President Albrecht Addresses Department Heads

Utah State University’s department heads and deans met in August for the annual Department Heads Conference, a gathering where ideas are exchanged and discussions of the university’s coming year take place. Due to the death of his mother, Alta T. Albrecht, President Albrecht was unable to attend the gathering and met with the department heads on campus Sept. 11.

“Universities are wonderful places,” he told the group. “I wouldn’t trade the opportunity I have had to build a career and a life in a university setting for anything else. Their management can be enormously challenging, and for them to succeed, it takes the efforts of hundreds of people, doing hundreds of different things, doing them well and doing them every single day.

 

“So in this context, let me thank you, again, for the contribution that each of you makes to this institution,” he continued. “Those of us here today have been granted the opportunity to assume important leadership roles at a very fine university. It is no secret that we are underfunded in practically any area of our operation that we might identify. Yet, extraordinary things continue to happen. And, they happen across the institution — in our laboratories, in our classrooms, in the lives of our students, and in the discovery and service activities that impact the quality of life of the residents of our state.”

 

Albrecht said Utah State University is successful because of its strong leadership at the college and department levels. He went on to review several issues at the top of the university’s agenda for the coming year, including development activities and a planned comprehensive campaign. Announcements concerning the campaign should be expected this spring.

 

The regional campus model was also discussed, emphasizing plans to further develop the Utah State University system.

 

“We are embarking on an effort that we believe will enhance the educational opportunities for students throughout the state, and that will create a more secure economic future for Utah State University,” Albrecht said. “This will be a major USU legislative priority for the coming sessions. … If we succeed, we will lead a significant shift in how higher education is being conducted in Utah. No doubt there will be challenges and roadblocks along the way, but this is an opportunity we must seize.”

 

Albrecht also discussed the USTAR program and a number of budget initiatives, including campus operating budgets and developing and expanding international experiences. An overview of future campus construction and faculty-staff compensation objectives in the future legislative session were also discussed.