@ the President's Desk
"Leadership is Not Optional"
Dr. Roger Sublett
As we reach the end of the 2009-10 fiscal year at Union Institute & University, it is gratifying to reflect upon the impressive accomplishments of our team – a team that includes learners, alumni, staff, faculty, administrators, and trustees. It has been a year of great accomplishments, most notably the successful reauthorization of our programs by our accrediting agency (see below); the graduation of the first six graduates of our new cohort Ph.D. program; the increase in enrollment in our Bachelor of Science program, particularly in Cincinnati; the successful launch of our new M.Ed. Online program and continued success of our M.A. Online and Psy.D. programs; and the growing stature and quality of our faculty around the country. Additionally, even during these very challenging economic times, Union has been successful in ending the current year with a strong financial surplus, indicating disciplined stewardship of limited dollars, wise business decisions, and increased funding from outside sources. I express my deepest appreciation to each of you for your leadership and for your dedication to Union’s mission, vision, and community over the last year. Together, we have learned that “leadership is not optional” at Union—it is an essential component of what makes this institution so enduring!
What have we accomplished together this year that establishes a strong foundation for future growth and improvement? Among the most significant in terms of maintaining a healthy and growing organization:
- Reauthorization by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association for all of our academic programs through 2016. Accreditation is the standard that assures quality among academic institutions throughout the United States and is critical for measuring the effectiveness of both programs and institutions in support of learners. Having first achieved authorization from HLC in 1985, Union is celebrating its 25th year of consecutive accreditation and is looking forward to extending its creative approach to higher education for adult learners through 2016. The successful self study and visit was a university-wide effort involving administration, trustees, faculty, staff, learners, and alumni, and brought the community together in a spirit of collaboration and collegiality.
- Licensure. Union holds licensure approval in Ohio, Vermont, and Florida for all of our academic programs operating within the jurisdiction of those states. Because of our HLC accreditation, Union is also fully licensed for its programs in California. Union anticipates renewed approval from the Ohio Board of Regents based on OBR’s participation in the HLC visit in December 2009. We also anticipate renewed approval of our programs in Florida when the Florida Commission on Independent Higher Education next meets, and as required by Vermont law, Union has recently submitted its self-study for reauthorization in Vermont for a potential period of up to five years. Both accreditation and licensure help us ensure the integrity of our academic programs and our service to learners. Accreditation and licensure allow our learners to apply for federal financial aid, and aid in the transferability of course credits, but ultimately, the endorsement of these external agencies helps us improve teaching and learning and to deliver quality academic experiences to adult learners who utilize their education in the service of others. W.K. Kellogg once stated that the mission of the Kellogg Foundation was “to help people help themselves through the application of knowledge.” That goal certainly resonates at UI&U and is reflected in our vision to engage, enlighten, and empower adults in their pursuit of a lifetime of learning and service.
- Grants. Union was the proud recipient of a number of grants to support scholarships and programming this year. Among them is the Women’s Empowerment Scholarship funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. The grant allows us to provide two-term scholarships to women in Cincinnati seeking their bachelor’s degree. The recipients are heads-of-household who can serve as role models for their children, thus enhancing their own lives to better those of their children. You’ll be meeting some of the grantees in the coming months. In addition, the Salmon Foundation has continued to be generous in their support of our Vermont-based learners, providing scholarships to those in our B.A. program. Graduates of these programs are making a difference in a number of arenas, including non-profit agencies, the social services, elementary through higher education, and the arts.
- Strategic Planning. Union has recently launched a major strategic planning process that will include the entire community and culminate in January 2011. I have appointed a university-wide steering committee that is working to identify four major goals around the areas of effective enrollment management and growth; achieving long-term financial stability; maintaining the highest quality academic programs based on innovation and creativity; and enhancing Union’s distinction as an organization committed to social responsibility. Our actions and initiatives over the next five years will largely be measured by these four goals. As always, at the center of all of our deliberations will be “the people of Union,” our learners, alumni, faculty, staff, and trustees; all of us who have the privilege of being a part of this university.
As I have repeatedly said, leadership is relational. The relationships that are growing and building among our alumni are evidence of the mounting pride in Union. Our International Alumnae/i Association Board has made great progress in engaging more alumni across the country. Their first Union ReUnion in October 2009 was a success and has generated monthly meetings, a growing governing board, and increased involvement. The IAAB is helping to organize regional events, increase giving from alumni, and also recruit quality learners. I thank each of our alumni board members for their leadership and their service, and for their continued hard work and creative and energetic spirit in promoting Union across the nation.
This spirit is also evident in our learners. As you read @UI&U every other month, you have the opportunity to meet some of them and witness the quality and creativity that epitomizes the Union learner. Our learners are adults who have lives. They have families and jobs and volunteer to better their communities. They come to us already engaged in service to others, whether as police officers or teachers, social workers, or non-profit managers. Many are the first in their families to attend college. They bring these experiences to their studies and to their relationships with their faculty and their fellow learners. And, in this way, they are leaders – proving to their families and themselves that they can improve their own lives and the lives of those around them through education. I thank our learners for sharing their goals and aspirations with us, and for allowing us to help them achieve their dreams.
It is also important to recognize the many donors who provided much-needed scholarship funds for our learners. You each saw the growing lists of contributors in our President’s Report mailed to all alumni and learners this spring. Each of you has my deepest appreciation for your generosity. I trust that those of you who have not yet given will be able to contribute in the coming year – Union and our learners need your support.
Since I began my tenure as president in 2003, I have used the milestone of the end of the fiscal year to reflect upon the progress made, the streams crossed, the problems resolved, and the possibilities unfolding. I urge each of you to take time over the next few weeks to think about both Union and your own accomplishments and be thankful that you have an opportunity to participate in the life of an institution that cares and serves others. It has been my experience that it is service that allows each of us to be leaders and also brings meaning to our lives.
Thank you for all you do each day for Union. I look forward to working with each of you throughout the 2010-11 fiscal year when we have even more opportunities to move Union further along the visionary path of engaging, enlightening, and empowering each of us in a lifetime of learning and service.
Warm regards,
Roger H. Sublett, Ph.D.
President