The Woods

Issue date: 3/18/09 Section: News

By Chanel Reeder

Editor-in-chief



Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College President David Behrs addressed the College community on March 11 during a town meeting in Hayes Auditorium in Hulman Hall. He gave the audience an update on issues that were discussed during the February Board of Trustee meetings.


Graduation speaker

Behrs announced the 2009 commencement speaker at the town meeting. The speaker will be Dr. Marlene EchoHawk, SMWC class of 1953. She is a member of the Otoe-Missouria Tribe located in northern Oklahoma. She graduated high school at the age of 15 and then came to SMWC. She received her doctorate in psychology from Oklahoma State. She has been a member of the Indian Health Service mental health program and specializes in suicide prevention. "She is one of the amazing leaders in the Native American culture," Behrs said. "She's very amazing and I don't think a lot of people know about her, but we are really proud of her."


WORLD

SMWC's WORLD, or Woods Interactive Online Degree program, will be fully operational in January 2010. "It is really remarkable that in January of 2010 we can offer a bachelor's degree to anybody in the world," Behrs said. "Now I think the challenge is how we get the word out world wide about this program."

Behrs thanked Jennie Mitchell, director of the WORLD program, as well as others who have been influential in making this program possible. He went on to say that the WORLD program provides SMWC with another potential realm of students that hadn't really been thought of before. WORLD is SMWC's first fully online degree program.


Tenure

Behrs announced the three faculty members who have been approved for tenure. B.R. Ramachandran, associate professor of chemistry; Janet Clark, associate professor of chemistry; and Steve Prescott, associate professor of music, all were recognized for this honor during the town meeting.


Special Gifts

The College recently received two special gifts totaling $64,000, Behrs reported. Both of the gifts were surprises and will go toward the Annual Woods Fund.


Annual Woods Fund

Don Stahl, interim vice president for development, gave a special report at the meeting regarding the progress of the Annual Woods Fund. Stahl announced that the staff had reached 100 percent participation and faculty had contributed at 92 percent participation. Behrs thanked all those who had contributed to the Annual Woods Fund. "The Board of Trustees were absolutely amazed at the support," Behrs said. "It really speaks volumes for why this is a special place to work."

Stahl continued with his report, announcing that the Annual Woods Fund has a goal of $1.1 million dollars. The fund currently sits at $600,000. "I am hopeful that the willingness to contribute will continue," said Stahl. "It's a long hill to climb, but we're going to do anything humanly possible to make it."


VP for development

Behrs reminded the College community that the office of development is currently in a transition period and is in the middle of a search for a new vice president. Behrs encouraged the campus community to participate in the process and attend the open forums and ask the questions that need to be asked. Five candidates are being brought to campus. "It is very important that we get an outstanding professional in this area," said Behrs. "If we don't get the right candidate for this position, we are going to reopen the search because that's an area of growth for us, we have to build the endowment."


Program Analysis

An update was given on the PAC process. Four more groups from the academic departments remain in the meeting process, but Behrs hopes to have a preliminary conclusion by May. Behrs reminded the community that the conclusions will be collaborative.

"I think it has proven to be an extraordinary experience, and of course one could argue that on both sides of the fence," Behrs said. "I feel very good about the dialog that has occurred between the Cabinet and other areas, and I hope that by the end of the process everybody will have the chance for their voices to be heard."

The Cabinet will take a look at the administrative departments during the summer.


Dominican Exchange

Eight student leaders will be leaving March 18 for California as part of a student leadership exchange with Dominican University. A relationship was developed between the university and SMWC and the students will meet with Dominican University student leaders and will stay in their dorms.

Several SMWC students will also recruit at San Domenico High School, which has a strong music and equestrian program, said Behrs. An alumnae reception will also be held during the trip with about 20 San Francisco area alumnae.

The students from Dominican will be invited to SMWC in the fall.

"We have no better ambassadors for the College than our students," Behrs said.


International representation 09-10

A group of students from Providence University in Taiwan will visit SMWC for two weeks in the summer from July 12-25. These students are possible feeders into the College program. SMWC also is hopeful of receiving 12 to 15 students from Providence for the following school year.

The College is also looking at 10 possible Korean students and possible applicants from Central China Normal University. Admissions reported that they have utilized the help of thirteen international recruiting agents to help increase international enrollment at SMWC.


Tuition Increase

Behrs also announced that there will be a seven percent increase in tuition for the undergraduate program and an eight percent graduate increase. "We will be investing at a higher rate in financial aid and scholarships over last year," Behrs said. "It was a tough decision and the Board of Trustees really wrestled with it, but we need it to run the type of college that we are trying to run because we are a tuition driven institution."

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