Board of Trustees Report

Sept. 14, 2007

Dear Members of the Bucknell Community:
 
It is a pleasure to share with you today my customary summary of the most recently completed Board of Trustees meeting. This meeting was held on campus beginning Friday, September 7, and concluding on Saturday, September 8. The September and January board meetings are actually "retreats," the difference between meetings and retreats being that at retreats, the board meets as a whole, rather than by committee, and discusses big-picture aspects of the institution.
 
Board Survey
In preparation for the retreat, the board was asked to complete a short survey, consisting mostly of open-ended questions, about a variety of aspects of the University. Chief of Staff and Assistant Secretary of the Board Dave Myers provided the results of the survey to the trustees, which revealed wide consensus within the board about

  •  the core elements of a Bucknell education around which the University is built today.
  •  the importance of increasing the size of the faculty while keeping enrollment largely the same.
  •  the imperative of developing a campaign and funding structure that makes the University budget less tuition dependent and allows the upgrade of academic space, student housing on campus, and necessary administrative and staff space improvements.
  •  the value and importance of increasing diversity on campus and expanding Bucknell's reach as a national and international institution.

The survey also revealed the following:

  • The board is optimistic about the future of the University and the promise of The Plan for Bucknell.
  • The board believes Bucknell's combination of liberal arts and professional programs in an undergraduate setting creates opportunities that are not available in other institutions, and that the University should more fully exploit both via synergies across the two and via its communications. 
  • The board feels that Bucknell has been more successful than virtually any other undergraduate institution in integrating the ideal of a well-rounded liberal arts education with quality pre-professional programs.

Academic Programs
Dean of Engineering Jim Orbison and Interim Dean of Arts and Sciences Chris Zappe presented an update on several areas of the academic programs. They

  • highlighted faculty accomplishments through publications and external grant awards since May, and progress within the continuing systematic review of the College of Arts and Science's Common Learning Agenda. 
  • reported that a committee consisting of administrators and faculty from across various academic divisions are working together to create a complete set of institutional learning goals for our students. The work of this committee will be shared with other members of the campus community through the University governance system beginning later this fall.
  • described significant progress in the development of a comprehensive, robust institutional Academic Vision. The Academic Vision will integrate an academic vision statement; an articulation (to include institutional learning goals) of that statement; the strategies, priorities, practices, and initiatives that Bucknell will undertake to achieve the vision; and the assessment of student achievement related to the identified learning goals.

Office of Strategy Implementation
The board was apprised of the latest steps forward in the implementation of The Plan for Bucknell, namely those steps shared earlier this week with all students, faculty and staff in The Plan Newsletter, including the following:

  • About 400 tactics have so far been submitted, including 100 this summer.
  • Ed Loftus will be the University's new director of the Office of Strategy Implementation, effective October 1, 2007.
  • More than two dozen major tactics have now been implemented.

We also informed the board of steps being taken to ensure the tactics development process informs the comprehensive campaign, as well as of plans to continue involving the campus in the further development of campaign priorities, the campus master plan, and the Academic Vision.
 
Comprehensive Campaign
Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations Sam Lundquist acknowledged the important role of the board in development and alumni relation's success in FY2007. Not only have trustees given generously to Bucknell, they also have been instrumental in campaign planning activities, including the Campaign Organizing Group and the campaign feasibility study.
 
At the invitation of Vice President Lundquist, John Glier, president and CEO, and Bob Alsobrook, senior vice president, of Grenzebach Glier & Associates presented the preliminary analysis of the campaign feasibility study. They

  • discussed the characteristics of successful campaigns, to provide context for the findings of the study, which demonstrated that the giving capacity of Bucknell's prospective donors is high.
  • noted that past fundraising results suggest that conservative goal-setting during the quiet phase of the campaign is prudent. 
  • recognized and acknowledged that the magnitude of growth called for in private support during the campaign is significant, and will require ongoing University investments in development, alumni relations, and related areas.
  • stressed the importance of University priority setting in academic planning and tactics.

The feasibility study will be prepared in its final form for trustee review, discussion and action at its November board meeting.
 
Campus Master Plan
Vice President for Finance and Administration Dave Surgala, with assistance from campus master planning consultants Shepley Bulfinch Richardson and Abbott, updated the board on the University’s campus master planning process. They

  • specified the numerous planning steps taken thus far.
  • discussed 1) a proposed land use flexible framework that connects the campus to its environs, 2) the primary themes of a long-term planning agenda created by talking with the Bucknell community, and 3) a number of master plan landscape and sustainability concepts.

With conversations continuing this semester on campus and with the community, the campus master planning process will soon focus on the staging and chronology necessary to accomplish and fund those projects that are eventually identified as University priorities.
 
University Village
At the invitation of Vice President Surgala, Brailsford and Dunlavey, a nationally recognized development management firm, made a presentation on the importance of universities to the economic health of their surrounding regions. They

  • outlined national trends in higher education showing how universities support the creation of sustainable communities that appeal to the sophisticated expectations of young faculty, professional staff and an aging well-educated alumni and retiree population.
  • described how university environments that combine exceptional living, working and outdoor opportunities with leading-edge technology, arts and culture, sporting events, medical care, and educational opportunities have proven to be economic centers that attract citizens and investments.
  • noted that the Central Susquehanna Valley already has many of these appealing attributes yet acknowledged that thousands of manufacturing jobs have recently left the area.

The trustees approved the University's continuing to investigate public/private partnerships that might bring needed economic activity to the borough and the region and protect and improve Bucknell's attractiveness and competitiveness.
 
Communications
Chief Communications Officer Pete Mackey, with assistance from Peter Hart Research Associates Inc.'s Vice President Leslie Rathjens, provided the board with an update on the research being conducted by the Hart staff about perceptions of Bucknell and its communications practices among alumni, admissions prospects, members of Bucknell's various boards, college leaders, donors, leaders of higher education associations, and parents. The admissions portion of the research is underway now, but the research among other audiences so far has revealed the following:

  •  The clarity, intensity, and consistency of Bucknell communications must improve if the University expects to achieve its comprehensive campaign and admissions goals and firmly establish its national academic stature.
  • Alumni and donors widely support the goals of The Plan for Bucknell but require a clearer rationale for how the goals fit together.
  • Alumni and donors strongly support the importance of expanding diversity at the University.
  • Alumni strongly support investing in new initiatives at the University, with the expectation that Bucknell will also protect the traditions and spirit of community they value deeply about their experience at their alma mater.

The research also shows that for all audiences surveyed thus far, the breadth of Bucknell's non-academic offerings (whether extracurricular programs, Division I sports, or other programs not part of regular coursework) can be perceived as interfering with the University's academic strengths if their role and relevance are not clearly communicated. If described appropriately as valuable supplementary factors to the core learning experience, however, these programs can help clarify the University's academic priorities and differentiate Bucknell among many of its competitors, which lack such breadth. Such information has begun to shape the University's communications strategy, which will be formalized and presented for discussion and action by the board at their November meeting.
 
Diversity
Chief Officer for Diversity and Equity Rolando Arroyo-Sucre shared his findings from his first six months on campus, identifying current climate, opportunities and challenges related to diversity. Among the points stressed:

  •  On the verge of 125 years of co-education at Bucknell, nearly 140 years since enrolling its first African-American student, and 150 years since enrolling its first international student, Bucknell has a deep history of commitment to diversity.
  • With successful initiatives such as the Posse Scholars and Bucknell Community College Scholars programs in place, Bucknell continues to demonstrate the value of welcoming outstanding students of all backgrounds to campus.
  • Admissions efforts are yielding enrollment of highly qualified students bringing to Bucknell diversity of religious life, national and geographic origins, ethnicity, socioeconomic background, and intellectual interests.
  • The board's expanding diversity provides a model for recruitment of diverse students, faculty, and staff.

This presentation also included a preliminary analysis of retention and graduation data disaggregated by ethnic and socioeconomic cohort, and outlined a vision for diversity at Bucknell within the framework of goal three of The Plan for Bucknell as well as key tactical projects for the '07-'08 academic year.
 
Public Safety
General Counsel Wayne Bromfield, Associate Dean of Students Gerry Commerford, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Robert Midkiff, and Chief of Public Safety Jason Friedberg described for the board the various processes and mechanisms in place related to campus safety and student well-being. Following a discussion about ways to strengthen campus safety, and proposals put forward by the administration, the board approved a supplemental emergency appropriation to improve security and safety on campus. Specifically, this appropriation will enable the University to

  • upgrade public safety's radio communications capability, internally and among emergency responders and off-campus law enforcement personnel.
  • install a public address system.
  • carry forward the recently established emergency communication system to push instant messages to cell phones by text and voice, to campus phones and to campus computers.
  • purchase and store an emergency food and water supply if transportation is limited or restricted to or from campus.
  • design and install an electronic building security system to control access to campus structures to authorized personnel.

These measures add to the processes already in place that allow emergency communications and strengthen the security of our campus. Additional information is available at http://www.bucknell.edu/x34097.xml.
 
The board deferred a decision on the question of arming public safety officers and requested an administrative recommendation by the November meeting. I have since appointed a Task Force to investigate the issue and prepare that recommendation. Following consultation with the chair of the faculty about naming a faculty member to this Task Force, I have appointed the following individuals to the Task Force:

  • David Myers, Chief of Staff (Task Force Chair)
  • David Surgala, Vice President for Finance and Administration
  • Wayne Bromfield, General Counsel
  • Susan Hopp, Dean of Students
  • Paul McGuire, Professor of Mathematics

My thanks to each of these individuals for their willingness to take on this responsibility. The Task Force will seek information and input from a variety of administrative, faculty and student groups and representatives.
 
The trustees and the administration recognize the significance to the campus of any decision associated with arming our public safety officers, and will provide additional information as it develops regarding related meetings and opportunities for campus involvement. 
 
As I hope this summary suggests, this was a wide-ranging retreat that explored many of the major action items before the University at this time, and suggested the great strengths of Bucknell and the importance of the work now engaging so many individuals, departments, and programs. Thank you for these continued efforts, and best wishes for further success this semester.
 
Sincerely,
 
Brian C. Mitchell
President