
Interdisciplinary Clinical Services for the Waldron College of Health and
Human Services, worked in partnership with representatives from Carilion
Health System in developing a grant proposal for a pilot project to
enhance utilization of the New River Valley Medical Center's Community
Resource Library and the George Harvey Health Information Resource Center.
In
the pilot project, a Waldron College graduate student will work under the
guidance of the Harvey Center Coordinator and Carilion's Community Health
Educator in surveying medical practices of case managers and discharge
planners to assess the health information needs of their client
populations. Based on their
findings, a health information delivery system will be designed to meet
their needs. The proposal was
awarded funding in the amount of $6,000 by the Radford Community Health
Foundation in September. Celebration of the Successful Capital Campaign
Friday
evening, the RU Foundation celebrated the success of Radford
University’s first Capital Campaign with a major event in the Dedmon
Center, in conjunction with the annual Partners in Excellence Banquet.
The Capital Campaign Gala and Partners in Excellence Program was
attended by more than 700 campaign benefactors and academic scholarship
recipients. The
final attainment of $26,674,481 has yielded and will yield many benefits
for RU: ·
Foundation assets
grew from $7.3 to $25.2 million; ·
96 new endowments
were created ranging in size from $10,000 to $2.5 million; ·
75 Presidential
Scholars matriculated to RU; ·
total academic
scholarships increased from 170 to 540 with the average nearly doubling; ·
the Kirk Scholars
Program was established to expand the University’s study abroad
opportunities; and ·
new international
programming was established through the $1.5 million McGlothlin Foundation
Endowment. Additionally,
the infrastructure at Selu Conservancy was expanded with the construction
of a retreat center, environmental science laboratory and observatory, and
the creation of a Distinguished Visiting Professor Program in
Environmental Arts and Sciences. It
is impossible to know from this perspective the extent to which this
successful Capital Campaign will enrich and positively affect the lives of
countless students, faculty members, and others.
It is clear, however, that these resources represent an enormous
investment in lifetimes, and that it will yield dividends for many years
to come. At
the gala, the Richardson Foundation was awarded the Partners in Excellence
Award. Since 1982, the
Foundation has supported the Speech and Hearing Clinic, the art gallery,
the Dalton Eminent Scholars Fund, the Living History Museum at Selu
Conservancy and more than 30 scholarships for students from the New River
Valley area. Mrs.
Mary Ann Jennings Hovis was recognized with the University’s highest
honor, the Foundation’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
She served as a Tri-Chair for its Capital Campaign, has been one of
its most active alumni leader for years, has established her own
scholarship endowment, and has helped facilitate many others. Rector
Jay Poole recognized the work of the Capital Campaign Executive Committee
and presented each member with a crystal vase as a momentum of his or her
contribution to the advancement of Radford University. A
videotape presentation entitled “RU on the Move” was premiered at the
gala event celebrating the successful culmination of the University’s
Capital Campaign. It captures
the new direction and focus of the university for 21st Century,
particularly in health and human services, business and economics, the
arts, international education and technology.
The Admissions Office and others will use this broadcast quality
program as an outreach instrument and a student marketing tool.
It represents a collaborative effort of the Offices of Public
Relations and Radio/Television. The Highlander FestivalThe
Office of Public Relations coordinates a number of special events on an
annual basis. One of the
major activities this semester was the Highlander Festival, which was
begun in 1996 and is now co-sponsored with the City of Radford.
Held on October 14 as part of the Homecoming celebration, the
festival drew more than 13,000 persons, a 30 percent increase over the
1999 attendance figures. Response
was very positive to the day-long activities which were expanded this year
in cooperation with the Student Government Association, Campus Activities
Board, and the Office of Alumni Affairs. As
a part of this festival, athletes and RU’s athletic heritage were the
focus of the annual Dedmon Center Celebration beginning with the women’s
soccer game at 2 p.m. on Saturday afternoon.
The RU Ambassadors hosted the annual Homecoming Barbecue Pig Roast
at the Dedmon Center soccer field. The
men’s soccer team played West Virginia University at 7 p.m. in the
Homecoming Game. Halftime
activities featured the presentation of the RU Spirit Cup.
Following the game, the athletic focus shifted from soccer to
basketball as “Late-night Lunacy” began in the Dedmon Center with a
preview of the 2000-2001 RU Basketball teams.
This event also served as a kickoff to the Big South Conference
Championship Tournament countdown. Faculty and Students Provide Educational Outreach to
the Community
The
Geology of Virginia CD ROM series has expanded with a third CD on the
Piedmont and Blue Ridge. The
new CD has been sent to the Virginia Division of Mineral Resources for
pressing and will soon be available to geology teachers in Virginia.
A fourth CD on Valley and Ridge Plateaus will eventually complete
the series. Dr. Robert
Whisonant, professor of Geology, and graduate students Lori Combs and
Phyllis Newbill went to the Science Museum of Western Virginia on
September 7 to work on the CDs with teachers.
Dr. Parvinder Sethi, Associate Professor of Geology, Dr. Whisonant,
and Ms. Combs trained teachers from the City of Roanoke on use of the CDs
September 9. On September 15,
Dr. Chester "Skip" Watts, Professor of Geology, Dr. Whisonant,
and Ms. Newbill conducted a workshop on the geology and geologic
challenges along the Blue Ridge Parkway for personnel at the Peaks of
Otter. The
Radford University Concert Band, led by RU Director of Bands Mark
Camphouse, presented its third annual set of Young People's Concerts on
Tuesday morning, October 3, 2000. The
two 45-minute assembly performances were attended by a total of 2300
students. The
"theme" of the concert was "An American Celebration,"
an interdisciplinary combination of music and social studies, and American
History, which depicted the upcoming general election, focusing on the
presidency. Radford Singers Visit Russia
The
Russian Ministry of Culture, the Russian Federation of Choral Conductors,
and the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) sponsored a symposium
on American choral music in Ekaterinburg (in the Ural Mountains in Western
Siberia) October 16-20, 2000. The
symposium featured American conductors working with Russian choral
conductors and choirs. The
central purpose of the symposium was to demonstrate the fine point of
interpretation of a wide variety of American literature.
In
August of 1999, the Russians and ACDA invited Director of Choral
Activities, David Castonguay to be one of the conductors offering clinics
for Russian choirs. He was
also invited to bring a RU choir to demonstrate American literature to the
assembled Russian conductors and choirs.
The Radford Singers was one of only three US choirs selected to
perform at the symposium. Two
faculty, David Castonguay and Robert Trent performed with 42 of our
students. Yelena Kulagina,
wife of RU professor Gregory Ioffe, accompanied the choir as guide and
interpreter. The choir
traveled for 11 days, visiting Moscow and Ekaterinburg.
In addition to their three performances, they attended public
performances of ballet, two operas, and an orchestral concert at the
Moscow Conservatory. The
choir toured the Kremlin and many historical museums and sites.
They also attended a high mass officiated by the Patriarch of the
Russian Orthodox Church. The
students paid for 2/3 of the cost of the trip.
The remaining third was raised through student-run raffles and the
generous support of the RU Foundation. Radford University Clinics
In
order to support the teaching and research interests of Waldron College
students and faculty, as well as the health information needs of the
clients served by the RU Interdisciplinary Clinics, the George Harvey
Resource Center has purchased a license to MD Consult.
MD Consult is the most comprehensive online clinical information
resource available. This
widely-respected database used by the National Institutes of Health,
hundreds of hospitals, and 80% of the medical schools in the United
States. Ms.
Pat Young, a full time clinic manager has been hired to coordinate all
aspects of clinical services at RU. These
clinics will involve clinical education programs from the Waldron College,
the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Education and Human
Development and the College of Visual and Performing Arts. Increasing Use of
Technology
It is clear that RU students have fully embraced the world of technology. Student ownership of personal computers, as well as their use of the Internet and of the campus network, increased dramatically as evidenced by fall opening statistics. By the end of the first day of classes, 1,896 computers in the residence halls were connected to the network. According to our most recent count, 2,450 computers are connected, indicating a record high and a huge increase over the prior year total of 1,928. The Technology Assistance Center (TAC) provided training and support for the Network Help Desk to assist students returning to campus for fall opening. This unit, sponsored by Residential Life, is comprised of student technicians who provide initial computer support for residence hall students. TAC personnel staffed the Help Desk call center during opening weekend to answer questions and provide technical support. Other technical employees staffed two technology information tables at Heth and Walker Halls to answer general questions and provide technical documentation. Learning from a
Distance
Distance
Education courses are on the rise, and a growing number of faculty are
interested in conducting courses at RU's home campus while also
transmitting to remote sites. To
accommodate the demand, two new specialty classrooms were constructed, one
in Waldron Hall on the RU campus and the other at the new Roanoke Higher
Education Center (RHEC). Both classrooms employ sophisticated VTEL technology that
enables interactive audio and video communication between faculty and
students. Technical staff
worked throughout fall opening to ensure that both new facilities were
operational despite difficulties caused by the Verizon strike and
contractor delays. Two classrooms were already operational in Young Hall on the
RU campus, one at Southwest Virginia Community College, and another at
Virginia Western Community College (VWCC).
Eleven weekly courses are being conducted in these six classrooms
during the fall semester. Technology Training is in DemandTechnology
training for faculty and staff continues to expand at RU.
Many of the courses offered through the Technology Training
Calendar website are completely filled on the first day of registration,
and as a result, waiting lists have been established.
As part of the development of the College of Technology and
Information Sciences, the University is expanding student exposure to
technology through a “technology across the curriculum” program.
We will support this educational initiative in many ways, including
the purchase and installation of popular software that faculty can
incorporate into a variety of curricula. The
Technology Training Advisory Committee continues to meet to assess
training needs and to develop the next phase of the proposed Technology
Training Center, which will be a part of the new college. A related task
force is developing plans to furnish and equip the Technology Training
Center at St. Albans. The Business Assistance Center (BAC) has hired two staff with
Microsoft certification to teach classes.
It has also purchased computer-based training software known as
NetG, which some RU faculty and staff are already using to develop
knowledge and skill with Microsoft Office. NetG is providing a new
dimension to the training offered at the RU by making available self-paced
or instructor enhanced courses that can lead to a certification option for
faculty, staff, and students. That
software will also be available to other constituencies for a fee once the
Training Center at St. Albans is fully operational. Institutional
Effectiveness
RU
has participated in the development of statewide Reports of Institutional
Effectiveness. The Reports of
Institutional Effectiveness are in response to a Blue Ribbon Commission
recommendation that the State Council of Higher Education (SCHEV) prepare
the reports and publish them electronically by July 1, 2001. In
August, I appointed five members of the staff to serve as the RU Work
Group for this project: Dr. Warren Self, Dr. Ann Ferren, Mr. David
Burdette, Dr. Norleen Pomerantz, and Dr. Rick Slavings.
Dr. Slavings was appointed as the institution’s Toolbox Project
representative. The
Toolbox Members met during the late summer and early fall several times to
develop a set of effectiveness indicators to be included in the toolbox.
The indicators included some that were selected as system-wide
measures, applicable to all institutions and some that could be selected
as institution-specific measures. In
October, members of the SCHEV staff, RU’s Work Group, the Faculty Senate
President, and other members of our staff met on the campus to discuss the
Reports of Institutional Effectiveness and to select appropriate
institution-specific measures. RU
is continuing to work with SCHEV staff to refine those measures and
identify data sources that will be used to operationalize the measures. Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
RU
has accepted an invitation from the Southern Association of Colleges and
Schools Commission on Colleges (SACS) to participate in a "pilot
project comprised of eight institutions broadly representative of the
types of institutions within the Commission's membership" as it
undergoes the process of reaffirming its accreditation.
Having been selected for participation in this pilot study reflects
favorably on our University’s reputation for offering a high quality
education. The
Commission on Colleges (COC) has received
support from the Pew Charitable Trusts to revise, refine, and
improve the process and standards by which institutions of higher
education apply for and receive accreditation. The
standards of the reaccreditation process remain very high.
A COC Task Force over the past twenty months has reshaped the
process and the criteria in ways that can make the reaccreditation effort
a more meaningful and valuable experience for colleges and universities.
The COC also intends that the revised criteria and process reduce
the time and labor required for institutions to demonstrate fitness for
reaccreditation. On
October 6, 2000, Dr. Ann Ferren, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr.
Christine Hermann, President of the Faculty Senate, Dr. Rick Slavings,
Associate Vice President for Institutional Research and Assessment, Dr.
Warren Self, Vice President for Planning and Research, and I attended a
workshop in Atlanta, GA. Leadership
teams from the other seven participating colleges and universities also
attended. I
have appointed a SACS Leadership Team, and RU has begun the work that will
lead to its reaccreditation in December 2002. Community
Activities
During
the past several months, I have been privileged to represent RU in a range
of venues through a variety of other professional and civic activities,
which include the following: May 5 Board Meeting May 6 Spring Commencement May 11 Hosted Staff Picnic May 12 Presented remarks at Dabney Lancaster Community College’s Commencement Ceremony May 25 Hosted reception for the Virginia Academic of Science conference June 9 Attended the Golden Reunion alumni dinner June 10 Attended the Golden Reunion alumni luncheon June 12 Hosted Cabinet Retreat June 14 Presented welcoming remarks at the Alliant Tech Conference June 14 Attended the Scottish Rite Luncheon June 16,18, Presented opening remarks at the Quest freshman orientation sessions 21,26,28 June 22-24 Attended Student Conservation Association Board meeting in Freeport, Maine June 28 Hosted meeting of the Senate Finance Advisory Committee July 19 Hosted meeting of community college presidents July 20 Presented greetings to members of the College Partnership Program July 27 Attended Selu Barn dedication August 8 Hosted luncheon for Radford City officials August 10 Presented greetings at luncheon for new faculty members August 11 Attended legislative dinner at Doe Run August 12 Attended River Float August 14 Presented welcome at RA’s and RD’s training program August 17 Presented remarks at Fall Convocation August 17 Presented remarks at Fall Sports Banquet August 19 Attended Highlander Picnic August 21 Attended Council of Presidents Meeting August 22 Attended GPAC Meeting August 24 Attended reception for new and returning minority students August 26 Hosted annual Faculty Dinner August
28
Presented welcoming remarks at International Student Banquet August 31- Board of Visitors Meeting Sept. 1 September 15 Hosted VPMEP meeting September 20 Attended the Junior Achievement Banquet September 22 Presented remarks at inauguration of Jack Lewis at NRCC September 25 Attend Mentoring Summit 2000 in Richmond September 25 Attended Council of Presidents Meeting September 26 Attended GPAC Meeting September 29 Presented remarks at Ring Ceremony September 30 Attended Picnic for Families (Parents Weekend) October 4 Attended meeting of Virginia’s Advisory Committee on Environment Education in Richmond October 6 Attended SACS meeting in Atlanta October 11 Presented report at the Virginia Business Higher Education Council meeting in Richmond October 12 Presented welcome to Business/Industry Council members October 12 Hosted dinner at Hickory Hill for Judge Turk, Founders Day speaker October 13 Presented remarks at Founders Day Convocation October 13 Presented remarks at Dedication of Waldron Hall October 13 Hosted luncheon for guests of Dedication Ceremony October 13 Presented remarks at Capital Campaign Gala October 14 Attended Alumni Homecoming Luncheon October 18 Attended TAP Luncheon October 18 Attended Multicultural Relations Forum October 20 Presented welcoming remarks at Foreign Language Conference October 23 Attended Council of Presidents Meeting October 24 Attended GPAC meeting October 30 Presented remarks at the Big South Conference Basketball Tournament Media Day at the Roanoke Civic Center Nov. 2-4 Attended Student Conservation Association Board Meeting in Washington, DC |
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