At last week's Faculty Senate meeting, Joan Exline received some stinging criticism regarding the University's mission statement that she wrote on New Year's Day. She was told, by several senators, that what she had written as "goals" were really strategies to reach some unstated goal.

Martin Luther King had a dream; we too should be able to dream about a better future for our beloved university.

Since the goals of the university should be consistent with the university's vision for the future, I'd like to offer my vision for USM:

I envision a university that utilizes the knowledge, experience and capabilities of the entire community to plan its future;

I envision a university that values its senior faculty for their contributions and their knowledge of USM's history;

I envision a university whose enrollment goals are based upon a vision for academic excellence rather than monetary gain;

I envision a university where there is an affirmative effort to evaluate institutional effectiveness rather than an reactive attempt to create information that was never gathered or recorded.;

I envision a university where nepotism is not tolerated or rewarded;

I envision a university where deans make decisions for their college rather than simply enforce dictates of the university president;

I envision a university where staff feel free to offer suggestions and constructive criticism without fear of retaliation;

I envision a university where the library is a priority rather than and afterthought and a place to drink coffee;

I envision a university where buildings are conceived, planned and built to address the needs of students and faculty rather than glorify politicians;

I envision a university that comprehends that there is a difference between "customer service" at its bookstore and "student services" at the registrar's office;

I envision a university that understands that "customers" buy products, but students "earn" rather than "buy" academic degrees;

I envision a university that understands that the Affirmative Action Office is a necessity rather than an option,

And I envision a university where faculty are encouraged to build their careers rather than a place where they earn income while searching for suitable employment.


These are my visions for my university.