This week in Higher Education headlines:
University President Robert Berdahl addressed the University community today through an email. In this statement, Berdahl outlined his priorities for his interim presidency. The list includes faculty recruitment and retention, the presidential search, capital campaign and independent governance. Berdahl says he wants to be able to provide the next president with a “running start”.
The University’s fall dean’s list included 1,466 students. That is 96 more students than last fall. To qualify, a student must be an admitted undergraduate and complete at least 15 credits for the term; 12 of the 15 credits must be graded with a GPA of 3.75 or better.
Students at the University of California Riverside are proposing a new model for funding UC schools. It proposes eliminating tuition and implementing a post-graduate 5 percent income tax that students would pay for up to 20 years after graduating. It is an intriguing proposal based on two existing system in both England and Australia.
President Berdahl’s email in its entirety:
| Dear colleagues,A few months ago I could not have imagined being in this position, and I continue to marvel at life’s twists and turns. I want to take this opportunity to convey my appreciation for the kind welcome and support I have received. As I’ve said, I am not pleased with the circumstances that created the interim presidency, but it is good to be back at this university that was and continues to be an important part of my life and career.There is much I could say, and for those who would like to read the longer comments I made to the UO Senate a few weeks ago, they are available here. For now I simply want to reiterate the short list of priorities I will concentrate on in this interim period.1) Faculty recruitment and retention. It is essential that we recruit and retain the very best faculty we possibly can. Excellence begets excellence. Because of good financial management and a successful model for growing revenue, despite poor state support, the UO is relatively unique in its capacity to add faculty to its ranks over the course of this academic year. Few public universities are able to do this in this fiscal environment. 2) Presidential search. I have known reasonably well or worked in some fashion with six UO presidents. The next president has tall shoulders upon which to stand. Although morale has been damaged by the Board’s decision to terminate President Lariviere, it is generally high because of the momentum, the hope and expectation of the future which he generated. We must recruit a strong, visionary, effective leader, and I hope to play an active role in that process. 3) Capital campaign. One of my tasks as a presidential consultant this fall was to help in planning for the upcoming capital campaign. I met with all the deans and a number of faculty. The institution has many committed alumni and donors. We must clearly and passionately articulate our vision for the future—a vision that our friends and supporters can champion. 4) Independence in governance. The final imperative upon which the others depend, is to advance the project of gaining an independent governing board for the UO. This is essential to the future of the institution. While the UO must remain dedicated to its public mission, it must also have the freedom to act in ways that are constrained by the current governance structure. This is essential if we are to successfully recruit outstanding faculty. And this is essential if we are to be able to spend the university’s resources to best support our people and our mission. There are, of course, many other challenges and opportunities the next president must address. In the meantime, I know that you are educating and caring for our students and keeping the institution running. I am counting on you to continue your great work through this interim period, just as you can count on me to do everything I can to give the next president a running start. The possibilities for excellence are great. Which is exactly why I am happy to be back here with you. Warm regards, Bob Robert M. Berdahl Interim President University of Oregon |
