President Jo Ann Gora said she hopes to increase Ball State's visibility through publicizing the university's strengths, and with two vacancies in the vice president ranks, she welcomes the opportunity to bring in new perspectives.
"I want to round out the expertise we already have," Gora said. "I don't believe in changing the path of the institution, just refining it. I want new ideas to move us in the right direction."
The right direction includes promoting Ball State's nationally ranked academic programs, becoming increasingly selective in admissions, reorganizing some aspects of administration and providing well-rounded collegiate careers for every student, Gora said.
"We hope that through our actions we will always put our students first," she said during her inauguration speech Tuesday.
Gora has made it a priority to make sure Ball State's ranked programs get the attention they deserve, and she has always been a great listener for students, Ben Tietz, former Student Government Association president, said.
"After (Doug) McConkey resigned, the president set up a meeting with student leaders," Tietz said. "She addressed concerns about how that would affect students."
Gora asked McConkey to resign in December 2004 after eliminating his position as vice president of student affairs to create a vice president of marketing communications and enrollment management position.
The search for the new vice president is moving along, and the search committee is looking for someone who will tell the Ball State story, Gora said.
"We need to beef up enrollment," Gora said. "We should be self-conscious about how we market the institution."
Also vacant is the position of university provost, the university's second-highest administrative seat. Beverly Pitts, former Ball State provost, will resign in June to accept a position at University of Indianapolis.
Gora said she will announce the interim provost as well as the members of the provost search committee Friday. The search committee will also have its first meeting Friday.
When the interim provost is named, Pitts said she will do everything she can to be inclusive and to help make a smooth transition.
Gora has also met with the dean of every college on campus and leaders of the 75 academic departments.
The College of Architecture has been working with Gora all year to promote the ranked programs and raise standards for students and faculty, Joseph Bilello, dean of the college of architecture and planning, said.
"[Gora] is challenging us to make our college more prominent," Bilello said. "It's a matter of how we make the programs better and remain mindful of our resources. We are delighted in her enthusiasm."
Bilello said the college needs to work on four main areas of improvement: personnel, facilities, technology and programs.
Gora said she is trying to move the campus toward a more aggressive look at the future by emphasizing the use of technology in the classroom.
"The president is very technology savvy," H. O'Neal Smitherman, vice president for information technology, said. "Ball State students will be leaders after they graduate, because they will have been exposed to technology everyone else will want to know about."
The technological capabilities Ball State is working toward -- including new teaching techniques of visual representations of complex concepts -- will change the way students think as individuals, Smitherman said.
"Gora's vision for the future has been clear from the start," Randy Hyman, interim vice president for student affairs and enrollment management, said. "It's a vision many share: Students are a first priority, and student success is critically important. "
In order to achieve success, each student must have an opportunity for leadership in addition to academic study, Gora said.
"A limited number of students have chosen to be involved in SGA, and I don't know why it has trouble engaging students," Gora said. "For me, what really matters is that each student is fully engaged."
She said the limited participation is not a major problem because it is typical of where students interests are.
Gora closed her inauguration speech by encouraging the inaugural scholars and every one present to fully commit themselves to the Ball State community.
"Let's all leave here today looking for ways to pay it forward, whether big or small, and commit to working together for the success of all our students, for the betterment of the state of Indiana and for the brighter future for Ball State University," Gora said.
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
