Currently
January 20, 2009
Happy 2009 and welcome back to campus
As I approach the new year, I'm confronted with dual—and dueling—emotions. The resumption of the academic schedule, following the uncharacteristic December snowfall, provides some sense of relief and an opportunity to return to the task at hand: leading, educating, researching, and engaging with our students and community.
Conversely, the University, the state of Oregon, and our country as a whole are facing staggering financial obstacles that will force us to reconsider how we approach our work.
First, the good news.
We're constantly looking for new ways to strengthen our role as a civic leader and convener in the region, where our annual economic impact approaches $1.2 billion according to a new report.
Our School of Business Administration launched its joint MBA program with Oregon Health & Science University this month. The new degree track, focused on healthcare management, begins with 27 enrolled students. The program builds on PSU's long-standing relationship with OHSU. And thanks to the new Life Sciences building in the South Waterfront, which is included in the Governor's budget, our partnership with OHSU will continue to develop.
With a record 27,000 students this fall, our enrollment mix continues to include more traditional-aged freshmen as well as out-of-state and international students who have chosen PSU and its on-campus living experience. Plans are under way for doubling the available student housing in order to accommodate continued enrollment growth, and we are presently selecting a developer for a new residence hall on the southern end of campus. We're reaching out to younger students as well. Our taskforce with Portland Public Schools is coming up with recommendations to help ease the transition and create better pathways to college for our region's K-12 population.
The construction around campus serves as a visual (and auditory) reminder of PSU's role in developing the University District. The Academic and Student Recreation Center is on schedule to open in Fall 2009. Renovation of Lincoln Hall is under way, as is the "loop project," which will increase heating and cooling efficiencies across campus. Renovations of Science Building 2 will begin soon. PSU will have an active role in a new project with city and state leaders, the Oregon University System, and several nonprofits to create a physical home for the region's sustainability research and education. Plans for this building, located in the heart of the University District, call for it to be the nation's first "living" (i.e. self-sustaining and green) building.
This past October, the first Miller Gift Request for Proposals generated significant enthusiasm from across campus with the submission of 99 faculty projects that reflect the broad range of sustainability related activities already at PSU, and the potential for meaningful, multidisciplinary collaboration as we move forward. We funded $1.4 million in requests to undertake studies in transportation, computing, secondary education, the humanities, and more. The RFP process also identified cross-disciplinary clusters of interest, and, later this month, faculty from those areas will meet to explore how they can collaborate on their respective topics. A second Miller RFP round will take place later this winter, focused on funding needs for the 2009-2010 academic year and beyond.
PSU faculty members continue to establish themselves as leaders regionally and nationally, while attracting research funding and helping position Oregon as a hub for creative and groundbreaking work. The half-dozen recipients of Fulbright awards this year are but one indicator of our success, and we are moving forward with several strategic faculty hires in programs across campus—each of these new faculty members brings additional expertise in sustainability.
Our student athletes continue to garner success in virtually every program. In late December, the men's basketball team made national headlines with an upset victory over Gonzaga (ranked seventh in the nation) in Spokane. On January 5, Kelsey Kahle and Dominic Waters were named Big Sky Conference Players of the Week in basketball. Also, our women's volleyball squad closed out the 2008 season with its first Big Sky Conference Tournament championship and NCAA Tournament appearance.
But, to reference the oft-turned Longfellow line, "Into each life some rain must fall"—significant budget shortfalls cloud the state's financial horizons. As we close out the 2007-2009 biennium and plan for 2009-2011, we face tough choices in light of a rapidly degrading economic forecast.
Going forward, these budget decisions will be made in an open and collaborative environment with input from faculty, staff, and students. Though budget reductions must be made, we are committed to preserving funding for student instruction and services as well as facilities. Investments will be made in keeping with our strategic priorities, and we will redouble our efforts to expand resources, widening and deepening our funding streams even in this troubled climate.
So, thank you all for your hard work last year, and although the road ahead may include some economic bumps, a couple feet of snow, or maybe even some flooding, our path remains clear. With your help PSU will not only persevere, we will prosper, and we will continue to serve our students, our community, and each other, to the best of our abilities.
President Wim Wiewel
