Introduction

I didn’t learn about Gregory Olsen until Peter Schaeffer from our School of Natural Sciences told me about a birthday party for former FDU professor Lee Gildart, which Greg attended. Greg was a bright but undistinguished high school student who just made the cut for admission to Fairleigh Dickinson. Once here, Greg blossomed. As he tells it, FDU gave him a solid grounding in his field of physics, taught him to persevere and helped him gain the confidence he needed for success. Greg earned three degrees from Fairleigh Dickinson and then completed his doctorate at the University of Virginia. He went on to earn 10 U.S. patents, author more than 100 papers and create a cutting-edge company that makes near-infrared cameras for night vision and 3-D imaging. In 2000, the firm was sold for $700 million. Greg tells anyone who will listen about how he got his start at FDU. He understands the real value of an FDU degree.

Tina Shogen is president of the Alfacell Corporation, a bio-pharmaceutical company focused on revolutionary new drugs to treat cancer. Tina’s idea for Alfacell and her passion for research started as an undergraduate with her senior project as a biology major at FDU. Her company’s leading drug to treat asbestos-related cancer is now in final FDA clinical trials. Tina understands the real value of an FDU degree.

Leonard Grossi also knows the real value of an FDU degree. He says his Fairleigh Dickinson degree was the foundation for his success in the entertainment industry. Leonard retired as president of Columbia TriStar Television.

There are thousands of others. As I heard story after story of illustrious alumni who have first hand knowledge of the value of an FDU degree, I began to wonder why its worth was not more widely known.

The real value of an FDU education is best understood by those with first-hand experience. However, potential students and their parents, current and future employers, and colleagues in other academic institutions do not have that experience. For them, the value of FDU is dependent upon our reputation  — a reputation based on the quality and substance of our academic programs, our faculty, our staff and, most of all, the success of our graduates.

From this understanding emerged what I believe is our most important strategic driver — to further increase the perceived value of an FDU degree; to have the world understand just how good this institution is.

Of course, to build our reputation, we must sustain and deliver real value — of which we have much evidence. But, how our external constituencies view us is critical. Unless they perceive value they will not take the time to learn about the substance, significance and real worth that is Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Such a goal requires more than just good PR and cheerleading. It needs a dedicated effort from everyone to maintain and enhance standards of quality in every area. It requires a willingness to embrace change in an increasingly interdependent world. And it demands the perseverance to meet the often difficult challenges that arise in the effort to deliver a first-rate education.

In my first year here, after conversations with hundreds of individuals I asked that our first step be a new mission — a mission that builds on our history and our strengths while embracing the new realities of a globalized world. Created collaboratively and approved by both the Faculty Senate and Board of Trustees our statement is straightforward and compelling:

Fairleigh Dickinson University is a center of academic excellence dedicated to the preparation of world citizens through global education. The University strives to provide students with the multidisciplinary, intercultural and ethical understandings necessary to participate, lead and prosper in the global marketplace of ideas, commerce and culture.

Five years later, while tumultuous events have shaken our world, nothing has changed the fundamental reality that this is the education necessary for the challenges of the 21st century. And nothing has changed my mind that this is the education we are poised to deliver.

The Highlights

Translating a mission into concrete actions is always difficult. However, there have been notable successes that have created the foundations for global education. I’d like to mention a few.

We established new, distinctive identities for each campus. We developed a groundbreaking distance-learning initiative, using the Internet to explore global issues and perspectives. The state of New Jersey provided key support with a $3.9 million grant.

The distance-learning program has grown dramatically, and the number of undergraduate online or blended classes has risen from 19 sections in fall 2001 to 204 sections this semester.

The first online requirement, The Global Challenge, earned the Instructional Technology Council’s (ITC) Award for Outstanding Online Course. For his work developing The Global Challenge Professor Jason Scorza received the 2004 Award for Excellence in Online Teaching and Learning.

We established the Global Virtual Faculty (GVF), now more than 50 scholars and professionals from around the world who partner with FDU faculty and bring international perspectives to students. In 2003, the American Council on Education named the GVF initiative as one of the top programs using technology to internationalize the curriculum.

We restored close ties to the United Nations, creating the U.N. Pathways Lecture Series and broadcasting videoconferences from the United Nations to our campuses and other universities.

As an NGO, our students and faculty have enjoyed special access to U.N. facilities and programs. A good number of FDU colleagues have developed personal relationships with individual ambassadors and U.N. leaders.

We’ve enhanced our living and learning environment with major new facilities and significant renovations. These include new residence halls, new athletic fields, a Fitness Center on the Metropolitan Campus and the new Chaîne House, a new football field and the expansion of the Student Center at the College at Florham.

The Silberman College of Business gained accreditation from AACSB International, recognition earned by less than one-third of the nation’s 1,200 business schools.

We’ve established new global honors programs on both campuses and introduced many innovative degree programs. Five examples:

•  BA in creative writing,

•  MFA in creative writing,

•  BA in theater arts,

•  MS in e-commerce and the

•  Post-doctoral MS in clinical psychopharmacology.

We’ve continued to develop Wroxton College and we’ve nurtured relationships and partnerships around the world. Through our Office of Global Partnerships we’ve forged collaborative relationships with institutions in India, China, Turkey, Cyprus, Monaco and the Dominican Republic, among others.

We are close to securing licensing approval for a new branch campus in Vancouver, which will serve international students.

We’ve extended our presence in New Jersey with new community college partnerships and new off-campus locations throughout the state.

Via online learning, FDU established degree-completion programs for specific groups like the National Guard. We also created online certificate programs in specialized subjects relating to homeland security. The U.S. Department of Defense provided grants for these programs totaling $2 million.

We established FDU’s PublicMind, which has gained extensive media attention with surveys on politics and culture. Professor Peter Woolley, whose leadership has propelled this venture, now regularly appears as a key source of information and expertise in the local and national media.

Since its launch in October 2004, Global Issues Gateway (GIG), — www.gig.org — has grown tenfold, from 205 monthly users to a high of more than 2,000. This exciting Web site, with its specialized learning resources, has ranked as high as number eight as a basic search for “global issues” on Google.

For the third consecutive year, our Rothman Institute of Entrepreneurial Studies was named among the top 50 programs nationwide by Entrepreneur magazine.

We are migrating to a new administrative structure that can better support faculty and students. We have talented individuals in new leadership roles, including, perhaps most notably, our new University Provost Willard Gingerich.

Our Faculty Senate is nearly two years old and making significant progress as a strong voice of faculty governance.

These are only some of the efforts that are helping us define global education and helping to enhance the real value and the external reputation of an FDU degree.

And this increase in perceived value has begun to show in a most critical way — enrollment.

We’ve regained our place as New Jersey’s largest private university, raising overall enrollment from around 9,500 in fall 2000 to over 11,000 in fall 2004. Also, according to the Office of Institutional Research, the number of first-time, full-time freshmen in four-year programs rose from just over 800 in fall 2000 to almost 1,100 in fall 2004. While the numbers have not been yet finalized, we anticipate a similar figure this fall.

This increase in enrollment has had a direct effect on income and expenditures. It has made us even more aware of how critical control of the budgetary process is to our success.

After many consecutive years of operational deficits, the University has balanced the budget and finished the last six fiscal years with a surplus. And for each of the last six years, FDU employees have received a raise. Many of you know of my personal commitment to a balanced budget and yearly raises. I am pleased that we have been successful and promise to continue to emphasize raises among my highest priorities.

Our increased fiscal stability has not gone unnoticed. In 2002, we issued $63 million in Revenue Bonds to fund various capital projects. This was the first bond issue in the University’s history to be sold with an investment grade rating. This rating was based on both our positive operating performance in recent years and our growing enrollment.

Our financial stability is also affected by our efforts in fundraising. Even though we are an enrollment-driven institution, we derive operational support from thousands of generous alumni and friends who last year donated nearly $1.3 million in unrestricted gifts.

Renewed efforts in fundraising and alumni affairs have resulted in a significant increase in gifts made to the University. In the year ending June 30, 2005, total gifts and pledges to the University were nearly $4.8 million, up 42% from last year, and up 168% since 2002.

The Campaign for FDU’s Libraries, Learning Across Boundaries, received its second $1 million commitment — this one from alumnus and former board chair Ed Hennessy, who announced a $2.1 million commitment at our commencement ceremonies. You may recall that in 2004 alumnus John Monninger made a $1 million commitment to the College at Florham library. This was the University’s first million-dollar gift in more than a decade.

Earlier this year, New College of General and Continuing Studies was renamed the Anthony J. Petrocelli College of Continuing Studies to honor a $4 million commitment by alumnus and trustee Tony Petrocelli.

Tony’s gift, Ed’s gift, John’s gift and the several other major gifts this year will, over time, begin to rebuild the University’s endowment. During the mid-80s and early-90s, the University drew $50 million out of its endowment to support its operations. Rebuilding the endowment, while simultaneously increasing unrestricted gifts, is a major priority.

Recently, the Office of University Advancement completed an electronic screening of more than 86,000 alumni and friends. The results were encouraging, identifying nearly 2,000 new prospects.

Clearly, fundraising continues to be a major challenge. Yet, three consecutive years of increased donations has generated a momentum that will continue to drive the University toward greater success. In fact, I am pleased to announce that just this month we secured a $500,000 gift to endow a scholarship in entrepreneurial studies.

The biggest challenge is the fact that this University does not have a strong history of cultivating alumni and donors. Data show that it takes six to eight substantive contacts with a potential donor before receiving a major gift. While we have identified a wealth of new prospects, individuals who have not been contacted in 30 or more years are not immediately disposed to give to the University.

However, knowing that gifts like the ones I mentioned are possible and are now happening on a regular basis gives me great hope for our future.

Critical Needs Remain

While it is wonderful to cite progress in academics, facilities, enrollment, budget management and philanthropy, that does not describe the full FDU landscape.

Enthusiasm, encouragement and an optimistic attitude are elements of every president’s unwritten job description. However, my positive demeanor does not cloud an understanding of our shortcomings.

Although overall enrollment has increased, we face critical issues of under-enrolled areas.

While we are more financially stable than any time in the past 20 years, I have come to expect the unexpected. Each fall there are surprises and major concerns. This year is no different. You saw my note to the community about a shortfall in part-time, international and graduate enrollment. Add in the anticipated spike in the cost of utilities, and we face another challenging year. However, as before, we will manage and succeed.

I am keenly aware of the critical needs of faculty, staff and students. We carry almost $100 million in deferred maintenance. We need new laboratories, improved faculty office conditions, enhanced college and department operating budgets and more student-life funding. While the number of full-time faculty has grown over the past five years, we must work to limit dependence on the many excellent adjunct faculty who help us meet our instructional commitments.

Compensation is a critical issue. Although there have been increases every year for the past six years, we are still not where we want to be — where we must be.

Both the ACE Internationalization task force and Middle States surveys reported faculty affirmation of our global mission, but also reported the need to expand global lessons throughout the curriculum. There are pockets of great strength, but we must make global learning more conspicuous and real across the University.

External Challenges

Twenty-five years ago American higher education was stunned by the precipitous decline in the 18-year-old population. What had been an ever-increasing reservoir of qualified college freshmen applications trickled to a small stream.

Why the surprise? Anyone who just looked at the birth rate two decades before could have predicted the problem. No one looked or was prepared.

We must recognize the external trends and challenges confronting higher education today. While no single issue is overwhelming, the sum of what is happening is transforming the landscape. These challenges are the result of significant demographic changes and the competitive efforts of other institutions. They are far more profound and far less in our control than our internal concerns.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the traditional college age population will continue to grow until at least 2016, but the cultural demographics of this population are changing rapidly. Nearly half of that growth will be among Hispanic students, and the majority of them will be first generation college students. The next largest cohort will be Asian-Americans. The percentage of African-American students will be largely unchanged, while the number of white American college students will decline.

Additionally, the rising standard of living and exploding demand for higher education in the world’s two most populous countries, India and China, will put hundreds of thousands of students into the worldwide education market.

And, there’s a significantshift in the adult and part-time learner population. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 37 percent of college students are 25 and over. The majority of these students — 56 percent — attend college part time.

With the continual need to upgrade individual skills to compete in the global marketplace, this population of older and part-time students will only grow. These students want skill-specific courses, are very price-conscious and expect education to come to them.

So, you might conclude that we are in a wonderful growth period for higher education. For the next 10 years, at least, there will be more students who will be more diverse. Isn’t our only challenge to open the doors and show them in?

I wish it were that easy. You see, the possibility of this enrollment bonanza has created a feeding frenzy.

In the past six years, according to the Education Commission of the States, the number of four-year, for-profit colleges jumped by 266 percent. Accredited for-profit institutions generated $16 billion in income in 2004.

A major part of this growth is linked to online programs targeted specifically at part-time and adult learners.

The University of Phoenix is now the largest private university in the United States, with campuses throughout the country and more than 200,000 students. In 2003, it was granted license to operate in New Jersey. But Phoenix is not alone. Kaplan Inc. has 70 campus-based locations and serves more than 20,000 students. Strayer University has 30 campuses with over 23,000 students.

I find it fascinating that Harvard University is the largest investor in Universal Technical, a new for-profit which operates campuses in seven locations and enrolls about 10,000 students.

Traditional universities continue to expand their online programs in response to the changing characteristics and needs of students. Stanford University created the Online Classroom, which according to its own promotional material, “is your bridge to Stanford University’s premier curriculum . . . Stanford Online now provides that education on demand, anywhere and anytime.”

The Columbia Video Network (CVN) offers online certificates and graduate degrees from Columbia University. As reported on its Web page, “these degrees are identical to, and indistinguishable from those earned by students on-campus at Columbia University.”

International universities continue to grow. China recently announced plans to create more than 100 research universities to meet the burgeoning demand. Similar growth plans are under way in India.

Twenty-nine European countries signed the Bologna Declaration, which simplifies degree qualifications, offers students more choice and mobility, and brings more applicants into the graduate pipeline. Continental Europe is challenging America’s higher education position.

If you question that, last evening Tom Shea shared with me an announcement in the IIE [Institute of International Education] newsletter that foreign universities are now setting up college fair programs in the United States to recruit our students. It is happening!

Add to that Australia’s recruitment of international students as a core national strategy and the challenges become more intense. There is far more competition to enroll international students than ever before. We already see the effects of that competition. For the first time in more than three decades, the number of international students studying in the United States declined last year. More stringent INS regulations are only part of the story.

Colleagues, these are the realities of an environment that is going to become even more competitive in the future. A greater number of diverse students will have a greater number of diverse choices.

So, why choose us? What is there about FDU that will enable a prospective student to see the value of our degree? What must we do to attract this changing group of students and to enhance the value of a global education at Fairleigh Dickinson University?

A Roadmap

It again comes back to forging a distinctive identity and maintaining the highest standards of quality. It boils down to developing programs to meet the challenges of the 21st century, while demonstrating the value of an FDU degree.

Paramount to ensuring our stamp of quality is gaining reaccreditation from the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. I want to especially thank Diane Wentworth, Beth Noonan and Martin Green for their leadership of the self-study review.

We must renew and maintain the competitive elements in every program. And we must support the renewal and dedication of faculty by competitive hiring across schools, colleges and campuses.

I also believe there are necessary new responses to this radically new environment.

•  First and foremost we must reaffirm and support the quality of our on-campus undergraduate programs. They are the core of our reputation. Academic priorities must drive balanced decisions against competing demands. This means I will give priority to those faculty positions that support and strengthen those programs.

•  We must strengthen the integration of global learning across the curriculum. This is the foundation of our mission and the element that will speak most powerfully to a new, diverse student population. The Internationalization Strategic Planning Group recently delivered a global learning proposal. I ask that we quickly prioritize those recommendations and move to action.

•  FDU has a strong history of professional degree offerings, which must continue. However, we have a moral responsibility to deliver what graduates really need to compete — a strong liberal arts foundation. Our Core program was innovative and distinctive when created by a forward-thinking group of faculty 18 years ago. I propose to my faculty colleagues a renewed and extended sense of purpose and responsibility by exploring how Core might become the cornerstone of an FDU global education.

•  Under the leadership of Deborah Gonzalez, our Puerta al Futuro has generated tremendous demand. We must build on that success. We must employ new tactics to attract qualified Hispanic and Asian-American students in all programs. To do that we must not only create a welcoming, adaptive and supportive environment, but also, through global lessons, accredit these students’ narratives of identity. FDU has a strong tradition of attracting minority students from across the cultural spectrum. That must and will continue. It is not only the right thing to do, but it responds to demographic realities.

•  In the case of dealing with global competitors, part of the solution is to partner with those institutions. The dual degree programs we’ve created with institutions around the world represent a successful model that should be continued. Those are initiated and sustained by faculty relationships across borders and ideologies.

•  Another way to enhance our presence and competitiveness internationally is through expanded faculty outreach. Some have already done so, such as professor Bamidele Ojo, who was recently named a Fulbright Senior Specialist. I propose an initiative that encourages and supports faculty participation in the Fulbright program.

•  Our delivery of focused degree programs at such locations as Johnson & Johnson and Cendant has shown to be highly effective and successful. Our community college partnership program is another example of reaching an underserved population, taking education to the students. We must further consider other existing strong programs that might be appropriate for off-site offerings or non-traditional delivery.

•  That major universities have embraced online learning is evidence that the marketplace has changed. What is emerging nationally is a flexible model of blended online and classroom courses. It meets students’ needs and expectations in a changing world. FDU is not evolving into an e-university. However, we must be an active, respected participant in the online arena. We must increase our offerings and outreach.

The Promise

Colleagues, we face significant challenges. But the milestones and examples I cited remind us that together we can accomplish almost anything. Where we go from here is up to us.

Our primary strategy is clear. Our mission provides the framework. Global education is derived from our traditions, and more importantly, it is what students need to flourish in the 21st century. Whether your field is in the liberal arts or whether you specialize in a professional degree area, the need to incorporate global lessons and help students make global connections is critical now and will become more so in the future. Many institutions give lip service to internationalization. But I challenge us to be among the select few who transform rhetoric into reality. It happens one classroom at a time, one student at a time.

Along with the priority to integrate global lessons throughout the curriculum, we need to stay firmly focused on enrollment and retention. Sometimes it’s easy to believe these responsibilities belong to a special group or to someone else. But responsibility rests with all of us. Students ultimately choose to attend and stay at FDU because of the people — the people who teach them, the people who offer support and the people who become their friends and role models.

Nearly every day I learn about or meet someone who illustrates our incredible tradition of transforming lives. They all talk about the people at FDU — people who cared, who showed passion and who provided inspiration.

I began with a brief story about Greg Olsen. On October 1, he will join the select few members of our species who have ventured into outer space. He will be the next civilian to enter the International Space Station. Greg told me his purpose is to conduct experiments and attempt to inspire the next generation of scientists.

Greg asked us for an FDU banner that could be with him as his voyage is broadcast back to planet Earth. We also gave him clothing with the Fairleigh Dickinson logo. We suspect Greg will tell colleagues and students about the people, programs and global view at Fairleigh Dickinson University. He will likely tell about how this institution changed his life. And for all those watching, the value and the reputation of Fairleigh Dickinson University will further rise.

Fairleigh Dickinson University is a very special community. In many ways we have the opportunity to redefine higher education for the 21st century. I am grateful for your presence, your participation and your contributions to this exceptional institution. I look forward to what we can continue to create together.