Good morning! My wife, Kay, and I are delighted to have the opportunity to return to IUP and to Indiana. We have fond memories of our time here while I served as interim provost, and we look forward to reconnecting with old friends and making new ones.
As interim president, I will have two major responsibilities: first, to prepare IUP for the eventual arrival of a permanent president who can assume responsibilities in a seamless manner; and, second, to move IUP steadily forward. We will not stand still during this interim period; an institution that tries to stand still invariably slides backward. We will not do that.
IUP faces serious challenges, many of which are driven by the economy. I am confident that, working together, we can meet those challenges and make IUP an even stronger institution than it is now—and, it is, by many measures, a very strong institution.
In recent years, the IUP president has delivered a State of the University address in late August. In my opinion, I would be presumptuous in trying to describe the state of the university so quickly after my arrival. So, instead, we will return to a format similar to that of the past and use the title: Opening of the Academic Year: 2010-2011. Details about this event will be distributed shortly.
In the spirit of open communication and sharing of information, I will be hosting a monthly meeting at which members of the IUP faculty and staff can ask me questions about whatever issues they choose. The first of these sessions will be held in September; details will follow.
Best regards,
David Werner
Interim President