A Time for Celebration
Roger H. Sublett , Ph.D.
President
July 28, 2008 - The university recently completed its quarterly Board of Trustees meeting, the first of the 2008-09 fiscal year. There was much to celebrate, including promising enrollment figures; new faculty and staff members to introduce to the Board; and a university free of debt and free of scrutiny and monitoring by external agencies. In a sense, it is a new beginning for Union. It is a time when we can fulfill our own destiny, and I am reminded of the quote by William Jennings Bryan: Destiny is not a matter of chance; it is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for; it is a thing to be achieved. All of us here at Union, as well as our alumni, trustees, and current learners, are doing everything possible to vigorously endorse a new future for the university. With all of us working together, we are well on our way to achieving what we have dreamed for several years. But first, let us pause and celebrate how far we’ve come.
Union Institute & University is a national treasure, with its rich history in the progressive educational movement and its promise for adult learners seeking less traditional approaches to education. Members of our Union family serve across the globe, putting to use their interdisciplinary education that allows them to resolve multiple issues from a variety of approaches. We also see our alumni and learners making use of their creative imaginations as they consider unique solutions to challenges. These are the skills and attributes that are needed in this changing world. We’re showcasing just a few of the many “faces of distinction” in several upcoming Union publications, including @UI&U, Union’s bi-monthly, online newsletter, our annual fund mailing this fall, and the university’s annual President’s Report that comes out this winter. An impressive array of learners, graduates, and faculty represent this institution, and we’re continually inspired by them. However, the real story is the impact that Union graduates have had on their communities and organizations. Social responsibility and addressing societal problems are still very much in the forefront of Union’s work and vision for the future. We celebrate the Union people who have been and continue to be leaders and agents of change in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors around the globe.
On the academic front, our degree programs and centers have also found time to celebrate their own achievements. Our staff and faculty in Brattleboro recently hosted a multi-tiered event, including the National Psycho-Synthesis Conference (sponsored by our Department of Graduate Counseling and Psychology), attracting more than 200 experts who convened to hear speakers, some of whom are Union alumni and/or faculty. We also held a commencement ceremony for the Vermont-based Bachelor of Arts program, presenting a new group of leaders to the world. In California, we are reaching out to new partners to offer our undergraduate programs at localized sites. Our Cohort Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Studies held it summer residency here in early July, hosting more than 80 returning and new learners, who were able to interact with noted scholars Dr. Al Tillery and Dr. Virgil Wood. We celebrate our academic programs’ successes and our enhanced emphasis on academic quality across the university.
At this writing, we are also preparing for two upcoming commencements. First, our Los Angeles and Sacramento graduates will celebrate with their families and friends on August 10, 2008. Featured speaker is doctoral alumna Dr. Elizabeth Sackler, who last year spearheaded the Brooklyn Museum’s Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, an exhibition and education facility dedicated to feminist art. Our national commencement on September 27, 2008, will bring Mr. David Gergen to Cincinnati to deliver the keynote. Gergen, an expert in leadership and politics and advisor to four presidents, will also be presented with a UI&U honorary doctorate. Our national faculty meeting will convene on September 25-26, 2008, during which we will have representation from all of our academic centers. We celebrate the creative talents of the Union community, as well as those who bring distinction to the university by their presence and participation in Union’s programs and events.
The university is also busily preparing for the December 2009 institutional evaluation visit from our accrediting agency, the Higher Learning Commission of North Central Association. Under the leadership of the Office for Institutional Effectiveness, the entire university community has been involved in the study and preparation of documents over the last year, evaluating our institutional strengths and goals. This will be the most comprehensive institutional evaluation Union has ever conducted in preparation for an accreditation visit. This planning will help determine much of the university’s future direction and development over the next 10 years, and participants are taking meticulous care in their research, discussions, and writing. We celebrate the rigor exhibited by our staff, faculty, learners, alumni, and trustees as they examine, analyze, and assess our institution.
We are pleased to announce that we completed the Ohio Board of Regents monitoring process of our doctoral programs on June 30, 2008. We also received official approval from the State of Florida on July 23, 2008, for our academic programs and re-authorization of our academic center in Miami. The State of Vermont has also granted a three-year reauthorization for operating our academic programs and centers in Vermont. We acknowledge the good standing that Union enjoys with all of our licensing and accrediting agencies, as well as our agreements with the United States Department of Education, which authorizes Union to participate in the Title IV funding programs sponsored by USED. We celebrate the accomplishments achieved in the licensing and accreditation arenas – a goal we have been working toward since 2002.
With these very significant successes met, it’s time to turn our focus outward. As we share Union’s mission and vision with our surrounding communities and prospective learners, we are preparing to launch a new marketing campaign that encompasses and strategically communicates our unique approaches to higher education. We have signed a contract with The Creative Department, a national firm located in Cincinnati, Ohio, and –judging from the initial presentations – all of us are excited about the potential of a fresh approach to marketing Union. Much of this work, including the redesign of Union’s Web pages, will be visible in the new year! We celebrate the creative spirit that has permeated our communications department and their ongoing work with The Creative Department.
While we still have challenges before us, we are now able to concentrate on future directions and new partnerships rather than simply reacting to the challenges of the past. For instance, a renewed focus on the undergraduate center in Cincinnati has great potential for future enrollments, and we’re already seeing the excitement build within that center’s staff and faculty. We celebrate how the university has grown stronger through the power of new programs, new community partnerships, and a renewed spirit.
Fiscal year 2007-2008 was a great year for achievements, goal-setting, and looking forward. From what we can tell at this early juncture, we are off to an even more promising new fiscal year in 2008-2009. This is the result of an extraordinary team effort: a university-wide commitment to succeed and to serve our learners and alumni, and collaboration from trustees, administration, staff, learners, alumni, and our friends, partners, and donors, all born of a shared mission and vision across the university. We have much to be proud of and much to be thankful for. As you have heard me say many times, only people make a difference in an organization, and only people make a difference in our lives. As each of you continues to put your creative abilities to work and contributes to the exciting life of Union, we grow stronger. I thank and celebrate each of you for your participation, involvement, and support of the life of Union Institute & University.
Warm regards,
Roger H. Sublett , Ph.D.
President