In her first 100 days at Ball State University, President Jo Ann Gora has spent her time meeting with legislators, faculty and student leaders, attending countless student events and helping to raise more than $7 million for a project to renovate the stadium.
The bottom line: She doesn't waste much time.
"I've really tried to spend my time getting to know the faculty, students, legislators and staff that make up our world," Gora said. "In August, I was running into students and having casual conversations. By now, I've visited fraternity houses and learned about issues facing greeks. I've listened to student perspectives at Cardinal Roundtables. I've met with the Black Student Association, and I've met with the Student Government Association."
Michael Piercefield, SGA vice president, said Gora has been completely open to students this year.
"Dr. Gora is doing a tremendous job of taking all students into consideration," Piercefield said. "I don't see where she finds the time to meet with SGA and all the other student groups. I can't imagine her schedule."
The transition of becoming president has not been difficult, but very interesting and somewhat challenging, Gora said.
"There's so much to learn at an institution as large and complex as Ball State," Gora said.
"I'd really like to increase the visibility of this institution. We sometimes don't promote the university as aggressively as we might, and I'd like to do that."
Gora said that in the last three months she has been able to make some notable progress in the area of university athletics.
"We've begun the campaign to renovate the stadium," Gora said. "This project has been discussed for more than 20 years, and never got off the ground until now. In just three months, we've raised $7 million of the $12 million needed to fund the project."
Gora said some of her greatest progress has been in the area of academics. She has met with 40 of the 50 academic departments and has reallocated funding to make more merit-based scholarships available to students.
Gora said she has allocated funding for programs like the entrepreneurship center and the landscape architecture program as a commitment to building more nationally ranked programs at BSU.
Jeffrey Hornsby, George and Frances Ball Distinguished Professor of Management, said Gora has talked about allocating funding to several areas within the entrepreneurship program.
"Hopefully, we'll be able to build a solid team of faculty," Hornsby said. "Enrollment has almost doubled in terms of majors, and we're focused on building a team that will continue the high level of excellence in our program."
The other area considered for funding is that of the support staff, Hornsby said.
"The staff right now is being funded by soft money, from a government grant," Hornsby said. "We need to figure out what to do when that grant runs out."
German Cruz, assistant professor of landscape architecture, said Gora's first introduction to the program was the Department of Landscape Architecture's exhibit at the Indiana State Fair in August.
"Our program is ranked in the top ten in the country," Cruz said. "We deal with the preservation of natural resources and open spaces. We're working with the city of Muncie right now in the design and fixing up of the south side."
Cruz said many alumni of the landscape architecture program have been an active part of the design industry in Indianapolis.
Gora said she is proud of the alumni and students she has met on and off campus.
"The students have strong goals and are so ambitious," Gora said. "I've met with a large number of alumni in Delaware County as well as alumni groups in Ft. Wayne and Lafayette, and they come up to me and say they wouldn't be where they are today if it weren't for Ball State. That's a very strong statement."
Gora has made the Muncie community a priority in her role as president of Ball State. Mayor Dan Canan said she is viewed as someone who values the opinions of the entire community.
"The relationship between Ball State and Muncie is the best its ever been," Canan said. "She has in her first 100 days extended her hand beyond campus into the city. She wants to cultivate a strong relationship there. She's definitely a keeper."
Gora's husband, Roy Budd has helped cultivate the relationship as well, Canan said.
"I give her husband a lot of compliments too," Canan said. "He's been a very active member of the community, and especially with his economic background, they're a dynamic duo."
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