Runte encourages faculty to support bond referendum

BY STEVE DANIEL

Despite the commonwealth's bleak economic picture, President Roseann Runte argued in her Aug. 22 State of the University address that there are some lights at the end of the tunnel, and she urged faculty to support the Nov. 5 bond referendum to make those lights shine even brighter.

Noting that both the World Bank and the World Commission on Education for the 21st Century recently issued reports that encourage support for higher education, she added that "right here in Virginia, there is a bond referendum which holds great promise for our university and for all the universities in the commonwealth."

If the referendum passes, Old Dominion will benefit from the financing of six badly needed construction projects, including the renovation of the Batten Arts and Letters and Technology buildings, and the construction of a new science building.

"Your voice is critical in this matter," Runte said. "This may well be the first time that an issue so directly affecting Old Dominion University is before every citizen of the commonwealth. This may be the last opportunity we have in some time to obtain this needed construction. Please help make that light shine for Old Dominion and make our hopes become reality."

Runte, who had prepared her State of the University address prior to Gov. Mark Warner's announcement Monday of more budget cuts on the horizon, also spoke about this latest situation, in which state agencies have been asked to submit plans to reduce their general fund budgets for fiscal years 2003 and 2004 by 7, 11 and 15 percent, and told that they will be issued spending limits, which Warner said will primarily affect travel, equipment and other costs "not required to support an agency's core functions."

Noting that tough decisions will have to be made in the coming weeks, Runte echoed the remarks from her campuswide letter Monday afternoon: "The implications of these changes will not be known for several weeks, but I call on each of you to pull together to weather this storm."

In her address, Runte also gave a synopsis of the findings from the many focus group surveys conducted in the past year. Everyone from campus neighbors and prospective students to the arts and business communities were heard. Results from the consultations, in the form of two vision statements, will soon be shared with the Faculty Senate and Board of Visitors.

"We heard that people want Old Dominion to develop in quality, in graduate studies, in research," Runte told those assembled in the Godwin Building auditorium. We heard that everyone appreciates the diversity and international character of the campus.

"We heard that people feared growth without the necessary financial support - one might suspect that this was a lesson learned by experience. We learned that people want Old Dominion to remain dynamic and oriented toward the future."

In addition to vision statements, an outline for a financial campaign, "Investing in People for Progress," has been developed in coordination with the deans, Runte announced, a grassroots effort that will celebrate Old Dominion's 75th anniversary in 2005 and involve all of the colleges.

"We will seek funds in particular for scholarships, fellowships, assistantships and financial aid, as well as for faculty chairs and research support," she stated.

Runte, who is starting her second year as president, devoted a good portion of her address to thanking individual faculty and staff for their efforts last year and highlighting the many accomplishments that were achieved by the campus community.

In her closing remarks, she spoke of the future. "Education is the one sure investment for the present and the future. It is not an easily reversible process. While markets may fluctuate and falter, learning will never stop."

She concluded with a final plea regarding the bond referendum. "I have every confidence that our leaders will have the wisdom to support higher education, thereby investing in the future, and that our citizens, led by you, will demonstrate your commitment to education and your good sense with great eloquence at the ballot box on Nov. 5."