JMU - Remarks to Classified Staff, August 19, 2005
2005 Remarks to Classified Staff
Remarks to the Classified Staff
August 19, 2005
Good morning and welcome to the new 2005-06 academic year. As Neil Young said in the song, “It is good to see you, or, good to see you again!”
First, I would like to thank Jason and Susan for their leadership as well as all the members of the employee advisory committee.
I hope your summer has been pleasant, and I know that you join me in looking forward to a great year at James Madison University. Next Wednesday, we will welcome our largest freshman class ever to Madison--3,800 students!
For those of you who were here last year, I talked about our attitudes at work and having a little fun while also getting a lot done. This year’s remarks may not be as fun, but I would like to talk to you about what we have accomplished, and a little
about where we are going. The best place to start is a quick review of some fundamentals.
Those of you who are fairly new to Madison may be seeing this for the first time. To others this will be familiar, but a quick review won’t hurt.
I’ll start with our vision. We envision a future in which James Madison is a new type of American university. We want to be described as possessing the best aspects of larger doctoral-research universities as well as the best features of smaller liberal arts colleges.
Our mission is to prepare students to be educated and enlightened citizens who will lead productive and meaningful lives. We want our graduates to be engaged in the communities in which they work and live. We want them to be successful in
providing for their own needs as well as their family’s, and we want them to make a difference to those whose lives they touch.
In carrying out our mission I hope we never lose sight of the common values that brought us together, and that provide the underpinning to our work.
There are about 2,600 of us who come together as one to carry out the mission,and work to accomplish the vision. And there is something that I believe we all share no matter our specific role.
I don’t think that any of us get up in the morning and come to JMU with the thought, “I am going to be mediocre today!”
I am convinced that not even one of us drives in to the campus thinking “Today, I will pursue the ordinary!” No, I prefer to believe that most of you approach your work with a little different attitude: that you want to make a difference.
Most of us want to do great things, and we want to do that which we do in a great fashion.
Greatness is not a function of circumstance, luck, or fortune. It is rarely achieved as the result of an accident or serendipity. It is the derivative of wise decisions and hard work. It is about ambition and an awareness of what can be. And
importantly, as Jim Collins has observed, “…it is typically a product of those who love what they do.”
Some of you who are new may still be thinking about our vision of becoming a new American university, and you are thinking “What are they talking about?” There are about 3,600 institutions of higher learning. How could JMU possibly be
that much different than all the rest? Can this university really be an exceptional institution? What characteristics does JMU possess that distinguish it from other schools?
Those of you who know me well know that I am not one who appreciates selfaggrandizement. I have never thought it right or proper to call oneself great, or the best, though we live in a world where it seems to have become the norm.
Certainly, we work to achieve excellence and we like it when we are recognized for it. It’s just that our excellence should be judged and then communicated by others. Unless you are Muhammad Ali, self-proclaimed greatness seems a little hollow.
So, I am not going to call us “great,” but I am prepared to call us “exceptional.” I have thought for some years now that we, while perhaps not absolutely unique, are certainly among a small cohort of institutions in our Nation. I believe it to be
the case because of the vision we pursue.
To those of you who require the company of others to feel secure, this notion of institutional uniqueness, or exceptional status, may be a bit disconcerting. But, I have an idea that most of you find the concept invigorating. Let me explain further.
Businesses, hospitals, colleges and universities, and, in fact, most enterprises develop lists of peer organizations so that they might compare and contrast themselves, hopefully in the spirit of using the information to make themselves better.
The truth, I think, is that most organizations participate in data collection for these comparisons to determine which institution is the “best” of its type, and to establish some aspirant targets to more easily define what they want to be like when they “grow up.”
We have a number of peer groups, and frankly, it gets a little confusing. We negotiate a peer institution list with the State Council of Higher Education for the purposes of faculty salary comparisons. Some of the institutional matches are pretty close, while others are questionable. We are assigned a position of Masters I in the current Carnegie typology of colleges and universities. But examination reveals the inclusion of more universities unlike, than like us.
Some would compare us to other “comprehensive” universities – whatever they are anymore. Some look more like Doctoral Intensive universities, while others still resemble Liberal Arts colleges.
Because we have been so frustrated with seeking out commonalities with supposed peers, we decided to take a slightly different approach to this comparison business. We asked ourselves “How are we different than many of the universities in our commonly used peer lists? What makes us exceptional?”
We first looked at the universe of Carnegie Masters I and Doctoral Intensive institutions. Then, within that list, we looked at those institutions that had enrollments of 12,000 students or more and graduation rates of 60 percent or higher. As a point of reference, JMU has approximately 16,000 students and a graduation rate of 80 percent. Finally, we sorted the list by percent of full-time undergraduates in descending order.
That analysis leaves one with only eleven universities.
If one then qualifies the list by excluding privates, it gets shorter.
Limiting the list to those with undergraduate populations of more than 80 percent of the enrollment makes it shorter still.
Finally, if one narrows student persistence measured by graduation rate (a surrogate for student quality) to 75 percent or higher, it gets shorter still.
Miami of Ohio was the only other institution that seemed to have a similar profile to JMU, at least as defined by the criteria we used. As alike as we are, the big difference between us is the level of operating resources available at Miami. That difference is reflected in their percentage of full time faculty, their salaries, and their endowment. Working to ultimately reach their level of support would be a challenging, but very appropriate, goal.
We may not be unique, but we certainly are exceptional, by the first definition of the word!
I happen to believe that we are “exceptional,” by the second definition of the word as well. Our significant constituents recognize what we do and their expressions of satisfaction suggest the “exceptional” nature of your university. I offer these examples:
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• U.S. News and World Reports has ranked JMU the number 1 public university in the South for twelve years in a row.
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This is but one example of the many letters like this that we receive on a regular basis. In the late summer of each year, I compile an annual accomplishments report for the Board of Visitors. Each year I am amazed by the list of achievements that have led to improvements in the university. Only people who know their purpose, who have a common understanding of where they are headed, and know how to execute with passion could reap such a list.
Last year we developed our Strategic Plan to help us focus our efforts so that we might be the institution we said we wanted to be in 2008 – our Centennial. I have met with the vice presidents, deans, assistant vice presidents, directors, and department heads to discuss the Plan, and this year I will visit with many of you in departmental meetings.
Later this semester, I will appoint a new Planning Commission, which Dr. Warner will lead. The Madison Commission, as it will be called, will help us chart a path to the end of the decade, because the world will not stop when we blow out the 100 candles on our Centennial birthday cake in March 2008.
The Madison Commission will be broad-based, much like the Centennial Planning Commission I appointed in 1999. Many of you will be asked to participate.
Working with the faculty in related departments, we created the new College of Visual and Performing Arts last year. The College will no doubt bring the excellence and vitality that exists in the arts at Madison to the forefront.
No one believes university presidents when they say, “I would rather build programs than buildings.” But, all college and university presidents must be focused on securing sufficient and quality space for faculty and staff to do their work and for students to learn and develop. On that front, we made unbelievable progress last year. We completed or are currently constructing:
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• The Harrison Hall renovation and addition |
We obtained approval to purchase Rockingham Memorial Hospital, and we executed an agreement for the leasing of Harrisonburg Memorial High School. Those two properties will ultimately provide as much as 800,000 square feet of space.
I am not sure if Charlie King and Jenny Lyons should receive honorary law degrees or real estate licenses.
We have some time to plan for the best use of the hospital space as we will not actually have the keys to the building for about five years. We anticipate a mixed-use facility, taking advantage of naturals such as the cafeteria and the emergency department. Much of the space will be devoted to academic purposes. Although the buildings themselves are in very good condition, we will need to refurbish most of the space, as it is not configured as we would use it. Some of the space we will likely demolish.
We will use the fall semester to get the high school ready for our occupancy in the spring. It will be used primarily for academic expansion, as the classrooms and labs are nicely configured as they are. We will need to create some office spaces for faculty, since the building does not have much of that type of space. The gymnasiums and fields will be wonderful additions for student recreation and intercollegiate athletics.
Architectural/engineering planning is also underway for:
| • The Miller Hall Renovation • The East Campus Library construction • The Main Street Parking Deck • The Center for the Performing Arts |
Last year, we improved our base educational and general funding by $14 million over the preceding year and sponsored program activity grew to more than $21 million. Student financial aid increased by $554,000 and athletic fund raising increased to $1.7 million, which is possibly connected to a national championship!
Our endowment increased from $28 million to over $35 million. We received funding for our first two academic chairs. As has been noted in the media recently, through the generosity of a local music lover who made a $1 million dollar gift commitment, we are acquiring over 100 Steinway pianos for the School of Music. We are now recognized as a Steinway School!
And, employee giving to Madison increased last year from 9.75% to 15.2%. To their great credit, giving in the division of administration and finance increased from 6.99% to 20.47%. I thank all of you for your support of the University.
We established new majors in Biotechnology and Justice Studies. Even in these uncertain times, we had over 800 students study abroad in 85 countries. I want to thank Dr. Brown, Ms. Bell, Mr. Mitchell and many others who worked hard last year on a plan to enhance our student academic advising, which was one of the few places we show a weakness in student satisfaction with the university. I am not counting parking, of course. Much remains to be done, but we are off to a good start.
Over 1,200 students were involved in community service last year and we sponsored 28 alternative spring break trips, all to the benefit of others. Our faculty and staff also serve unselfishly in our community.
As state and university employees you do earn two days a year that can be used for service in the community. I hope you will use those days to make a difference in your local community.
Responding to the mandates of our Strategic Plan, we funded and created a University Training Office and Director. Dr. Wubah led our efforts to put a series of new programs in place to enhance the diversity of the student body as well as the faculty and staff. I am pleased to report some very favorable results in just one year. For example, we doubled the number of African-American freshman this year as compared to last year. We have a long way to go, but this establishes the proper trajectory!
These are only highlights! So much has been left out. It is this amount and type of activity that makes us an exceptional University. I think you satisfy the second definition of the term, “exceptional.”
I will get in trouble doing this, because I cannot recognize everyone, but I want a few people to stand up if they are here so we can thank them for their work. When I call on you, please stand up and take a bow. You can leave your shirts on!
Information Technology
Everybody in IT stand up, please. Listen to this astounding statistic: 96 percent of faculty and staff report that they are satisfied or very satisfied with technology at JMU! 95 percent of our students said they were satisfied or very satisfied with technology at JMU. I would challenge any organization, of any type, to do better than that!
Dining Services
Just number 11 in the country last year!
Finance staff and budget managers
You can’t focus on academic programs and improved student services, if you have to worry about money management. You folks are incredible! Unqualified audit with no management points, and attainment of the Commonwealth’s Financial Management Standards, which I never take for granted.
Facilities – Project Management
These folks amaze me every year. I have already listed the big projects, and there were countless smaller ones. They never got the message that Rome wasn’t built in a day. We are lucky to have you on our side!
Housekeeping Services
Maybe the Universe is a stretch, but I have been all over this country, and I can tell you that nobody does it better!
Landscaping Services
Instant grass, what else can I say? You make this a beautiful place for all of us to work!
Admissions
I don’t know how they do it, either. We recruited over 19,000 people this year who submitted applications. That’s the good news. Then they had to read all those applications and select those who would be admitted – not an easy assignment.
Financial Aid
Many students make up their minds about which school they will attend based on available financial assistance. This year, the staff sent out award letters an incredible one month earlier than last year.
Orientation, Advising, General Education, Residence Life, Dining Services, Card Services, Facilities Management, and Everybody related to preparing for the freshman class, stand up.
We have a few more than we had planned for. But thanks to each of you, they will be treated as if there were 38 arriving, not 3,800!
Let me read three short e-mails that say better than I ever could, what an exceptional job you do:
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“My daughter is an incoming freshman this Fall. We were at orientation yesterday…I can’t tell you how happy and impressed my wife and I were to attend and see first hand the caring, concern and professionalism with which the entire day was handled. If the students that greeted and directed us around all day are any indication of the rest of the student body, then you truly have “a great thing going.” I would at this point mention names, but frankly there were so many impressive students, faculty and service people that made the day enjoyable and enlightening that the list would be too long.
Needless to say our daughter is thrilled that she made the right choice. During “Dr. Halpern: How are you? I just wanted to thank you once again for helping me with my schedule. If you don’t remember me, I’m sure it will help to tell you that I was the girl crying hysterically in the computer lab. It really meant a lot that someone as high up as you took time to help me. It makes me love JMU and appreciate the community even more. It’s hard to feel like a number when the Dean of General Education comes to you personally and helps out with your schedule. I can’t express enough how you’ve made me feel welcome and wanted at JMU. Thank you.” “Yesterday I took my daughter to JMU for orientation…I have to tell you that I was completely blown away by the whole day. I was in the private sector for 20 years before I came to the state, and customer service was everything, but I have never had an experience like yesterday! Every person was friendly, helpful, and extremely courteous. It was like they knew every question I was going to ask in advance (which is probably true!). Every time I had a question or concern, someone was right there to help. Every department had the same attitude, from the President, to the professors, to the bookstore and the food service area. I don’t know how you guys do it, but it is simply outstanding! I could not be more pleased that my daughter will be attending an institution like JMU…I only hope it rubs off on her." |
We are recognized by U.S. News as one of the top 43 schools in the country with outstanding first-year experience programs. Congratulations!
To all of you I recognized “thank you.” To those of you who may not have had the opportunity to stand up, I thank you also, because it takes us all to be “exceptional.”
Let me turn to institutional size or total enrollment for a few minutes. Many think, I am sure, that we are going to grow substantially. They observe the acquisition of the hospital, the rental of the high school, the large freshman class, and the large numbers of students in the middle and high schools around the state, and assume the stars are aligned for growth.
In the last half of the nineties, we grew by 3,500 students with insufficient space, faculty, and operating budgets to properly take care of them. This put tremendous stresses and strains on the University. I swore then that if I had anything to do with it, we would not let that happen again.
I view it as my job to do everything I can to make sure that we have sufficient space and operating resources to provide a high quality product. We purchased the hospital, rented the high school, and undertook the most aggressive capital outlay program for new construction in our history to ensure that we had enough space for our current student population, and as a cushion if we were to choose to expand.
As to the size of the freshman class, we had planned for it to be 3,500 not 3,800. The rate at which student applicants accept our offer of admission went up unexpectedly. Last year, we had actually been 100 students below where we projected to be.
As you might imagine, it is difficult to anticipate with precision what prospective students will decide. Amazingly, the admissions folks do routinely come very close to their target numbers. Our plan is to reduce the class by 100 next year.
Our enrollment projections through 2012 have been approved by the State Council of Higher Education. They have us at a total enrollment of 17,398 in 2012, and we anticipate being at approximately 16,450 this fall. With some increase in graduate numbers, primarily because of 5-year programs in education and accounting, we will reach the 17,398 number without any additional increases in our freshman class.
Whether we should enroll more than 17,398 by 2012 is a question that needs more hard thought. Asking the question, “What size should we be?” oversimplifies a complicated issue. I believe the better question is, “If we can preserve and even enhance quality, what obligation do we have to serve?” We are a public university with a codified purpose of serving the higher educational needs of the Commonwealth. We are selective, but we have never been elitist.
A few weeks ago, I was on vacation on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. I went to a little bakery that I had heard was great. I bought an apple pie that looked particularly good. And pleasantly, when we heated it, cut it, and served it, we found it to be the best apple pie any of us had ever had! It didn’t last long.
If you scratch the screen, you can smell it! The apple slices were plentiful – more apple that syrup. It was sweet and rich with brown sugar and just a hint of cinnamon. The filling bubbled up through the slits in the buttery crust. It literally melted in your mouth.
The next morning I went back to the little shop to get another. It was about 9:00, and they were all sold. I went back the next day at around 8:00 to get one. Again, they were sold out.
I shared with the baker that I thought their apple pie was great. That it was the best apple pie my family had ever had.
She said, “Well, we would like to think that it is ‘exceptional,’ but if you want to call it ‘great’ that is up to you. We use only the best ingredients and we give each pie a lot of personal attention.”
I told her that I was frustrated that I hadn’t been able to buy one in the last two days.
She responded, “Yes, you do have to get here early, as they disappear quickly.”
I became distrustful. Who was getting these pies? Did they have some prearranged deal? Were people paying deposits? Did the locals get better treatment than the out-of-state vacationers? Could you place your order ahead of time? I asked her why she didn’t charge more.
She replied, “Now, that just wouldn’t be fair, would it? Then only my rich customers could afford to buy a pie. Shouldn’t anyone who appreciates an exceptional apple pie be able to buy one?”
Finally, I said, “Why don’t you just make more of them?”
“Well, the shop would need to be bigger,” she replied. “Although, I guess I could rent that old school next to my shop. It would work with some modification.
I would need additional equipment--you know, more spectrometers, I mean ovens. I would need another baker or two. I would have to find more faculty, I mean apples. You know the really good ones aren’t easy to find, and they are key to the result. I would need more of the other ingredients as well. While you have to have exceptional apples to make an exceptional apple pie, it is the combination of those other ingredients with the apples that really make the pie great.”
I said, “Okay, I get your point. It is a big step to expand, and you definitely don’t want to reduce your quality. You need the best apples and other ingredients, because if you just made more pies with fewer apples and more filling, pretty soon people wouldn’t be flocking in here to buy your pies anymore.”
She winked and said, “You are really insightful; you must be a college president.”
As I left the bakery, she called to me: “I will make you a deal. Be here at 7:30 tomorrow and you will have a pie. And, while I am comfortable with the current size of my bakery, I will give some more thought to growing if I believe I can maintain my quality, and if you really believe more people want my apple pies!”
Folks, with 19,000 applications this year, you are that great apple pie!
Like the baker, we aren’t going to sacrifice quality, but we need to give more thought to addressing student needs if we can maintain our quality. The additional students we have this year give us the opportunity to find out if the Commonwealth will step up and fund the enrollment growth as it should. Knowing how the state responds this February will put us in a better position to consider our growth options for the future. If they are not funded as they should be, then we cannot maintain our quality, and it would be a mistake to grow.
So, other than size, where are we headed? In 1999 the Centennial Planning Committee concluded, and the Board of Visitors concurred, that we should continue to primarily focus on undergraduate education, but that we should develop a small cadre of truly superlative graduate programs, in addition to those programs that meet a service need for our region.
We have done just that, and it is both my recommendation and hope that the new Madison Planning Commission will confirm the path we have chosen as the right path for our future. A graduate enrollment that is approximately 10-15 percent of the total enrollment will maintain our campus culture, but provide sufficient growth opportunity for the graduate program.
Our Strategic Plan identifies six priorities that we must all address if we are to be the institution we want to be by 2008. They are: Diversity, Financial resources, Private support, Graduate programs of distinction, Professional development, and Institutional planning. We have made good progress on some of these issues, but more remains to be done.
As I said, I look forward to visiting with you in your departments to discuss these priorities, the remaining defining characteristics that we have identified, and most importantly, what role you might play in helping us achieve them.
Your hard work has resulted in the creation of a truly exceptional institution. I hope that you are proud of what you have created. Your love for what you do is obvious to others, and the envy of institutions throughout the country.
I look forward to another year of accomplishment for each of you, and for the University!
Remember the picnic this evening. It will be a wonderful time for us to visit together as we prepare for what will be a very busy next few weeks. Thank you.
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Last Modified: 10/5/2009
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