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President's Letter |
One sunny afternoon last autumn, I talked to a reporter who was working on a profile of Ferris State University for the publication Discover Mecosta County. It was a chance to talk about the University’s strengths and achievements, some of which were still in process at the time. I’d like to update you on some of the exciting things taking place at Ferris. Our campus landscape is changing through renovations to Instructional Resource Center. You may view this progress at www.ferris.edu/news/irc/WebCam. Large tiered auditoriums that did not encourage active learning will be replaced by flexible classroom spaces with state-of-the-art electronic support. The Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning will be a centerpiece to this building, providing support for our faculty as we seek to become a Learning Centered University. This completely renovated building will open this coming fall and have a re-dedication during homecoming. This has been a year of record enrollment with 12,575 students for fall and 12,036 students for spring semester. Last fall 43 percent of our new students were transfer students. This reflects the success of our efforts to extend a Ferris education throughout Michigan and acceptance of our new transfer scholarship program. This is the first spring our enrollment has topped 12,000 students and includes the retention of 88 percent of our new students from fall. The Discover Mecosta article was also an opportunity to talk about our Athletics program. During the interview I mentioned our volleyball team, which made their third straight NCAA Division II National Tournament appearance. Since that time we have finished excellent years in football, basketball and hockey. Perhaps most importantly, our student-athletes have received national attention for both their athletic and scholarly achievements. (See Bulldog Bites on pages 16-17.) The most important mission of the University is, of course, education. In my interview with the reporter I stressed the options Ferris provides students. The strength of our educational programs results from the quality and commitment of our faculty and staff. At Ferris our courses are taught by faculty, rather than teaching assistants. These are faculty who are actively involved with their professions and committed to helping our students learn and succeed. Our faculty-to-student ratio helps support class sizes where students can learn effectively, facilitates interaction in the classroom, laboratory and during office hours, and creates an environment where faculty know students by name and help encourage their success. Ferris State University’s good fortune is to have its founder’s vision as a constant reminder of our mission as we change, adapt and improve the institution for our students. As we begin to plan for commemorating our 125th year in 2009, we look forward with confidence and back with pride. This is an exciting time to be at Ferris. Many new students tell us they chose the University because someone they know recommended Ferris. We count on you to take time to share your pride with the young adults you know. We hope you will visit, recommend the University to others and keep in touch through www.ferris.edu. Sincerely, David L. Eisler |
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