President Jo Ann Gora took her position with the university in July. Today, she'll be officially appointed at her inaugural ceremony in Indianapolis.
Gora has been in office for nearly nine months, and in that time she's worked hard on getting Ball State's name back into a more positive limelight.
In numerous speeches and press conferences this past fall, Gora outlined her plans and goals as Ball State's 14th president. However, as with all inauguration speeches, she'll be outlining and updating many of those missions today when she accepts her position in front of Gov. Mitch Daniels.
Before she does, there are a few expectations that we hope she can meet in her time as president. The first of which deals with that time itself.
Gora will find her accomplishments easier to achieve and more beneficial the longer she stays in her position. In short, we hope she's here for the long run. In its current state of being, Ball State is relying heavily on administrative consistency. Without stable leadership, the university may find itself running in circles.
Part of that consistency lies not only in Gora's position itself, but in the high-level administrative seats that surround her. With the resignation of Doug McConkey and Beverley Pitts' departure for the University of Indianapolis, Gora's current administration needs to fill some serious holes with some well-qualified applicants. We hope that Gora can quickly work to fill these spots in university leadership, without sacrificing quality for the sake of having a warm body. With these positions directly affecting students, there's not a moment too soon to have them filled.
Speaking of the students, surely they'd like to see results of Gora's presidency sooner than later.
Most of Gora's work so far affects students, faculty and staff of the future, not those who walk this campus today. Now, marketing the university to a new level of prestige and respect can certainly benefit everyone from the class of 2020 to the class of 1989. The more respect held for Ball State, the more respect held for those who proudly hold the school's degrees.
However, in terms of scholarship and financial aid, students are always in need of a helping hand. With the cost of tuition and housing consistently on the rise, students would certainly welcome additional financial aid possibilities -- from new scholarships to reducing or limiting fees. With the mass amount of fund raising Gora has been doing for incoming students' scholarships, current students would greatly appreciate the same effort to help out their check books and loan payments.
Gora is well-advised in the area of planning ahead, but to win the support of current students, she's going to have to prove how they benefit now, not just later.
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