November
2004 • The monthly newsletter for UWT faculty and staff
Chancellor
candidates visit UWT
(Continued
from previous page)
Steven
Olswang
 |
| Steven
Olswang |
Olswang,
who has been interim chancellor since April, gave his presentation
on Nov. 1. He cited the projected boom in college enrollment and
said UWT needs to expand the academic program offered, revise
the two-plus-two model to make transferring easier and add a lower-division
pathway for select UWT majors. Washington is losing some of its
best students to out-of-state schools because there isn't enough
room for them in the state, he said.
In
addition, UWT leaders should make efforts to increase diversity
on campus and create more opportunities for students to study
abroad, he said.
"This
is the best job in the higher education in the country right now,"
Olswang said. "The person who gets this job has an opportunity
to assist the campus to grow. We have a great relationship with
the community, 46 acres to build on, huge demand to meet and a
new president who is willing to move forward. There's nothing
like this job anywhere."
Thomas
Krepel
 |
| Thomas
Krepel |
Krepel,
who has been at Chadron State College for eight years, followed
with a presentation Nov. 8. "This is a community and a region
with huge growth and development ambitions," he said, adding
that UWT is recognized as integral to the development of the region.
Krepel
said UWT's strengths include stellar faculty credentials, high
market demand and good relationships with the community and feeder
schools. But he said the next chancellor must balance those strengths
with challenges that include high community expectations, competition
for state resources, internal growth and increased pressure for
accountability in higher education.
He
said UWT faculty, staff, students and community should work together
to examine these issues and form a solid plan for the future.
He cited the Higher Education Coordinating Board's projection
that the state's universities will be overenrolled in 10 years
and said that UW Tacoma must find a way to grow.
