News and Media Relations contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-5616 or Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu
College of Basic and
Applied Sciences contact: Dr. Bud Fischer, 615-898-2613 or Bud.Fischer@mtsu.edu
MURFREESBORO — In
his first State of the College address, Dean Bud Fischer charted a new course
for the MTSU College of Basic and Applied Sciences.
Fischer, on the job for 100 days, gave more administrative
control to the 10 departments’ chairs and faculty during his approximately
50-minute address Thursday, Nov. 8, in the Keathley University Center Theater.
When it comes to decisions that are directly related to the
operation of the departments such as funding travel, Fischer said he would
leave decisions to the departments.
“It’s not for me to decide,” he told the audience of
faculty, staff and administrators. “Chairs should be able to run departments
the way they see fit.”
“The new dean wants to give chairs and faculty in the
departments more responsibility,” said Dr. Charles Perry, chair of the Russell
Chair of Manufacturing Excellence in engineering technology. “That’s his
management style — set the guidelines and let them manage.”
“I thought it went very well,” Fischer said of the annual
State of the College address. “It got the major points of how we can improve
the college and set the expectations for the future.”
Students and student retention were key points Fischer made.
“I’m happy to see we’re continuing to move forward with a
student-centered focus on scholarship and teaching,” said Dr. Kim Cleary
Sadler, an associate professor in the biology department, an MTSU alumna and
university faculty member since 1996.
Fischer said he was bothered by the college’s freshman
retention rates, which are lower than he would have liked. He shared that from
a recent meeting of nearly 60 campus academic administrators, university
President Sidney A. McPhee wanted to know “what kind of things can we change?”
to turn things around with retention.
“We need to be innovative in ways to improve retention,”
Fischer said, especially in those early years.
The first-year dean asked for volunteers to be a part of the
initial Strategic Planning Committee to develop the college’s mission, vision,
core values, strategic advantages and strategic challenges. Sub-committees
would be formed to create initiative plans, including input from faculty, and
submit this to the executive committee. Eventually, after faculty comment, a
final revision will be completed.
In his presentation, Fischer shared numerous student and
faculty achievements, the college’s budget, how alumni donations are on the
increase and five strategic initiatives.
Fischer mentioned 11 faculty who are new or returning to the
university, including respective biology and chemistry chairs Drs. Lynn Boyd
and Greg Van Patten; and professor of military science Lt. Col. Joel Miller.
Dr. John Haffner has rejoined the horse science faculty at the Horse Science
Center adjacent to Miller Coliseum on West Thompson Lane.
Fischer added that at least 16 new faculty will be added in
the near future, increasing the total faculty to 225.
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Photo captions
Bud Fischer1.jpg
College of Basic and
Applied Sciences Dean Bud Fischer welcomes attendees to his first State of the
College Address Nov. 8 in the Keathley University Center Theater. (MTSU Photo
by News and Media Relations)
Fischer & Dave
Whitaker1.jpg
College of Basic and
Applied Sciences Dean Bud Fischer and Horse Science Center Director Dave
Whitaker share a laugh before Fischer made his State of the College address
Nov. 8 in the Keathley University Center Theater. (MTSU Photo by News and Media
Relations)
Mimi Thomas & Bud
Fischer1.jpg
Mimi Thomas, director
of the Tennessee Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Partnership at MTSU, visits
with College of Basic and Applied Sciences Dean Bud Fischer Nov. 8. Fischer
made his first State of the College address. (MTSU Photo by News and Media
Relations)
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visit www.MTSUNews.com.
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