Marshall President Dan Angel spoke to faculty Tuesday in the State of the University address. Photo by Mike Andrick.

Angel looks to future

by ADAM GRAHAM
reporter

President Dan Angel linked Marshall's past, present and future in his State of the University address Tuesday.

"Why not national prominence for Marshall University?" Angel asked those attending at the Joan C. Edwards Playhouse, as he cited past accomplishments and future goals for the university.

Angel paid tribute to several recent accomplishments of the university.

"There are some major things that we all need to know and we all need to share with people about Marshall University," Angel said.

Yahoo listed Marshall as one of America's "most wired," the university was rated one of America's best buys in terms of quality and price and "Templeton's Guide" referred to Marshall as a top "character-building university".

Through new admission standards and a dedicated University College, Angel said he expected the number of upper-division students to increase.

In addition, Marshall is coming off its best fund-raising year and has added 73 new faculty, which shows strong potential for the future, Angel said.

Angel said he wants this future is to be one of Marshall's own choosing.

"At Marshall University we're seeking our own destiny ­ our own preferred future," Angel said. "We are not interested in replicating any other university."

Angel announced several upcoming events in his address. The Marshall Celebrity Series, where national higher education leaders come to campus for presentations, is slated to run from September through November and the John Marshall Bicentennial celebration marking Marshall's appointment to the Supreme Court is scheduled for February.

Angel addressed Senate Bill 653, the state's new higher education bill, and explained that it impacted the university in three ways: governance, finances and the fact that a major change is occurring in the state. The bill requires a campus compact outlining where Marshall wants to go in the next six years be developed.

"It is important for us to take charge of that and present the university that we want to see developed," Angel said. He indicated that the faculty will be given the opportunity to participate in that compact.

Angel also mentioned the "Owning the Opportunities: Marshall 2010," a group of faculty, administration, staff, student, alumni and city representatives charged with drafting a 10-year plan for the university. A draft of this plan is expected by mid-October, he said.

Faculty reaction to Angel's speech was generally positive.

"His optimism and energy is certainly what we need," Dr. Lawrence Shao, division chairman of finance and economics, said. "I thought he was very progressive and had a lot of foresight and vision on where he wants us to be."

"I was very pleased and very excited," Dr. Dan Martin, division of exercise, science, sports and recreation, said. "What we need is some leadership for the future and he seemed very positive about it."