1. How do you feel about the known information so far in regards to what is happening in coming years to the university?
FDU has clearly begun bolstering its offerings in health sciences, and seems poised to do the same in hospitality/tourism studies as well as several other areas. I hope that these highlighted programs, and other programs which are not necessarily in the spotlight, continue to grow and attract good students, top notch faculty members, and increased resources for the whole University.
The physical improvements planned for the Metro campus, including the proposed new Campus Union Building, are long overdue. I am hopeful that FDU will not only meet but will actually exceed its $75 million capital campaign target to fund these and other much-needed capital expenditures.
2. What do you think is still unanswered or unclear?
We still don’t have details on what areas or programs will be streamlined, eliminated, or combined across campuses, or even by what metrics such decisions will be made.
I also don’t have a good sense of what the plans or ideas are with respect to increasing our online or hybrid offerings.
I’d like to hear more about FDU’s plans to increase outside funding, both from the government and from private sources. This is also one of FDU’s stated strategic objectives, and many of the things we already do at FDU could and should be the basis for significant external support.
3. Do you have any personal concerns?
People are naturally concerned about how any proposed changes affect them personally, their programs, and their students. Uncertainty about the future tends to produce some anxiety. My main concern is in seeing that we consider all of our options carefully in a rational, methodical manner in order to make the best possible decisions for the future of FDU.
4. Is there anything else you would like to add?
Many of my colleagues and I would like to see that all of the decisions being made about FDU’s future are collaborative ones, involving administrators, faculty and staff, and students in the process. Communication and cooperation among the various constituencies of the University are critical elements for success in making well-considered, substantive changes at FDU.
