Bloomsburg University President

Dear Campus Community ...

2011-11-14T06:08:00.000-08:00

We are all deeply concerned about the handling of the allegations of sexual abuse/sexual assault of minor children by a former Penn State coach.

Therefore, I am immediately instituting a full review of the following policies and procedures (including reporting requirements, where reports can be made, how reports are made, etc.) at BU:

• Sexual harassment
• Abuse, sexual and otherwise
• Unwanted sexual activity
• Illegal activity, such as child pornography

If you see, hear about or know about possible child abuse on our campus, please immediately contact University Police at (570) 389-4168. After making this phone call, inform your immediate supervisor who in turn will contact his/her respective vice president.

These individuals will also immediately contact University Police. What is essential is that university police are notified immediately. Nothing is more important that the health and safety of all members of the Bloomsburg University community and visitors to our campus, particularly children.

A community pulling together

2011-09-12T13:57:00.001-07:00

We are all experiencing a stressful and challenging time as we first anticipated and prepared for the Flood of 2011 and now are dealing with its aftermath. Our initial concern was, of course, for the personal safety of our students, faculty and staff.

We have lost seven days of classes due to the university closure. Faculty leaders and academic administrators are working to adjust class periods, schedule additional sessions as necessary, and establish other ways for students to achieve all course learning outcomes.

Fall Semester will not be extended in December and final examinations will be held as scheduled during the week of December 12 – 16, 2011.

Now, with the campus closed through the week, we turn to the needs of Bloomsburg University’s hometown, the Town of Bloomsburg. My emergency management team has met daily not only to make the difficult decisions about the status of the university, but also to hear about community needs we can meet. We currently are housing Pennsylvania National Guard troops on campus and providing BU shuttle buses and equipment to assist with clean-up efforts.

Although it may seem inconsequential at a time like this, we decided to move ahead with athletic contests this week. Most of the games, with the exception of soccer, are being hosted by the Huskies’ opponents and the competitions give all of us a little diversion when we sorely need it.

Recovery from a natural disaster of this magnitude will take months, if not years. We expect to have potable water on campus again on Thursday and will be ready to welcome our students back over the weekend for classes to resume Monday, Sept. 19.

When classes resume, the need for volunteers will continue and BU efforts will be cordinated through the Solve Office. Our friends, neighbors and members of our campus community will continue to need our help and I encourage you to lend a hand.

Thank you to the essential employees who have been instrumental in the recovery efforts both in Town and on campus. Also, I want to thank all faculty and staff who have and continue to volunteer during this time

Welcome back Huskies!

2011-08-30T11:01:00.000-07:00

If you were in Bloomsburg this summer, you know this campus doesn’t sleep between mid-May and the end of August. But there’s definitely a new level of energy on campus at this time of year. We will need all of the energy we can muster for everything that is happening, starting this week.

On Thursday, Sept. 1, you will be part of our first Husky Pride Day. You’ll see a lot of maroon and gold all over campus to build excitement for the season’s first football game at Redman Stadium that evening. Kickoff is at 6 p.m. when our Huskies — who are ranked 10th in the nation — go against Ashland University. I hope you’ll be there and support the Huskies all season long.

October is going to be one of the busiest months of 2011-12. We’ll have Homecoming on Oct. 8 and Parents and Family Weekend on Oct., 29.

Also in October, we’ll have the first Zeigler Professional Development Institute conference for the College of Business. Additionally, we are hosting the annual PASSHE Diversity Conference.

Speaking of diversity, you will be asked during the spring semester to share your perceptions via the Campus Climate Survey. All students, faculty and staff will be invited to help us examine how different groups experience BU. I encourage you to share your experiences, voice your thoughts and help us realize our vision of an inclusive institution.

Other surveys you may receive will collect information on student engagement, residence halls and campus risks. If asked to complete one or more of these surveys, please accept.

The new academic year will require a high level of mindfulness as we move forward with a balanced budget while continuing to be good stewards of every dollar. It will be intense as we solidify the new general education model that melds academic and co-curricular opportunities.

And, it will be both thought-provoking and inspiring as we examine new concepts and ideas together.

I wish you a wonderful, fulfilling year.

What the new PA budget means to us

2011-07-25T08:41:00.000-07:00

It is no understatement to say our faculty, staff and, especially, our students closely followed this year’s budget discussions after the proposed 50 percent cut to our allocation.

Fortunately, the budget enacted on June 30 contained a smaller cut (18%) than first suggested; however, it still impacts our institution and our students as we face a reduction of $90 million in state and federal funding for the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, equal to about $802 per full-time student.

Many times during the lengthy budget process, PASSHE Chancellor John Cavanaugh and I pledged we would not ask our students and their families to bear the entire burden of a reduction in state funding. Consequently, the PASSHE Board of Governors approved a tuition increase of $436 for 2011-2012.

Although this is a larger increase than in recent years, our annual tuition remains among the lowest of all four-year colleges and universities in Pennsylvania and well below the national average among all public institutions.

I am extremely pleased to say our institution will continue to operate with a balanced budget in 2011-2012, in spite of this year’s decreased allocation.
Bloomsburg University has a long history of fiscal responsibility upon which to build as we assess how we may decrease our costs while seeking alternative sources of revenue.

Strong stewardship of public funding and private donations, coupled with sound business practices, means we will continue to move forward with the priorities established by our strategic plan, Impact 2015: Building on the Past, Leading for the Future:

Enhancing academic excellence

Achieving excellence while ensuring financial sustainability

Designing an enrollment vision in terms of demand, program mix and capacity

Fostering and developing a strong sense of community

If you have not read our strategic plan recently, I encourage you to familiarize yourself with Impact 2015.

In this era of steadily declining fiscal support for public higher education we have to make difficult fiscal decisions about the programs and services that we offer. In line with our strategic plan, we will move forward with our innovative general education model developed through the collaborative efforts of faculty and staff.

The model, which melds academic and co-curricular opportunities to achieve a set of comprehensive and challenging learning outcome designed to “prepare students for personal and professional success in an increasingly complex global environment," is on track to launch in fall 2012.

We are committed to combining operational efficiencies with identifying and raising the funding necessary to support high quality academic programs and student support services across campus that enable our students to earn their college degrees regardless of their family’s financial picture.

This academic year the entire Bloomsburg community must work together to continue to implement our strategic plan in light of the realities of the “new normal” for public higher education. As we confront budgetary challenges, it is important to remain focused on the lifetime value a Bloomsburg University education provides to our students and their families, the region, the commonwealth and the global community.

More to summer than just suntans and barbecues

2011-06-27T05:48:00.000-07:00

Summer evokes images of the beach, camp fires and swimming pools. During these warm months, most of our students spend time at home with family, work part-time jobs and get re-energized for the fall semester.

But not all.

Within days of spring commencement, groups of Bloomsburg University students embarked on planes destined for study abroad programs in different parts of the world. Since then, more than 90 students have immersed themselves in the cultures and traditions of Africa, Chile, China, France, Germany, Italy and Spain, to name a few.

We have been fortunate to have several students share their global experiences through blogs on our website, such as Meghan Sullivan in the Dominican Republic and Ariana Winder in China.

And I recently had the opportunity to spend a week with Dr. Ekema Agbaw, professor of English, 22 BU students and five other faculty members in Cameroon, seeing the benefits of study abroad in person and signing an agreement to expand our strong international exchange program with the University of Buea.

Of all the places I’ve traveled for work or pleasure, this was my first trip to Cameroon and to Africa.

Our students were certainly having a wonderful and positive, life-influencing experience on their five weeks of study and travel in Africa. Half of the group was elementary education majors who were doing some of their teaching practicum in public and private schools. All of the students took two or three courses at the University of Buea and engaged in cultural exchanges with students and residents of the town of Buea on the slope of Mt. Cameroon.

I was able to go with the group on a fascinating hike in the Korup Rainforest (the oldest rainforest in the world). All of the students and professors made the hike including the crossing of a very long suspension bridge to get to the trailhead. A few days later, only 11 of us made the steep hike up to the first hut on the trail up Mt. Cameroon from the town of Buea. We were all guest of the Governor of the Southwest Region for the National Day Parade and at his private dinner that evening. I learned many things in my one week of academic and cultural exchange in Cameroon and presume our students learned so much more during in depth, five-week experience in that fascinating country.

I’m sure we will be hearing of some of their personal experiences and impressions on our Today page.

I’m a very strong supporter of international education. What used to center mainly on exposure to another culture has grown into an educational experience that prepares students for life in today’s global society. Both personally and professionally, I believe it is vital for as many students as possible to study in a country outside their homeland, whether it is U.S. students going abroad or international students coming here.

This approach to education directly supports our mission statement: Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania is an inclusive comprehensive public university that prepares students for personal and professional success in an increasingly complex global environment.

As our overall enrollment has grown at BU, so has our enrollment of international students, with, China, Russia and Saudi Arabia leading the way. Most of the Russian students — more than 100 in the past decade — enroll as part of a double-degree program with the Moscow Finance Academy. The affiliation began with 25 students in 2003.

Thanks to its popularity, the U.S. State Department now lists BU as one of the top five destinations for Russian students seeking bachelor’s degrees. The double-degree program, coordinated locally by Dr. Saleem Khan of the economics department, also offers our students the opportunity to study at the Finance University for a summer, a semester or a year.

It’s almost a cliché to say every student leaves his or her mark on a college campus. The variety of backgrounds, religions, ethnicities and, yes, nationalities our students bring to BU from a neighboring county or another country add a special perspective to classroom discussions, extracurricular activities and our campus in general. I believe learning about what we hold in common and understanding how we differ provides an invaluable perspective for a well-educated citizen.

Guidance through a clear, direct message

2011-04-26T06:46:00.000-07:00

It’s not hard to guess what’s been in the forefront of my mind of late. I’ve spent the bulk of recent weeks in various discussions, meetings and hearings regarding the state budget proposal. Governor Tom Corbett’s record level of proposed cuts to higher education and the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE), has left us feeling a bit unsettled, to say the least.

And we’re left in limbo until we see a response to the proposed budget from the state Senate and General Assembly and, eventually, a final budget. For now, everything remains on the table related to any actions or decisions needed to balance our university’s budget for 2011-12.

However, I’m optimistic. Our efforts in recent weeks have been well-received and we have been very successful in getting our message to the state legislators who, in turn, have responded positively. I feel the success is attributed to the fact the PASSHE message is clear and direct: We provide a high-equality education at an affordable price to a large percentage of Pennsylvania students who become contributing citizens and young leaders of this Commonwealth.

Nearly 90 percent of our students are state residents and more than 80 percent of our graduates either pursue additional professional training and education or take jobs in Pennsylvania. It doesn’t stop there. Nearly two-thirds of our 62,000 alumni reside in Pennsylvania. So we not only educate, we provide an economic stimulus.

Corbett’s proposed $232.6 million represents more than a 50 percent cut to the general fund appropriations to PASSHE. If approved, the budget will reduce the state allocations to PASSHE to about the same levels of when the State System was formed in 1983. This is the greatest proposed cut to higher education of any state in our country at any time in history. Fortunately, our legislators see the value of a PASSHE education. We’re confident we will not see a cut of this magnitude, but the size of the budget cut we will see remains unknown.

The good news is: we do expect a state budget to be passed by the end of June – something that hasn’t happened in recent years. That means the PASSHE Board of Governors will be prepared to set tuition rates sooner than in previous years and we’ll be able to provide more specific information to our students, parents, alumni, faculty and staff.

In the meantime, students continue to remain our number one priority. That fact won’t change. And, in the midst of this unprecedented budget crisis, we will not sacrifice the quality of our students’ education. In spite of the challenges, BU will thrive and continue to do what it does so well – educate the students of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Keeping quality education affordable

2011-03-10T06:12:00.000-08:00

In today’s austere economic environment, we fully expected Governor Tom Corbett to propose deep, across-the-board cuts in the budget he announced this week. While we await a full analysis of his budget’s effects on Bloomsburg University’s students and their families, we anticipate the proposal could have an effect no one wants — deterring some students from seeking or completing their degrees.

Historically, Bloomsburg has provided education to our commonwealth’s sons and daughters. Today, nearly 90 percent of our 9,000 students are Pennsylvania residents who remain here after graduation to work and raise families; 40 percent of our students are the first members of their families to attend college.

We take very seriously our mission to provide them with a quality education at an affordable cost and are deeply concerned about the impact of this budget proposal, if approved by the state legislature, could have on our students’ futures.

We assure our students that we will do everything possible to avoid disruptions in their education. We will continue to be responsible stewards of tuition dollars and the public funds we receive, building on our successful record of cost reductions over the past decade. However, we cannot address the impact of the proposed budget cuts only by reducing our costs.

As we move forward, we will be guided by measures of student success centered on providing a high-quality education, creating the best learning environments, generating sufficient financial resources and partnering with our community and our state to create and sustain a strong economy.

Most of all, we will continue to focus on providing a high-quality education that is affordable for our students. Our commonwealth’s future depends on well-educated citizens.

Welcome to a new virtual era

2011-03-01T06:39:00.000-08:00

A year ago, we began telling the Bloomsburg University story in a more profound voice to more people. And in the past 12 months, it’s only gotten better.

Last February we launched a redesigned university website, followed a few months later by a new sports website. Each made an immediate impact with a sleeker design, more captivating layout and simpler navigation, as well as increased connectivity with social media.

The new BU website is helping to reinforce the issues and direction of our strategic plan, Impact 2015: Building on the Past, Leading for the Future, in an efficient and interactive manner.

In this day and age of immediacy, we can’t wait for external media – predominantly newspapers, television and radio – to tell our story. There’s a growing audience eager to learn more about the talented and intelligent individuals who learn, work and live here. They want the story sooner than later. And we’re committed to do just that. Plus, who knows these engaging stories better than we do?

As a result of our enhanced web presence, more than 7 million people over the past year saw weekly examples of why BU is a university of choice among a growing number of prospective students and a university that develops individuals to be contributing citizens.

One example is the story of Lisa Lapina, a senior education major, who spent the summer in Zambia, Africa, researching the effects of poverty on the education of at-risk children. Lisa took us on her journey through a blog on our website, which eventually led to several on-campus presentations this last semester and a full-page story in the Pennsylvania State Education Association online magazine.

Another successful web launch was the story of the innovative after-school program our Languages and Cultures department has with two Bloomsburg elementary schools. Our students are introducing French and Spanish to more than 100 second- through fifth-graders at an earlier age, as well as gaining an added year of classroom teaching experience themselves. This pilot program drew the attention of My College Guide, an annual magazine mailed directly to the homes of 130,000 high-achieving high school students nationwide. My College Guide featured our story in its online edition this past fall.

Dozens of new features, commentaries and news items pop up on our website and social media every week. Most recently many of our online audience expressed surprise to learn that we have an Ice Hockey Club team, which by the way is closing in on a second consecutive league championship. An update on their progress is expected this week, as are new videos documenting a Quest winter break trip to Mt. Washington, New Hampshire, and a photo gallery showcasing the impressive turnout for the recent student-led environmental awareness event.

You never know what you may learn on a given day through our online presence, no matter how many years you’ve been connected with BU. In case you may have missed out this past year, don’t worry. There are plenty more projects in the works for 2011 that will make our website even more engaging and accessible to you!

Live … learn … study in Russia

2011-01-31T11:18:00.001-08:00

If you recall last month, I wrote about the rewarding advantages of studying abroad and the many opportunities Bloomsburg University students have to take their BU experience internationally. Another unique global opportunity for students, including those at our 13 PASSHE sister institutions, will be in the spotlight on campus this week.

Our collaborative study abroad program with Moscow Finance University is gearing up for another term, of which our students can learn about first-hand Tuesday, Feb. 8, from Saleem Khan, professor of economics and BU’s Russian Program director. The open forum will begin at 5 p.m. in room 302 of the Bakeless Center.

I’m personally looking forward to hearing more about this unique collaboration that offers our students a chance to step into the world of globalization at a prestigious university featuring 40 departments, three institutes and branches in seven regions of Russia.

The program features three options, including a double-degree economics program that brings Russian students to Bloomsburg. Nearly 100 Finance University students have attended classes here and graduated from BU since 2003. As for our students, they have the opportunity to study for a semester, the summer or an entire academic year at the university in Moscow. During those terms, students can pursue areas of economics, language, arts and music … in individually tailored programs, with most classes taught in English.

A bonus, as with all study abroad programs, students can immerse themselves in the rich culture of their host country. As for Moscow, not only does it boast a deep history that dates back to the early 12th century, it features a vast mass transit system, famous museums and world-renowned architecture, such as the Cathedral of Christ the Savior and the Seven Sisters.

Just like other study abroad opportunities where students enjoy tremendous educational experiences in some of the most-desired destinations across the globe, the Russian Study Abroad program is a wonderful opportunity for our students to live … learn … and study the world as they prepare for careers in the global economy.

A new face for state leadership

2011-01-24T06:37:00.000-08:00

Last week the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania inaugurated its 46th governor, just in time to begin work on next year’s budget. Among Tom Corbett’s key campaign initiatives – on top of pledges to make Pennsylvania a leader in business growth, agriculture, job creation, transportation, energy production and education – is to maintain fiscal responsibility.

This initiative, which mirrors one of Bloomsburg University’s four key strategic issues, is directly tied to the state budget and the legislature’s annual appropriation for higher education. As a member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, we are paying close attention to Corbett’s approach to this campaign promise.

So much so that two members of Chancellor John Cavanaugh’s staff will visit our campus today (Monday, Jan. 24). They will talk about ways we can work with our 13 sister universities to show support for PASSHE while stressing the impact government funding has on tuition, fees, program offerings and other facets of student life.

It’s no secret state funding for higher education has significantly declined in recent years; to the point that only 29% of our operating budget is funded by the state this year. As a result, tuition across the 14 universities increased by 4.5 percent for 2010-11 and 3.7 percent for 2009-10. The economic burden has fallen more heavily on the shoulders of students and their families and forced universities to increasingly rely on donor support.

Despite the economic challenges, BU continues to provide our students with outstanding educational opportunities. The wonderful reputation of our academic programs, faculty and staff is reflected in record enrollment, year after year.

BU is proud to provide an excellent, affordable education that prepares students for success in our multicultural society and global economy.

Launching student innovation

2011-01-18T06:12:00.000-08:00

I am a thinker. I am a builder. I am a doer. I’m an entrepreneur.

As we welcome students back from winter break, this message is being spread across campus with the hope of sparking – well, more like launching – a new way of fostering student entrepreneurial creativity. The effort will begin later this week with the help of several successful alumni.

Bloomsburg University will host its first LaunchPad symposium Thursday, Jan. 20, featuring three Husky alumni entrepreneurs, who will share their success stories, and the director of the Greater Susquehanna Keystone Innovation Zone, who will explain how our current students’ innovative ideas can be supported by the local KIZ. You may have heard previously of KIZ; it’s a statewide initiative to build knowledge-based economies and cultivate entrepreneurship in Pennsylvania.

I’m looking forward to seeing this collection of talent come together on campus to exchange ideas, brainstorm and give our students unique access to the secrets of entrepreneurial success. That success, as students will learn from our alumni, can begin here in a classroom, laboratory or a residence hall study lounge. Our students will also benefit from face-to-face feedback on their marketable ideas and the chance to network with professionals and other potential entrepreneurs.

This symposium is another example of how BU takes learning beyond the classroom and presents it in multiple ways that are easily accessible to students. It also gives our students a tremendous opportunity to enhance their academic success, while launching them on their way to making an impact in the world.

Another semester to celebrate

2010-12-22T06:43:00.000-08:00

Another eventful and productive year at Bloomsburg University comes to a close as we conclude the fall 2010 semester and begin to enjoy the holidays with friends and family.

Our campus will remain relatively quiet for five weeks until it bustles again with students and faculty returning for the spring semester. A much-needed holiday break is upon us, and one we definitely deserve after such a busy semester.

It was a semester of:

Landmark moments, including a campus walk to commemorate a significant event in the Civil Rights movement 55 years ago, the unveiling of the renovations at Hartline Science Center and Nelson Field House and our annual Breast Cancer 5K Walk/Run fundraiser which raised a record $11,000.

New projects, such as an effort by our language students to introduce French and Spanish to local elementary students and a highly successful weekly on-campus Farmer’s Market.

Community service, including sororities who used a meet-and-greet to introduce freshmen to their volunteer service endeavors and more than 50 students joining together to help our neighboring communities become more environmentally clean.

There has been plenty to celebrate this fall, and the holiday season is the perfect time to reflect on everyday simple gifts. Please enjoy this special holiday greeting from Bloomsburg University. Season’s Greetings and Happy New Year!

Answering the call for economic recovery

2010-12-14T05:46:00.000-08:00

Three weeks ago, I was involved in discussions with fellow presidents from more than 200 state colleges and universities trying to find solutions to this country’s decline in college-educated professionals in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. This shortage exists at the same time there is a growing need for a highly educated workforce to drive the economic recovery.

In a few days, Bloomsburg University will be doing its part to remedy this trend by ushering more than 650 well-rounded, highly educated graduates into these and other job markets. Many will enter the areas we presidents discussed at the annual meeting of the American Association of State College and Universities (AASCU).

One hundred sixty-five students will receive master’s degrees during graduate commencement Friday, Dec. 17, and 500 bachelor’s degrees will be conferred during two undergraduate commencement ceremonies Saturday, Dec. 18.

Graduation is a wonderful reminder of why we’re here: developing young adults into responsible citizens and preparing them to be leaders in their chosen field. With pride, I will shake hands with the December graduates -- 170 more than last December. It’s a confirmation we’re doing our job as a higher education institution … and doing it well.

This weekend’s ceremonies will also remind me of the many challenges we face as a public university. A key focus of the AASCU annual meeting was identifying methods to make sure we continue to achieve academic excellence while ensuring fiscal sustainability. This is becoming more challenging each year.

Pennsylvania and virtually every other state government is decreasing funding to public higher education, making it increasingly difficult for many citizens to obtain a college degree at a reasonable cost. John C. Cavanaugh, the chancellor of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, attended the AASCU meeting, as well as presidents of several fellow PASSHE universities. Being together and away from our campuses gave us some time for informal discussions of the financial and public policy issues we face as public universities in Pennsylvania.

It’s always a pleasure to reunite with colleagues from around the country who are serving as public university presidents, as I did at the AASCU meeting. One old friend who was a dean with me at Cal State Los Angeles in the mid-1990s is the president of SUNY Cobleskill. Another, who is president of Northeastern Oklahoma University, was part of the group I participated in that founded the AASCU American Democracy Project. We have all dedicated our careers to the fostering and enhancement of public higher education and continue to work together to educate more Americans at an affordable cost.

I’ll again see the fruits of our mission this weekend as I look across the stage to the many friends and family who will be immensely proud of their newly minted graduate. Some families will be greeting their first-ever college graduate. Those moments are a great beginning to the holidays!

Taking the BU experience global

2010-12-06T10:54:00.000-08:00

In recent weeks, our students have had several opportunities to learn about studying in countries around the world. These rewarding learning experiences are often made possible through scholarship awards, as well as Bloomsburg University’s growing study abroad network.

Now it’s time for students to decide where they’d like to extend their BU experience this summer. Some will spend a month exploring Africa, while others will travel through Europe and China. Students also may study in Germany, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Morocco and Spain.

Each location comes with its own unique culture, rich history and opportunities for students to immerse themselves into daily life of that country. We had several students blog about their international experiences last summer, giving us a snapshot into seeing the world in a new light.

What students receive from a study aboard program cannot be replicated in a textbook or classroom. That’s why BU encourages as many students as possible to take advantage of at least one of these programs.

In fact, some students find the experience so rewarding they go on multiple study abroad trips before they graduate. For example, a student could choose to take part in BU’s Central Europe Program this summer exploring parts of Amsterdam, Brussels, Munich, Salzburg, Vienna, Budapest and Prague while studying castles, crown jewels, political briefings and famous works of art. And next summer the student could participate in the Africa Study Abroad Program, visiting historic and cultural sites in Ethiopia and experiencing a real safari in Waza Park, Cameroon.

BU's campus may be located in a rural county in Northeast Pennsylvania, but these study abroad opportunities prove our institution’s reach is worldwide.

BU’s stewardship of America’s future

2010-11-15T10:18:00.000-08:00

Recent events have cast a spotlight on two key initiatives helping to solidify Bloomsburg University’s future: the unveiling of our new strategic plan, Impact 2015: Building on the Past, Leading for the Future, and the extensive and intensive faculty review of the general education task force proposal.

Both initiatives are essential to building on BU’s standard of academic excellence while tackling the challenges of the changing economic landscape facing higher education. From Nov. 21 to 23, I will share the steps we’re taking at Bloomsburg with fellow university presidents and chief executive leaders at the American Association of State Colleges and Universities’ annual meeting in Charleston, S.C. Just as important, I will have a chance to hear how other schools are approaching these same challenges.

More than 420 public colleges and universities, ranging in size from 1,000 to 44,000 students, are members of AASCU, including Bloomsburg University. The association was established nearly 50 years ago in response to the growing impact the federal government had on higher education, particularly in relation to research grants and federal assistance programs – two avenues of financial support BU actively pursues. AASCU serves as a strong national presence representing the interests of students in public colleges and universities, especially in efforts to address higher education policy and the declining government appropriations. I am pleased to have been selected to serve on the AASCU Committee on Policies and Practices and look forward to a meeting of this committee of 15 presidents during the annual meeting.

This year’s theme, Stewardship for America’s Future, will focus on specific institutional strategies to help advance public progress in areas such as P-20 education, economic competitiveness and charting the future of our regions and communities. In addition, there will be discussions on key internal leadership challenges, such as identifying new revenue sources, setting academic priorities, budgeting strategically and leading institutional realignment and change.

There is plenty on the agenda for this three-day meeting – workshops on partnering with regional school districts to advance college success, strategies for boosting productivity and public perceptions in higher education, and the role of the regional comprehensive university in meeting the needs of community college transfer students. Seminars, presentations and workshops will cover key issues we, as university presidents, must address to position our institutions for success in this challenging environment of higher education. Working together will surely aid us in these efforts.

A new look to Bloomsburg University

2010-11-09T07:01:00.000-08:00

Amongst the excitement of this fall semester has been the much-anticipated openings of two renovated buildings on campus, Hartline Science Center and Nelson Field House. Both projects are finished, in use and ready for a formal dedication, which we will do on Friday, Nov. 12.

We expect to be joined for the dedications by descendents of the buildings’ namesakes, as well as members of the campus community, alumni and area residents. The Hartline rededication will begin at 3:30 p.m., followed by Nelson’s rededication ceremony at 6:30 p.m. just before our wrestling team hosts Penn State University at 7 p.m. I encourage all to join the tours of each building following the respective ceremonies. This will be an opportune time to see the results of the hard work done by the contractors and the investment Bloomsburg University has made to ensure our students have access to the most up-to-date technology and conveniences.

Hartline, the largest science facility in northeast Pennsylvania, is designed to meet the needs of the growing programs in the College of Science and Technology. The renovated East Wing, which was the original portion of Hartline, allows BU to make long-needed laboratory curricular adjustments and acquire cutting-edge instrumentation in areas ranging from biology to physics.

The laboratories are now equipped with the latest in fume-hood technology, which will save energy, increase safety, and reduce air flow, making doors easier to open. Miles of telecommunications cables wind through the ceiling and walls connecting to high-resolution projection units, high-speed networks and experimental laboratories, a vital consideration for any science building.

Nelson now features a new entranceway, basketball court and football locker room along with renovated offices and labs for our growing exercise science program, including the recently nationally accredited Clinical Athletic Training graduate program. The renovation is a fitting tribute to Dr. Elna Harrison Nelson, a faculty member at Bloomsburg for 21 years, where he also served as director of health education from 1924 to 1945. As a noted sports fan, he coached many teams, including Bloomsburg’s undefeated baseball team in 1935.

As both of these facilities come on line, I look forward to next year when our students will benefit from the current project on campus — the renovation of Sutliff Hall, home of our College of Business.

A model approach to general education

2010-11-01T07:06:00.000-07:00

This week the Bloomsburg University Curriculum Committee (BUCC) will begin an extensive review of a new general education plan we believe will become a model for higher education.

Some college students, it seems, view general education courses as unnecessary and unrelated while they apply stronger focus on the academic requirements of their major and minor. Nothing could be further from the truth. A general education curriculum is a very important piece of students’ higher education experience forming the core competencies of their education and helping them foster a deeper understanding of and appreciation for the world, its possibilities and their part in it.

BU is working to transform its general education curriculum to meet the needs of the ever-changing, multicultural world of the 21st Century. A significant change — one I feel is extremely innovative — is to base general education on learning outcomes and move beyond the general education content in the standard 120 credit hours most students need to graduate to a system based on General Education Units (GEUs) aligned with the general education goals. A strong foundation of credit hours would continue to exist, but students would also receive some general education units for approved co-curricular activities, such as an international study abroad experience or having a leadership role in the Community Government Association.

This new plan opens doors for students studying in programs with rigid requirements, such as nursing and teacher education, who currently cannot fit elective courses into their tight academic schedules. The proposed GEU system will ensure all students get both breadth and depth in their BU educational experience.

I truly appreciate our General Education Task Force’s work during the past year and a half to create a thorough and innovative proposal. As with any proposal, the current draft is not set in stone and changes have been suggested to make it the best plan for our university. In fact, the proposal sparked a spirited e-mail debate among faculty in recent weeks. The next phase in the approval process goes to BUCC, which will welcome comments and input at public meetings on Wednesdays, Nov. 3 and 17, at 3 p.m. in the Schweiker Room of Andruss Library.

I encourage all who have an interest in this proposal, including students as well as faculty, to participate in these BUCC meetings and help make our new general education program the best possible educational experience for our students and a model plan for other universities to follow.

A healthy dialogue with student leaders

2010-10-25T07:05:00.000-07:00

Last week, I had the privilege of joining the Community Government Association (CGA) Senate meeting where I fielded questions from students ranging from curriculum concerns to off-campus issues and tuition inquiries. The Q&A lasted nearly 45 minutes. I was very impressed with the students’ openness to ask me tough questions that show their genuine concern for maintaining a high quality of education and life here at Bloomsburg University.

The invitation to the student Senate meeting also gave me a chance to hear directly from the student leaders, who in turn serve as liaisons for the student body. We covered a lot of ground, cleared up a few misconceptions and laid the foundation for what I hope are regular open discussions between the students and me.

In addition to many key issues, such as off-campus housing and student parking, I was glad to hear one important topic that was brought up. It allowed me to set the record straight on a misconception that filters throughout the community. One student asked how the recent building renovations and expansion translated into tuition increases, which BU has seen over the past two years set by PASSHE. His belief, as many hold, is the university had to raise tuition to cover the cost of construction.

In reality, Bloomsburg University does not control tuition rates. They are annually established by PASSHE in the summer for the following academic year across the entire State System. In addition, the money used to fund construction projects comes from a capital budget, which is completely separate from the operational budget that impacts tuition. I was also able to inform the students that these building projects not only help boost the local economy by providing work for construction companies but ensure BU continues to offer the best and most up-to-date facilities for students to live and learn in. This productive exchange was one of several I enjoyed last week, which I also believe the students appreciated.

Unfortunately, my schedule doesn’t allow me to participate in these types of student forums as often as I wish I could, however, I enjoy hearing your comments and concerns. Feel free to share your thoughts with me while I’m walking on campus, attending a student event or through e-mail and my blog. The students who serve as representatives and senators on the CGA Senate are a communication link to me, too. And from what I saw last week, this Senate group is more than capable and motivated to serve the student body well and make a difference – not just for them — but for the classes of students who will be follow in the coming years.

Home(coming) is where the heart is

2010-10-18T06:47:00.000-07:00

They say the best years of your life are spent at college. I wouldn’t argue with that. At no other time in your life will you be in an atmosphere like this that blends abundant opportunities to have fun with the tremendous amount of learning that forms the basis for great personal success well into retirement. It’s what we’re committed to here at Bloomsburg University and celebrate every October during Homecoming Weekend.

Earlier this month, the BU campus got off to a quick start to this year’s Homecoming: Rollin’ the Dice and Enjoying the Nights in Vegas, Oct. 23 to 24, when students decorated windows of their residence halls for a competition and began campaigning for their friends for Homecoming king and queen. It’s captivating to see our freshmen be filled with Husky spirit after only a few weeks on campus. This energy intertwines with the passion our alumni bring back from the far corners of the state and other areas of the country, as they return to a changing campus they once called their own.

I graduated from the University of California, Berkeley about 40 years ago and went on to graduate school more than 400 miles away at UCLA, never living closer to Berkeley than that. Yet I have revisited the UC Berkeley campus more than 30 times in those intervening years; most recently last month while on Bloomsburg University business in the San Francisco Bay area. Every visit is a true Homecoming for me. The sights, sounds and even the smells of the campus bring both nostalgia and excitement, as I visit the places that were so important to me in my undergraduate years and see all of the changes.

Last month, I was able to share my visit with a colleague from BU. I was delighted, and I don’t think he was too bored, as I showed him the dorm and fraternity house where I lived, the library where I spent so many hours studying, and the beautifully restored and renovated, 100-year-old Life Science Building where I studied and worked in my formative years as a biologist. I often make the return trip to campus with my freshman roommate and best friend, who teaches high school biology and chemistry in the area.

Many BU alumni, including those in the Class of 1960 celebrating their 50-class reunion this year, will be surprised to see how much our campus has grown, especially upper campus with the newly renovated Nelson Field House and the Jessica Kozloff Apartments that opened in fall 2009. On the lower campus, alums can take notice of an updated Hartline Science Center and the gutted Sutfliff Hall that’s undergoing its own transformation to be completed next fall.

In addition to the sightseeing, there will be plenty of activities to enjoy with your family and old Husky friends on Saturday with the traditional BU/Bloomsburg High School Homecoming Parade, Alumni Tent Party at the Fenstemaker Alumni House, and of course, the Husky football game against one of our biggest rivals, the West Chester Golden Rams.

Reacquainting with a growing student

2010-10-08T10:33:00.000-07:00

This week’s blog contains a word of warning to those I call “freshmen parents.” That word is “beware.” When you come to visit your first-year student at Bloomsburg University during Parents and Family Weekend, Oct. 8 to 10, you will most likely find a young adult who seems very much like the person you moved into a residence hall room in late August … but is, somehow, different.

College, even just six weeks of college, has a way of changing the parent-child relationship. As president, it will be a delight for me this weekend to watch so many proud parents greet their college freshmen for the first time since move-in day in late August. I’ll also enjoy seeing our students show their parents how well they have transitioned to college and introduce them to aspects of the BU experience not seen on campus tours or at orientation.

This year, we’re celebrating our 40th Parents and Family Weekend with a long list of activities and events for all to enjoy. Some of the highlights include a performance by Joshua Seth, a comedic hypnotist whose act has become a hit on college campuses across the country; Quest clinics on the high ropes course and climbing wall; miniature golf and live music on the Academic Quad; and field hockey, men’s soccer and women’s soccer competitions on upper campus.

I’m really looking forward to two events in particular. I’ll host an open forum on Saturday, Oct. 9, at 11 a.m. in McCormick Center, room 1303, where I’ll update parents on campus events and answer their questions. This is an opportune time for me to connect with parents and put a face to Bloomsburg University.

Later that evening, my wife, Robbie, and I will enjoy a journey back to the days of disco with the Boogie Wonder Band at the Haas Center for the Arts. This 10-member band will bring a high level of energy and wild fashion to the stage as the second performance of our Celebrity Artist Series’ 25th anniversary season. There will be two exciting performance, one at 2 p.m. and the other at 8 p.m.

With wonderful weather in the forecast, it’s shaping up to be a pleasant and relaxing weekend on campus. I hope to meet many of you as you’re becoming reacquainted with your student.

Doing more with less

2010-10-04T07:19:00.000-07:00

Three thousand miles may separate the West Coast from Bloomsburg University, but the distance doesn’t diminish the love and pride our alumni and friends have for our university. I saw this firsthand recently when I traveled to California with Erik Evans, vice president for University Advancement, to meet several alumni and prospective donors.

I enjoy these trips, both short distances and across the country, because they give me an opportunity to see how successful our graduates become after leaving their mark on campus. It also gives me a chance to personally update our Husky faithful on the great advancements our university has made in the classroom, through renovations, scholarly activity, and skilled teaching and learning. Even more important, it’s a chance for me to reaffirm our increasing need for donor support, which helps BU plan for the future and provide financial assistance to students. Today, as many as 80 percent of our students receive some form of financial aid.

Although recent news reports announced the recession ended months ago, it’s no secret the economy continues to struggle. This has direct impact on our university budget as we face decreasing state government support each year. Unfortunately, a change in momentum is very unlikely. With state appropriation to PASSHE schools at an all-time low of 29 percent – down from roughly 40 percent a decade ago – it’s increasingly important to generate our own revenue and become self-sustaining.

The recently unveiled new strategic plan, Impact 2015: Building on the Past, Leading for the Future, emphasizes our need to identify and develop new resources, one of the main reasons for my California trip. This will help BU maintain fiscal responsibility and enhance academic excellence, while becoming less dependent on tuition and state appropriations. As months go by, you’ll hear more about a new initiative, the Henry Carver Fund, named for our first president and geared to raising financial support to meet immediate needs.

Support for our university, both monetary and in-kind, will allow our students to continue to choose Bloomsburg as a place where they can attain a high-quality education that’s within their family’s financial reach. Whether you’re near or far, I hope we can count on your support.

BU community to support local charities

2010-09-20T08:28:00.000-07:00

A very important campaign has begun on campus; one that has immediate impact on thousands of children and needy families, locally and worldwide. Bloomsburg University has been a supporter and contributor to the SECA (State Employee Combined Appeal) Campaign for more than 30 years. This year, our campaign kicked off Sept. 13 and continues through Oct. 22.

It’s a great partnership we have with the community, as well as charities around the globe. Our SECA campaign, along with the United Way of Columbia County, supports numerous nonprofit agencies which, in turn, benefit local families through services, such as summer camps, day care, community health awareness and afterschool education.

Some of the local agencies who benefit directly from our SECA Campaign include the Bloomsburg Children’s Museum, Bloomsburg Public Library, Boy Scouts of America in Columbia-Montour counties, Camp Victory in Millville and local chapters of the American Red Cross and American Cancer Society.

A wonderful perk of the campaign is the ability of our faculty and staff to choose which charities will receive their contributions. That provides an even stronger commitment to the campaign and an emotional connection to making a difference. It’s very rewarding to know our contributions often go to work immediately and, thanks to low administrative costs, more than 90 percent of each donation goes to the selected organizations.

The SECA Campaign is one of many examples of how BU’s faculty and staff connect with both neighbors in the local community and those worldwide. It’s also a prime opportunity for our campus community to join together for a wonderful cause with lasting results.

Unveiling an impactful plan for the future

2010-09-14T05:36:00.000-07:00

We will be setting a wonderful precedent this week when the campus joins together for the unveiling of Bloomsburg University’s new strategic plan, Impact 2015: Building on the Past, Leading for the Future. The special Forum, scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 15, at 3 p.m. in Kehr Union, is the culmination of a year’s worth of work and collaboration between the university and local community. This special event launches the next step in our ongoing process of building on BU’s standard of academic excellence.

In a series of meetings over the past year, representatives from across the campus composed new mission, vision and value statements. This group – the Strategic Planning and Resource Council (SPARC) – also determined the challenges and opportunities facing BU over the next three to five years and how to meet them. This plan, which will be unveiled to the public for the first time, will set the tone for how we will tackle these challenges and take advantage of our opportunities.

So far in this strategic planning process we:

• evaluated who we are as an institution, reviewing what makes us distinct from not only the other 13 PASSHE institutions but from all regional comprehensive universities,

• looked at what we value as an institution, as demonstrated through our daily actions, interactions and operations,

• and determined what we aspire to be as an institution.

SPARC is leading the strategic planning efforts, but involvement from the entire BU community, as well as the greater Bloomsburg community, will be the hallmark of a successful plan. As we enter this next phase of development and change at BU, I invite you to become actively engaged in these strategic planning efforts. This special open forum is the perfect opportunity to join in, to become a part of the plan that will carry BU into the future. All members of the campus community are invited to participate.

BU mourns the loss of a student

2010-09-08T05:57:00.000-07:00

As president of Bloomsburg University and father of three adult children, my heart goes out to the family and friends of student-athlete Brian Savage, who passed away overnight Friday at an off-campus apartment.

Our entire campus community feels the tragic loss of this 19-year-old soccer player from Elizabethtown. It is always painfully difficult to inform a student’s family of news of this nature. The shock still lingers as we continue to mourn the loss of this young man who was beginning his sophomore year and second season on the Huskies men’s soccer team.

This tragedy was felt immediately, as evident by more than 100 messages left on his Facebook page as of Tuesday afternoon. We continue to offer our thoughts and prayers to his family and friends. Although the official cause of death has yet to be determined, it is believed alcohol played a role in Brian’s death. Even the suspicion of alcohol warrants a strong reminder of how dangerous it can be for those of legal age and younger. This tragedy reinforces our commitment to be vigilant, to stress to our students through a variety of educational programs the dangers of alcohol and the serious results of binge drinking.

Despite these warnings, we still have too many students engaging in binge drinking which is often a behavior begun in high school. In the wake of this tragedy, I urge students and parents to take notice once again of how dangerous alcohol use can be. Parents, please take time to speak with your son or daughter about the importance of making responsible and safe decisions. We understand the college experience is a time for young adults to grow into young leaders, something we relish in doing here at Bloomsburg.

Although it seems many young people view alcohol consumption as a right of passage, BU does not condone or permit the use of alcohol on campus or at university-affiliated, off-campus housing. And we certainly do not condone underage drinking. Our alcohol awareness programs begin with our incoming freshmen orientation programs, and an active campus group, DAWN (Drug Alcohol Awareness Network), offers an open door to students who need help or simply have a question to be answered.

But regardless of the cause, we have lost a member of our community much too soon. Our counseling staff stands by to assist students and staff during this time of loss.

Let’s begin another fulfilling academic year

2010-08-30T09:54:00.000-07:00

Our students, including a record number of nearly 2,600 first-year and transfer students, have settled back onto campus and in the Bloomsburg community for the 2010-11 academic year that begins today. Building on a busy and productive summer, this new school year promises to be just as thrilling as last year … possibly even more.

We have so much to look forward to: from another entertaining season of the Celebrity Artist Series and the enthusiasm of Huskies football to our first-ever community movie night on the Academic Quad and a first look at the recently completed renovation of Hartline Science Center. There’s plenty more to come, so be sure to visit my blog each week.

In the meantime, I am delighted to share this personal video message. Welcome back!

A summer filled with progress and success

2010-08-16T12:37:00.000-07:00

A busy and productive summer has come to a close. Next week we welcome to campus our largest class of new students in the history of Bloomsburg University and begin another chapter of academic excellence with the new fall semester classes beginning on Aug. 30.

Until then, I’m finishing my fast-paced summer in Washington enjoying time with my growing family. Two new members joined the Soltz clan this summer — our third granddaughter, born just two months ago to my daughter and her husband, and our new daughter-in-law, who married our youngest son earlier this month. As I reflect on the summer, which was possibly one of the busiest ever for our Husky community as well as my family, I’m filled with immense pride of being president of this university.

And here’s why:

The summer kicked off with the Academic Quad’s largest commencement ceremonies, when nearly 1,200 seniors graduated with bachelor’s degrees. This was preceded by nearly 180 graduates earning master’s degrees and seven graduates receiving doctorates the evening before. Over the next three months, our students and faculty continued the tradition of BU’s academic excellence with a wide range of teaching, professional development, and research activities at multiple venues around the world and here on campus.

A few early highlights included faculty and students collaborating with UCLA to study lunar soil samples collected from the Apollo 16 mission, BU Quest’s hiking trip to the summit of Mount Saint Helens and a faculty Fulbright scholar continuing his research in England on a unique form of child play called playwork.

By mid-summer our students were completing prestigious internships with organizations such as the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and the federal Defense Cyber Crime Institute, as well as numerous study abroad experiences that spanned Africa, Mexico, Morocco and Europe. Students took advantage of shorter research trips to Egypt and Spain and a respected creative writing institute at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. In addition, our first team of students completed requirements of our new nanotechnology track at Penn State University.

Our campus was just as busy this summer. Quest continued its popular summer adventure camps, which drew youths ages 6 to 17 years from around the region. Upper campus was the site of the National Soccer Coaching Association of America’s coaching academies with nearly 200 soccer coaches from the U.S., Canada, Malaysia, India, Jamaica and England participating, and myriad sports camps (attended by more than 1,000 young women and men).

Our connection to the community strengthened with the continued success of our Math and Science Summer Experience, Migrant Leadership Institute, TRiO Upward Bound Summer Program and Camp HERO, an annual week-long experience for children who are deaf or hard of hearing coordinated by students in our Education of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing Program. In addition, our Act 101/EOP pre-college summer program finished another successful session with nearly 200 students, many of whom are first-generation college students.

And, last but not least, Bloomsburg University’s summer college offered three sessions, growing to meet the needs of baccalaureate students who want to continue working toward their degrees in our air-conditioned classrooms. There was a time when a college campus was a quiet place during the summer. Not any more!

A top-quality education with great results

2010-08-02T07:51:00.000-07:00

At Bloomsburg University, we pride ourselves on providing a top-quality education at a very affordable price, in spite of a budget impacted annually by decreasing state government funding. This coming year will be no different. The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education Board of Governors established a budget which calls for a 4.5 percent increase in tuition for the 2010-11 academic year. The increase equates to $250 more a year for a full-time, in-state student.

BU and our 13 sister universities are not alone in facing tough economic challenges. Penn State University recently increased tuition 5.9 percent, or roughly $810, and other universities in the state and our region are doing the same. PASSHE has kept cost increases to a minimum. Overall, tuition increases at the state system universities have not risen above the rate of inflation in four of the last five years, keeping our tuition much more affordable than most private universities. At the current rate, four years of tuition at BU for a full-time, in-state student is less than $23,300.

And for that affordable price, BU is producing tremendous results. Nearly 86 percent of our Class of 2009 graduates are permanently employed or continuing their education. And our current students are proving to be great young leaders before they hit the job market.

Just this summer we have seen students apply their classroom education across the world to make an impact in many areas of society. An education student spent a month in Zambia, Africa, studying the effects of education on at-risk youth. A planetary science student assisted the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum with lunar research. A language student spent six weeks in Xalapa, Mexico, researching how professors at Bloomsburg University and Universidad Veracruzana assess language learning and multiple learning styles. A management student recently won a highly competitive scholarship, allowing him to serve as a student assistant this fall at the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals’ annual Global Conference in San Diego, Calif. And these are just a sample of the co-curricular activities our students engaged in this summer.

Our year-round academic excellence is comprehensive across campus and in all educational disciplines. The quality of our academic programs, faculty and staff is responsible for the highest enrollment numbers we have ever seen, including another expected record number of freshmen arriving this fall. We are proud to provide our students with an excellent education that prepares them for personal and professional success in an increasingly complex global environment at a cost that does not leave them with excessive debt.

A new chapter in business

2010-07-19T06:22:00.000-07:00

We welcomed a new face to campus this month when Michael Tidwell began his duties as the dean of the College of Business. Dr. Tidwell comes to Bloomsburg from Clayton State University’s School of Business, near Atlanta, Ga., where he was assistant dean and associate professor of management.

Dr. Tidwell brings a wealth of experience from across the country and around the globe. He taught at the University of Kentucky, Whitworth University in Spokane, Wash., and Truman State University in Kirksville, Mo. His also served as a visiting professor at Daystar University in Nairobi, Kenya, and CHM College and Birla College in India and led study abroad trips in South Africa. Outside of academics, Dr. Tidwell worked in the marketing department of Epson America. His research interests include employee intelligence, organizational socialization within multinational corporations and organizational identity.

As we welcome Dr. Tidwell, we also thank Dr. Dennis Gehris who has been leading the College of Business as its interim dean and directed the steps needed for our College of Business to maintain its prestigious accreditation by AACSB International – The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Initially accredited in December 2004, our College of Business is one of just 593 schools of business, or less than 5 percent worldwide, to earn AACSB accreditation.

Dr. Tidwell also begins his new position amidst an important renovation to Sutliff Hall, which houses our business program. The project, which should be completed by next fall, will include a new third floor and an addition facing the Academic Quad. The renovation will give much-needed room to a growing program that has proven to be among the best internationally.

And it’s not the only thing growing on campus. We expect to see more than 2,600 new students arrive for the fall to begin their Bloomsburg University experience. As you see, it will be a very busy and exciting year in the College of Business and for all of us across campus.

Meeting a growing family

2010-07-02T08:05:00.000-07:00

After a month off from blogging, I’m catching up on my activities and important events for Bloomsburg University. So, I will pick up where we left off in May.

Shortly after our graduation my third granddaughter, Caoimhe Gallagher, was born to my daughter Laura in Long Beach, Cal. I could not be there but my wife, Grandma Robbie, assisted in the birth. We are delighted to welcome another little red-headed girl into our family, who I will be visiting her for the first time in mid-July.

In another important milestone for our family our youngest son, Andrew, graduated with a bachelor’s in anthropology from Central Washington University, where I served as provost for six years before coming to BU. It was great to celebrate his achievement and for a change to be in the audience rather than on the platform during a graduation. Andrew is working for a large environmental consulting firm in central Washington and getting married in August.

In late May, I had the privilege of traveling with about 10 BU faculty and emeriti to participate in the 19th annual meeting of the Global Awareness Society International at Jagiellonian University in Krakaw, Poland. Two BU students presented their undergraduate research projects to a group of scholars from 15 countries thanks to BU Foundation scholarships for international education. The multidisciplinary conference was enlightening and timely, and it was a privilege for me to deliver the opening keynote address, “The Increasing Importance of Global Awareness,” at the university where Copernicus studied in the 1490s.

Over the past two weeks, we welcomed almost 1,600 new fall freshman and their parents to campus during eight fact and fun packed one-day orientations. Each year the incoming freshman class continues to grow and once again, BU will have the largest class of well prepared freshman in our history. My thanks to orientation coordinator, Kristin Austin, the other dedicated staff in admissions, and the dozens of students who serve as OWLs (Orientation Workshop Leaders).

We are waiting for details on the allocations for higher education and BU from the state budget agreed to by the legislature and recently sent to the governor. As a sign of the current economic climate and reminder of the ever-changing landscape of higher education, PASSHE concluded a year-long process that led to discontinuation of several dozen degree programs across the state university system due to low enrollments.

Thankfully, Bloomsburg University was not among the eight schools that needed to make program cuts. Although our initial response is to feel relieved, the appropriate reaction is for us to continue to work harder in making sure our programs – large and small – remain strong, vibrant and relevant to our students, as well as meeting the needs of a competitive global workforce.

This commitment falls in line with our current strategic planning process, adding more emphasis on ensuring this long-range strategic plan is focused, concise and reflective of our mission to educate future leaders.

Expanding BU’s influence worldwide

2010-05-21T08:43:00.000-07:00

While our campus eases into summer break, my focus shifts to a broader perspective. I’ll head to Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland, from May 23 to 25 to speak at a global event aimed at making the world a more culturally supportive and peaceful place. And I won’t be alone on my international journey.

I will be joined at the 19th annual conference of the Global Awareness Society International (GASI) by several fellow Huskies, a collection of retired and current faculty and two students. My wife, Robbie, who is among those scheduled to speak, will also be a part of the Bloomsburg University contingent.

Together, we hope to build on the efforts of GASI to increase awareness of the cultural diversity existing across our global society and to promote the importance of world peace. This will be my third opportunity to speak at the annual GASI conference and this year as keynote speaker, I will discuss “The Increasing Need for Global Awareness.”

All of the presenters, including our students Laura Buffone and Raeesa Khan, are adding their expertise to this year’s theme, “Global Development and the Changing Balance of Power in World Affairs.” It’s a great opportunity for us, representing BU, to have an influence and play a key part in this vastly important cause.

In fact, the idea for this global organization originated on our campus. Dr. Chang Shub Roh, now faculty emeritus, co-founded GASI 20 years ago after experiencing war and seeing the importance of promoting peace. Roh, who remains a welcome member of our campus community, will be with us in Poland moderating a few panel discussions. It’s wonderful to see his idea, nurtured here at BU, grow to what it is now as a multi-day international event. And I’m most appreciative to have been able to be a part of its recent efforts to make this world a better place.

Family ties bringing us together

2010-05-11T07:39:00.000-07:00

Last weekend’s commencement ceremonies offered me an opportunity to wear my ceremonial academic regalia, one of many hats I wear as president of Bloomsburg University. And this week brings with it yet another hat, one of I’m also quite familiar with – the hat of an experience traveler.

The majority of my traveling is a result of my duty to BU, representing the university at conferences, alumni events and public speaking engagements to name a few. This time I will be traveling with my wife, Robbie, for personal enjoyment. We're flying to California to visit with our only daughter, who is expecting her third child any day now. It our third granddaughter.

Knowing how exciting it was to see our first two granddaughters, I’m overjoyed to see for the first time the newest member of our family. Being with family is always special, especially at this time of year with spring in full bloom and being days removed from witnessing so many families share in the joy of graduation, some of which were the first for their families. Those are moments that deeply resonate with me and reaffirm my pride of being the university president.

We often talk about the importance of having a strong sense of Husky pride, building new and existing relationships with the local community, faculty, staff, prospective and current students, alumni and friends of the university. This pride is tied together by family, our Bloomsburg University family.

A poignant moment occurred on campus last week that served as a perfect example of this. In the middle of a passing rain storm, a groundskeeper kept busy planting maroon and gold mums on the Academic Quad for our outdoor graduation ceremonies instead of seeking shelter. He could’ve easily taken a break to go inside from the rain, something most of us on campus frantically did.

However, this staff member decided it was more important to him to make sure those beautiful flowers representing our school colors were planted in time than to make sure he stayed dry. These are the little things, which too often go unnoticed, that are the essence of what makes Bloomsburg University a wonderful place of higher education, a place to work and a place to simply be associated with.

As I complete this blog in California, we have conducted our beautiful graduation ceremonies and granted more than 1,350 undergraduate and graduate degrees, and my new granddaughter has yet to arrive. I want to recognize the faculty and staff who made it all work so well in spite of rain leading right up to the Saturday morning ceremony and winds that were the strongest I have ever experienced in Pennsylvania. I particularly want to single out Anita Hakim from the Office of the President for successfully coordinating the entire effort for many years.

Yes these wonderful celebrations of academic success are a tremendous team effort that involves well over one hundred individuals, and I sincerely thank them all, but without Anita’s loving care it would not come off so very well!

Ending spring on a great note

2010-05-03T10:42:00.001-07:00

This weekend we proudly welcome 1,197 new members to our alumni family in two commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 8, in our Academic Quadrangle. As is our custom, our graduate commencement will be held the evening before, Friday, May 7, in Mitrani Hall where seven graduates will receive doctor of audiology degrees and 173 will receive master’s degrees.

It’s not only a great celebration of the new graduates’ academic accomplishments, but a wonderful time to welcome to campus their friends and family, many of whom are BU alums.

Our undergraduate ceremonies will be addressed by two prominent Pennsylvania legislators – U.S. Congressman Paul E. Kanjorski in the morning and state Senator John R. Gordner in the afternoon. I’m looking forward to hearing the advice these respected, veteran politicians offer to our newly minted graduates as they begin their journey into an increasingly complex global environment.

The commencement ceremonies officially conclude another fast-paced, productive semester. While several building projects were under way and our strategic planning process continued moving forward, higher education stayed on track with students raising the bar for next semester with many great achievements and recognitions.

This spring we saw several student organizations excel at regional, state and national competitions, including the Forensics (speech and debate) Team and Society for Advancement of Management. The semester began with the successful launch of a campus-wide sustainability initiative, and more than 450 students welcomed spring with a local community service project, The Big Event. Numerous students earned scholarships, international fellowships and awards for their outstanding work in the classroom.

On Saturday, I watched our softball team clinch the PSAC championship by defeating California (Pa.) 7 to 5. What a great way for beloved coach Jan Hutchinson to end her final regular softball season. Now she and the young women athletes will pursue that elusive national championship.

We’ll soon get some relief from the end-of-the-semester rush, knowing summer and its well-earned break is on the horizon. However, the vacation will be brief. In just a few weeks, students will be on campus for the first summer school classes, new students and their parents will attend orientation and the cycle will begin anew.

Bringing a new adventure to campus

2010-04-27T05:27:00.000-07:00

A unique project is developing on our upper campus that will give Bloomsburg University students leadership-building opportunities and provide a valuable outdoor resource to an important segment of our population.

Nearly two dozen young adults in the Pennsylvania Conservation Corps are spending three days this week, April 27 to 29, helping to develop a wheelchair-accessible high ropes course near Nelson Field House for our Quest program – a leadership development program that offers extended and weekend trips and customized team-building experiences.

This innovative course, just like our current high ropes course, will help individuals and teams explore risk taking and face personal challenge, while building confidence, leadership and teamwork. Soon all people, regardless of their abilities, can enjoy adventurous thrills and the long-lasting benefits.

This type of collaboration demonstrates once again how well our university works with the community. Participants in the Pennsylvania Conservation Corps are able to hone the skills they’ve learned during their year of employment with this “signature project,” their term for a short-term, high-impact project. And with their assistance, we are able to develop the wheelchair-accessible high ropes course that’s been on our wish list. Everyone wins.

When completed, the wheelchair-accessible course will be the first of its size in our region and one of only a few nationwide. I’m looking forward to seeing the finished project. What a nice way to kick off our summer.

A spring renaissance is coming

2010-04-19T09:00:00.000-07:00

One of the aspects of living in Central Pennsylvania my wife, Robbie, and I most enjoy is our region’s great sense of community. This warm, inviting atmosphere is most evident in Bloomsburg during events such as the Renaissance Jamboree. Held on the last Saturday in April, which is April 24 this year, the Renaissance is co-sponsored by BU’s Program Board.

Our campus community is always involved in this event, from the earliest planning stages to volunteering to work in many booths along Main Street. Each year, more than 250 craftsmen and artisans display and sell their wares, non-profit organizations offer a variety of food and groups provide games and entertainment.

Members of the campus community are among the loyal volunteers, including the sisters of Phi Sigma Sigma, a social sorority who have taken part in Renaissance for at least eight years. In addition, our Community Government Association and Alumni Association are fixtures in festival booths along the street. Other participants include Spectrum Magazine, Kappa Phi, BU NOW, Protestant Campus Ministry, History Club and Kappa Sigma.

Renaissance comes at a good time in the spring, as we’re nearing the end of the semester with finals week right around the corner. It follows Block Party, which this year was a relatively safe and sane day for BU students and alumni to relax and blow off steam before heading into the home stretch toward finals and graduation.

The Renaissance Jamboree gives the campus community a great opportunity to take a final, calm break, enjoy the outdoors and celebrate with the townspeople many of the positive aspects of having our fine university located within such a great community.

Student safety, comfort to get even better

2010-04-12T06:41:00.000-07:00

Last week, I had the opportunity to spend time with presidents from our sister universities at the quarterly PASSHE Board of Governors meeting in Harrisburg. I always enjoy sharing Bloomsburg’s news, hearing about their schools’ recent achievements and witnessing the board in action as members make the decisions that allow our institutions to prosper.

Among the key orders of business on April 8 was bond financing approval for several construction projects across the State System, including two important projects here at Bloomsburg. This decision allows BU to take the next step in developing these projects that have been on our “wish list” for several years.

One project, a much-needed pedestrian bridge linking Honeysuckle Apartments to campus at the Haas Center for the Arts, will enable students to walk from the apartment complex without crossing traffic on Lightstreet Road. Our facilities management team is still working on the design, so many of the details have yet to be determined; however, this is great news for improving the safety for our students.

The second project calls for a complete renovation of Elwell Hall. Plans include installing air conditioning in the entire building, creating a new lobby and building new student lounges. There’s also the possibly of adding a small pedestrian bridge over Second Street to connect the residence hall with Scranton Commons. More details must be finalized for the Elwell Hall project, but the board’s decision last week enables BU to move forward with both of these projects knowing that appropriate funding will be in place.

We are also conducting a housing study that looks at current and anticipated future student housing needs on campus in the Town of Bloomsburg. The study will be completed this summer and will assist us in meeting our goal of providing a variety of housing options on campus for at least 50 percent of our students.

Our BU family comes home

2010-04-06T06:09:00.000-07:00

Bloomsburg University’s campus will brim with excitement this weekend, April 9 to 11, when generations of Huskies and hundreds of potential students come together for our annual Alumni Weekend , coinciding with Siblings’ and Children’s Weekend. It will be a jam-packed three days spent honoring our university’s past, present and future.

I enjoy these types of events, and the campus really comes alive when we host so many people who share a love for BU. I’m particularly looking forward to talking with alumni who haven’t visited campus for quite some time. As you know, much has changed over the years as our campus has grown from a small college to a university. I’ll enjoy hearing stories from past generations, including those attending reunions of classes from the 1930s and 40s and the Navy V-12 World War II veterans who trained here and for whom Navy Hall is named.

Activity builds on Saturday with receptions at the Alumni House, campus tours, a Celebrity Artist Series concert and an awards luncheon honoring more than 425 alumni. I invite you to visit our Alumni Association’s Web site for a complete schedule of events.

While they are on campus, young children of our alumni may join youngsters related to our students, faculty and staff at free Siblings’ and Children’s Weekend activities, including the children’s carnival on the Academic Quad. This weekend event is a great opportunity to show off the campus to students’ siblings, host them overnight in the residence halls and introduce them to the great Bloomsburg experience they could enjoy themselves in years to come.

It’s not often we see so many generations on campus at one time. It’s truly witnessing the past, present and future of BU in action.

Women who inspire, lead and achieve

2010-03-29T12:38:00.000-07:00

From the earliest days of our nation, women have made history - from Betsy Ross and Harriet Tubman to Hillary Clinton, Sarah Palin and Nancy Pelosi. Women have had a huge impact on Bloomsburg University’s history, as well, exemplified by the 14-year presidency of my predecessor Jessica Kozloff and the two-term CGA presidency of Gia Adornetto, the first student in BU history to serve more than one term.

Women’s History Month provided an opportunity to recognize the contributions of women both on a large scale and on our campus. We recently capped our celebration at a campus reception where we honored the achievements of BU women and presented awards for outstanding achievement, scholarship and lasting inspiration.

For the first time, BU’s Commission on the Status of Women named two women as Outstanding Women of the Year – Marlyse Heaps, who is retiring in May as executive assistant to the provost following 35 years of service, and Deb Barnes, who retired in February as director of the Women’s Resource Center following 30 years of service. Receiving the Outstanding Courage Award was Rosemary Huber, secretary in the Department of Art and Art History, whose battle with lymphoma has inspired all of us and whose colleagues honored her by contributing pieces of artwork for a benefit silent auction earlier this year. Also presented were three student awards – to Lauren Heidelbaugh for Outstanding Leadership, Leisl Driver for Outstanding Scholarship and Christina Adenuga for Outstanding Service. Each of the many nominees received certificates and pins during our reception.

I was honored to take a few moments to talk about several of the important women in my life: my wife, Robbie, of course, and my professional mentors, including Jerilyn McIntyre, who was president of Central Washington University during my tenure as provost. And I was extremely proud to talk about my mother, our family’s very own Rosie the Riveter, who graduated from Ball State Teachers College in 1943 and used her English degree to help rewrite the training manual for women working at the retooled Studebaker War Plant during World War II.

As we’ve witnessed on the national and local level, women are leaders in many forms and venues. My appreciation and recognition of the contributions women have made to my personal and professional life extends to every day of the year.

Connecting with the community

2010-03-22T06:24:00.000-07:00

Reaching out to the community will be the theme of this weekend for Bloomsburg University with The Big Event in full swing Saturday and a unique event Sunday bringing the campus together to help fight hunger and promote community art and action.

First on Saturday, nearly 600 BU students will take part in The Big Event, a community service project sponsored by our Community Government Association as a way to give back to the Town of Bloomsburg. Students will volunteer to tackle winter clean-up projects around town, concentrating on areas where students and residents are neighbors and public locations, such as Town Park and the Market Square Fountain.

Then on Sunday, we expect to see hundreds of students, along with many community neighbors, for our annual Empty Bowls Banquet benefitting the Bloomsburg Food Cupboard from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Kehr Union Ballroom. The event is coordinated by our SOLVE (Students Organized to Learn through Volunteerism and Employment) office and is considered the biggest, single-day fundraiser for the local food cupboard.

More than 100 student volunteers helped coordinate the event, including hand-painting the bowls before they were sent off for firing. In addition, scores of community volunteers, our faculty and staff, stepped forward to create the soups, bread and organize live entertainment for the event. Just like The Big Event, this fundraiser brings out the best of our university and town working together for a great cause.

These community service efforts are a small part of BU’s ongoing initiative of volunteerism and civic engagement. Because of this commitment, BU was recently named to the 2009 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, the highest federal recognition of a college or university for its dedication to volunteering, service learning and civic engagement.

This year, the Corporation for National and Community Service recognized BU as one of only 16 percent of all higher education institutions honored for their impact on issues ranging from poverty and homelessness to environmental justice. Honorees are chosen based on a series of factors, including the scope and innovation of service projects, percentage of student participation, incentives for service and the extent to which the school offers academic service-learning courses.

As we’ve passed the mid-term of our spring semester and get closer to May graduation, this weekend serves as a reminder of the huge role BU students plays in the everyday lives of local residents. Our students leave here with a valuable college degree, of course, but also an understanding of the difference volunteer service can make in the life of a community.

A big event to give back

2010-03-16T09:45:00.000-07:00

Something great will happen next weekend, and it’s not the official first day of spring, although this first-time event is certainly tied to the much anticipated seasonal change.

Nearly 600 Bloomsburg University students will take part in The Big Event, a community service project sponsored by our Community Government Association as a way to give back to the Town of Bloomsburg. Students will volunteer their time on March 27 to tackle winter clean-up projects around town, concentrating on areas where students and residents are neighbors and public locations, such as Town Park and the Market Square Fountain.

Projects will include raking, weeding, sweeping and picking up trash. Students also will be available to help with projects at individual residences. The day’s activities will begin with an opening ceremony on BU’s Academic Quad, where breakfast will be served and tools will be distributed.

Campus organizations, including athletic teams, fraternities and sororities, as well as individual students, will be bused to locations around town. Local businesses have donated equipment or made financial contributions. It’s going to be an exciting collaboration between the town and university.

The Big Event is a great way for our students to connect with our town, as a way to say ‘thank you’ and an opportunity to remember they are temporary residents themselves. The town is just as much a part of our students’ college experience and development as future leaders as the time they spend on campus.

Spring Break with Husky alums

2010-03-05T14:36:00.000-08:00

As students and faculty take a respite from classes for Spring Break, including some in search of reprieve from the winter weather, my wife, Robbie, and I will be traveling to warmer temperatures ourselves.

From March 7 to 13, we will meet with BU alumni in Florida during receptions over brunch, lunch and dinner. We have events scheduled for Ponte Vedra, Winter Park, Clearwater Beach, Bonita Springs and Fort Lauderdale. If you’ll be in these areas during this week, visit our Alumni Association Web site for a detailed schedule and links to sign up for an event. We promise to bring a little bit of Bloomsburg University closer to our Husky faithful in Florida, while giving alumni a chance to network with each other.

Among the alumni we will meet are Pat Szymanek Mica ’67, wife of U.S. Senator John Mica, and Chet Snavely ’70, who will host our alumni from the Ft. Lauderdale area for a cruise on his boat. We will also connect with Dr. Wilson Bradshaw, president of Florida Gulf Coast University who served as BU’s provost from 1995 to 2000.

During the events, I will talk about the great things happening at Bloomsburg and show a video of the recent changes that have taken place on lower campus, including the Academic Quad, McCormick Center expansion, and the current renovations of Bakeless and Hartline centers. I will also update alumni on our strategic planning process, which is building upon the legacy of success from previous generations of administration, faculty, staff and students. Our alumni are an important stakeholder in the development of our long-range strategic plan.

The timing couldn’t be better. Our Strategic Planning and Resource Council (SPARC) recently finalized the university’s new mission, value and vision statements that will serve as the foundation for strategic directions and initiatives over the next three to five years. You can find the statements, as well as details of the ongoing process, on our strategic planning Web site. This site is updated regularly and we invite public feedback, so I encourage everyone to participate in this exciting process.

Opening more doors for education

2010-03-01T07:26:00.001-08:00

Higher education at Bloomsburg University isn’t limited to just students pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees but reaches all populations of prospective learners and future leaders.

For example, we have a successful Advance College Experience (ACE) program for qualified high school students, many non-degree programs including one for senior citizens and a growing division of corporate and continuing education. This division, designed to meet the advancing needs of our economy and changing workforce, recently added a new program for school district superintendents and assistant superintendents to obtain needed continuing education credits.

The first session of BU’s Superintendents Academy began this month with the support of superintendents from school districts in Columbia, Montour and neighboring counties. It will continue through June.

Pennsylvania law requires all educators to earn 180 hours of continuing education credits every five years, and this academy – along with our Principals Academy that began in 2009 – allows local education leaders to meet their post-graduate requirements closer to home. The Superintendents Academy also provides an opportunity for educators to focus on current research, issues and trends in areas such as school law, finance, technology, demographics and student achievement.

In addition to superintendents and assistant superintendents, the program is open to intermediate unit executive directors and assistant executive directors, vocational-technical school directors and assistant directors and other district administrators. We hope to expand the group this fall and establish other cohorts across the state.

Extending BU’s reach to new heights

2010-02-22T07:01:00.000-08:00

As a result of new federal funding, Bloomsburg University will be a part of a new venture to establish a high-performance, fiber optic communications system linking rural communities with education, health care and economic development entities across the state.

This is great news for our university, as a member of PASSHE and the Keystone Initiative for Network-Based Education and Research (KINBER) coalition, to be involved in an effort that’s providing access to a state-of-the-art broadband system at an affordable cost. When finished, the fiber optic cable network will extend nearly 1,700 miles through 39 counties, including 22 counties considered to be unserved or underserved based on their access to affordable broadband services. Families and organizations in those areas, whose only current option is dial-up service, will soon have other affordable choices.

In addition, this network has the potential to facilitate research collaborations – regionally and globally – which could lead to new technologies, medical treatments and scientific discoveries. Not only will BU’s educational potential reach new heights, our role as a valuable resource to the region will strengthen.

Last week, the Obama administration awarded more than $99 million to KINBER, a coalition of colleges and universities (including PASSHE), health care organizations and economic development entities, to develop this much-needed broadband technology. The network will expand broadband Internet access to 60 institutions, including public and private universities, schools, libraries and medical facilities. More than $29 million will be used for similar purposes in underserved areas north of Interstate 80, many of whom are our neighbors.

Once in place, the broadband network will enhance BU’s capabilities to conduct more effective distance education, extensive research and offer real-time, high-performance computing, video conferencing and collaboration with international students and faculty. Just as important, it will ensure our community neighbors have access to the same high-speed technology.

Setting the pace for new opportunities

2010-02-15T08:02:00.000-08:00

We recently built on our commitment to increase opportunities for students to pursue a Bloomsburg University degree through a partnership with Lehigh Carbon Community College that will serve as a model for other PASSHE universities.

Donald Snyder, Lehigh Carbon’s president, and I formalized a program-to-program articulation agreement for students who earn an associate’s degree in early childhood and elementary education to seamlessly transition into our bachelor’s of education program, either at our Bloomsburg campus or at Lehigh Carbon’s Morgan Center in Tamaqua. This allows students to pursue their higher education goals closer to home while receiving a high-quality BU education.

More opportunities are to come as BU will sign similar agreements later this month with Luzerne County Community College and Northampton Community College. At LCCC, similar to the Lehigh Carbon agreement, students will be able to complete the four-year degree at the campus in Nanticoke without traveling to our campus.

These program-to-program articulations are the first of their kind and another example of BU’s leadership in teacher preparation and curriculum innovation. Our outstanding faculty in the College of Education worked creatively and collaboratively with their community college colleagues in developing the curriculum that led to the articulation agreements.

This model should lead to program-to-program articulations in other majors at BU, providing additional seamless pathways for community college students to complete bachelor’s degrees in high-demand fields. In addition, the pathways will increase the number of well-prepared transfer students as we enter a decade in which the number of high school graduates is expected to decline.

BU in focus at the Super Bowl

2010-02-05T05:40:00.000-08:00

As we settle in Sunday evening with family and friends to watch the Super Bowl matchup between the New Orleans Saints and the Indianapolis Colts, the Bloomsburg University community can be immensely proud to know one of our own is on the playing field representing the best our university has to offer.

Jahri Evans was a star player for our Huskies football team before being drafted in the NFL in 2006, and as the Saints starting offensive lineman, he will take center stage this Sunday in Miami in front of 80,000 fans and an expected 98 million television viewers. Not only has Jahri excelled athletically, he achieved success in the classroom and remains connected to BU through an annual scholarship he established last summer.

Jahri completed his studies while playing for the Saints, graduating in May 2007 with a bachelor's degree in exercise science. As a way to acknowledge the importance of his own college education, he has pledged to annually cover tuition and fees for an out-of-state minority student enrolled in BU's Master of Science in clinical athletic training program. The Jahri Evans Scholarship is one of many ways our alumni give back to the university and help ensure more students have opportunities to pursue higher education at Bloomsburg.

During the on-campus announcement of his scholarship in July, Jahri said, "It's always good to help someone in need further their education. Bloomsburg was instrumental in getting me to where I am today. I was brought up to always give back and be grateful for what you have. This is a great program and great place to go to school."

Sunday will cap a great year for Jahri, who had his best season ever as a player for a team having its best season in its 42-year existence. He was named to the NFL Pro Bowl as a starter and recognized as one of the NFL’s overall top players when he was named to its All-Pro Team. Through it all, Jahri never lost touch with BU. His story has been a popular topic in the weeks leading up the Super Bowl covered by more than 200 media outlets, including The New York Times, ESPN, The Sporting News and USA Today, as well as the cover story of our new-look Bloomsburg: The University Magazine. In every article, Jahri made a point to highlight how attending BU impacted his life.

Jahri makes an effort to visit BU every year to meet the team, attend a game or scrimmage and touch base with BU football coach Danny Hale and the coaching staff, his mentors and former professors and friends who are still in the area. We look forward to welcoming him “home” again soon, hopefully as a Super Bowl champion.

Diversity and inclusion take center stage

2010-02-01T13:11:00.000-08:00

Our campus celebration of Black History Month began last week, highlighted by numerous activities and events our students and community neighbors can enjoy. Bloomsburg University recognizes the importance of campus diversity and embraces inclusion throughout the year but celebrating Black History Month enables us to shine our spotlight a bit more brightly on the contributions of African-American culture on campus and in our community.

The celebration began on Jan. 28 by bringing Dr. Ronald Walters, an eminent scholar of African-American politics and noted political analyst, to campus. His evening lecture, “The King Legacy and the Obama Presidency,” was a well attended analysis and discussion of the first year of the Obama presidency and his first state-of-the-union address.

Our celebration continues on Friday, Feb. 5, when the renowned Harlem Gospel Choir will perform in the Kenneth S. Gross Auditorium, Carver Hall. The choir, which has performed worldwide, promises to bring a special style of gospel to our campus, one deeply rooted in New York City heritage. My wife, Robbie, and I are looking forward to a dynamic, inspirational performance, beginning that night at 6:30.

A week later, we will host students from several PASSHE schools and many BU alumni for the 16th annual Sankofa Conference. “Sankofa,” an Akan word meaning “We must go back and reclaim our past, so we can move forward,” provides the fundamental theme of this interactive conference. Several BU alumni will lead workshops on Saturday, Feb. 13, covering topics such as getting into graduate school and being a mentor. Our students will also be networking with diversity leaders and students from our sister institutions, such as West Chester and Lock Haven universities.

After the conference, the focus of our celebration returns to our campus community for African Heritage Week from Feb. 22 to 25 with festivities coordinated by a student organization, the Black Cultural Society. Planned activities include the Harlem Renaissance, a night when we’ll enjoy a variety of performances, from poetry readings to dance routines and songs, all celebrating the rich heritage of Harlem.

This month’s events are a wonderful opportunity for our campus community to further embrace diversity and grow a deeper appreciation of the contribution each person makes to our learning environment.

Staying ahead of the game

2010-01-25T09:20:00.000-08:00

Popularized by the hit television series, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and growth of online crime, forensic analysis has caught the attention of many young adults as an interesting and attractive career path. This interest hasn't gone unnoticed at Bloomsburg University.

In May, we will have our first group of students graduate from our computer forensics program that began in 2006. It will be an exciting and proud moment for us. BU is one of few universities in the country and the only PASSHE school offering a bachelor's degree program specific to computer forensics.

Our program focuses on extracting and analyzing evidence from digital media, such as photographs from hard drives. Through classroom instruction and internships, students learn how to search hidden areas of a computer, work with law enforcement to present evidence in an investigation or trial, and enforce the computer use policies of corporate America. When they earn their bachelor's degree, our graduates have the necessary skills to solve many of the same mysteries covered on CSI, although not nearly as quickly in real life as on television.

We currently have nearly 170 students in the program and expect to graduate about 30 computer forensic specialists this spring. With our first graduating class on the horizon, we can add computer forensics to our list of new programs that meet the needs of our ever-changing global community.

Energy to spend, energy to save

2010-01-20T05:28:00.000-08:00

A new year brings a renewed energy that allows us to build on what we did well in the previous year, from our personal successes to our professional achievements. This week, we feel the same type of energy at Bloomsburg University as we welcome back our students from a well-deserved winter break and greet many new freshmen and transfer students who are joining us this semester.

We’ll rely on the energy and outstanding ideas of students, faculty and staff as we formulate a strategic plan for the university this spring. This important plan will build upon BU’s legacy of success from previous generations of administration, faculty, staff and students and will chart the course for the university’s future. We appreciate your input, which can be directly submitted to SPARC (Strategic Planning and Resource Council) through our strategic planning Web site.

The strategic planning process is just one of many significant initiatives you will hear about in the coming weeks. Another is the new BU Web site. With the rollout scheduled for early February, the redesigned site is better organized, easier to navigate and presents a more unified appearance. The new Web site will be unveiled in three phases over the next the year and, as with the strategic plan, we welcome your input. To all who have already provided feedback, we say, “Thank you. Your comments have been very helpful.” If you have not done so, please complete the Web survey and offer comments and suggestions.

Another new initiative begins later this week to renew our focus on the important issue of sustainability. At the request of two campus groups - the Green Campus Initiative and H.O.P.E. (Help Our Planet Earth) - Thursday and Friday, Jan. 21 and 22, will be designated as Green Days. On these days, faculty will share information on steps we all can take to reduce energy and water consumption and increase our efforts to recycle materials and energy.

I encourage you to learn all you can about green efforts at BU and participate in university-wide sustainability initiatives this semester, including the National Teach-In on Global Warming Solutions on Feb. 11 and Earth Day events, tentatively scheduled for April 22. Take a look at this Webcast to learn more about the H.O.P.E. initiative.

Another semester in the books

2009-12-14T11:11:00.000-08:00

My walk to Carver Hall across campus to start the day has been greeted of late with a biting chill in the air and a light coat of snow on the ground. That means two things. I need to switch to my winter jacket, and the fall semester is coming to a close.

Finals Week begins today. I especially enjoy the energy of campus during this particular week, because I know higher education is in high gear. Faculty are wrapping up their courses, and students are working hard to finish projects. Some of you are conducting end-of-course presentations while others probably are cramming to get research papers done and textbook chapters read. It's a key lesson at this juncture of every semester, especially for freshmen, on time management and workload priorities.

I remember my first set of college finals, about 40 years ago, were quite intimidating. In those days the semesters were longer and ended in January. That meant you had the holidays to study, but it also meant there was the dread of finals hanging over your school vacation. My advice to freshman is to study in a focused and efficient manner, review coursework with other students in your class if possible and don't stay up all night to cram.

The semester officially ends with winter commencement. Four hundred and eighty (480) students will be awarded bachelor or master's degrees during our winter commencement ceremonies, Friday and Saturday, Dec. 18 and 19, in Mitrani Hall, Haas Center for the Arts. They have worked hard to get here, and I'm always proud to shake their hand on the graduation stage. It's a moment that makes being president of Bloomsburg University very special.

Best of luck to our students this week and to all who are searching deep in their closets for that winter jacket. Have a pleasant and relaxing vacation and holiday season.

New strategic plan underway

2009-12-08T08:58:00.000-08:00

At the beginning of this academic year, I said I would be working with members of the BU community to create a long-range strategic plan. Our plan, as I envision it, will build upon our legacy of success from previous generations of administration, faculty, staff and students. I'm delighted to say we are making very good progress.

It began in September with the first meeting of the Strategic Planning and Resource Council (SPARC), a group representing all sectors of the university community. SPARC was charged with producing preliminary mission, vision and value statements that will eventually be shared with the entire BU community for input.

After completing a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis, SPARC met for guidance and input with Dr. Madeline Adler, the former president of West Chester University who is now a consultant with Penson Associates Inc. Dr. Adler led West Chester through more than one intensive, successful strategic process during her tenure.

I met Dr. Adler about two years ago at one of my first PASSHE Presidents' meetings after she had announced her retirement. I was impressed with her intelligence and insightfulness and quickly recognized she is a person who is comfortable taking bold actions and setting stretch goals. When the opportunity presented itself, I knew she would be the right person to guide BU through our strategic planning process.

Last week, Dr. Adler visited our campus leading the SPARC team through intense discussions and working sessions to begin to define:

"Who we are" as an institution; what makes us distinct from not only the other 13 PASSHE institutions, but from all regional comprehensive universities;

What we value as an institution, as demonstrated through our daily actions, interactions and operations; and

What we aspire to be as an institution

I'm pleased with the group's hard work and significant progress last week, but there is still much to be done. When the draft statements are completed in January 2010, SPARC members will present them to the entire BU community for review, input and feedback.

SPARC has been charged with leading the strategic planning efforts, but involvement from the entire BU community - faculty, staff, students, alumni and administration - will be the hallmark of developing a successful strategic plan for our future. The greater Bloomsburg community will be consulted as well. As we enter this next phase of development and change at BU, I invite you to participate and become engaged in these strategic planning efforts.

A title and a response to adversity

2009-11-17T09:36:00.000-08:00

Our field hockey team kicked off this week in grand fashion, winning their fourth consecutive NCAA Division II national championship Sunday with a 3-2 victory over UMass-Lowell. It’s the program’s 16th title overall and the last for our legendary coach Jan Hutchinson, who recently announced her plans to retire after the softball season – a team she has also coached to national prominence in more than 30 years at BU.

We welcomed the news of the field hockey championship after the disappointing ending to our football season with three losses. We’ve confronted losses off the athletic field - as well this fall - as we’ve dealt with several reported thefts on campus, which have included laptops, computers and small electronics. Not only have campus resources been stolen, but items owned by students, faculty and staff have been taken, as well. Theft plagues many campuses, but we certainly don’t view this as accepted behavior here at BU, where safety and security remain among our top priorities.

Last week, we responded to a report of several computers and small digital devices being stolen from offices in Centennial Hall, including a laptop reportedly containing social security numbers from student rosters of psychology classes from spring 2004 through summer 2006. The university replaced social security numbers with alternate student identification numbers in fall 2006, because we take our responsibility as personal data stewards very seriously. Unfortunately, the student rosters on the stolen laptop were stored prior to this change.

We are making every attempt to contact all 574 students who were enrolled in these psychology classes by first-class letter and e-mail to alert them to what took place. We also encouraged them to sign up for free credit monitoring with one of the three major credit bureaus to watch for any suspicious activity. BU is diligent in maintaining the privacy of student information and, as we move forward, we will take appropriate steps to ensure that information on individual university computers is more secure.

As members of the BU community, we all have a great stake in the campus -- it's where we learn, work, socialize and for many of us live. The recent thefts have been unsettling, but through increased communication and collaboration we can deter thefts and work together to maintain the safety of this campus.

School spirit reaches high level

2009-11-09T06:56:00.000-08:00

As we hit the home stretch of the fall semester with finals week a month away, our students have gotten a healthy break from the rigors of study to root for several of our sports teams making playoff runs. The success of our fall sports teams is a true testament of the quality balance we have on campus with academics and athletics, where student athletes excel on the playing field and in the classroom. Many more students are great in supporting roles helping these teams as managers and staff, as well as being loyal fans in the stands.

The fall season got off to a great start with our football team gaining national attention as one of the top Division II teams, reaching No. 4 in the rankings before dropping the last three games. Despite those loses, the team ended up ranked sixth in the Super Region but was bumped from the NCAA playoffs due to an obscure rule. I’ve really enjoyed this season, especially joining the cheerleaders on the sidelines doing push-ups after every touchdown. I’ll now be giving my arms and shoulders a rest until next fall.

School spirit hasn’t stopped there as our cross country teams placed well in the conference meet, highlighted by the women’s team finishing second overall. They then finished third in the Atlantic Region championships on Saturday and earned a trip to the NCAA Division II Championships next weekend

It was wonderful to see both soccer teams advanced to the playoffs. For the men’s team, it was their first trip in six seasons. The men lost to No. 1 Millersville in the semifinals, and the women lost to West Chester in the quarter finals. It was wonderful to see the men exceed preseason expectations and the women continuing their established success.

The spotlight, for a special reason this fall, is cast on our traditional national power field hockey team that is again looking strong to compete for the title. A 16th NCAA Division II title is likely would be the icing on the cake as our university prepares to say good-bye to the team’s legendary coach, Jan Hutchinson, who recently announced her intentions to retire after the spring softball season.

In her 32-year career, Hutchinson has amassed more than 1,750 victories coaching field hockey and softball. As head field hockey coach, she is in charge of a program that has won 15 national championships and 16 conference titles in 28 years. As softball coach, she is the NCAA Division II all-time leader in career wins and has made a record 27 consecutive trips to the Division II tournament. But if you really want to know the true impact she has had on our university, just ask any of her current or former players.

As we close the book on another great fall sports season, I continue to be impressed and delighted by our outstanding student-athletes and the contributions they make to Bloomsburg University.

Artist series adds to the BU experience

2009-11-02T07:43:00.000-08:00

Now in its 24th season, the Celebrity Artist Series is one of the many opportunities where students and community neighbors can enjoy arts and culture here on campus. I enjoy seeing the campus filled with people heading to the Haas Center for the Arts for a performance. After seeing for myself what the artist series has to offer, I’m sure the audience leaves with another great impression of our university.

This season brings even more excitement as it returns to the newly renovated Haas Center, which has been completely updated and expanded to house our music, theater and dance department. It also features an art gallery and theater production shop. To truly appreciate the improvements, you have to see it for yourself.

Additionally, the renovation transformed the artist series’ home — the 2,000 seat Mitrani Hall — into a wonderful showcase for entertainment, making it one of the preeminent arts facilities in north central Pennsylvania. The Haas Center is a great place to visit and enjoy the great work of our campus community, such as art exhibits by faculty and music performances of our student ensembles. The artist series only adds to that experience. I try to attend these events as often as I can, as I did last weekend with my wife, Robbie, to watch the captivating performance of Cirque Le Masque.

I enjoy the artist series, because it offers such a variety of entertainment. The next show on Saturday features Yamato, the Drummers of Japan, who perform with several dozen drums made of animal skins and ancient trees. This month will also feature the Ten Tenors and a special lecture by Titanic discoverer Robert Ballard. In December we will have Annie as our Broadway show for the season. We will also see a professional dance company, jazz festival and ballet theatre visit campus in the Spring as part of the series. I encourage you to learn about these upcoming performances on the Web site and hope to see you filing into the Haas Center this season.

Off-campus housing fire disrupts weekend

2009-10-27T07:15:00.000-07:00

I intended to write this blog about the wonderful Celebrity Artist Series performances on Saturday by Cirque Le Masque. My wife, Robbie, and I attended the evening performance along with a full house of more than 1,600 in Haas Center for the Arts, Mitrani Hall. The afternoon performance was also to a full house with many visitors here for Parents and Family Weekend. The cirque put on outstanding performances of beauty, comedy, grace, strength and gravity-defying acrobatics.

However, I need to use this blog instead to review the impact of the terrible fire that destroyed three buildings on West Main Street on Sunday morning. I received a call at about 6:45 a.m. informing me that several buildings that provide student housing were on fire. When I arrived at the scene about 7:30 a.m. the buildings were totally involved in the fire. I was relieved to learn from a firefighter that, to their knowledge, no students were injured and they were confident that everyone was out of the buildings.

After walking around the scene and talking with people, including two owners of the burning buildings, I learned that Professor George Agbango had been called by an international student displaced by the fire. He had already taken a group of displaced students to campus and they were being assisted by Linda Sowash and her Residence Life staff. I gathered up two other displaced international students and arranged for a student with a 3-month-old daughter to bring her family to campus. The residence life staff was doing an outstanding job of comforting the students, arranging for on-campus housing, meal cards, replacement student IDs, etc.

Later in the morning Professor Agbango and I took the group of students from campus to the American Red Cross office. They were ready for the group and promptly processed them while providing coffee and snacks. Other students and non-students also found their way there for assistance. When the students went back to campus, they were provided with emergency supply kits and, most important, debit cards to purchase some new clothing, coats and shoes. This was essential because the students had escaped the fire with only the clothes they had on, in most cases pajamas, sweatshirts and sandals. Many had grabbed their cell phones and almost nothing else.

By mid-afternoon most displaced students were settled into temporary campus housing. Dr. Agbango and Dr. Sharma, director of International Education, were ready to take the 10 or so international students to Wal-Mart to shop for clothes. Parents or friends of most of the Pennsylvania students had arrived to assist them. Some students chose to room with friends in town. A few who were away for the weekend had not yet returned, although it appeared that all had been informed of the disaster.

As the week begins, we have been assisting the displaced students -- our current count is 28 -- in regaining some normalcy in their lives. Academic and Student Affairs staff have contacted the students’ professors to inform them of the stressful situation and ask for reasonable accommodations. Replacement textbooks are available on loan and the Husky Emergency Fund is available to assist with other necessities, including school supplies. Dr. Sharma is in contact with the embassies of four countries and our State Department to expedite the replacement of passports, visas and other essential documents for the international students. Various campus and community organizations are arranging for donated clothing and other necessities. The county emergency management office will have a disaster assistance site in the courthouse on Wednesday to expedite replacement of driver’s licenses, birth certificates, etc.

I was impressed by the bravery and fortitude of our students and the non-students who thankfully escaped without injury, but lost almost everything in the fire. I was equally impressed by how the university and town communities came together promptly and effectively to assist all of the victims of the fire. Our shared response to this disaster is another example of how Bloomsburg is a great place to live, learn and work.

Campus welcomes parents, families

2009-10-19T13:37:00.000-07:00

Another great weekend of celebration is ahead with the annual Parents and Family Weekend, which begins Friday with several fun activities in the evening from Latino bingo to a 3D laser robot show in Kehr Union. It’s a wonderful weekend to follow the fun-filled Homecoming weekend we just had, despite the wintry weather. Our campus will be brimming with people yet again.

I really enjoy this weekend, because I get to meet so many parents. It’s a great chance for them to put a face to the university by meeting me and an opportunity for me to gain a good perspective of what’s on their mind. A great time for me to do that is during our open forum, which will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. in the McCormick Center. It’s open to everyone, so I hope to see many new faces I didn’t get a chance to greet during freshman orientation. I’ll have more opportunities to meet parents during the many activities scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, which includes our second Celebrity Artist Series show featuring Cirque Le Masque. I’ll be sure to let you know how the exciting gravity-defying performance turns out next week.

As I said earlier in this post, Homecoming was a wonderful celebration. I took part in a variety events and met many great people. Among them were alumni from the Class of 1959, who were celebrating their 50th class reunion, and later Saturday evening I spoke at the nursing alumni celebration. I finished the weekend attending our annual scholarship luncheon, which gives student scholarship recipients a chance to meet their respective scholarship donors.

Homecoming was made even more special with the return of former BU President Jessica Kozloff, who we honored in a dedication ceremony for the new housing complex named after her on the upper campus.

Creating safer student housing was among her priorities during her tenure, and there was no tribute more fitting than to associate her name with a beautiful, high-quality, safe “home away from home” for BU students. Jessica Kozloff left a lasting legacy in making the campus and surrounding community safer and healthier for our students after dealing with two unfortunate tragedies relating to housing issues during her time here. It was an absolute pleasure to be a part of her tribute and to show her how BU has continued building on her initiatives to ensure our university is great, safe place to experience higher education.

BU family reunites

2009-10-12T05:41:00.000-07:00

What a wonderful time it is to be on campus. Fall has arrived, the semester is in full swing and Homecoming Weekend, Oct. 17 to 18, is right around the corner. I really enjoy seeing our BU family come together, and of course, being a part of it myself. Homecoming is one of the few times of year when you can see all the pieces that make our university special together on campus – students, staff, faculty, alumni, supporters and our community neighbors.

This year is even more exciting for me as I’ll be able to take part in most of the activities and meet more people. Last year was my inauguration as president, which kept me on a tight schedule. I’m also looking forward to participating in the Homecoming Parade. I really enjoy how our university celebrates Homecoming with the Town and Bloomsburg High School. This weekend truly brings the Bloomsburg community together.

It’s wonderful to see a BU alum chosen to be Saturday’s parade marshal. State Rep. David Millard, who also graduated from Bloomsburg High School, represents the 109th Legislative District in Columbia County and serves as a director of the Bloomsburg Fair, along with being active in the fire department. Rep. Millard is about as locally-tied to Bloomsburg as someone can be. I’m looking forward to spending time with him this weekend. Be sure to join us at the parade, which begins at 11 a.m. in the Bloomsburg Hospital parking lot and later at the football game against Cheyney Univeristy, which begins at 3:30 p.m.

Another exciting part of this year’s Homecoming is the 50th reunion of the Class of 1959, who in turn added to their own celebration of their connection to BU by raising $23,000, including a matching gift of $10,000 from a fellow class member. The donation will be put into a BU Foundation endowed scholarship that will be awarded annually to a junior or senior. The motivation for the scholarship came from the class’s recognition their BU degree afforded them a great quality of life. They wanted to be sure future students with financial need can earn a degree and experience a rewarding career and life, as they have. What a great way to highlight a homecoming reunion.

Fall arrives with new TV show

2009-10-05T07:07:00.000-07:00

It hasn’t taken long for the leaves to start changing here in Central Pennsylvania, signaling the start of a new season with a collage of yellow, orange and red colors dotting the mountain landscape overlooking our campus. At the same time, there are many new things happening on campus beginning with today’s exciting premiere of our new show, Husky Connections, at 1 p.m. on BUTV's Channel 8 on the local Service Electric Cable network. The first show, "Meet Your Leadership," will continue in rotation and be featured on BU's YouTube channel accessed from our Web site.

First, congratulations to Collette Keene, a junior computer forensics major from Danville, who came up with the winning entry in our contest to name the new show. We received more than 50 creative entries over our two-week campus contest, which made it a tough decision to pick one. Keene's suggestion hit the show’s theme right on the nose.

Husky Connections will showcase why BU is a special place to work, live and learn. Additionally, the program will feature topics such as living healthy and being environmentally friendly on campus. We're also planning episodes around Homecoming and the upcoming Parent and Family Weekend. There will be a lot of variety and many engaging topics will be covered in the coming months.

In each episode, our viewers will see a different side of BU. It's a very exciting new venture, and we're eager to see how it grows throughout the school year. Feel free to offer your suggestions of potential show topics below. The more input we receive, the better the show will be. Husky Connections is about our university community.

Budget impasse, mission continues

2009-09-28T06:51:00.000-07:00

Two months ago I wrote about the economic challenges we’re facing as a university, which haven’t gotten easier with the stalemate of the final state budget process. The delay has cast a cloud of uncertainty on the appropriations we receive as part of the state system of universities. Last year the state appropriation amounted to just over 36% of the university operating budget. A full month into the fall semester, we’re still waiting for a state spending plan for this fiscal year.

A lot of my meetings in recent weeks – as you read last week are many - have centered on the budget issue. Continuous work on our own operating budget for next year is nothing new but waiting this long for an indication of a major revenue stream is. As a result, we have been very cautious in projecting our spending – more so than we traditionally do. We have also made a stronger commitment in coordinating fundraising efforts and connections with our alumni. In today’s economy, support of our alumni and friends is even more vital.

Despite this administrative frustration, high quality higher education continues on campus. Our freshmen have survived their first wave of quizzes and section tests, seniors are inching closer to completing their graduation requirements and the faculty continues their hard work in keeping our students on track despite the whirlwind of editorials on potential reduction of funding for financial aid and university operations. Rest assured, nothing is set in stone until we see a final budget, and we are committed to everything possible to prevent negative impacts on direct instruction and student support. However, seeing our mission continue in the wake of the greatest budget uncertainty in my career makes me proud to be the president of this university.

There may be light at the end of the tunnel soon. We were close two weeks ago in seeing a final state budget plan with a “hand shake” agreement on a $28 billion proposal. Let’s hope progress continues, because I don’t want to revisit this blog topic in another month.

Schedule shifting into high gear

2009-09-21T07:14:00.000-07:00

Seeing the campus get increasingly busy over the past three weeks with students and faculty gathering on the Academic Quad, filling the halls of academic buildings, and commuting between classes is a wonderful sight to see. It’s a clear reminder the school year has officially begun.

It’s also a precursor that my schedule will shift into a new gear and will remain there for the next seven months. A typical week will have me in various meetings with university staff, students, alums and fellow state system university leaders. My meetings cover the gamut of higher education: academics, student life, budget, fundraising and alumni affairs. It’s a very busy time for me but also a time I really enjoy as president.

Although my schedule seems dominated by meetings and conference calls, I find time to attend some home sporting events, on-campus concerts and community events, such as my weekly Rotary meeting and monthly Chamber of Commerce board meeting. My schedule has gotten even busier this year with the commitment to new media projects like video, which I wrote about last week.

While the campus calms down on Friday afternoon, I tend to overlook the weekend and start to focus on Monday’s full slate of commitments. It happens every Friday on my walk home across campus to Buckalew Place, but I enjoy it. I have to … it’s on my schedule.

Venturing into new media

2009-09-14T06:25:00.000-07:00

Having stepped into the world of blogging five months ago, I’m feeling more comfortable communicating through other media and expanding my accessibility to the campus and local communities. Although still a learning experience, speaking through multiple media has been a lot of fun. It’s something I plan to do more of this school year.

Last week was just the start. I was interviewed on WHLM 930AM’s Friday morning radio talk show and covered several important topics concerning BU this school year, the current economic climate and my travels over the summer. It’s always an interesting experience, and I really enjoy my time on the radio.

Also on Friday, I had the opportunity to continue my crash course in video production as I taped a pilot episode of our new campus show that will premiere in a few weeks. The first episode, “Meet your University Leadership,“ enabled me to introduce the new faces of my leadership and executive team, as well as interact with a live student audience who had many great questions for us to answer on camera. You’ll have to wait a week or two for the episode to air in order to see what our students brought to the discussion.

I’m excited to see how the pilot turns out after spending nearly an hour in our state-of-the-art, on-campus video studio with a live audience. Editing the footage down to five to six minutes is a fascinating process to see. It’s still taking some time to get used to seeing myself on camera after the two welcome videos I’ve done.

I’ll continue to provide updates of my work in front of the camera as other shows are produced in the coming weeks, which will include topics covering healthy living on campus, community service, green concepts and our upcoming Family Weekend in October. In the meantime, we’re going to hold a competition to have our BU community name my talk show. The winner, who will receive a prize, will be announced during the week of Sept. 28. So, stay tuned.

I too was a freshman once

2009-09-08T05:21:00.000-07:00

It was the late 1960s, a key time period in our country’s history with my generation leading a social revolution. We were coming into our own, setting the stage for new speaking platforms for women and minority groups, and facing the draft in the time of a very unpopular and ultimately unwinnable war. A college campus was the place to be for a young person, and I was heading there to begin a new chapter of my life.

I arrived at the University of California, Berkeley, a school three times the size of BU with about 20,000 students, following a 400-mile trip in a car with my parents. The first thing I did after they left was buy a carton of cigarettes, even though I didn’t really smoke. It must have been a sign of independence. I quickly learned it wasn’t a wise decision and stuck to my instincts of living a healthy lifestyle ever since then.

As an incoming freshman, I was exposed to the precursor of the Living and Learning Communities — like we have here at Bloomsburg. There was mass advising in the dorms about the first semester courses and general education. We were assigned to an advisor within our major, who in my case had little to no interest in me as a freshman. It ended up being one of the main reasons why I changed majors, from chemical engineering to biology during my spring semester.

My first roommate and I were not compatible. I chalked it up to us having different academic and lifestyle interests, so I moved in with an English major in the spring. We quickly became the closest friends, actually to this day best friends. We’ve gone on an annual fishing trip for the past 25 years. It goes to show many connections you make in college can last a lifetime, as does the commitment you make in class.

In my convocation address last week I quoted Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.: “Man’s mind, once stretched by new ideas, never regains its original dimensions.” I certainly had a mind of different dimensions after my freshman year in college, and I am sure you will as well. I give our freshman my best wishes for an exciting, rewarding, and successful collegiate career at BU.

Welcome to a new school year

2009-08-26T12:38:00.000-07:00

Our students, including a record-number 2,000-plus freshmen, and faculty have begun settling back on campus this week in preparation for the 2009-10 academic year, which begins Monday.

The fall sports season also kicks off this week, including our first-ever home football game at night on Thursday, and our women's field hockey team beginning defense of their 15th national championship this weekend with two games.

This week is just the beginning of what we expect to be a great and exciting school year. Enjoy a personal video message I made to welcome everybody back to campus.

Coasters, baseball and the Jersey shore

2009-08-21T09:44:00.000-07:00

There is a week left to the summer vacation, yet our campus really hasn’t had a vacation with all the activity since May graduation. There has been something going on every week from summer classes to construction projects to summer camps, and of course, many planning meetings.

In the meantime, I have been able to sneak in some time for fun and relaxation. Recently, I made my second visit to Knoebel’s Amusement Park — this time for an alumni event. I really enjoy the family atmosphere of the park, as well as the food. You don’t see fried pickles on a stick every day. Riding the roller coasters has to be my clear favorite part of the visit, especially the Phoenix and Twister. No matter how often I go on a ride, I can never accurately anticipate the quick dips and sharp turns. I have particularly enjoyed these old wooden roller coasters since I was a kid riding them at Riverview Park in Chicago and The Pike in Long Beach, California.

I’ve also continued to explore the cultural activities of Philadelphia. What a wonderful historic city! This latest trip I took in a Phillies game with friends. Unfortunately, it was a game where the Cubs ended the Phillies 10-game winning streak. The loss still didn’t take away from the great experience of watching baseball in person, being part of a sold-out crowd, and seeing the beautiful Phillies home, Citizens Bank Park. I am still pursuing the perfect cheesesteak, and the one I had at the park was pretty close to perfection.

Another recent road trip I enjoyed was a one-day excursion to the Jersey shore. The family-oriented beaches away from Atlantic City were beautiful. We had great weather, which made the ocean breeze even better. It was a great break from the busy schedule I had waiting for me back in Bloomsburg. However, after enjoying several trips away from campus, it’s been nice to get back home to Buckalew.

Visiting the Rockies, meeting alumni

2009-08-14T07:40:00.000-07:00

My second week away from campus continues with an annual planning retreat for the presidents of the 14 PASSHE universities, the system chancellor and his senior staff. These two days will be filled with focused conversation that will help us plan to meet the economic challenges we continue to face as higher education institutions. We're committed to continue our tradition of delivering quality education at an affordable cost. This retreat will help us improve on that plan.

After the retreat, I'm flying to Denver with the director of the BU Alumni Association, Lynda Michaels, for an alumni event. There, we hope to meet up with close to 200 alumni who live in the Denver area.
We will also attend a celebration of the life of Henry Carver, who was the first principal of the Bloomsburg Literary Academy, the precursor of our university, and the builder and namesake of the first building on campus, Carver Hall, where my office is located.

These periodic trips to cities with concentrations of BU alumni are part of our efforts to keep alumni connected to the university, to support us financially and help us in other ways. Last year, roughly 5,200 alumni contributed nearly $902,000 to the univeristy, which was a 7% increase from 2007-08. In addition to their generous donations, our committed alumni have volunteered more than 500 hours over the past year. They have helped coordinate and staff alumni events and organize alumni chapters. Alumni have also served as admissions recruiters, student mentors and guest speakers in classes and for student organizations.

We are very thankful for the support our alumni offer. I’m very excited to have the opportunity to personally thank those alumni living in the beautiful Rocky Mountains.

Ready for a cross-country road trip

2009-08-07T05:55:00.000-07:00

The next two weeks will be quite busy for me with plenty of travel, including a flight to the West Coast, a 2,900-mile drive back to Bloomsburg and then a flight to the Rocky Mountain Region. Next week, I will be flying to Washington to meet my wife, Robbie.

As I mentioned in May, she has been involved in a National Science Foundation program with two of her colleagues from Central Washington University and 12 students from universities around the country. The two-month program is focused on water resource management in northwest China and included a four-week research trip to China, where the American students and faculty collaborated with Chinese colleagues. BU students are encouraged to apply for this unique international program, which will continue for at least the next two summers.

Robbie and I will visit our former hometown, Ellensburg, to pick up one of our horses — a 6-year-old, gray, quarter horse mare, Ariel, to bring back to Bloomsburg with us. Before we leave, Robbie and I will make sure we have a blues burger at The Tav and buy some of our favorite Washington red wines. Also, it will be nice to spend a couple of days with my son, Andrew, who is a senior anthropology major at Central university.

As we head home, we will spend three nights on the road with planned stops in Montana, South Dakota and Indiana. We made reservations for Ariel at equine motels and stock companies each night, as we will stay in nearby motels. We have never transported one of our three horses on a 2,900-mile trip across the country. It should be quite an adventure.

In Bloomsburg, Ariel will join our two geldings that came with us when we arrived early last year. Yes, we get great pleasure and relaxation from trail riding in beautiful central Pennsylvania. So far, our favorite rides have been in the state game lands adjacent to Red Roof Farm, where we board our horses just north of Jerseytown.

Alas, there will be no time to ride until next month as the following week I will be attending an annual PASSHE planning retreat before flying to Denver to meet some BU alumni.

Summer renovations wrapping up

2009-07-31T14:04:00.000-07:00

Summer is quickly coming to a close and so are a few key building projects here at Bloomsburg University that will make this fall semester even more exciting. I’ve already highlighted the Jessica S. Kozloff Apartments project on the upper campus, so I will focus on the lower campus here.

In less than a month, the first phase of renovation to Bakeless Center should be finished and just in time for the new semester. The second phase work on the east side classrooms is on schedule to be completed by the spring semester. This is great news for our students, staff and faculty who call Bakeless home during the school year. The $4.1 million renovation will give the 40-year-old building new life with the most up-to-date electrical and ventilation systems and will significantly enhance the existing classroom and office space.

As a result, the great academic programs in economics, English, philosophy and political science located in Bakeless will get even better with improved infrastructure for more technology and teaching space. I’m proud to say those programs have continued to thrive amid the disruption of the renovation, which will continue in part through the winter. The College of Liberal Arts is a very active and comprehensive area of study at BU, preparing graduates for a variety of professions – law, medicine, media, business, health, government service, art and education.

More improvements are on the way for the Liberal Arts departments outside of Bakeless with planned renovations of McCormick Center and Old Science Hall. Plus, we will keep a close eye on what other facilities need updated and possibly expanded as we develop a new strategic plan and a new facilities master plan this school year.

BU prides itself in minimizing deferred maintenance and aggressively funding renovations to keep our academic, housing and dining facilities operating efficiently as possible. This is done to give our students, faculty and staff access to the most current and convenient space, technology and services. Our campus has kept busy this summer with plenty of activity and planning. Things certainly won’t be slowing down for the fall.

The value of a BU education

2009-07-28T05:36:00.000-07:00

As we adjust to the recent tuition increase and ongoing economic challenges, which include a continued stalemate of the state budget process, I wanted to take time to highlight some of the unique programs BU offers that have proven successful in attracting students and helping them land good jobs in the ever-growing, competitive world. These are just a few programs in BU’s comprehensive catalog that emphasize the high quality education our students get here at an affordable price.

BU's first and, so far, only doctoral program is offered in audiology, which is a clinical program designed to produce audiologists who perform a wide array of diagnostic, remedial and other audiology services. The program places major emphasis on clinical training and practical application of research, theory and technology into clinical practice.

Another unique offering is our computer forensics program, which is the only computer forensics bachelor's degree program in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. The increased use of computers to commit crimes and growing demand for computer-based data in civil proceedings created a need for individuals with expertise to extract useful information from computer evidence. Our program prepares students for careers as computer forensics specialists who can work with law enforcement, homeland security agencies, law firms, and private companies.

Our College of Business offers a fraud examination career concentration. This unique interdisciplinary program provides in-depth coverage of fraud examination and forensic accounting.

BU, like its 13 sister PASSHE institutions, began as a teacher's college. One of our unique degree programs within in the College of Education is our bachelor's and master's program in American Sign Language and English interpreting program. This program prepares students for interpreting in a variety of jobs settings, such as the legal, educational and medical fields. The program includes hands-on training obtained through in-class practice and personal interaction with the local deaf population.

BU has also has built a solid foundation on it successful programs, such as our bachelor’s program in anthropology. At BU, anthropology is divided into three areas — cultural anthropology, which studies ways of life in societies across the world; physical anthropology, which traces human origins and biological variability; and archaeology, which seeks to explain human behavior by studying material remains from past cultures. These disciplines are blended together so students see the whole picture of humankind, how humans have evolved, what problems they face, what solutions are possible and what the future might hold.

We take pride in knowing our university offers a complete list of high quality academic programs that place our graduates in the best position to land great jobs or continue their higher education. And this is done without placing excessive burden on their families' finances.

Keeping education affordable

2009-07-21T08:45:00.000-07:00

Bloomsburg University has always prided itself on providing a top-quality education at a very affordable price and will continue to do so in light of the recent tuition increase established by the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education’s Board of Governors. As a result of their decision, our students will see a 3.7 percent increase in tuition for the 2009-10 academic year. It equates to $196 more a year for a full-time, in-state student.

I wrote last time about how the struggling economy continues to impact business, politics, families and higher education. In order for BU to maintain the level of education and learning opportunities our students and alumni have grown accustomed to and appreciative of, budget adjustments were needed.

BU and its 13 sister state universities are not alone in facing the tough challenges of providing higher education in this economy. Penn State University recently increased its tuition by 4.5 percent, which equates to roughly $585, and other universities in the state and our region are doing the same. However, we have kept cost increases to a minimum, including the recent tuition increase.

It’s also important to keep in mind this key budgetary decision was made without knowing how much funding the state university system will receive once state legislators pass a 2009-10 budget. There is still a level of uncertainty about what kind of cuts we may be faced with. This may impact the total number of courses we are able to offer. Unfortunately the state’s support has consistently fallen for many years, which has left the financial burden more on the shoulders of BU, its students and their families.

Despite the economic hardships, BU and its committed faculty have been resilient and moved forward in providing an excellent higher education. The quality of BU’s academic programs, faculty and staff is evident with the highest enrollment numbers we have ever seen, including an expected record number of freshmen coming this fall in the wake of the current recession. More students are seeing the value of a BU education, especially the quality accessed here at an affordable price. At BU, we are proud to provide our students with an excellent education that prepares them for life in our multicultural society and global economy at a cost that does not leave them with excessive debt.

Economic impact still being felt

2009-07-13T07:27:00.000-07:00

It is hard not to notice the daily updates on the state of the economy in the newspaper, on radio and in television broadcasts. It has been no secret these tough economic times have had a negative impact on all of us, including Bloomsburg University and our students.

As we move closer to the start of another school year, the economy plays a key role in how we plan for our future. A component of that is tuition, which is set each year by the PASSHE Board of Governors. Our state system of 14 universities has survived the fluctuating economy through excellent leadership, planning, and efficient use of resources and skills.

In the meantime, Bloomsburg University has provided high-quality education to our students while holding down operating costs and fees, along with affordable tuition set by the Board of Governors. In fact, over the past five years Bloomsburg and its sister institutions have seen tuition increased by only $760, from 4,598 in 2003 to 5,358 in 2008, while some universities in our region have raised tuition by as much as $7,000 and $10,000 over the same time span.

The Board of Governors is scheduled to meet this week, and the 2009-10 tuition will be a topic on their agenda. Although we have been successful in meeting the recent economic challenges, there comes a time when tuition increases are needed in order for a university to continue to provide the best education to its students. As we monitor the economic situation and await the result of the Board of Governors’ meeting, Bloomsburg University will continue to build on its success in having top-quality faculty guide our students into the future at an affordable price.

Upper Campus starting to take shape

2009-07-02T08:09:00.000-07:00

After five years of constant construction, activity on the upper campus will begin to wrap up next month when the Jessica S. Kozloff Apartments are finished. That will leave the Nelson Field House as the lone site still undergoing renovation.

Not only is this welcome news for the staff and students who work and reside on the upper campus, it is wonderful news for the BU community as we will get to see the upper campus really take shape after five years of hard work and great investment.

The biggest change this fall will be the Kozloff Apartments, which will house 544 students in three, four-story buildings. There will also be a commons building with a fitness center, meeting space and mail room. The $31 million project will be completed just in time for the fall semester, which begins on Aug. 31.

In the meantime, the field house’s $12 million facelift will continue in phases into next summer. The field house will be completely renovated with added space for locker rooms, storage and new labs for our exercise science program. The project also includes a completely renovated swimming pool, refurbished building entrance and new seating in the gymnasium. We can look forward to seeing the renovated pool in September and the gym’s new look and feel in October.

Summer with family, friends and new faces

2009-06-26T08:08:00.000-07:00

I just returned from a pleasant vacation driving to the state of Washington, where I visited family and friends along the way. A highlight of our trip was seeing two of our three children. Andrew is a senior anthropology/archeology major at our last university, Central Washington University. Our daughter, Laura, flew up from Los Angeles with our two little granddaughters, Finn (4) and Erris (18 months).

My wife, Dr. Robbie Soltz, is leaving from Washington this Saturday, June 27, for a month in western China with a group of students and faculty. They will be studying water resource management and the modernization of remote areas in western China. This program is sponsored by the National Science Foundation and will continue for at least two more summers. BU students with an interest in China are encouraged to apply for this unique, all expense paid, international experience.

This week I have enjoyed welcoming our fall freshmen and their parents to campus and informally meeting some of them in the Scranton Commons during lunch. I am looking forward to welcoming and talking with ACT 101 students during their scheduled orientation next week, June 27 to 29.

Along with freshman orientation and summer courses, BU has been busy hosting more than 1,600 youths this summer who are participating in more than 30 camps on and near campus. Many BU students are helping with those camps. Some of the camps include computer forensics, math and science, summer adventure, migrant leadership and a variety of team sports. It’s certainly an exciting time to be on campus.
There is quite a bit of summer left to enjoy with the fall semester still eight weeks away. In the meantime, I’m looking forward to seeing more new faces come to campus over the next two months.

New agreement in place before vacation

2009-06-12T08:52:00.000-07:00

Provost James Mackin and I traveled to Schnecksville last Friday, June 5, to sign a new dual admissions and transfer agreement between BU and Lehigh Carbon Community College. I was impressed with LCCC’s new state-of-the-art Technology Center, where the signing took place. The dual agreement allows students to complete a BU bachelor’s degree in many of the program majors offered on the LCCC campus.

In a time when many students are choosing to attend community college, the BU degree completion programs are quite valuable to time- and place-bound students. It offers students flexibility in class locations. Many of the BU courses offered can be taken on the community college campus. All courses will transfer seamlessly if students follow the established course sequence. In addition, these programs make college affordable for many potential students.

BU also has a dual admission agreement with Luzerne County Community College for our elementary education and exercise science degree programs.

Last week, I encouraged you to take time to enjoy family and friends. Beginning Monday, June 15, I will be traveling to my home state of Washington for a week’s vacation. I am looking forward to spending time with two of my three adult children and my two young granddaughters. I am particularly excited about a road trip to relocate my grandfather’s farm in Indiana and the house we lived in after I was born in Wisconsin. Just like we are proud of the history of Bloomsburg University, I am very proud of my family history and learning more about it to share with my granddaughters.

Have a great week.

Campus stays busy over the summer

2009-06-03T09:59:00.000-07:00

Summer vacation has officially begun at Bloomsburg. While campus may be a little quieter these days, I can’t say things have slowed down. Summer classes are in session and we are busy planning for the start of the 2009-2010 academic year. Here are some important changes and additions students, faculty and staff can expect to see this fall.

We have reorganized some departments and colleges to more accurately reflect academic relationships and synergies. The department of audiology and speech pathology and department of nursing have moved from the College of Professional Studies to the College of Science and Technology. And the department of exercise science and athletics joins them from the College of Liberal Arts. By moving these three departments, along with the department of biology and allied health, we bring all of our excellent health science programs together in one college. Also, the College of Professional Studies has been renamed the College of Education, reflecting a unified focus on our core teacher preparation programs.

Bloomsburg is growing to meet the global educational demands and challenges of today. The Council of Trustees endorsed a proposed Master of Arts in public policy and international affairs at today’s quarterly meeting. Following approval by the PASSHE Board of Governors, this program will prepare students for careers in domestic and international policy. We expect the program to attract students not only from Bloomsburg but also from more distant locations, as many courses will be offered online or through teleconferencing technology.

In September, Bloomsburg will offer the Principals Academy for beginning principals. The academy, which meets the Pennsylvania Inspired Leadership core standards, will focus on leading change for 21st century schools. Bloomsburg has long held a distinguished reputation for training leaders in academia. The Principals Academy adds to this legacy and demonstrates our continued success and excellence in teacher and administrator preparation.

We will continue to identify programs of interest to our current and prospective students and provide a wide spectrum of choices in high-quality academic programs. While there is a lot to do before September, be sure to take time to enjoy family and friends, relax, rejuvenate and enjoy the warm summer days that, surely, will arrive soon.

New vice president of university advancement

2009-05-22T09:16:00.000-07:00

Today I announced a new member to Bloomsburg University's leadership team. Erik Evans, currently associate vice president for advancement at Juniata College, Huntingdon, will join BU as vice president of university advancement on July 27. Erik brings a wealth of fundraising experience, campaign management and leadership to Bloomsburg University. He will be responsible for all aspects of the advancement functions of the university, including development, alumni relations, communications and government relations and will work closely with the Bloomsburg University Foundation.

Here's the press release announcing Erik's appointment.

University & Town Relations

2009-05-14T06:46:00.000-07:00

The spring 2009 semester ended at Bloomsburg University with a flurry of activities, academic honor society inductions, a nurses’ pinning ceremony, research presentations, recognition ceremonies for dozens of high achieving graduates from each college, and commencement -related activities, just a few examples of the optimism, ambition, energy and enthusiasm students bring to our campus and to the Town of Bloomsburg. Because of them, we have a relatively vibrant downtown and amenities other towns our size do not share, such as a professional theater company, boutiques and fine dining. Our students add to the local quality of life with their volunteer activities, including an estimated 58,000 hours of volunteer services, through the University’s SOLVE Office, during the 2008-09 academic year and to the prosperity of the region, contributing $57 million to Columbia County’s economy each year.

Along with all that is positive comes the challenge of every college town - student gatherings and occasional large outdoor parties. Bloomsburg’s Block Party started as a fundraiser and grew by word of mouth, the Internet, social networking sites and YouTube, to name a few. Much of its growth can be attributed to young people with no affiliation to Bloomsburg University. In fact, preliminary information compiled by our student standards office shows that nearly 75 percent of this year’s alcohol-related citations and offenses were issued to non-students.

I truly believe that cooperative efforts among representatives of the Town of Bloomsburg, the university administration and students, specifically the Social Gathering Task Force, have helped make Block Party a more manageable event. Rules and standards were established which Bloomsburg Police Chief Leo Sokoloski and the University reinforce in letters to each student. Landlords must sign off on the permit applications for large parties and hosting organizations issue wristbands to identify those who may legally consume alcohol. Bloomsburg University students know what type of behavior is expected and the limits of what will be tolerated. But regardless of our involvement in the task force, Block Party is not a university-sponsored event. Block Party is hosted by students who live in town, with their landlords’ consent.

The issue of Block Party is complex. Both the university and the town share the challenges of reigning in the exuberance of young people - our students and, especially, those from outside our community - and protecting the property of local residents. Mayor Dan Knorr and I have discussed expanding the Social Gathering Task Force into a Town/Gown Task Force that addresses Block Party and the broader issues of diversity and town climate for all students, faculty and staff. I am pleased to be involved in this continuing dialog and I welcome your participation as part of the task force.

This letter was also published in the local media.

Looking Forward

2009-05-05T12:47:00.000-07:00

Saturday was a perfect day for commencement ceremonies on the Academic Quad. The beauty of the day was only surpassed by the many smiles I saw on the faces of the proud graduates, parents, partners, family and friends.

The 2008-09 commencement brings years of hard work and studying to a close. It also marks new and even greater challenges for both the graduates and University. Now that summer vacation has officially started and the end-of-year celebrations are complete, let’s take a few moments to reflect on the previous academic year and look forward to the new one.

I have spent a considerable amount of time listening to and learning from the BU community. Throughout the year I asked individuals to comment on Bloomsburg’s strengths and weaknesses as well as highlight critical issues and challenges facing our institution. The majority of faculty, staff and students noted the beauty and location of our campus as the most distinctive characteristic and strength of Bloomsburg. Many of you commented on the dedication and quality of our faculty and excellent academic programs offered. Others noted our progress in attracting a pool of well qualified students and providing opportunities for students to excel.

While we have made much progress in many areas, many of you mentioned a need for a clear vision for the university, increased fundraising and scholarship efforts, and improved communications and campus relations.

In 2009-10 we will embark upon a strategic planning process that will focus much of our attention and efforts on two major initiatives as central organizing themes “vision and communication.” Thanks to everyone who helped make 2008-09 a successful year. I look forward to working with faculty, students, staff and community partners to build a strategic plan and vision to position BU as an exceptional institution where students will continue to choose to attain a high-quality education that is within their family’s financial reach.

Have a safe and wonderful summer.

Year End Celebrations

2009-04-28T06:12:00.000-07:00

The end of the academic year is a busy, but exciting time. From year-end celebrations to finals to commencement, there is much to do. On Monday, April 20th I attended the Presidential Leadership Program dinner. This group, comprised of 25 students, meets with me several times throughout the academic year and participates in service, social, educational and other activities. I look forward to working with next year’s participants and introducing a new leadership workshop series for all students.

On Tuesday, April 21st, BU student athletes were honored at the Top Scholar Athlete Dinner. The dinner was for outstanding athletes and recognized MVPs for each sport and graduating seniors. Congratulations, athletes! BU’s athletes excel both on the field and in the classroom.

This week the Quad will be transformed into our graduation platform. I am delighted to have David McCormick, son of Maryan and James H. McCormick as the commencement speaker. Jim was BU’s president from 1973 to 1983 and PASSHE’s first chancellor. McCormick Center is named after him.

Congratulations, graduates. Good luck to all students on your finals.

Tuition Relief Plan

2009-04-28T06:07:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday, I testified before the Pennsylvania Legislature on Governor Rendell's proposed Tuition Relief Plan. I took this opportunity to impress upon the Legislature the tremendous benefit this plan would be to the more than 112,000 students enrolled in the PASSHE institutions, including the more than 8,000 that attend Bloomsburg.

Walking from Carver Hall to Buckalew, I observed students reading and playing Frisbee on the Quad. I begin to feel a renewed sense of optimism. I embraced this energy and the opportunity to support a creative solution that would keep college affordable for students attending Bloomsburg, her 13 sister institutions, and all of the commonwealth’s community colleges.

Click here to read the editorial I submitted to the local media based upon my testimony.