President's message: Major campus changes underway
Dr. John D. Welty
CSUF President |
A SINCERE WARM WELCOME — especially to our record 2,600 new freshmen — as we begin what promises to be an especially busy, challenging 2006-07 academic year.
Look around you. What you see — and what you don’t see, in the case of the Henry Madden Library’s north wing — won’t be the same for long because we have embarked on one of the biggest building programs in campus history.
In just weeks, we’ll break ground on a new, architecturally bold, much larger and technologically advanced library with thousands of study spaces.
Substantial progress was made on campus technology upgrades over the summer, including more wireless study locations. An electronic monitoring system will warn those of you who drive to campus on Barstow Avenue when parking lot Q is full, so you can choose another lot.
Before this school year is over, we’ll open the new water technology and clean energy center (at Chestnut and Barstow), make security improvements in parking lot G (near Cedar and Shaw) and widen Chestnut from Shaw to Bullard. Soon we will begin work on covered parking for 722 vehicles in Lot V (between the Student Recreation Center and Smittcamp Alumni House), where carport-like structures will be topped by photovoltaic panels generating 20 percent of the university’s electricity.
The work may tax our patience, force us to navigate new routes and allow extra commute time. I urge you to stay up to date on traffic and construction by calling our hotline at 278-6040 or tuning to our low-power radio station (AM 1040) that can be heard within a mile of the campus.
These physical changes — and others embraced by a new Master Plan that should receive approval next year — are the product of many years’ work, and I’m proud to add, much student input.
So are many other changes designed to carry out Fresno State’s commitment to educate and engage students to be ready — and willing — to meet the many challenges you’ll face in your personal and professional lives and in your communities.
Our strategic planning is guided, too, by what community leaders throughout the California State University system recently said they expect from our graduates.
They want people whose well-rounded education includes critical thinking and organizational skills. They expect graduates to be willing to accept change, possess strong technology skills, be effective communicators in more than one language and be aware of globalization and the larger world.
In many areas we’re doing well, but to keep pace with our rapidly evolving region and beyond, we will look at new areas to consider and areas we should change.
Here are some of the initiatives undertaken to help students specifically:
• We are increasing our emphasis on preparing students for the global economy through curricular improvements, student exchanges, learning opportunities overseas and joint educational programs with universities and institutes throughout the world.
•We expect approval soon to begin recruiting for our first independent doctoral program in educational leadership and a new joint doctoral program in physical therapy.
• We’ve had great success with our service learning programs that develop both career skills and a habit of responding to people in need. To learn more about organizations that need our help, you can attend the Community Service Opportunities Fair on Wednesday, Sept. 6.
• Last year we completed roadmaps for every academic program and implemented the early choice of major policy for all students. This year we establish a mandatory advising policy program to ensure all students receive counsel on their roadmaps prior to completion of their 75th credit.
• The expansion of our Mentoring Institute for incoming students and the success last year of our Learning Communities offer promise that students will reap the benefits through more timely completion of their degree programs.
• We will expand the Senior Experience, which assists students planning to enter a graduate program or a career in their major field, and develop a sophomore year experience to reduce attrition of students between their second and third years.
• A multidisciplinary Wellness Services Program was set up to promote lifelong health, fitness and nutrition habits among students. The initiative includes new group exercise programs at the Student Recreation Center and personal trainers.
To help promote openness vital to the success of any university, I invite you to visit the Web site I established last week at www.csufresno.edu/President/index.shtml. You’ll find a “contact” button and I hope you will use it.
We have much to accomplish this year and I am confident that we will because Fresno State already is established as a place of optimism, innovation, invention, creativity and cultural awareness. This year we may need a little patience, too, coping with change.
Comment on this story in the Opinion forum >>
|
