ChancellorMichaelHarrisPresentationIndianaUniversityKokomo,IUK,Fall2010 GoodmorningandIwanttobeginbythankingSueforaverygraciousintroduction.Ithoughtthatby now,youwouldalllikeanicenap,sojustsitback,relax,andImgoingtoreadyouastory. Amaninahotairballoon,realizinghewaslost,reducedaltitude,andspottedawomanbelow.He descendedfurtherandshoutedtothelady,Excuseme,canyouhelpme?IpromisedafriendIwould meethimanhourago,butIdontknowwhereIam. Thewomanbelowreplied,Youareinahotairballoon,hoveringapproximately30feetabovethe ground.Youarebetween40and41degreeslatitude,andbetween86and87degreeswestlatitude. Youmustbeafacultyorstafffromauniversity,saidtheballoonist. Actually,Iam,repliedthewoman.Howdidyouknow? Well,answeredtheballoonist,everythingyouhavetoldmeistechnicallyandtheoreticallycorrect. But,Ihavenoideawhattomakeofyourinformation,andthefactisImstilllost.Youvenotbeenmuch helpatall.Ifanything,youvedelayedmytrip. Thewomanbelowresponded:Youmustbeachancellor! Iam!repliedtheballoonist.Buthowdidyouknow?

youknow? Well,saidthewoman,youdontknowwhereyouare,orwhereyouregoing.Youhaverisento whereyouareduetoalargequantityofhotair.Youmadeapromiseofwhichyouhavenoideahowto keep,andyouexpectpeoplebeneathyoutosolveyourproblems.Thefactis,youareinexactlythe samepositionyouwereinbeforewemet,butnow,somehow,itsallmyfrigginfault!

IappreciatethegenerousintroductionbySue,butthisisthetruth! Onaveryseriousnote,again,itsapleasuretobehere.IcanttellyouenoughhowfortunateIfeeland blessedtobehere.IfeelhonoredandhumbledtojoinIndianaUniversityKokomoasthesixthchancellor andtheeighthadministrator.Truly,itsanhonorIacceptwithmuchhumilityandcommitmenttowork togetherwithallofyoutoforgeagreatfutureforallofus. Iwanttothankmanyofyou,allofyou,fortherealwarmwelcomingIvereceivedsincearrivingon campus.Iamcertainlyhappytobehere. Iwouldliketosharewithyouafewmorethoughtsaboutleadershipandvalues,optimism,andforward looking,andmaybeafewmorewordsaboutmyselfthatcouldbehelpful.Ihaveacomplicated,yet interestingstorywhichIamnotgoingtoboreyounow,becausenowisthetimetowakeupafterthe napIaskedyoutotake.IwasborninAfrica,raisedinAsia,andarrivedonthecoastofAmericamore than20yearsago.Igrewuponacommune,whichisaveryuniquewayoflife.Thatwasadifferent placeandadifferenttime,whereyoucannotorderpeopletodoanything.Itisalldoneasdirect democracyandavote.ThatiswhereIliveduntiltheageof33,andthencamehere. Icertainlybelievetheroleofleadershipistoserve.Idobelieveourroleistomakedecisionsespecially aboutthedistributionofresourcesandmovingaheadintermsofidentifyingthevision,whichreally meanstryingtopictureafutureforwherewearegoing.Anyoneknowthedifferencebetweena decisionandaconclusion?Aconclusioniswhatwedoinscience.Inbiology,wetaketworats,weput themintheexactsameconditions,wefeedone;wedontfeedtheother.Ifyourepeattheexperience overandagain,oneoftheratsdiesafteracertainamountoftime,andyoucanconcludethattherat youdontfeeddiesafteracertainamountoftime.Now,thatsaconclusion.Itsscientific,itsproven. Itsnotadecision. Decisionswemakeareamongthechoiceswehave.Weliketohavecommitteesinhighereducation, andwecomeforwardandsaythecommitteeconcluded.Butitsnottrue.Dontbelieveit.The committeedecided.Forme,thefoundationfordecisionmakingisvalues,optimism,forwardlooking andgroundingitinvaluebaseddecisionmaking,becausethathastobecriteriafordecisionmaking. Otherwise,wecomeacrossasarbitrary,capricious,anddontdoreallyanythingpositive.So,thoseare someofthethingsthatIwanttosharewithyou.AnotheroneisIbelieveverystronglythateveryperson shouldexpresstheirownopinion,theirvoice.Theyshouldbearoundthetableandparticipateinthe process.Attheendoftheday,afterthedeliberation,whenthedecisionismade,werallyandunite

togetherandmoveonandnotcontinuetotryandstopthewheelsfrommoving.Wewilltrytodothe bestthatwecan,andpeoplewillhavetheopportunity,inaveryopenandhonestmannerwithoutany consequences,toexpresstheirviewinaprofessionalandrespectivemanner.Obviously,notone personsviewwillprevail.Iurgeyoutosharewithmeyourthoughts,yourviews,yourdreams,and aspirations.IwillcontinuetodowhatIhavedonesofarandthatislistening,visiting,touring,hearing whateachandeveryoneofyouthinks,whileatthesametimemakingdecisionsandnotwaitingforthe firstyeartogobyandstilltellyouIamonalisteningtour.Thatisnotgoingtoworkinthischanging environment. IhavebeenlisteningalotandtalkingtomanypeopleandIcameupwithsomeinitialobservations, whichofcourse,basedonwhatIsaidearlier,halfofyouaregoingtoreject.AndthatisOK,butIwould liketosharewithyousomeearlythoughtsIhaveaboutwhereweare,whereweregoing.Letme emphasizeagain,theseareinitialthoughtsthatIwouldbeveryhappytochange. Letsbeginwithsomestrengths.Ibelievewehaveasolidacademicfoundation,demonstratedthrough theHLC,the10yearreaccreditation,theeducationexperience,thenursingprogramandmanyother indicators.Weareacademicallysolidandgoodnotthatwewontdomore.Ourfacultyandstaffare extremelycommittedtoacademicexcellenceandstudentsuccess.IfitsonethingIheardandsawis certainlythededicationofeachandeveryoneofyou. ThethirdthingIwanttopointout,somethingIvelearnedasIhavetraveledaround,isthereisan immense,strongregionalsupportforthiscampus.Peopleareexpectingalotfromus.TheyloveIU Kokomo.Theyreallyhopewebecomemoreandmoreapartofthelightinthisregion.Moreaboutthat aswemovealong. HerearesomeofthechallengesthatIencounteredalongtheway. Facilitiesweneedsomesignificantrenovation.Wehavesomegreatfacilities.Iamhappytosharewith youthemainbuildinghasbecomenowatoppriorityforIndianaUniversity.Itwillbesubmittedtothe legislatureforrenovation.Ibelievethatitwillberenovated.IthoughtwhenIcametheofficespace wasntreallyorganizedinthebestfunctionalmanner.AsIknowfrommanyinstitutions,officespacehas anevolution.Thingschange.Youaddanofficehere,anofficethere.Ilookedatit,Ithoughtaboutit.I cametothecabinet,whatdoyouthinkaboutthis?Ihavetotellyoupeoplewereexcited.Nowgranted therewereoneortwothatwerentsoexcited,butItriedtomeetwiththempersonally.ThenIthought weshouldmoveandIwasveryimpressedbecausetherewasanimmediatesuggestionforacommittee.

WesetadeadlineforAugust.So,wemoved.ItwasalsoknownastheBigMoveof2010.Itwasthe hottestdaytherehaseverbeenonthisearth!Itwasthemosthumiddaywecouldevenimagine.Itwas horrible.But,itwassuchagoodtimethatthoseofyouwhowerenthereforthatwillforeverfeelthat youdontbelongbutyoudo.Nowitsveryproblematictothankthosewhoworkedonthemove.Igot intotroublewiththesecondandthirdshift!SoImhumblyapologizingtoallofthoseandotherswhoI didnotgiverecognition.Iwillhavepizzawithsecondandthirdshift.Soanyway,wemoved.Ibelievewe aremuchmorefunctionalnowafterwemoved.Ibelieveitisworkingwell. Weneedtosolidifyandgrowexternalrelations,advancement,alumniandfriendsandother constituencies.Highereducationisfacingmany,manychallenges.Onesignificantisthefightonthe heartandthesoulofthepublic.Wehavetocontinueallwecantoenhancerelationshipswiththemany constituenciesaroundus.Thatslocalofficials,peoplewholivearoundhere,government,our10,000 alums,andonandonandon.Weneedtodomuchmoretoengagethem,makethemfeelthatthey owntheinstitutiontogetherwithustheyareapartofit.Itstheirs.Theyhaveanobligation,not becausewewantthemtodosomethingforus,butbecauseitisgoingtobetterthem,thelivesoftheir childrenandthefutureoftheregionandthestate.Wealsolikeitwhentheycontribute. Weneedtogrowenrollment,programsanddeliverysystems.Whatdowemeanbythat?Itwasa recordyear,andforthatIamextremelyappreciativeandthankfulbecauseittookalottodoso.We needtocontinuetogrow.WewillImgoingbackandforthwithmygoodcolleagueJackabout percentages.Wewillgrowprograms.IhavehadgoodconversationswithmycolleagueSue,butinthis caseIwillrevealthatIhopewehaveatleastfivenewprogramsthatarerelevant,appropriate,andbuild onourstrengths.Wewillhavefivenewprograms,Ihope.Wewillalsohave,withyourhelpandhard work,30coursesonlinebyDecember. ThenextchargethatIwanttoaddressissalaries.IheardloudandclearandIunderstandloudandclear. Notonlythattherewerentraise,butthatalsoseveralofyouarenotbeingcompensatedinthemanner thatyoushould,inthesensethatitsnotcompetitive.Itakethatvery,veryseriously.Iknowthatwhat youdoandwhatwedoisbasedonanexternalincentiveofmonetarycompensation.Iamcommittedto dealingwiththat.AllIamaskingforisalittlebitoftime.Butweareworkingonit.IfIcouldannounceit now,Iwould. Next,wehavearegionthateconomicallyisstruggling.Thatisnothingnewtoanyofyou.Thatisa challenge.But,asweliketosay,itisalsoanopportunity.

ThreemajorthingsIwouldlikebasedonwhatIheardandlearnedandunderstoodsofar,andmypast experiences,thesearethingsIwouldliketofocusontogether:Oneisacademicexcellenceandstudent success.Thathastodoallthewayfromexceptionalprogramsandthequalityofthefaculty.Thenextis makingfriends,involvingalumniandfundraisingthatiscertainlyathemeweallhavetorallyaround. Andlastbutnotleast,creatingandleadingacoalitionforgrowthandinnovationinnorthcentral Indiana.Ihopethatwe,asIUKokomo,willcontinuetoenhancesignificantlyourroleinnorthcentral Indianaasanengineforeconomicdevelopmentandfortransformation.Thesocioeconomicwellbeing oftheregiondependsonbuildingacoalition.Whereitworksitworksbeautifullyandwhereit doesntwork,itsprettymiserable.Ihadthehonorandprivilegemanyyearsagoofworkingsomewhat withtheHudnutadministrationandtheyweredoingthingsinIndianapolisandMarion.Ibelievewe haveamajorroletodothatanditwillmakeusrelevantandmakeusextremelyimportant.Thatsonly bybringingtogethertheinstitutionofhighereducation,privatebusiness,notforprofits,government thatthiswillhappen.So,thesearethethreethemesIwouldliketoworkonandemphasize.Wewill onlybesuccessfulindoingsobyhavingeachandeveryoneofyoumakingadifferencetomakeit happen. Iwanttomentionnineprioritiesinaddressingthosethemesandthechallengesthatweface. Thefirstistoassesstheprogramswehaveandbuildnewdegreeprogramsanddeliverysystems again,basedonourstrengths,basedonourcapacity,basedontheneedoutthere.Itsnotgoingtobe detachedfromtheneedanditsnotgoingtobedetachedfromourstrengthsandwhatwecando. Secondly,implementactionstepsfromthe20092010FoundationsofExcellenceselfstudyinitiative.I believemanyofyou,somewherearound80ofyou,82workedsohardtomoveforwardduringthe pastyear,andobviouslywithexceptionalresults.Wearegoingtobuildonit.Wearegoingtocontinue. Wearegoingtomoveitforward.Thatworkisntgoingtojustbestuckonashelfsomewhere,andwell saythankyouandhavepizza. ThethirdpriorityistorespondtothenewdirectionsinlearninginitiativeofPresidentMcRobbie. PresidentMcRobbiehaschallengedIndianaUniversityallcampusesinthisnewdirection.Wewillhear moreaboutit.ThereisareportdueinNovember.Ithastodowiththesamethingswedidwithstudent success,useoftechnologywiththechangingsocioeconomicenvironment,arewedoingallwecanto utilizeandtoexcelandtomakesurestudentsaresuccessful.Wecertainlyaregoingtorespondtothe presidentsinitiative.

WeneedtocreateatransferstudentcenterinpartnershipwithIvyTechintheKokomoregion.Wehave alreadydoneavarietyofactivitiesinthatregard.WemovedaheadwithIvyTechveryswiftly.Wewill haveanadvisortoemphasizethisseamlesstransfer.Weneedtomakesureouradvisorsaremoreout thereatIvyTech.Wearegoingtodoasignificantamountofwork.Myhopeanddreamisthatwhenyou areadmittedtoIvyTech,youactuallyalreadyknowwhereyouaregoingtogowithIUKokomo.Now,of course,webelieve,andIhavenoproblemsayingit,thatyourebetterchoiceistocometousfirst.Ican makeagoodargumentwhy.ButthosewhofirstgotoIvyTech,especiallythosewhoneedremedial work,wecertainlyaregoingtomakesurethereisaseamlesstransferandIneedyourhelptomakesure thatwillhappen.IknowthatIndianahasadifferentwaysofdealingwithcommunitycolleges.Iwas fortunatetobeinMichiganformanyyearswhereitisdoneverydifferently.Wehavealotofexperience withthat,andwearegoingtomakesurethatwearetheplacethattheytransferto. Wearegoingtoincreasestudentenrollment.Enoughsaid.Itdependsagainoneachandeveryoneof you.Iwanttoemphasizeitdoesntjustdependonpeoplewhodorecruiting.Itdependsoneachand everyoneofyou.Forthestudents,eachandeveryoneofyouisIndianaUniversityKokomo.The interactionstudentshavewithyouthatswhatstayswiththem. Wearegoingtomakefriendsanddeveloprelationshipsandwearegoingtoenhancefundraising becausewehavebigplansformanythings. Imentionedwehavegreatfacilities.IknowthetopofmyprioritiesistheHealthandWellnessCenter. Wearegoingtochangeitalittlebitforthoseofyouthatfollowedtheplanthatwassubmittedandhow wearegoingtodoitandwhatwearegoingtodo.IbelieveifwedosobasedonwhatIveheard,and viewsIvehadexchangedwithpeoplehere,wellhaveabetterchancetogetit.Wearegoingtoworkon Ihopethatverysoonwewillmakeprogress. RenovatecurrentfacilitiesandaddaHealthandWellnessCenter Wearegoingtoestablishanewmarketingplanthatisalmostcomplete.Wearegoingtointroduceitat acabinetretreatandmakesomechanges,andthenwewillshareitwithallofyou. Wearegoingtolooktoenhanceretentionandgraduationrates.Wearegoingtomoveforwardwith that.

Weareonthemove,asitsayshere.Butwecanonlybeonthemoveifeachandeveryoneofyouleads themove.Icertainlywilldomyshare,butIaskeachofyoutoconsideryourselfasaleaderinthismove. Whatwewanttobeistobuildonthepast.Therehasbeenalonghistoryheresince1945,andcertainly inthepastfewyearsexceptionalworkhasbeendone.ThiscertainlywasamajorconsiderationinwhyI chosetocomehere.ItiscertainlyaconsiderationinwhyIbelievewecanbuildonthatandmoveus forward. Wherearewemoving?Well,wearemovingtomakesurethattherapidsocioeconomicchallengesthat arearounduswillcreateopportunitiesforusandtobenothingshortofthebestregionalcampuswithin IndianaUniversityandthebestregionalcampusintheseUnitedStatesnothingless.Iamnotthat competitive,Ijustreallylikewinning.SoIhopeyouwilljoinmeinthatpassionandinthatcommitment. Therearealotofstudiesabouthappiness.Onethingwevelearnedfromitisattheendofthedaynot onlythatthemostimportantthingisthedifferencewevemadeinoneindividualslife,butattheendof thedayinaddition,weallliketobeandfeelpartofacommunity,belongtoacommunity,wherewe careforeachotherverymuch.Wherewecanenhancewehavethejointcauseanddirectionthatwe areonthemovethatwearemovingtowardsthatend. ItismyhopethatwewillberecognizedasthebestregionalcampusofIndianaUniversityandthebest regionalcampusintheseUnitedStates.Iabsolutelybelieve,withoutadoubt,withoutaquestion,that withtheenthusiasmandcommitmentwehavehereatIUKokomo,wewillachievethatend.Iwouldlike toclosewithtwothings.OneisaquotefromJohnQuincyAdams,the6thpresidentoftheUnited States.ThereasonIchoseaquotefromhimisnotonlybecauseIlikeitsomuch,butalsobecausehe wasaonetermpresidentandhewasapresidentinatimeoftremendoustechnologicalchangeatime whereeducationwaskeyinthatprocessandwhentheUnitedStateswaschangingeconomically dramatically.Hereswhathesaid: Ifyouractionsinspireotherstodreammore,learn more,domoreandbecomemore,youarea leader. Translation:Eachandeveryoneofyouinthisroomisaleader. Andlastbutnotleast,IwouldliketoclosewithaquotefromH.R.Mill,whowasthebiographerforSir ErnestShackleton;Thebestexplorer,however,istheonewhocanbothconceiveanddare.

Andinfact,weareonthemoveandwearegoingtodaretogether. Thankyou. MichaelHarrisChancellorandProfessor IndianaUniversityKokomo IUK,Kokomo,Indiana,Fall2010