Office of the President

The President’s Perspective

We’re fast approaching the end of fall semester, commencement and our annual holiday recess. I want to fill you in on some recent accomplishments and make you aware of some honors and initiatives—all things you can share with pride when you gather with friends and family over the holiday season.

Achievements

The Dunns, Gov. Granholm and the Merrions at “Guvvy” awards gala

First, I want to talk about a wonderful moment late last month in Detroit, when Gov. Granholm bestowed a Governor’s Award for Arts and Culture on our College of Fine Arts. The college won the “Guvvy” award in the category of arts education and was honored at a Nov. 29 gala at the newly remodeled Detroit Institute of Arts. I could not be more proud of the fact that our fine arts programs were singled out for “demonstrating extraordinary student and educator support and commitment to advancing arts education.” There’s not another college or university in the state that can hold a candle to what Dean Margaret Merrion likes to call our “college of distinction.”

Our students continue to excel in national competitions—something that helps raise the profile of our programs, attract the attention of new students and give potential employers an idea of the caliber of graduates we produce. Take a moment to add your congratulations to these students and their advisors when you see them on campus.

There’s our Ethics Bowl team that just won its regional competition at the University of Wisconsin and has qualified for nationals next February in San Antonio. Our team was undefeated throughout the regional competition and retains its status of never losing in regional competition. Dr. Sandra Borden advises this year’s team, which consists of aviation sophomore Jonathon Freye; Natalie Kaftan a senior studying interpersonal communication and jazz studies; senior journalism major Linda Munnelly; Shawn Myers, a junior majoring in biomedical sciences and psychology; Joshua Thomas, a sophomore studying psychology and philosophy; and Chelsea Thompson a sophomore studying film, video and media studies.
Two students in the sales and business marketing programs in the Haworth College of Business turned in standout performances at a recent competition in New Jersey. Chelsea Birmacher took individual top honors in the Russ Berrie Institution National Collegiate Sales Challenge held in New Jersey recently. Joining her was another of our students—Kyle Kiefer—and the two of them made up a two-member WMU team placing third out of 15 schools. Jim Eckert is the faculty member who directs the sales and business marketing program.
A team of four advertising and promotion majors participated in the EdVenture Partners Chevrolet College Marketing Challenge Case Study Competition this fall. Competing against more than 50 other undergraduate student teams from universities across the nation, they placed among the top ten. I understand WMU teams have participated in EdVenture competitions for the past four years, placing in the top 10, nationally, each year. This year’s team includes seniors Amanda Meister, Danielle Ross, Paris Jackson and Kristen Ross. JoAnn Atkin is their faculty advisor.
And Bronco football standout Anthony Gebhart is the first Bronco in a decade to earn Academic All-America status. Anthony, a senior economics major with a 3.83 GPA, was named First Team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Nov. 19, after earning district honors for the past two seasons. The Addison, Ill., resident and team co-captain is just the seventh football scholar-athlete to earn All-America status in the program’s history. Anthony has also been selected as the Michigan Chapter of the National Football Foundation’s Division I Scholar Athlete of the Year, and just last weekend, he earned WMU’s John Gill Scholar Athlete Award.

Our faculty and staff have been recognized for the caliber of work they bring to their professions.

Wil Emmert, senior research and program officer at WMU, was recognized by the Society of Research Administrators for more than 30 years of service to the society. Wil was feted during the national organization’s October meeting in Nashville, Tenn. A video reflecting some of his activities during the past three decades ran during a plaque presentation in his honor. He also was named to a second term on the Research Administrators Certification Council Board of Directors.
And we’ve just learned William Fenn, a professor in our physician assistant program, has been named the first Distinguished Fellow of the American Academy of Physician Assistants. A physician assistant for more than 30 years, Bill has been a WMU faculty member for nearly 15 years. He was hailed for his service to the profession, for expanding the discipline in our state, the nation and in the international arena, and for serving in an AAPA leadership role. Being named a Fellow by colleagues in your discipline is always an honor. Being the first to hold that title is an incredible honor. Please join me in congratulating Bill for this recognition and for his service to his profession and our University.

Reaching out

A special note of thanks and a resounding “Good job!” goes to our College of Aviation staff who took part this past weekend in Operation Good Cheer. Using two of the college’s aircraft, staff members collected toys and transported them. Through Michigan’s Child and Family Services, the effort puts donated toys and gifts in the hands of children around the state. This is the third year WMU planes have been part of the delivery process so that more than 4,000 children will have a memorable holiday.

Provost search

The Provost Search Advisory Committee, under Dean Earlie Washington’s able leadership, has been making good progress in the few short weeks that have elapsed since it was formed. The committee has drawn up a list of qualities the University needs in its next provost and is inviting nominations from those of you who know a candidate who might fit the bill. The position is now being posted around the nation. Be sure to check the search Web site, www.wmich.edu/provostsearch, to see those qualifications and to read the updated profile of the University and community as well as the description of what is really a wonderful opportunity for the right scholar who is ready to accept both the challenges and potential for achievement that come with this position.

Faculty productivity

I don’t want the semester to end without letting you know about a new note of praise for the quality of our faculty. Late in November, the third edition of a new faculty ranking was issued and noted prominently in the Chronicle of Higher Education and other professional publications. Our graduate faculty in three education programs—counselor education, educational evaluation and research, and science education—as well as our applied economics faculty, were ranked in the top 10 in their disciplines nationally. Science education came in highest, with a third-place ranking. The Faculty Scholarly Productivity Index is a ranking of graduate programs at research universities based on per-capita scholarly accomplishments. A private company, owned in part by the State University of New York-Stony Brook, compiled the data, which is based on the number of professors in a given program and the number of books and journal articles they have written, the number of times other scholars have cited those publications and the awards, honors and grant dollars received.

Commencement

Our fall semester will close on Saturday with three commencement ceremonies and the awarding of some 2,000 degrees. I’m looking forward to presiding, for the first time, over what I consider the seminal moment for a university. Commencement is the premier example of how we foster student success and how well we fulfill our mission. I hope you’ll make every effort to take an appropriate part in the ceremonies and to congratulate the students who have spent years achieving their goals. The ceremonies are at 9 a.m., noon and 3 p.m. in Miller Auditorium. It will be a peak experience for the families we serve.

Holiday closure

The next few weeks will bring a wonderful opportunity for many of us to take a break from our daily office and campus schedules and relax at home or around the country with our families and friends. We’re too large and complex an institution for all of our staff to enjoy that opportunity, so please remember and thank those staffers who will be keeping the campus and critical functions running over the holiday recess. Areas such as physical plant, public safety and others keep right on rolling while we’re off campus. We should all appreciate everything they do.

My thanks and holiday wishes to the campus community

Finally, I want to express my thanks to everyone on campus who has helped make my first six months as president an absolute joy. Linda and I have been warmly welcomed and at every turn have found members of the campus community who were ready to do whatever it took to ease the transition. I will always look back on 2007 as the time I was privileged to begin leading this University. I will also remember this period as the start of what I expect to be many long and enduring friendships.

May your holidays be a time of great personal happiness as well as a time to reflect, recharge and prepare for an exciting 2008.

Warmest holiday wishes,

John M. Dunn
President

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