Join in concert, weekend activities!

Tonight, September 27, at 7:30 p.m.  at Legacy Hall, our wonderful friend, Hal Gibson, conductor of the 1976 Centennial Celebration Military Band and former CSU faculty member, will be guest conducting the CSU Wind Ensemble concert, titled "Military Connections." This will be a grand event that also honors our Assistant Rifle Coach and Olympic gold medalist Jamie Gray.

This weekend is also our annual Parents' Weekend, and there will be a range of wonderful programs, including a "screen on the green" movie at Woodruff Park, campus lectures and tours and much more.

An open letter to my Columbus State University colleagues

Columbus State University colleagues:

It is a great pleasure to share with you some of the detail regarding our recent recognition by U.S. News and World Report. This acknowledgement reinforces the goal outlined in our strategic plan to elevate our profile and performance in this most important annual assessment. I have provided you with some detailed insights below.

I recently had the opportunity to attend the Georgia Summit Conference with a number of our CSU colleagues. The Georgia Summit included more than 600 University System of Georgia (USG) personnel from Academic Affairs, Enrollment Management, HR and IT. At the conference, Dr. Houston Davis, the USG Chief Academic Officer, delivered an incredibly compelling talk on the Complete College Georgia initiative.

Dr. Davis’ presentation reinforces many of the CSU initiatives that are making a difference in our national recognition and performance in retention, progression and graduation (RPG). I am sharing Dr. Davis’ presentation (PDF | PPT) for your review.

We should be proud of these efforts, which have apparently been making an impact. Consider these points about Columbus State University:

• Ranked No. 46 among public “regional universities” in the South, and No. 91 among all similarly classified universities in the South, the same ranking as University of West Georgia and Charleston Southern University.
• First time university has ever been recognized by U.S. News and World Report..
• Recognition is overdue and likely responsible to:
• Improved recognition of university and its programs by peers.
• Improved financial resources (expanded CSU Foundation allocation, endowed positions, private sector support for academic programs).
• Alumni giving rate.

• Rankings measure retention rate, 6-year graduation rate, student-faculty ratio, peer assessment, alumni giving rate, and many other factors.
• Many initiatives Columbus State University has under way to improve the university will likely also help the university continue to rise in the rankings. Examples include expanded retention efforts, continuing to increase minimum academic admission requirements, and more flexible degree completion options (Complete College Georgia).

Thank you for all you are doing for our University.

Tim

Weekend combines music, drama and football

We enjoyed a great series of weekend events on campus. I had the distinct pleasure of hearing organist, Jonathan Ryan perform in our LegacyLive! Series at Legacy Hall. In 2009, Jonathan won our Jordan International Organ Competition. Our own incredibly gifted Professor Joseph Golden introduced him, and it was a great event.

Lauren and I also had the great pleasure of seeing our terrific students perform at the Riverside Theater Complex in Anton in Show Business. The women in the cast were magnificent, and the show sold out all weekend.

Saturday, I couldn't miss watching our club football team play at McClung Memorial Stadium. It featured great weather and a great crowd.

Fall semester off to an exceptional start

I had the pleasure of seeing some exceptionally talented CSU theatre students over the weekend in a wonderful children's musical, Miss Nelson is Missing!  The cast was terrific, sets wonderful, and this was a great kickoff to our theatre season. Next up: Anton in Show Business on Sept. 20-23.

This was also the weekend for sorority rush, and our CSU Lady Cougars soccer team improved its record to 4-0 with two tough road games. Fall semester is off and running!

Bike Ride with the President a success

On Thursday, we had another spirited group of students, faculty and staff who joined me on a terrific bike ride from our RiverPark campus along the banks of the Chattahoochee River in Uptown Columbus to the main campus. Thanks to the work of Chief Rus Drew and other University Police, we had an escorted ride along the Fall Line Trace, the rails-to-trails route, ending with a Student Affairs "foam party" at the Whitley Clock Tower on main campus.

Steve Morse and his logistics team and Dr. Kimberly McElveen in Student Life helped with all the many details. Bikes and helmets were provided by Ride On Bikes, and we had a terrific time. Columbus is now graced with close to 30 miles of paved bike trails, and this has greatly enhanced student and community life and recreation.

Hundreds participate in CSU Day of Service; Freshman Convocation packed

What a great weekend!  My sincere thanks to Lyn Riggsby-Gonzalez and her team for helping to orchestrate our fourth annual Day of Service. In all, close to 300 students, faculty and staff worked at five different United Way sites, demonstrating our university's deep and abiding commitment to service.

On Sunday, Major General H.R. McMaster delivered a moving address on the history of the Vietnam War at a packed University Hall Freshman Convocation. Students, faculty and staff gathered for this most important rite of passage and welcome to the academy. It was another great CSU weekend.

Fall semester 2012 officially under way

This is my favorite time of year.

Last night, there was a spectacular cookout at the RiverPark campus, with more than 400 in attendance to help usher in the new academic year. Coinciding with this was a series of intramural events on the main campus that saw huge crowds as well.

Today, Professor Joseph Golden totally mesmerized a packed house at Legacy Hall with his performance on the Jordan Organ. This was a treat for all in attendance. Also today, Lauren and I had the great pleasure and honor of hosting the "O Team". These orientation leaders, are incredibly gifted CSU students working under the direction of Collins Brown and with the overall guidance of Dr. Kimberly McElveen. This annual event is our modest offer of "thank you" to these students who make the transition for incoming freshmen so much  more palatable.

Tomorrow, Monday, August 13, we are off and running.