DonatePresidential Challenge
Dear Trustees, Faculty, Staff, Donors, and Friends of Martin University:
This document reflects the work of 48 Board of Trustee, Faculty, and Staff members of Martin University. It represents the beginnings of Martin University, the past, present, and plans for the future. Obviously, not all the supportive data is contained in this document but it contains the substance of the work done since September 2004. This Plan is the basis for an annual review by two committees, Budget & Planning and Scanning Futures that will submit their study and recommendations to the President, who will then submit them to the Board of Trustees of Martin University.
The Challenge for the future is to build on the infrastructure developed and contained in the Strategic Plan. It will rest on the people who participated in the preparation of the Plan, who understood the basic strengths and weaknesses heretofore of Martin University. This Strategic Plan is an honest reflection of the leadership of the University.
It is the nature of higher education to change and meet the needs of the people of Central Indiana and the World, serving the low income, minorities, and adult learners who may not be welcomed in another setting of higher education. But one thing is for sure, the dream of Martin University, as seen by its Founder and current President, who will, as indicated in the Succession Plan, step aside December 31, 2007, strongly affirms that Martin University will continue to grow and become a stronger institution. The same dedication given to the development of this Plan must be given to all future implementations.
The Trustees of Martin University have proven their commitment to the Strategic Plan in a similar fashion. I have given my full support to the development of this Plan. Needless to say, we could not have done this Plan without the financial funding of Lumina Foundation which allowed us to hire Dr. Gary Quehl and Associates, who was the coach of the Plan’s formulation. We thank him for his knowledge and patience and that of his colleagues - Dr. Ron Wendeln, Prescience, Inc.; Dr. John Phillips; Dr. James Minor; and Dr. Bill Bergquist. Because of Dr. Quehl’s influence in this Plan, Noel Levitz will begin a 17 month Enrollment Management Program on October 25, 2005. Hopefully, we will have more professional persons to assist in areas that require additional resources.
Finally, the next two years of my Presidency is filled with serious responsibilities like the Comprehensive Evaluation in 2006-2007, phase one of a Capital Campaign of $21,000,000.00, a focus on Global Exchange and Environmental Research, and Enrollment Management led by Noel Levitz. All of this can only be done as a team. There is every confidence on my part that Martin University will grow and continue the Dream of 1977, to provide academic excellence to people often overlooked, rejected, and unwanted in higher education - healed and freed - all with God’s help.
Rev. Fr. Boniface Hardin, O.S.B.