At Lamar University’s back-to-school convocation a year ago, President James Simmons talked about raising the bar to ensure higher educational standards.
Wednesday, in his annual state-of-the-university address, he talked about raising the roofs as faculty and staff returned to an institution which, over the past 11 months, has faced one of the greatest challenges in its history: Hurricane Rita.
But while work continues on what Simmons termed the largest roofing project in Jefferson County history, his message was clear:
While the fallout from Rita continues to be felt in Lamar enrollment, he said, the number of full-time students, those taking 12 hours or more, has increased by 2,000 over the past six years – from 4,800 to 6,800.
“Students are enrolling sooner than ever before,” Simmons said, “and that’s a very good sign.”
Cardinal Village filled up at least a month before the first day of classes, and a remodeled Brooks Hall is full. And Simmons said he understands The Village at Lamar, a new independent housing complex on MLK Jr. Parkway, is also at capacity.
“All of this is great news for us,” Simmons said, especially since Lamar has taken over operation of Cardinal Village, which was built and initially operated by an outside contractor. “This is a wonderful thing for the university because we’ll now be able to benefit from student housing and the income it produces.
“To continue to facilitate our growth and success in recruiting beyond the local area, we are pursuing construction of a fourth phase of Cardinal Village,” Simmons said.
Also to further the goal of recruiting students beyond Southeast Texas, Lamar has hired a full-time recruiter, with offices in the Houston area.
“Harris County and those counties to the west continue to be some of our most prime recruiting territories, and we expect a lot of growth from that area because they’re growing so fast,” Simmons said.
The Lamar president addressed a standing-room-only audience of more than 500 faculty and staff members who attended the convocation Wednesday (Aug. 23, 2006) in the University Theatre. Classes begin Thursday, Aug. 24.
“As we grow, we will always keep our academic standards and our excellence at the very top of the queue,” Simmons said. “We will continue to stringently enforce our academic admissions and continuation standards.”
He cited distance education as a major vehicle toward growth.
“The flexibility that we have in web-based courses is rapidly going to become a key element in our ability to expand class offerings, to reach new students and to open up new markets,” he said. “As soon as possible, we need all core-curriculum courses to be on line.”
The Department of Nursing is already making plans to deliver the newly approved master of nursing degree online, Simmons said, with other programs to follow.
Another step toward the future is creation of the Office of Sponsored Programs Administration, whose mission is concept-to-completion support for scholarship and research.
“But I want to assure you that we have not changed our mission,” Simmons said. “Lamar University remains committed to undergraduate teaching as our top priority and to the teacher-scholar model.
“This new office will give faculty who want to seek external funding for projects the opportunity to do so. Research has always been a major part of our mission because it is important to professional development for all our faculty, and this office will help us to do it better.”
As one example of Lamar’s focus on the student and academic enhancement, Simmons announced that the university is welcoming its first group of 16 Mirabeau Scholars this fall. He called the program “one of the most exciting new initiatives we have at this university.”
With SAT scores averaging 1,360, he said, “They have a history of involvement in their high schools and great track records academically. They are really going to bring a lot to this university.”
Among other academic achievements:
* Lamar is setting a record this fall by beginning the academic year with five doctoral programs in place. “That’s a real tribute to faculty excellence,” he said.
* The Department of Chemical Engineering ranked No. 1 last year in the number of master’s degrees granted (55), ahead of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Yale, Michigan and Georgia Tech.
* Classes begin this fall in the department of Deaf Studies/Deaf Education for students pursuing Lamar’s new bachelor’s degree in American Sign Language – the first such degree offered in Texas and one of few in the country. Lamar’s audiology program received reaccreditation through 2012.
* Transitions in athletics, with new head basketball and golf coaches and the first women’s soccer program. Lamar’s golf team, he noted was in the nation’s Top 10. “Lamar University has never had a Division 1 team finish in the Top 10, so this was a historical accomplishment,” Simmons said.
Among highlights of the coming year:
* Opening of the Sheila Umphrey Recreational Sports Center, now on track to open in mid-December. “What this will do for student life is probably unparalleled in our history,” Simmons said.
* Conversion of the old dining hall to house the Department of Communication and several student support services, including the new Center for Academic Success.
Simmons had good news when he announced a 3 percent raise for staff and a 3 percent merit pool for faculty. “Because of the uncertainty of fall enrollment, we had to wait until these last few days to see what the actual figures were going to be,” he said. “It appears that we have met our projections . . Our top priority has been and remains faculty and staff salaries.”
“The strength of our academic programs continues to grow,” Simmons concluded. “We remain a place of opportunity for Southeast Texas and, increasingly, a primary destination for more and more students who are drawn to the outstanding programs we offer. Students are attracted by qualities of personal attention, education and the welcoming community we offer.
“As I watch our graduates – the students you’ve invested in – cross the Montagne Center stage to receive their hard-earned diplomas, I know I’m seeing the future flash before my eyes. Their future is bright. Our future is bright as well.”
