Ohio University President Robert Glidden delivered his third State of the University address Oct. 17, emphasizing the school’s gains in technology, service to the community and national stature while reinforcing its commitment to serve as a respected center for learning and research.
His Homecoming weekend address was titled “A Sharper Focus.”
Likening his role as university president to that of a physician assessing the health of a patient, Glidden said, “I am pleased to pronounce the institution in excellent physical, academic and intellectual health, and in at least satisfactory condition financially.”
He spoke about the expanding role of technology in the world as a whole and at Ohio University in particular. Among the examples he offered were the Computer Assisted Personalized Assignment System used in introductory science classes and faculty members’ use of World Wide Web pages to share course assignments and conduct out-of-class discussions.
“We’ve also done a good job of combining ‘high tech’ and ‘high touch’ through a number of initiatives that use technology to expand our public service mission,” said Glidden, president of the university since July 1994. He noted the College of Education’s Learning Community Link prog ram that connects schools with the university and the College of Communication’s Countdown to Millennium project that is bringing computers to low-income rural communities as ways the university is reaching out as a technology leader.
Ohio University will continue to push forward, Glidden said, focusing on five key goals: maintaining a learning-centered community; providing a superior undergraduate experience; emphasizing distinction in graduate education; maintaining excellence in research; and conn ecting with the community.
