Spring Break provided an opportunity for the President's Cabinet to review the 2014 "Great Goals!" document, the annual planning cycle for Bethany College. This is the seventh year of this participatory process which enables us to reflect on last year's goals, set new goals for the upcoming year, and revise our longer-range ambitions through our strategic plan "Bethany College: From Here to 2020."
While the re-setting of the economy (I elect not to call it a recession) has impacted us in a very real way, we have weathered the storm as a result of good planning. Thanks to all of you who took part in the "Great Goals!" process, in particular: Dr. David R. Black, Sarah Cochran Visiting Executive in Residence, for leading the process; the President's Cabinet and Staff; and Department Chairs and Directors.
These are trying times in American higher education. Many institutions are underfunded and confronting rapidly rising costs. For most of us, we find that the education pie is the same, yet we are required to cut the pie differently.
Residential liberal arts colleges are unique, but more market-sensitive than 20 years ago. If it is the overall goal of American higher education to create an educated citizenry, our goal at Bethany is to provide an exceptional educational experience in an intimate intellectual environment.
The major challenge we face at Bethany, however, is mathematical. Not enough people were born 18 years ago to fill all of the available seats in America's colleges. Therefore, we have to be better than other residential arts and sciences colleges in teaching, fostering campus community life, and preparing our students for post-graduation success. We also have to be better at recruitment and fundraising. So, there is a piece of this challenge to be owned by each of us.
Thank you for all that you do for our students. Your efforts do make a difference to them and to the long-term viability of our College.
