By DAVID DUPONT
BG Independent News
President Mary Ellen Mazey delivered an upbeat State of the University address Friday at Bowling Green State University.
As she spelled out in her talk, the university has scored a number of successes, and its goal is to continue to building on those.
Asked afterward what she thought the biggest challenge facing BGSU in the coming academic year was, she prefaced her answer by saying: “Well, sometimes I would say you don’t know the biggest challenge until it’s upon you.”
Then she added, “right now I don’t see any major challenges that we can’t take care of. We recruited a great class, and the challenge is to retain them.”
Attracting, retaining, and graduating students remains the focal point for the university. This fall, almost 77.6 percent of last year’s freshmen returned for their sophomore year. That’s 10 percent more than five years ago. That’s still, Mazey said, short of where the university wants to be. “Our goal is to be at 80 percent.”
Mazey opened her speech with a long list of national recognitions the university has received. That includes achievement in environmental awareness, safety, entrepreneurial spirit, affordability, and even having the most patriotic football helmets.
At first mention the latter drew a laugh, until Mazey continued and noted: “Our helmets list the names of our 111 former students who gave their lives in service to our country.”
Sports was also recognized for the academic achievements of student athletes. And Eric Nichols, the men’s soccer coach, was recognized for recruiting two players from Ghana, and helping to make sure they were able to come to Bowling Green.
Gifts to the scholarship fund from Gary Kovacs and Michael Golden “put the university in a position to do this for the Ghanaian students,” she said.
This was just one example of the university’s global reach. BGSU students come from 42 different countries, and 500 BGSU students have studied abroad this year.
Mazey cited the two-year-old College Credit Plus program “as a way to enhance our recruitment efforts.” The program has 1,244 students enrolled this semester. She said she spoke to a mother and daughter who said they would not have considered BGSU except for the daughter’s positive experience in the College Credit Plus course.
In a time when state funding has been flat and the university, by choice or by state fiat, has not raised tuition and fees for four years, finding other funding sources has been essential.
Mazey touted the number of partnerships the university has established with other colleges, foundations, companies, and other entities.
That includes the NFL which ran an institute at the Kuhlin Center to help former football players pursue communications careers.
Simon Morgan-Russell, dean of the Honors College, was one of those recognized by President Mary Ellen Mazey during her State of the University address.
It also includes one with Cedar Fair, the owner of Cedar Point, that will provide internships for students, boost recruitment in the new Resort and Attraction Management bachelor’s degree, and provide economic development for Sandusky County.
She cited the STEM initiatives spearheaded by Bob Midden, of biology. The Academic Investment in Mathematics and Science (AIMS) program has secured two National Science Foundation grants that have provided scholarships to economically disadvantaged, under-represented minority students. Those students have an 80-percent graduation rate. That compares, Mazey said, to a 13-16 percent graduation rate for those students nationwide.
This year the university received more than $15 million in outside research dollars, a boost from previous years. The upward trend is expected to continue as the university has made key hires of faculty in areas that will attract grants.
Afterward, Mazey said, these kind of partnerships have already borne fruit for the university. She cited the location of the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation lab on campus, which has supported an increase in the number of students studying forensic science. And the partnership with North Star Aviation, which has resulted in a fully enrolled aviation science program.
She urged those in the Donnell Theatre to pursue these connections.
“Let’s each of us think about how we can become more innovative in our work for BGSU,” she said. “Let’s partner within and outside the university to build our national and international reputation, and let’s ensure each of us individually and collectively are entrepreneurial in spirit.”
BGSU is ready to launch the public phase of its comprehensive campaign. That phase has a goal of matching the $100 million already raised. The kickoff is slated for Oct. 13.
Mazey says she wants to see the goal reached before the end of her tenure at BGSU. Her contract runs through 2019. When her contract was extended, she indicated she would retire at its conclusion. On Friday she said that “the board and I can talk … about those dates.”
