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It is a genuine honor to stand before you this day to think with you about the current state and future direction of Union University. Today we stand at the half-way point in our work regarding Vision & Values 2005, which was unanimously approved by the Board of Trustees 2 ˝ years ago. This is mid-term exam time for us today. Yet it is more than a time of assessment regarding our second five year strategic plan. It is a kairos moment for this university, a propitious time in the life of this administration. The past six years have exceeded everyone’s expectations—certainly mine. I think we can all say that God has been very good to Union University! God has indeed blessed the work of our hands—and more. Having seen the bar of expectation raised, we now find ourselves with new challenges and opportunities. Union has an opportunity to move forward--perhaps not at the same pace as in recent years, but still to make noteworthy strides—toward becoming one of the truly significant Christian colleges/universities in the nation. The evidence for making such a statement is all around us in terms of the dynamics on campus, the national recognitions, the comments from Christian leaders across the country, Union’s elevated visibility in the CCCU and other organizations, the changes to the sacred spaces we call the Union campus, the ever increasing quality of the faculty, the staff, and the student body. We must now decide if we are willing to commit ourselves afresh to Christ-centered excellence in all we do to move Union another step forward. The challenge is daunting. Yet, the option of “maintaining” is really a step backward toward mediocrity. Our goal for Christ-centered excellence is not one of arrogance. As a matter of fact, we desire excellence without arrogance. It is, nevertheless, a bold statement to try to identify what is needed to move forward toward 2005 and on toward 2010. We need to see this “mid-term assessment” as an opportunity to begin to see what Union will look like over the next decade—to see this day as the initial statement for the next five year plan beyond Vision & Values 2005. Our shared dream for distinctive excellence builds on the cherished heritage of our past. The call for renewed commitment and new levels of excellence must be done within the context of and in continuity with our 179 year history. Like never before--especially since September 11 and in light of the events of this past week--we find ourselves in a world of change and international conflict. Union graduates must be equipped to live and work in this new century where the social context and the economy will be global, the expanding world of technology and information will be ever increasing, and the spiritual needs and ethical challenges of the world will seem overwhelming.
I. A GUIDING VISION
AND SHAPING VALUES (Objectives 1 and 6) We believe that Union’s Christian heritage and identity will shape and direct the university’s entire mission. Union University Identity and Mission
Our Identity:
Union University is an academic community, affiliated with the Tennessee Baptist Convention, equipping persons to think Christianly and serve faithfully in ways consistent with its core values of being Christ-centered, people-focused, excellence-driven, and future-directed. These values shape its identity as an institution which prioritizes liberal arts based undergraduate education enhanced by professional and graduate programs. The academic community is composed of quality faculty, staff, and students working together in a caring, grace-filled environment conducive to the development of character, servant leadership, and cultural engagement.
Our Mission:
Union University provides Christ-centered education that promotes excellence and character development in service to Church and society.
The unanimous adoption of these statements by faculty, staff, and trustees has been as significant as any aspect of this administration’s work. It declares that our academic programs will be both distinctive and excellent, providing a framework for integrating our teaching, our learning, our scholarship, and our living in community with a dynamic faith. Union provides and will continue to provide a rigorous academic context where questions can flourish and students and faculty alike can wrestle with the great ideas of history and the issues of our day—and understand that we do so from the vantage point of a Baptist confessional framework. This does not mean that all the answers are predetermined or all the issues are clarified prior to asking the question. Yet it means that we affirm academic freedom within this context as we explore issues and pursue truth. We do so recognizing that some truths are available to us only through divine revelation and others may elude us altogether. Yet, we readily acknowledge our commitment to Truth and believe that in this pursuit of truth we must work to build a grace-filled community that is faithful to the Lordship of Christ, that exemplifies the Great Commandment, that seeks justice, mercy, and love, that demonstrates responsible freedom, that prioritizes worship and service as central to all pursuits in life, and that emphasizes the Christian virtues of the fruit of the Spirit and opposes vices and sinful practices inappropriate for a Christian (and Baptist) context. We believe that education is much more than mere preparation for vocation. We believe it involves recognizing that human life has purpose and meaning that is related to our being created in God’s image and is thus more than a matter of mere human choice. We must faithfully seek to carry out our mission of providing Christ-centered higher education while promoting excellence and character development in service to Church and society. In doing so we recognize that we are not a church, a business, a mission or social agency, nor a Christian retreat center, but an academic institution. We are not a Bible college. Nor is our primary purpose the offering of theological education, though that takes place in one of the finest, if not the finest, undergraduate Christian Studies programs in the entire country. Union is a liberal arts based university--where the life of the mind is fostered and where the hard work of ancient and modern academic disciplines are carried forth. It is in this sense that we recognize our unique role as a part of the academic arm in the Church’s larger task of seeking and advancing God’s kingdom.
II. A COMMITMENT TO THE GREAT COMMANDMENT; A FOCUS ON QUALITY (Objectives 2, 3, and 5) We will thus seek to continue the mission of Union University by seeking to remain faithful to our heritage of academic excellence and distinctive Christian commitment, while expanding our vision for the future. These characterizing qualities must be extended to every offering of the university by ensuring the best in support for the present faculty and staff, recruitment of the most qualified additional faculty and staff for superb teaching, research, and service, and seeking to attract the best students possible for study. STAFF It is in this context that I am pleased to tell you that the staff of Union University has grown in its commitment to quality service and has expanded its scope as it has grown over the past six years. The dedicated efforts of Bob Alsobrook and Gary Carter have provided capable oversight for the staff. Important work is beginning in the realm of staff development. We believe these efforts will enhance both the effectiveness and efficiency of our work in days ahead. We have especially made strides in what the business world would call “customer service,” daily exemplified across campus at places like Union Station, College Services, and other offices. The staff has continually made strides in technological competency under the supervision of John David Barham and his information services team. Yet we still face challenges such as our needs in the human resource area (that work is now done as an aspect of our business services team). Our facilities and housekeeping staff is stretched and our needs in the advancement area will only increase as we seek to expand the resource base of this university. We must demand the best of our staff without abusing or misusing their good-hearted servant spirit.
FACULTY Next year’s new class of faculty exemplifies this commitment: Jeannette Russ (Engineering, Ph.D. Vanderbilt); Chris Song (Engineering, Ph.D. Northwestern); Andy Madison (Biology, Ph.D. Kansas State); Gene Fant (English, Ph.D. Southern Mississippi); Richard Joiner (Music, Ph.D., Louisiana State);Randy Shadburn (Education, Ph.D. Mississippi); and Elizabeth Vaughan-Neely (Education, Ph.D. Oregon State). As we look for additional scholar-teachers who can engage the issues in their discipline as well as the broader culture, we must always prioritize and prize classroom teaching. Ours is not a “publish or perish” context, but it is one of “teach well or perish.” We must also look afresh over the next several years at what tenure means at Union University. This will involve lengthy and thoughtful discussions and careful decisions as to what it means to be a tenurable faculty member or an appointed faculty member. We may decide that our current definitions and processes are best, but I believe the exploration will be worthwhile. Already our faculty leadership has clarified afresh the meaning and measurement of excellence in teaching, in service, and now also in scholarship, which is a most significant advancement for our shared work. As we take the next step forward, our priorities are several. We will seek to:
STUDENTS We must continue to recruit a stellar student body. In recent years the number of students scoring 30+ on their ACT (or SAT equivalent) has doubled. Now approximately 15% of the undergraduate student body falls into that category. By next fall we could have as many as 20 National Merit Finalists on this campus. Without exaggeration it can be said that the Union student body now represents outstanding students from every region of the country with students from 42 states and applicants from every state. Almost thirty countries are now represented in the student body. Carroll Griffin and his team can rightly say to prospects that Union is a University that has a national reach and reputation, with a local and regional focus. In that regard our recruitment patterns for next fall appear similar to the past few years, as for an unprecedented fifth straight year, we expect a freshman class of more than 400.
We must continue to recruit the best and brightest while remaining faithful to both our denominational and regional commitments. Our goal is to be excellent without being elitist. Our heritage in this regard is informative. Educating both the gifted and less gifted student has been the hallmark of Baptist higher education. The genius of this idea is that it challenges the brightest minds while never leaving the populist constituency behind. This was the vision of 19th Century Baptist leaders and it lies at the heart of the entire Baptist intellectual tradition—and it informs our vision for the next step of the journey. Yet, we must continue to work toward the goal called for in Vision and Values 2005 of having a maximum of only 10% of students conditionally enrolled. We want to make a place for less gifted or less prepared students who will profit from the Union context and who are willing to work and study hard. There must not only be a place for students of varied academic backgrounds and abilities, but also of diverse geographical and ethnic backgrounds. Union’s primary purpose is to educate students. All activities, efforts, and programs must exist to serve the long-term interests of students in the spirit of Christian servanthood. We must seek to guide students in the development of priorities and practices that will contribute to their overall well being and effectiveness physically, intellectually, emotionally, socially and spiritually. We recognize that students need to do more than move through a curriculum and grasp information. We must help students learn to think Christianly, critically, and imaginatively to engage the culture and to be Christianly informed and formed, so that they will be prepared to think about issues of truth, values, world and life views, and the bearing of subject matter on people’s lives. We want to encourage and expect excellence in all undertakings. One of the unique aspects of Union University is the sense of family, of genuine community. As we expand the campus and create enhanced places for learning, we must ever be sensitive to the importance of community. The development of the campus is important because we believe people function best—even flourish—in a beautiful, functional physical environment. We also recognize that enhancement of community encourages colleagueship among faculty, staff, and students who respect, love, forgive, and support one another. The development of a total campus then involves both the creation of a pleasant physical setting, as well as the strengthening of the spiritual, relational, and social context. One of the most important aspects of a Union education is to equip students to understand life and service to society and the world as vocatio, a divine calling. While vocatio is much more than vocation, we must help students prepare for graduate schools, professional schools, ministry, missions, the marketplace, the classroom, and health care opportunities. We must also recognize that many future employment opportunities for Union graduates will increasingly be in professional areas as the technological, informational, and service economy of our nation grows. Union can be a significant resource for preparing specialists for employment in the Southeast region (programs such as our new engineering program under the guidance of Don Van). To expand on these ideas, this could also include preparing of students for graduate study in law, medicine, ministry, and training for public positions of leadership; quality preparation for employment in nursing, education, and the business sector; and instruction in the use of computer technology for more productive work for all students. To accomplish these objectives will require mutually beneficial networks, internships, and partnerships with other businesses and service institutions in the Jackson community, the West Tennessee region, and the entire Mid-South.
III. SERVING OUR VARIOUS PUBLICS AND CONSTITUENCIES (Objectives 5, 6 and 7) Public perception of higher education at large is that institutions are not making the education of students a top priority. I believe it can be said that the education of students is certainly a top priority on the Union campus. The University Relations area in this regard must help us tell our story accurately and winsomely, reflecting the priorities and commitments of the institution. Wayne Johnson’s move to direct the work of the University Relations area is certainly a timely transition. We must communicate to parents and other supporters who wonder about such basic things as how is this institution going to help my child think more clearly, be a better person, find some compelling vocation in life, or embrace values that will help them make informed intelligent issues—whether daily choices regarding relationships or moral choices or long-term choices regarding marriage, vocation, civic responsibility, and church involvement. We must ask the hard questions about the education process and not just assume that current educational trends mark the path for Union University. We must ask whether new technologies are actually helping our students learn. We must pay close attention to the quality of everything we do. We must convince our publics that education and Christian education, in particular—building a Christian worldview across disciplines, is our top unapologetic commitment. We need to serve our various publics. We must associate ourselves prominently with efforts to solve problems that really concern people. Building partnerships and creating opportunities for collaboration is important so as not to duplicate efforts or use resources unwisely. In order to do this we must learn to listen to the public concerns and respond appropriately to those we are able to address. For example, the School of Education and Human Studies under the most capable leadership of Tom Rosebrough, has an indispensable contribution to make in one of the growing social concerns of our day: the improvement of elementary and secondary schools, both public and private. We must educate teachers, principals, and superintendents who can think, teach, and lead from a faith-based and moral foundation. We can now provide quality preparation at the bachelors, masters, specialist, and doctoral levels. As we develop classroom materials and discover new ways to help students learn, we must develop exciting programs to attract and educate school teachers and leaders to struggle for better quality schools, both for public school systems and private or Christian schools. At this moment we have a unique opportunity in Shelby County in particular. Our social science and social work faculty will join in preparing caring service provides who will model mercy and justice for society and Church alike. Similarly, the School of Nursing, under the scholarly leadership of Susan Jacob, can recognize that according to public polls the delivery of healthcare and the costs of healthcare are near the top of concerns for people in this new century. This school can lead the way in our region in developing approaches to health concerns that are holistic in terms of physical, spiritual, and emotional care. A major area of healthcare concern focuses on the fastest growing age group in the American population—those folks 80 years old and above. We must evidence these concerns in our curriculum. Our top priority in this area, however, must be the turn around of sagging enrollment trends on the Jackson campus. Likewise, the School of Business must address the changing global market and consumerist mindset of our day. We can help our students focus on how to use technology more efficiently, explore how to improve the quality and efficiency of manufacturing, ask how to work effectively in global cultures and markets, and understand how to motivate a changing work force that characteristically is less loyal and more diverse. Given our mission we have a distinctive opportunity to raise the issues of business ethics, integrity, and accountability. Walt Padelford has given stable leadership during this interim period. The dean search in the Business School will help us clarify issues related to specialized accreditation and the structure of the school. A top priority of the Business School must be increased involvement and investment in the Madison County and West Tennessee Business community. The College of Arts and Sciences must help show not only the importance, but the relevancy of the liberal arts. It would not be an overstatement to say that no area has shown greater growth or greater commitment to excellence in recent months than the College of Arts and Sciences. The recent faculty additions in this area have been outstanding. Barbara McMillin has given great direction for Arts and Science faculty. To say that Union University is a Christian liberal arts institution is not to say, however, that Union ought to offer only the liberal arts. Throughout its long history Union has offered professional programs in various areas. We certainly do not regard the aim of professional education as inferior to, but only as different from, that of a liberal arts education. Unlike professional education, the liberal arts are not primarily aimed at equipping students for some specific occupation. Yet, the liberal arts throughout history have been regarded as prerequisite to engaging in and succeeding in the various professions. Thus all of our undergraduate programs are built on a liberal arts base. The concern of a Christian liberal arts education then is not just for equipping students with particular skills and knowledge necessary for engaging in some specific vocation or profession, but preparing students to think to think Christianly, to think critically and imaginatively, preparing them for leadership, and preparing them for life. The liberal arts then do not point just to the life of the artist or the scientist, the scholar or the minister, the educator or the business leader. The liberal arts point to all of human life. In many ways these are only restatements of commitment to quality programs already at work on the Union campus, in which case they need to become part of the success stories communicated for development and recruiting purposes. Thus, throughout the institution a vision for Christian thinking and living must be adopted and applied. Particularly, and perhaps most importantly, Union must find ways to serve our primary constituency--the churches of the TBC and the SBC—to serve them effectively and relate to them constructively during these days of paradigmatic change. I don’t think it would be inappropriate to say that Union stands in a key leadership position in Baptist life, appreciated and valued by both the moderate and evangelical wings of Baptist life—by moderates for academic excellence and a commitment to integrity, and by evangelicals for an unapologetic confessional commitment to a Christian worldview. In this sense Union is gladly both Baptist by tradition, and evangelical by conviction—that is we believe in free, voluntary uncoerced faith—yet our faith is grounded in the Word, who became Flesh and is infallibly made known to us in the written Word. We want to continue to emphasize Union’s commitment to be an embodying Christian university, exemplifying a strong relational and cultural tie with Southern Baptists, concerned for sound faith and observance, strong chapels and mission programs, and conscious of Christian values. In sum, following the Luke 2:52 paradigm, we want to see students grow in wisdom, stature, and in favor with God and others. We want to seek to illuminate and enrich the human experience, and to facilitate the discovery of new knowledge to the glory of God and the betterment of humanity. As we faithfully seek to do these things, we will anticipate and respond to the challenges in higher education and society at large.
IV. ENLARGE THE
FINANCIAL RESOURCES OF THE INSTITUTION (Objective 4) The budget increases in recent years have helped us focus on expanding the academic work of the institution. It is the intellectual capital and academic firepower currently present at Union University that has garnered the regional and national attention we are receiving beyond our campus. Now it is time for us to begin to give attention to strengthening the infrastructure of wide-ranging institutional services. Currently, Union’s tuition, room and board pricing is more than $5,000 below the national average for similar private schools. Our rates have risen in recent years as we have tried to play “catch-up” from being extremely under-priced for the kind of institution Union is and the quality of services we try to offer. As Union takes another step to become one of the premier Christian institutions in the country, it is likely that our tuition will continue to annually increase in the 5+% range as called for in Vision and Values 2005. Our room and board charges are way below every benchmark we use. We must find a way to increase room and board revenue which will enable us to raise and enhance residential spaces and services on campus. It is time for us to think afresh about the kind of residential campus Union will have in 2005—and certainly what we hope to have by 2010. Union has made considerable progress in compensation for faculty and staff. Efforts to ensure that salaries and benefits for faculty and staff are competitive according to external criteria of compensation must continue. By doing so we can help Union recruit and keep the most capable faculty and staff. Resources have been raised to help energize the current campus master plan. Over $44 million of the $60 million dollar goal has been raised. Still, there is much work to do. We must continue to enhance the concept of place and spaces, so vital to our mission as a residential institution. We need to find a way to complete the science building in a timely way and then rethink the schedule—slowing the pace--for the rest of the campus master plan. It would be my intention to recommend that this Board name the science building in honor of Roy L. White, should we be able to move forward on this project. We would not be at this point in our discussions today without Roy White’s generosity. In addition, we must give more attention to building the endowment to provide resources for scholarships, academic programs, and faculty chairs. Though the endowment has basically doubled in the past six years, it is still woefully inadequate. In that regard we must give new attention to the area of planned giving. We are counting on Charles Fowler and Paul Veazey to guide these efforts. As we move forward there are several aspects of our work that must constantly be evaluated. These include the affordability and accessibility of a Union education, the continued benchmarking of pricing of tuition and fees, and the management of financial aid in such a way as to assure an appropriate ratio of institutional funds for financial aid as a percentage of tuition income, what is sometimes referred to as a “healthy discount rate.” As we continue to build the campus and refurbish the older facilities, I think it is appropriate to explore the use of financing opportunities to advance the work in a timely manner while making sure that we limit overall debt to manageable levels within the operational budget of the institution. We recognize that the changing world of the 21st century will demand a more careful review of the insurance needs of the school on an ongoing basis.. In this regard I would like to ask the Business Services Committee to give us help and guidance with these various concerns: We face escalating insurance costs. We have scheduled projects such as the Science Building at a time when the economy discourages major pledges. Yet financing and construction costs are as low as at any time in recent memory. It would seem to be wise and prudent to at least explore financing opportunities to move these projects forward so we can break ground on the Science Building by December, 2002 and begin classes in the new facility in 2005. We will also need to address the use of land on the west side of Pleasant Plains (including a proposal from city leaders for a botanical garden), the closer management of investments, the balancing of financial aid concerns, the need for more athletic dressing facilities, the need for expansion and renovation of residential housing, the needed renovation of the Chapel, the much needed refurbishing of tennis courts, the need for new vans and buses, and ongoing and expanding needs related to technology in general, and our new engineering equipment in particular. We obviously cannot address these needs all at once. We need wisdom and ask for your guidance in prioritizing these matters. The Building a Future Campaign is central to our short term work. The next aspect of this campaign will be vital to our future. In that regard we must identify new sources for major gifts. We will need to continue to expand the donor base and develop new friends who will invest in the university’s future. We will seek to cultivate stronger relationships with the local community, alumni, friends of the institution, foundations, and the Tennessee Baptist Convention, for it is out of relationships that gifts are shared. We need ongoing and wide-ranging research focused on alumni support, current academic projects and foundation support, strengthened approaches for planned giving, as well as for current capital projects, and for current student and athletic program needs. For this to happen we need a fresh vision of what our great God can do. We must live with the motivation of William Carey—Expect great things from God, attempt great things for God. In so doing we will seek to create better conditions for the future, provide greater opportunity to help people, and bring glory to God. We will be open to change as long as change can be justified. We will take risks while learning from past failures. We will hopefully not be naďve, but we will seek to live by faith. We will always attempt to bring the best of the past and present together as we dream about the future. We understand the importance of timing in all these things: thus we recognize that knowing the “When Question” is as important as the “What Question.” We believe that vision makes the difference between leadership and misleadership. Vision includes goals and strategies developed with team members. Vision dreams the most possible dream, not the impossible dream. We recognize that mission provides purpose and vision gives direction. Vision should result in consensus, but does not always come by consensus. We thus commit ourselves to learn from the past, live in the present, and plan for the future. The Board of Trustees must continue to shape wise policies that will guide and provide support for this administration. The administration, guided by the Board, must accept the responsibility to shape the educational ethos of the university through a shared vision about the nature and purpose of Christian higher education, through the selection of faculty, and through the influence that can be brought to bear on the content and pattern of changing curricula. If the movement in recent decades has been for administrators to spend less and less time in the classroom, the careful articulation of an educational vision and the shaping of an institutional ethos rank among the highest and most important tasks of the university administration and one to which we will seek to give our highest priority.
V.
FACE THE
CHALLENGES OF THE FUTURE (Objectives 6, 7, and 8) Gifts to support the university have consistently exceeded $6 million each of these six years, something which had never happened even once before in Union’s history. In fact, more money has been raised in these six full years than in the university’s previous 10+ years. For this we give glory to God alone and praise Him from whom all blessings flow. Again this year we thank God for blessing us with what appears will be another year over the $6.5 million mark with gifts already at $4.8 million through seven months. Budgets have been balanced during a time of significant expansion of both programs and personnel. The faculty is strongly committed to teaching, research, and service. The student body as a whole reflects a quality that is commendable, if not enviable by other institutions in this region. Campus ministry programs provide depth and strength to our work. God’s gift of Todd Brady to this campus is hard to overestimate—evidenced by strong chapels, Lifegroups, Rounders programming, Bible Studies and discipleship efforts, hundreds of students involved in ministry and missions, and the cultivating of faith enhancing relationships. Our experiment this spring with chapel programming and policies will, I believe, strengthen and clarify the importance of chapel in the future. In my first address to the Union community on the day of my election 6 ˝ years ago, I said that all we do would be characterized by the worship and service of God. Today, that commitment remains solidly in place. The work of student services continues to expand. Kimberly Thornbury leads a young and energetic team. Enhanced residential life, a strengthened student activities program, growing intramural and wellness opportunities, a strong career services emphasis, helpful counseling services, and a developing student leadership program led by Stephanie Lee are all most hopeful. The athletic program, now focused on the NAIA for the near future, since the NCAA question has been settled, is highly successful and serves as an integral part of the university. The success is not just in basketball, but softball, baseball, tennis, golf, cross country, volleyball, and soccer as well. David Blackstock and Tommy Sadler provide daily and seasonal oversight for coaches and athletes. Tomorrow we will recognize the kindness of Benny and Norma Fesmire to the athletic program by recommending that the baseball and softball fields be named in their honor. Union’s future has never looked brighter. The overall appearance and presentation of the campus has never looked better. Yet, numerous challenges remain. These challenges and many more call for thoughtful and decisive leadership as we take the next step together—steps with short term and long term implications. Higher education will continue to see tremendous increases in costs alongside diminishing resources from traditional sources, yet their constituencies will increase the call for better service. In order to move ahead during these challenging days, educational leadership will require wisdom, courage, and vision. This time of “mid-term assessment” is a time for reflection and a call for renewed focus. This Board, led by John Drinnon, Gary Taylor, and Jerry Tidwell, has been most instrumental in all that has taken place the past six years. The role of every member of this committed and outstanding Board has never been more strategic, more valued, or more needed. Union University must seize the opportunities created by these new challenges to be a leader in the Jackson community and the Mid-South region, to be a leading edge witness for our denominational life, to be a beacon of truth in all areas of learning and practice, to recruit the best faculty from the community of Christian scholars, to develop quality staff committed to service, and to recruit the brightest students from our region, our nation, and our world. In all of this we must constantly depend on the Lord for guidance and direction. Together let us commit to taking the next step--and the next one—as Union University boldly moves forward by God’s grace and for His glory.
Addendum A The five headings of this address are shaped and guided by the eight university objectives established by the Trustee Board 2 ˝ years ago in Vision and Values 2005. 1. Establish the Guiding Vision and Shaping Values to guide the entire University into the future in a way consistent with the institution’s mission and purpose. 2. Develop a commitment to the Great Commandment, its implications and applications across the University. 3. Create a climate of continuous improvement in all aspects of University life. a. Quality must be described, expected, pursued, targeted (with the financial resources available) and celebrated (if and when appropriate), while recognizing that quality is an endless priority and process. b. Quality should flow from the vision and mission of the University, impacting the academic and administrative aspects of the university; impacting the intellectual, character, spiritual, and social development of students; impacting our fiscal responsibility; as well as the cleanliness, upkeep and development of the campus. c. Quality is communicated in/by all we do and is measured by responsibility and accountability in the little things, and ultimately by faithfulness to Jesus Christ. d. Quality involves more than what we do on campus, involving relationships with trustees, churches, the community, alumni, parents, media, businesses, foundations, as well as healthcare, educational, and various other entities. 4. Enlarge the financial resources and strengthen the financial management, reporting, and stability of the institution. 5. Maintain a team-oriented, relational approach to administration. 6. Face the challenges of the future with a continual focus on Union’s core values recognizing that every decision we make impacts the academic mission of the University. 7. Enhance working relationships with trustees, administration, faculty, staff, students, alumni, friends and other various publics and constituencies of the University, particularly the Jackson community and the Tennessee Baptist Convention. 8. Build on Union’s long history while developing a greater sense of institutional memory throughout the University to help wed our future with the past. |
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