Time to Tell ODU's Story

Across our campus and the broader Hampton Roads community there are many thousands of people who want, and need, for Old Dominion University to excel and prosper. I am committed to regular communications with our stakeholders, and, indeed, I intend to proffer transparency as a guiding theme of my presidency.

In the last year, I have often been asked, "What does Old Dominion University stand for?"

My answer challenges every one of our students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends to help me tell the university's story to elected officials, to prospective students and to our neighbors throughout Hampton Roads and the Commonwealth.

Without question, Old Dominion boasts an impressive line-up of award-winning faculty members who use their expertise and innovative teaching to inspire students. In fact, over the past two decades Old Dominion has won more outstanding faculty awards from the Virginia State Council for Higher Education than nearly every other school in the Commonwealth, and that includes publics and privates.

So, we stand for and are committed to superb teaching.

Old Dominion has proudly become Virginia's forward-focused, public research university, as evidenced by what we are doing in emerging areas such as modeling and simulation, bioelectrics and alternative energy, as well as in fields of longstanding importance to us such as oceanography, physics, economics and aerospace engineering.

So, we are known for and are committed to cutting-edge research.

Our university community, now approaching 24,000, (with nearly 6,000 living in walking distance of the main campus) is profoundly multi-cultural and values different world views. Students from 50 states and 100 nations provide perspectives not found on many college campuses. Yet, some 19,000 Virginians are part of the student mix.

So, we represent and reflect the world our students will live and work in.

Finally, this university is a nearly $1 billion economic engine each year for Hampton Roads, including output from the modeling and simulation sector. Old Dominion not only creates jobs and ideas, but also produces the educated and trained workforce needed to move this region and its economy forward. In the next year, I want to reinvigorate our various partnerships with government, military, business and other organizations. You don't need to look far to see the university's contributions to the community. Our State of the Region report and Economic Forecasting Project provide invaluable market information; the award-winning teachers and administrators who we educate are shaping the region's future; our top-rated programs in physical therapy and nursing help us live longer, more fruitful lives; and other of our scientists, engineers, scholars and artists make contributions via the Jefferson Lab, NASA Langley Wind Tunnel, the spaceport at Wallops Island, the annual NATO symposium and our numerous musical, theatrical, literary and dance presentations.

So, we take our role seriously as an engaged community partner.

New opportunities, even in these tight budget times, do exist. As examples:

• I want us to explore our being part of the exciting health-related technology focus planned for Virginia Beach.

• I would like-in concert with Deborah DiCroce, the president of Tidewater Community College-to build the ODU-TCC relationship into one that can be a national model of productive cooperation.

• I want to work closer with Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk State University and Thomas Nelson Community College to ensure our region can boast not only of its outstanding educational institutions, but also of ones that prosper together.

• I want to work closer with the City of Norfolk and the surrounding neighborhoods to ensure safety and quality of life for both residents and ODU students.

• I see tremendous opportunities to combine our business, engineering and science expertise to develop even closer relationships with the Port of Hampton Roads.

You can expect letters from me each quarter outlining my vision for Old Dominion University and sharing both good news that we have to report as well as specific challenges that we face.

This is an exciting time for Old Dominion University and I encourage all of you to help me tell this exciting story!