Aug. 14, 2023: University Address

Welcome, everyone! It's great to see you all here this morning. Thank you for sharing some of your time. This is my 14th year as your president. I'm extraordinarily proud of what we, together, have accomplished; of how we have come through a global pandemic; and of the shared visions we have for advancing Bucknell.

I hope you've enjoyed the summer and are ready to greet the Class of 2027. It is really amazing how the students — at least to me — seem to get younger and younger each year. The reality, of course, is that they are always the same age, while I am always a year older. Given the available possibilities, I'll take it!

I want to offer a special welcome to those faculty and staff who have joined us since last fall. Each August in my University Address I share an update on the current state of the University as well as some of our major themes for the academic year ahead.

Last year I was very pleased to announce that we were making a change to our employee calendar, and adding a permanent two-week winter holiday break for all employees. Time with our family and friends is precious indeed, and having 20 paid holidays off is a real distinction for Bucknell as an employer.

In fact, it's quite rare. According to Forbes, employees in the U.S. receive an average of 8 paid holidays per year.

But we've never been average here at Bucknell. And while 20 paid holidays is a testament to this University's commitment to you and your well-being — maybe we can do just a wee bit better.

Last year we piloted an extended Thanksgiving holiday, adding two additional days to provide a full week off, and your feedback was clear. It's important that we, as a University, create space for your mental health and wellness, and even more time to be with your loved ones. Thus, I'm thrilled to share that, beginning this year, we are making permanent a full week off around Thanksgiving — nine consecutive days counting the weekends. Three weeks after that comes our two-week winter holiday right before the dawn of the new year. Please enjoy!

Shortly after the end of the spring semester, I announced several strategic changes to the University's organizational structure. I'd like to start my formal remarks with these changes.

I'd first like to acknowledge and thank each of you for your flexibility and collaboration in working through the initial stages of these shifts. As I said in my message to campus, we aim to advance our shared commitment to be the best university possible, and to firmly position Bucknell for continued leadership in higher education.

In this great endeavor, I believe that we can take very little for granted, and that we must be ready for changes that will challenge us deeply. The demographic cliff that will diminish the pool of college applicants by 15–20%, the $100,000 Bucknell price tag that we'll see at some point, and the eroding public support for higher education — daunting as these may be, they do not scare me. These challenges in fact excite me. Because of where I work, and because of the people here, and because of the deep and abiding importance of what we do, these challenges truly excite me. This is Bucknell.

Effective leadership requires a steadfast focus on mission. And as stewards of this great University, the central point of our work must always be our students. We exist for them; our mission is centered on them; and whether or not they yet have the wisdom to acknowledge this, they need us more than ever. The organizational realignments that are underway have this as their genesis, and must further strengthen our ability to provide the living and learning environment that our students expect and deserve and need.

You may recall that strengthening the student experience was a key theme of my University Address last year.

This year, we will continue to deliver on that promise. As a campus community, we are ready to fully invest in several initiatives that are central to the student experience, including dining.

The opportunity to enjoy delicious, nutrient–rich food — in community — is a key component of the residential experience of our students. A strong dining program is essential to students' holistic development and helps create a vibrant and inclusive campus community. Done well, our dining operation nourishes, facilitates social connections, promotes cultural exploration and provides opportunities for academic integrations.

As I announced last May, Bucknell's contract with Parkhurst Dining Services will conclude in July 2024, and so we are preparing a competition to establish a new dining partner. Parkhurst is not excluded but will have to compete with others if they so choose.

The Dining Steering Committee we formed last spring has been working diligently over the summer to secure, and is now beginning to work with, a dining consultant to assist us in this important work. Moving forward, the committee will appoint three additional advisory groups early this fall with representatives from students, faculty and staff. All Bucknell employees and students will soon see invitations to provide dining feedback in a variety of ways, including through focus groups and surveys. Your voice is important, so please plan to participate.

The Dining Steering Committee will also assess existing dining plan practices related to food security and equitable dining, building on the good work already completed by the Food & Nutrition Task Force. This is a significant endeavor — and also an invigorating one. Our success relies on our collective investment of time, effort and energy — thank you, in advance, for your input.

A first-class residential experience, of course, goes well beyond an exceptional dining program. We must also ensure that we are providing accessible, comfortable, desirable places for our students to study, sleep and connect. We are keenly aware that more housing space is needed, in part due to the successes we've had on several fronts, but also because many fewer students live downtown than a decade ago. That is why we are housing about 60 upper-level students in the Comfort Suites on Route 15 this year. We are also well aware that some of our existing housing needs an upgrade. This is especially true of some of our smaller affinity houses, and a few of our oldest residence halls as well.

The Mods replacement project, happening as we speak just across Route 15, is a good start. We razed half of the trailers last December — that didn't take long — and replaced them with two multi-story permanent structures. This December we will do the same for the other half of that area. Over the course of the two phases, we are adding 10 beds — but more importantly, offering a far superior experience for those who live there.

But this is only a start. This year, we will also complete a comprehensive analysis of student spaces and their use across campus, and develop a strategic vision for our housing program.

We are, in many ways, benefitting from undeniable successes in retention and enrollment. We can and should be proud that we are meeting — and even exceeding — many of our institutional goals earlier than expected.

First, demand for a Bucknell education remains higher than ever. Very few schools in this country can say that. We have seen more than 11,000 applications in each of the past three years, with more students than ever accepting our offer of admission. Simply put, our yield is up. That's phenomenal, and I am incredibly proud of the work we've all done to reach this level of interest from such talented students.

Just as important, retention is improving, thanks to the consistent efforts of our faculty and various offices across the University. We've seen a reduction in both the "summer melt" of newly enrolled students as well as the number of current students who choose to leave Bucknell before completing their degree. This year our sophomore retention rate is at an all-time high.

I am particularly proud of our signature pathway programs, which are thriving. This includes our newest pathway program, Gateway Scholars, which attracted twice as many new first–generation students — 40 in all — than we anticipated.

These are undeniable successes — and we must acknowledge that they have required an enormous effort in a fairly short time for both faculty and staff. My fervent hope is that delivering on the Bucknell promise is as rewarding as it is intense and demanding. It certainly is for me.

You'll recall that one of the four pillars of our strategic plan is sustainability, and that includes organizational sustainability. So as we strengthen Bucknell in strategic ways, we must ensure that our colleagues are as supported as possible. We must adjust our approach to not only respond to our success, but also to improve our ability to anticipate and strategically plan for the same.

This was a key notion behind our strategic realignment. Our new organizational structure will allow us to reexamine and reimagine our operations so that we remain true to our core mission as we adapt to the shifting demands within the higher education landscape. We are working toward a model that is more proactive and less reactive, allowing us all to better navigate the daily demands of running a top-tier university while anticipating needs and preparing for the future.

Next, I want to talk about one of Bucknell's most unique features: our ability to create opportunities for teaching and learning at the intersections of different disciplines in a still-small school. This is all part of having three outstanding colleges — Arts & Sciences, Engineering and the Freeman College of Management.

Nearly 10 years ago, in February 2014, I spoke to our faculty and staff and to the Board of Trustees about the nascent power of Bucknell's interdisciplinary opportunities. Since that time, we have implemented a number of initiatives that capitalize upon the rich opportunities that spring from the blurring of traditional lines. I'll name just a few examples:

• There's the Bucknell Farm, which offers outstanding hands–on experiences for academic and community engagement. Truth be known, growing up as a 5 and 6 year old, I wanted to be a farmer. So I had to become a university president to start a farm.
• The Center for Sustainability brings together faculty, students and staff in a shared quest to create a more sustainable campus.
• Our incredible Humanities Center deepens the integration of the arts and humanities into the life of the mind as well as everyday life in the Bucknell community.
• There is also our excellent academic work with incarcerated individuals, who attend classes taught by Bucknell faculty, alongside Bucknell students.

Our ability to cross–pollinate among academic fields and offices is a distinguishing characteristic of Bucknell, one which speaks to ever–greater numbers of students, to the expectations and demands within many career paths, and to the needs of society. And just as importantly, it speaks to the desires of many within our faculty. To really leverage our strength, our new comprehensive campaign will seek funding for several exciting new interdisciplinary initiatives, some large and some small.

There's a terrific new interdisciplinary project centered on a topic most of us can get behind: coffee. Professors Kat Wakabayashi, in chemical engineering, and Jonathan Scholnick, in geography, are bringing together faculty from various fields to explore coffee from many angles, including its history, production, environmental implications, social justice, entrepreneurship and science. They plan to offer courses on the chemical and cultural dimensions of coffee, an introductory laboratory course, a seminar on the life cycle of coffee, and scientific research on coffee beans.

Another research project will expand our work with area prisons. Professors Vanessa Massaro from geography, Darakhshan Mir from computer science and Nathan Ryan from mathematics are studying the impact of algorithms used in the Pennsylvania prison system on incarcerated individuals. These algorithms determine their housing assignments based on their behavior, criminal history and demographic profile. Our colleagues will examine the implications of this approach, and identify new ways to track and understand the incarcerated person's experience.

As an aside, let me indicate that I have been to four different classes taught by our colleagues in both men's and women's carceral institutions as part of the Prison Inside-Out program, and the impressions made are beyond profound. I don't think I've ever been so deeply moved and proud to be your president.

In another project, five faculty are creating a Language & Cultural Studies Immersion Program to enhance language and cultural literacy for students interested in global management. This interdisciplinary curricular program will feature intensive language and cultural preparation, study abroad or global internship opportunities, and new curricular offerings. The professors spearheading this project are Neil Boyd of management & organization, Lisa Perrone of Italian studies, Yunjing Xu of East Asian studies, Isabel Cuñado of Spanish and Ashli Baker of classical & ancient Mediterranean studies.

And two faculty are leading an interdisciplinary project that will transform the entryway of the Lewisburg Children's Museum into a sound garden. Professors Haley Kragness from psychology and Gabriela Diego from markets, innovation & design will work with their students to create an engaging installation that considers children's developmental abilities and interests.

All of these budding initiatives — and so many more — are fueled by passionate and invested faculty and staff, and all represent the kind of visionary thinking that will be a key to Bucknell's enduring success.

We are only beginning year three of the quiet phase of our campaign, but it is already clear that there is strong support for interdisciplinary initiatives — and on an even larger scale than the projects I just mentioned. Our donors and supporters know that our unique identity as a university with three distinct yet connected colleges is a powerful tool. The more we build upon this natural advantage to foster academic and cultural engagement, the better we can prepare students for engaged and informed citizenship. I'm excited to continue this good work with Interim Provost Margot Vigeant, our faculty and our staff — and I look forward to sharing updates on significant donor funding very soon.

Next, I'd like to talk about diversity, equity and inclusion.

In June, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against the use of affirmative action in college admissions. This did not come as a surprise. As I shared in my message to campus on that topic, this ruling has serious implications for Bucknell — as it does for all institutions of higher education.

First and foremost, let me reaffirm Bucknell's enduring dedication to diversity, equity and inclusion. These values are deeply rooted in our institution's culture, history and mission. We believe in fostering an inclusive campus community that celebrates the richness of human identities and experiences.

Our goal is to create a campus that truly reflects the diversity of our broader society. Bucknell embraces and respects all identities, and we remain resolute in our commitment to this objective. Let me be clear that we will fully comply with the law — but also that our resolve is only strengthened as we navigate the path forward.

I encourage each of you to explore the highlights of our recent progress in promoting diversity, equity and inclusion, which I shared in my message to campus and which also appear in the summer issue of Bucknell Magazine. These achievements serve as a testament to our ongoing dedication and the strides we continue to make. Bucknell must be a place where everyone is welcomed, valued and given the opportunity to thrive.

While the court ruling focused on affirmative action in college admissions, I want to emphasize that our related challenges and opportunities are not limited to admissions. It is our collective work to continue to build and support a thriving, diverse campus community. By staying true to our commitment to an equitable Bucknell, we will foster a vibrant and inclusive living and learning environment on our campus.

Given all of this, I'm especially pleased to formally welcome Dr. Vernese Edghill-Walden, a Bucknell alumna, who recently joined us as our inaugural vice president for equity & inclusive excellence. In this role, she leads our DEI efforts across campus.

Vernese's journey with Bucknell began as a student, where her dedication and leadership led to the 1986 establishment of the Multi-culture Center, now known as Multicultural Student Services.

During her time as a student, Vernese recognized the importance of representation and support for students of color. Now, she returns to Bucknell with enthusiasm and experience, having been shaped by her time both as a student and talented professional. She's a stellar example of leadership and commitment for our students, and we are excited about the vision and expertise she brings to our efforts in promoting equity and inclusion across campus.

As we all know, it is not enough to simply recruit and enroll students from underrepresented communities. We must create an environment rich with opportunities for each and every student to succeed. We must be there for them every step of the way until they walk across the stage at Commencement.

Our new Center for Access & Success, which I announced in February, is precisely the kind of initiative that will help create a more inclusive campus community in a way that is sustainable and puts students first. It does so by providing comprehensive support for underrepresented students throughout their time at Bucknell.

The center will serve around 300 students this year from an office that consolidates all of our pathway programs under one umbrella. These include our Posse Scholars, our Bucknell Community College Scholars Program and several others. It will be a place where students and their families can find the support they need, find answers to their questions, and access high-impact opportunities that enrich their personal, academic and career development.

We have high aspirations for the center. As I said earlier, Bucknell already boasts impressive retention and graduation rates — but we must have a mindset of doing ever better. By coordinating and expanding our access and success efforts, we aim to further enhance the experience and graduation rates for our pathway scholarship students.

I'm especially excited about the role that mentorship will play in the new center. As the first in my family to go away to college, I can tell you that having a good mentor was the key to my ability to adapt to my new life away from home and succeed as an undergraduate. I speak with him to this day. Mentorship will be a cornerstone of the center’s initiatives and ensure that our students have the guidance they need to flourish.

Boosting equity and inclusion on the faculty side is also important. I'd like to take this opportunity to recognize Professor Angèle Kingué for her good work in this area.

Angèle joined Bucknell in 1986 as a professor of French & Francophone studies and has since gained recognition as a respected scholar and mentor. In 2018, Angèle was appointed as a special adviser to the provost for faculty development and later became Bucknell's first associate provost for faculty engagement & inclusion.

In this role, she provides personalized support to faculty members from underrepresented groups. She works to ensure that new faculty colleagues feel welcomed, valued and connected, and helps them meet the demands of their academic work so they can excel in teaching and scholarship. On behalf of all of us, thank you, Angèle, for your dedication to this important work.

To be a truly equitable and inclusive university, Bucknell must be an accessible university — a place where the most talented and qualified students of all backgrounds can afford to study. So let's talk about financial aid.

Our strategic plan makes clear that one of Bucknell's highest priorities is to eliminate financial barriers to enrollment by increasing financial aid and the scholarship endowment.

Not only does this priority support our institutional DEI goals, but it also reaffirms our focus on the needs of our students and their families. The rising cost of college is a concern across income levels, including with high–achieving students from under–resourced high schools, families who can afford to pay the full cost but receive competitive merit scholarships from other institutions, and middle-income families who may struggle to afford a Bucknell education without burdensome loans.

To address these needs, Bucknell has already expanded the financial aid budget substantially, bringing the total to over $75 million in 2022. However, through our comprehensive campaign, we intend to raise at least $500 million in gifts and future pledges to the endowment for new financial aid and scholarships — all by the end of the decade. This is as much as we raised in the entireWE DO campaign that ended six years ago. If we succeed, this will allow us to cover — as we must — 100% of demonstrated financial need and to ensure access to the University by offering greater tuition support for middle-class students compared to our peers. This will place us among the very small number of institutions that are able to practice need–blind admissions.

Equity is everyone's work. Together, we will foster a community that celebrates diversity, provides unwavering support, and creates an inclusive environment where all students, faculty and staff can excel.

There are many other important topics that are on my mind as the new year begins — too many and some too focused to discuss today. I look forward to working with faculty and staff leadership, and with my senior team, on the following, to name just a few:

• Owing to many factors, I'm sure, including our scale, it seems we are too often on the edge of not being able to deliver our curricula programs, at least in certain departments, and in all three colleges; my clear perception is that our faculty must chronically spend too much of their time searching, especially, for visiting or part–time colleagues to fulfill our educational goals. The costs of that are just too high.
• Here's another: We are only beginning the third year of our capital campaign, and the public phase will not be for another two to three years. Our last campaign finished at just over $500 million, but when this next campaign is finished, I expect the outcome to not only be historic for Bucknell, but also for institutions similar in size and character.
• And another: We have engaged and begun to work with a consultant on a comprehensive analysis of faculty and staff compensation.
• And lastly, we must bring to a successful conclusion several senior leadership searches — for the provost, for the dean of the Freeman College, and for the dean of students.

To conclude for today: You've heard me say many times that our success as an institution depends on everyone. All of our work is interconnected — sometimes in ways that are obvious, but also in ways that are subtle but equally important.

Even if your division is not obviously affected by the strategic realignment, this is an opportunity to rethink how you work with other people. Let's reach out. Let's lift each other up. And let's empower each other to succeed.

Because in order to truly support our students, we must start by supporting each other. No matter what your role, we are all in this together.

The world seems to change at an ever-faster pace. But Bucknell continues to adapt, to embrace new challenges, and continue to grow and thrive. And we in this room and across this campus are the ones performing this important work in service of our mission.

Just as those who came before us, we're ensuring that we offer the best possible education to current students — one that will prepare them well for a successful future, and to be that best possible version of themselves — the version that only they can create.

Let's move into this new academic year with a renewed sense of collaboration, purpose and pride in the difference we are making in the world through each other — and through Bucknell.

Thank you for being here, and thank you for your precious time. My best to you all and 'ray Bucknell!