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May 30, 2008

First candidate for presidency visits ISU

Daniel Bradley is first of three to make campus trips

By Sue Loughlin

TERRE HAUTE — Good communication and much campus involvement in decision-making are high priorities for Daniel Bradley, one of three finalists hoping to become Indiana State University’s 11th president.

Bradley, president of Fairmont State University in Fairmont, W.Va., is spending two jam-packed days at ISU meeting with various campus groups and members of the Terre Haute community.

On Thursday morning, he met separately with ISU support staff and faculty and fielded some tough questions in the process.

Communication with administration was a key concern of those groups, Bradley said. “They want to be sure the next president is willing to listen to them and meet with them and talk to them and try and address their concerns,” he said.

That’s something he’s tried to do during his seven years as president at Fairmont State University, he said.

He tries to meet regularly with various groups on campus, whether through formal channels such as the faculty senate or by having breakfast with randomly chosen faculty or staff — lunch in the case of students. “They don’t do breakfast,” he said.

He likes to hear people’s different perspectives about what is happening on campus.

“It’s very important that the president have some idea of what’s going on in all aspects of the campus and knows people, and that those people know they can always talk to the president,” he said.

He said he has an open door policy and answers his own e-mail. If someone is in the outer office and he’s not busy with a meeting, “They are welcome to come in and talk to me,” he said.

He sends a weekly report to the campus that serves as a newsletter and as a forum to explain decisions and to seek input. Copies of presentations that he gives to campus audiences are posted on the college Web site so that everyone can be informed.

Bradley believes that one of his more significant accomplishments at Fairmont has been to get “lots of people engaged in solving problems, whereas I think the organization used to be much more top down.”

When making decisions, “I like to get lots of involvement and continuous involvement,” he said. “I try to listen and move people in the direction that’s going to help solve problems.”

During his meetings with ISU faculty and staff Thursday, those attending also expressed concerns about ever-rising tuition costs that are outpacing the cost of living.

While there are no easy answers, one of his priorities would be working to ensure the state’s proportion of higher education costs remains constant, he said. Over the last 20 to 30 years — across the country —the state’s share of higher education costs has substantially declined.

He’s also aware that ISU is in the early stages of a capital campaign, and an important component will be increasing private resources to assist with scholarships and program development, he said.

Also, those in higher education are going to have to continually review what they’ve been doing “to see if it still makes sense,” Bradley said.

He believes universities need to make sure the public understands why college costs are increasing.

“There’s been too much discussion in the press about the costs to go to Ivy League schools” when only a small minority of students attend those schools, he said.

Fairmont State University is a master’s level public university with slightly more than 7,000 students. It provides both professional and liberal arts education.

During his tenure, the university has completed a $100 million-plus dollar construction program; modernized its computing infrastructure; developed a strong distance education program; and started graduate programs in education, business and social sciences.

“I think I was very fortunate that I came into a campus [at Fairmont State] that was ready to do lots of things differently than they had been doing,” Bradley said.

The Fairmont State campus has changed a lot in seven years, and for the most part, “people were ready for those kinds of changes,” he said.

He has emphasized building a strong relationship between Fairmont State University and the Fairmont community. He recognizes that ISU, too, has placed a high priority on strengthening its relationship with Terre Haute.

Bradley likes ISU’s focus on getting students involved in the community and experiential learning.

At a time when competition is keen for college students, he said ISU has to make sure it has strong programs, and the ones that are the strongest should be heavily marketed. “You brag about them and make people aware they exist,” he said.

One way to increase enrollment “is to make sure every student is valued and that everybody views recruiting and retention as part of their job, whether it’s the president or someone who empties waste baskets,” he said.

Also, those involved with recruitment and retention must have the resources they need to get the job done, he said.

He and his wife, Cheri, had an opportunity to walk around campus Wednesday afternoon. He also received a tour on Thursday.

“The physical plant here is really impressive. It’s a beautiful, beautiful place,” he said. “The more I learn about ISU, the more impressed I am and the more interested I am.”

Bradley previously held a variety of positions at Montana Tech of the University of Montana.

He has doctorate in physical chemistry from Michigan State University; a master’s degree in petroleum engineering from the University of Tulsa; and a bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering from Montana College of Mineral Science and Technology.

Sue Loughlin can be reached at (812) 231-4235 or sue.loughlin@tribstar.com.

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