Stetson Cupola 1983-12-1

The Stetson University Alumni Newspaper vwpulT&s Volume 12, Number 1 (USPS 990-560) Fall 1983 Honored guests and chorus sing the Alma Mater at the September Convocation: (from left) Rev. Dr. Babb H. Adams, President of the Florida Baptist State Convention; Dr. Denton Coker, Provost; Dr. Pope Duncan; B. Frank Wheeler, Chairman of the Board of Trustees; Dr. Robert Rich; and Dr. Earl Joiner. (Behind) University Chorus. Willing to Risk: Stetson's Challenge for the Second Century "Stetson cannot afford to let its age and its history lull it into smug self-satisfaction. It must set high goals and clear objectives and be willing to take the risks to reach them." These words, spoken by Dr. Pope A. Duncan at the 1983 Convocation in September, will be the watchwords for Stetson's Second Century. Dr. Duncan announced the intention to open two new schools, the first being a School of Communications and Information Technology, which could emerge within the next two to three years. "We cannot ignore the new age of information into which we have moved," Dr. Duncan said. "Stetson needs to be in the forefront in preparing people for this new age of information." Dr. Duncan outlined the results of a long-range planning process describing "a plan that would carry the university boldly into its second hundred years." The driving forces behind the plan are the scarcity of students, the increased competition from other schools for funds to support education and a continuing relationship with the Florida Bap tist Convention. The goals of the plan are to preserve Stetson's traditions of high quality, Christian education and to strengthen the university's position as a nationally recognized private university, while maintaining an enrollment size suitable for a caring, nurturing environment for students. Several challenge objectives for the balance of the 20th Century were presented: • to increase academic standards to achieve an average SAT score by students of 1150; • to increase faculty salaries so the average is above the median for all colleges and universities; • to maintain a consistent values orientation throughout the curriculum • to raise $200 million through fund drives, $100 million of which would form the basis of an endowment; • to double the enrollment of the School of Music by 1990 and to double it again by the year 2000. "These are very ambitious and even risky challenge objectives, but they are not at all beyond our doing. Indeed, we cannot afford to do less," Dr. Duncan stated. There were challenge objectives for each school. "The law school will achieve the Order of the Coif, the Phi Beta Kappa of law, while the business school will achieve American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditation," he said. Once these challenges are met, the way would be paved for Stetson to have an endowment of at least one billion dollars and be an internationally recognized center for political studies and legal studies by the year 2083, the bicentennial year. In summary, Dr. Duncan said mind-sets had to be changed to bring the new university strategy to fruition. "In our effort to plan and set objectives we must never let considerations of reputation, numbers, buildings or even faculty salaries become our mind-set," he said. "Our mind must be set upon serving the quality educational needs of students." Two Deans Return to Classroom Two Stetson deans will be returning to the classroom next year. Dr. Robert Chauvin, dean of the College of Liberal Arts, has resigned his administrative position, will take a one-year sabbatical, and then return to devote full time to teaching and other scholarly works. Dr. David Nylen, dean of the School of Business Administration, will concentrate full time on teaching and research effective May 30,1984. Dean Chauvin joined Stetson's faculty in 1950 as assistant professor of geography and chairman of that department. He was promoted to professor in 1960 and became Dean of Sciences in 1967. He has served as the liberal arts dean since 1970. He also serves as director of the Gillespie Museum of Minerals. "I am looking forward to a year's sabbatical during which time I plan to study and do research in the fields of geopolitics and historical geography to prepare myself for returning to the teaching role for the remainder of my career," Chauvin said. Dean Nylen will resume his continued on page 2