State of the University Address to Recap Accomplishments, Opportunities; President Glidden 'Never More Optimistic' About University's Future
Editors, news directors: A press conference is planned at 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 20, in the lobby of Irvine Hall immediately following the State of the University address. A major gift announcement concerning Ohio University Libraries will be made at that time.
ATHENS, Ohio (October 18, 2000) -- Ohio University President Robert Glidden will deliver the 2000 State of the University address Friday, recapping accomplishments of the past year and outlining opportunities in six broad areas ranging from academics to community development.
The speech, set for 3 p.m. in 194 Irvine Hall, is among a full agenda of Homecoming Week events taking place on the Athens campus. Its title, "A Place of Opportunity," reflects the university's aspiration to provide both a model learning environment for its students and a valuable resource for the region, Glidden said.
"In more than six years as president, I've never been more positive about the university's progress nor more optimistic about its future," he said. "We have many challenges of course, but the opportunities outweigh the challenges."
Here's a look at Glidden's six primary themes and some details on each:
- Research: In addition to announcing the level of external funding for research and other sponsored programs for fiscal year 2000, the president will outline plans to compete for a federally sponsored research center in science or engineering within the next two years.
- Residential campus: Glidden will discuss campus development plans, including giving careful consideration to a new student center, and emphasize opportunities the campus setting poses for melding students' academic, social and residential experiences.
- Technology: The president will touch on the use of technology to enhance learning, particularly in light of the just-completed $5.3 million project that placed computers in all campus residence hall rooms.
- Community development: Undertakings such as the Appalachian Development Fund in which the university is a partner, The Ohio University Foundation's Early Stage Development Fund that encourages research with commercial viability and the Appalachian New Economy Partnership, which seeks to bridge the "digital divide" faced by rural areas, will be touched on in this portion of the speech.
- Globalization: Glidden will talk about international partnerships with other institutions and the desire to attract more international students to the Athens campus. He also will note efforts to expand study abroad opportunities for Ohio University students in hopes of doubling the number of students studying overseas within four years.
- National university: Glidden will present, for the first time, a series of initiatives linking Ohio University's "rich mix of academic and social experiences" to the university's future as a model learning community. An updated general education curriculum and a heightened focus on student activities and opportunities could enhance what Glidden calls the university's "dynamic tradition."
Ohio University's "gen ed" or core requirements were last updated 20 years ago. In 1998, a faculty-based committee was formed to review the curriculum and recommend changes. Glidden will discuss those recommendations in greater detail Friday. An emphasis on genuine knowledge -- not just information -- is the basis for the recommendation, which Glidden said could be the most exciting development for Ohio University in his tenure.
