State of the Campus Address: Yes We Can!

"There is no such thing as machine-made education," said President Thomas Kunkel, reaffirming his beliefs that the main purpose of the institutions of higher learning is not to create profit, but to "graduate individual people - no two alike."As President Kunkel has settled into his new office, the campus community had high hopes that the new president will bring the much talked of momentum to St. Norbert College.

Just weeks after President Obama's State of the Union address, delivered to the joint session of Congress, Kunkel had a less partisan crowd to speak to about the current state of the campus: the St. Norbert faculty and staff.

Recognizing that his role was not to "boss" the faculty, but engage with them in a stimulating dialogue, Kunkel, who is in his second year as of his presidency, went on listing the significant accomplishments SNC achieved over the past year and further challenges on the way.

The student applicant pool this year, according to Kunkel, was the largest and strongest compared to the previous years, and retention of freshman students has hovered around 94 percent.

"As of today, we are over fifty deposits more than last year," announced Kunkel proudly, and he offered his sincere congratulations and gratitude to the office of enrollment management and communications and the office of advancement for increasing the number of donations received by St. Norbert College.

Kunkel also acknowledged that the college is "making major headway in alumni relations," and applauded the efforts for creating an active alumni network.

The completion of renovated Todd Wehr Hall was hailed as a major success "right on time and ahead of budget" to meet the demands of "our students, who are also our customers," said Kunkel.

As another building project, the Donald J. Schneider outdoor athletic facility, nears completion, the planned renovation of the current John Minahan Science Hall proves that St. Norbert campus is "on the move."

After the first proposed design idea was tweaked to fit the more realistic national economic climate, the Board of Trustees were happy to give the green light to start fundraising for the new $40 million project.

"We are going to build it as soon as we can" said Kunkel, and invoked the help of "three angels" - good friends of St. Norbert College - to get the project started.

"The people who care about this institution know this is important," insisted Kunkel.

Predicting it can be accomplished in four years, Kunkel went on repeating to the faculty and staff that the "science building is easily the most important academic capitol priority."

After watching a video that featured the proposed science hall design, many were intrigued by the absence of St. John's Hall, which, according to Kunkel, will be eliminated to make room for the new science building - thus making the future location of the Facilities Department unknown.

Not only is St. Norbert investing heavily in its infrastructure, but it is building up its academic reputation by attracting outstanding faculty to its campus - among them more women and candidates from historically underrepresented groups.

"I continue to be delighted by the caliber of faculty here," stated Kunkel. "One CV is more remarkable then the next," and he expressed his hopes for a future with new prospects of faculty research.

He also went on praising the candidates for the new academic dean position and said, "It is very comforting to know we will have an outstanding person to build on the substantial record of Dean Marsden."

In addition, after last year's salary freeze, this year brings promises of raising faculty and staff salaries in order to get everyone close to their respective national norm.

Kunkel stated he was also thrilled to see the students excel in their academic pursuits and at the same time still participate in service projects and engage in socially responsible behavior.

To continue fostering this creative atmosphere he reaffirmed that "we will keep challenging our students" through the honors program, second language competency requirement and the new general education program, which is currently being discussed among the different committees and faculty members.

In addition to reforming the general education program, the college's strategic plan is undergoing renovation and taking shape as the feedback filters in from the faculty. After it is done, Kunkel believes it will be "a true blueprint for excellence."

Kunkel acknowledged that while the overall state of the campus is "positive," there is a lot more to be done and improved,.

"If I were to raise all the challenges, it would be much longer than the list of accomplishments."

Bringing more diversity to campus still fares as the President's top priority; followed by incorporating new and innovative technological advances into St. Norbert's curriculum, which requires raising more funds.

"Until we can liberate St.Norbert's budget reliance on tuition, we will never be able to make those investments that turn very good colleges into truly great colleges."

Furthermore, Kunkel expressed his doubt that some of the students and departments across the campus do not embrace the true values of community.

"I challenge each one of you, and myself, to make sure you are truly living the idea of communio."

Raising St. Norbert's profile in the nation was also included among the top priorities so that "more college bound men and women know how truly great this place is."

In order to achieve a wider national acclaim, Kunkel emphasized the need for the faculty to communicate with others about their great achievements because that is the only way future prospective students will become familiar with the range of opportunities offered at St. Norbert College.