Instead of giving a prepared talk to the Faculty Senate March 14, President-elect Roseann Runte took the opportunity of her invitation as guest speaker to ask senators what their hopes and dreams are for Old Dominion.

She did assure the senate in her opening remarks, however, that she is looking forward to leading the university come July 1.

"Somebody asked me this morning if I was still happy to come to Old Dominion" in light of the state budget situation," Runte said. "The answer is 'absolutely yes.' I'm not coming because I thought you had a fantastic budget; I'm coming because I thought this is a fantastic academic community with people who impress me as being hard working and willing to work together, and who are excited about doing new things."

She added that a university should be a place where everyone can dream together. "In my mind that's really what a university is all about - trying to make those dreams happen."

With that said, senators took turns sharing some of their wishes, which included everything from creating a university press to having a nationally ranked men's basketball program.

A number of the suggestions were tied to funding. One senator expressed the desire for more competitive salaries in order to attract and retain high-quality support staff, while another hoped for "a genuine university research library with enough resources to do world-class research."

"Wherever I've been, education has never been funded to the level it should be," Runte told the senators. "I've had a lot of experience trying to find funding for universities - that's one of my life stories."

She advised that in addition to sending letters to legislators when times are bad, faculty should write letters "thanking them for the good things they do when they do support education [and] reminding them that there could be no better investment in the future, that there is no other way we can transform America and keep America a leading nation than to invest in education."

Runte also asked senators for their thoughts about a Student Senate suggestion that Old Dominion require written essays on university applications. A few senators expressed some of the pros and cons associated with such a requirement, and Faculty Senate chair Paul Champagne said the issue is one that may eventually come before the senate for formal debate.

It was a state of informality, however, that Champagne said he would like to see exist between Old Dominion's next president and the Faculty Senate.

Runte told the senators that she hoped she would be invited to future meetings, pledging to listen to the senate's advice and to keep the lines of communication open. She added that in instances when she wouldn't be able to heed the advice, she should explain why.