Dunn prescribes more research in State of the University Address

Josh Holderbaum
Western Herald

(Marissa Ingle / Western Herald) Western Michigan University President John Dunn giving State of the University address Sept. 10 2009 at the Dalton Cent

Click here to download a podcast of President Dunn’s speech

More work towards Western Michigan University’s initiatives a day will keep the doctor away, President John Dunn, Ph.D., said in his State of the University address.

Dunn’s address made up part of WMU’s academic convocation held at 3:30 p.m. Thursday in Dalton Recital Hall.

His speech took the form of a medical check-up, with a brief overview of WMU’s successes and a prescription on how to improve in the future.

“Good health is a quest, a conscious effort each and every day to maintain balance and harmony in our physical, mental and emotional well-being, or in the vernacular of the young, to be ‘in the zone,’” Dunn said.

Academic progress that earned mention in Dunn’s address included the John Seita Scholarship, aimed at helping former foster care students adjust to college life; WMU’s current work towards becoming a Confucius Institute by partnering with the Beijing Language and Culture University, a Chinese university of 11,000 students, half of whom are international; and WMU’s engineering partnership with Kellogg Community College in Battle Creek, which Dunn hopes breaks down walls preventing community college students from transferring to universities.

“The University’s future enrollment is dependent, to a large extent, on establishing positive, win-win relationships with our community college partners,” Dunn said. “Anything less than that and I’m afraid we’ve failed to make the mold.”

Dunn also mentioned the University’s achievements in sustainability, including the College of Health and Human Services building becoming the only university building in the world to be Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certified; WMU receiving 92 out of 99 points for sustainability in the Princeton Review; and being named the only university honored by Business Review West Michigan.

“When I say, ‘Green rules,’ I’m not endorsing another college in Michigan, nor am I endorsing a wonderful provost here,” Dunn said, referring to Tim Greene, Ph.D., Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, who did introductions at the event.

Dunn’s prescription for the future included increased efforts for sustainability, imbuing students with civility and respectful discourse in the classroom and strengthening the university through the strategic plan, which includes $60 million goal for externally-funded research, boosting faculty by up to 25 each year and an increase in university staff.

“The plan and how we achieve it, including balancing the associated costs in relationship to other needs, will require careful review by the University community and endorsement by our Board of Trustees,” Dunn said. “We will continue to make affordability one of our goals, but we will also continue to make excellence our hallmark.”

The event also featured awards being handed out to faculty and administrators.

William Liou, Ph.D., professor of mechanical and aeronautical engineering, received the Distinguished Faculty Scholar Award.

Chad Edwards, Ph.D., associate professor of communication, and Peter Parker, Ph.D., professor of paper engineering, chemical engineering and imaging, both received Distinguished Teaching Awards.

G. Michael Grammer, Ph.D., associate professor of geosciences, and Takashi Yoshida, Ph.D., associate professor of history, received Emerging Scholar Awards.

And Eileen Evans, Ph.D., Vice Provost of Institutional Effectiveness, and Susan Oole, Lee Honors College academic advisor, received Distinguished Service Awards.

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Posted by HeraldAdmin on Sep 10 2009. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

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